Strange things you have lurking in your handbag ?

As my mother got older she had less interest in eating, but I discovered that if I took her to the John Lewis at high Wycombe, not only did she love the drive there but, after a little look around we would go upstairs and have lunch. She would finish her lunch and ask (every single time) if I was going to finish mine. The staff would kindly wrap the other half of my (baguette, sandwich or something) and she would happily put it in her handbag for later. On several occasions I found horribly mouldy leftovers in her handbag. Thank goodness the food bags were sturdy!

Oh Yuk Jackie. I usually have a few golf tees and ball markers - what a saddo.

Not a handbag story, but one about the logic of very young children. A while ago when I was visiting DD, my son-in-law couldn't find his rail season ticket. He was really worried as it was in a wallet with all his credit and debit cards. This was around 9.00pm, and he had to leave to catch the 6.00am train for London. We searched the house to no avail, so eventually we pooled all our cash and he bought a day return. When DD came to make DGS's bed, she found the lost ticket in the wallet with the cards under his pillow. On being questioned, he said he'd put it there to keep it safe.........

Mr Swizz is putting up a robust defence as due to his memory problems he (rightly) is the first of the household to fall under suspicion.
He is pointing the finger ( human not haddock ) at Whisky Woo, the semi feral cat that has recently adopted us.
Earlier this week I was sitting in the garden and saw WW appear over the garden wall carrying a live mouse. He was heading to the kitchen at speed and it was only by some deft manoeuvring with my Argos old biddy grabbers that I stopped him.
However I still don’t understand how even a cat as smart and streetwise as this old rogue could manage to undo the zip on my bag.
My money is still on The Swizz. And I’m sure it’s his fault the downstairs loo is broken !

Many years ago I went to pay my bus fare and offered the driver my emergency tampax! Nearly got off the bus....

I still keep all my usual tat in my bag(very large tote bag) even though not been out since lockdown started.and every night drag it upstairs& bring it down every day! Thing is you never know if your going to need whats in? My purse with bank cards,(still some need details online) my pills( i take several a day) my little note book with allsorts scribbled in or to 'add to', my tablet computer my smartphone,tiny brush,tissues,last of my hand gel,pens...the lists endless.and i like them all in one place,rather than cluttering everywhere else& scrabbling looking for them when needed...theres often a foodie item in there,but only when i used to go out- i once got a turkey/stuffing sandwich on way to my DD house,as we'd travelled 72 miles to visit,and i dumped bag outside downstairs loo& rushed straight in.by time i came out her old dog had snuffled it out,ripped paper bag open& wolfed it down.i forgave her,as she'd never done it before,sadly shes now passed away.but we still smile over it

You didn't know how long it has been there? The 'pong' would have alerted me. Not what you call 'usual' where handbag fragrance is concerned.

Love that Dowsabella! I once spent 2 hours searching for my disabled bus pass as i had an hosp appt(my son wasnt a driver then though he was still at high school) i searched everywhere,then eventually found it in pocket of a coat id ALREADY searched at beginning! So thats why now EVERYTHING goes in the huge bag...i did find a fiver though in pocket of a coat id not worn for over a year ?

Oh !!!
It had no smell. It appeared dessicated

Tin of soup .... and I carried it around for weeks after I found it

I once had to use a public phone box when out (must have been between phones) and i cancelled to get money back,put my hand in and came out with half a cold cooked sausage that was in it!! Urgh! My 2 boys were only young then& couldnt stop laughing! (and no,it weren't even theirs!!)

Every day without fail id find a none or half eaten big biscuit or chocolate brownie or sandwich in my youngest sons blazer pocket from school lunch,along with the pile of crumbs! I used to have to empty crumbs outside before i washed it at weekends! I thought it would end after he left high school,but no,now hes at college,i still find em in hoody pockets too

When a teenager, returned home to nana’s after quite enthusiastic goodnight kissing with boyfriend when a mouse ran out of my bag. Nana was terrified of mice!

Hilarious! Just what I need in these grim times. This thread has made my day!

I was looking after my grandaughter at her house one day when I saw her heading towards the DVD player with a piece of cardboard. I shouted "NOOOO!" but didn't manage to stop her in time. We never did manage to get it out so they ended up having to buy a new one. DD and SL were very nice about it though!

Oh dear Sheba,im afraid id have ordered a new,expensive,bag & made hubby pay for it! He wouldnt have done it again!

Years ago when I smoked, I was getting ready to go to work. I lifted my bag to put my cigarettes in and there, snuggled into the lining that he had chewed up, was our hamster! We had blamed each other a few times for leaving his cage open but found eventually that he had learned how to open it himself and escape! Imagine if I had just lifted my bag, closed it and left. ??

I worked in a Young Offenders Institute. One day I noticed a tent peg in my handbag!!! An 8 inch long piece of metal in a prison. I could have been put in jail. That was a nerve racking trip back to my car dreading being searched. Phew!

I once found the remains - almost mummified - of a banana in the handbag I use for travelling. Strangely, no smell had alerted me to its presence.

I remember going through security at Heathrow having just arrived from Belfast, the Guard asked to check my bag, he put his hand in had a rummage, withdrew his hand to find it was covered in play doh and jelly tots.

We went out for supper once ..and l sneakily wrapped up a piece of Stilton cheese from the cheeseboard...but couldn’t finish and popped it in my handbag.
Fast forward 2 weeks and people were giving me funny looks whenever we went out and whenever l sat in the chair at home with my handbag next to me ...l kept thinking what the heck was that smell ??
Eventually, after checking everything else in sight, l decided to check my bag only to find the now very very stinky Stilton all still neatly wrapped up in a serviette at the bottom of my fairly deep bag.
My bag had to be cleaned and disinfected and left out in the garage for almost 3 weeks before it was safe to go near it!
I would have thrown the bag away ..but l like my Radley handbags and they’re not cheap!

It reminds me of an incident my friend told me years ago. She was busy at church and the vicar needed to sign some papers. He asked her if he could borrow a pen. Distracted, she rummaged around in her handbag and handed him what she thought was a pen. It was a tampon!

I once put some dog chews I had bought in my handbag. Strangely when I remembered to put them away, there was only an empty paper bag there. Dog looked a bit guilty.

I once took my purse out of my bag in a shop and found half a slice of jammy toast firmly stuck to it, courtesy of youngest son, it must have been there at least 4 days. Same son also put toast in the video recorder.

Talking of kipper sukiedimes, years ago, our wardrobe mistress collected all the costumes at the end of a production. Said costumes were then deposited in the costume department. Months later, opening the door, the smell was awful!
My daughter had put the remains of her smoked mackerel in what she thought was a bin bag! It was of course a bag of costumes.