Ask a woman/wife/mother

This morning I lost something. Well, not exactly lost because it was found again but for a time I really thought it was lost forever.

I know I was awake at 6.15 am because I heard the singing of the national anthems before the New Zealand Vs Wales rugby game. I had turned on the radio to make sure I wouldn't miss it. My Bucket List isn't very long but one of things I'd love to do before I die is hear the Welsh singing their national anthem in Wales before a rugby game. And watch Australia play West Indies in cricket - in the West Indies. And...no, never mind.

Anyway, at 6.15 the thing (it) was on my bedside table.

Some time between 6.15 and 7.15 I showered and dressed. At 7.15 I made breakfast and couldn't find it. And I needed to find it. I rang my son and asked him to come and help me look for it. He crawled around under my bed (maybe it rolled off the bedside table although I was sure I had put it into my pocket) and around the floor in the office because in that same time span I had also turned on the computer, and down behind the toilet because I'd sat there too. We looked everywhere - it was not to be found. We gave up, thinking it would turn up again one day in a weird place - we'd checked the pantry and refrigerator. It had to be in the house somewhere, I had not been out the door.

At 8.15 am my daughter-in-law came in. "Have you found it yet?"

No, I had not.

This is when I was reminded of the difference between how a man and a woman look for things. My son listened to what I said and looked where I suggested. Heather hardly listened to what I said but asked questions. Did you go here?... have you been there?.. We retraced my steps to the bathroom where I had dressed and as we closed the bathroom door I sighted my dressing gown hanging behind the door and the lights came on (in my head that is). Ah ha! Pockets. Check the pockets!

And, yes, sure enough, there it was - see, I knew I'd put it in my pocket!

So, the lesson of the day is if you need to find something, enlist the help of a woman/wife/mother. I am or have been all those things so perhaps you should make sure they do some active wife and mothering duties to ensure their "Where is it?" thinking is still sharp.