OMG, the relief after a major panic! And it was my own stupid fault.

DH lost his specs in a skip at the tip when throwing stuff in. He was told ‘hard cheese’ or words to that effect.

I accidentally dropped my car keys in the huge bin at the tip that I purchased something in- it was full up with stuff. Luckily the nice man who worked there could see them and he hooked them out for me- phew!

Like grandtanteJE65 I use the 'Safe Place' system. Mine is a box file which sits on the shelf with the other box files. I introduced the same system in my several workplaces to great effect. Yet still I spend hours most days searching for my hearing aid, glasses, mobile, keys.

35 years ago we were going for a holiday is Spain, our twins were 3 at the time. I drove but only tootling locally, for shopping, play group, doctor’s surgery, visiting mum etc. We were picking a hire car up at the destination airport. After check- in in the UK DH realised that he didn’t have his driving license. I would have to drive an unfamiliar vehicle, in a new country and on the “wrong side” of the road. To say that I was panicking was an understatement. This was before mobile phones so we had to find a public phone, speak to my next door neighbour who had a spare key to our house. She had to search through our wardrobe to find DH’s driving license. Needless to say neighbour was OCD regarding tidiness and the license was in a part of the fitted wardrobe over the chimney breast. Ridiculously small shelving, absolute chaos!! Fortunately, neighbour’s husband had a business and was able to fax a copy of the license to the car hire company in Spain. During the flight, I didn’t know if she had found the license or if the fax had been successful. I didn’t feel able to speak to my husband during the flight as I would have shown myself up. It’s not often that I am at a loss for words but I was furious. Spent the whole flight reading the guidebook that we had about driving in Spain. Fortunately, the fax had arrived in Spain I have never been so relieved in my life. Couldn’t even have an in-flight G&T

My most expensive ring went missing for ages. We assumed our 2 yr old grandson had flushed it away (his fave hobby a the time)! One year later looking for a key ring in a cupboard - there it was amongst silver key ring circles, so all my fault ??

My DD and I have just had a frantic race around Manchester Airport, because we didn't check for ourselves.. The other DD, in Australia, said No, we definitely didn't need a Covid test to fly over there. We queued for 45 minutes, got to the Emirates check-in desk, and were asked for our Covid test results.
Panic stations. We had to haul all our luggage what seemed like a mile across the airport, book in, have our test, then wait 30 minutes for the result. While waiting we each had to fill in a very long form, and DD had trouble getting Wi-fi on her phone, and started running out of power. We eventually sorted them out, with 1% left on her phone, then leg it back to checkin. Luckily almost all the passengers had arrived by then, and she had just enough power left on her phone to show the completed forms and emailed test result. We had a fast track through customs, and arrived, panting, at the gate just as the last passengers were boarding.
I was well and truly shattered. We are now sitting in Dubai airport, where out 2 hour layover has become an 8 hour one.....to be followed by an 11 hour flight to Perth.
In future I will check information myself, instead of believing what others tell me. Or maybe I will just stay at home!

A friend of mine had her large family for Christmas dinner. There were a lot of helping hands, and all finished and tidied up. When she went to put her rings back on, (she always put them near the sink), they were not to be found.

They searched everywhere, and the rings were finally found out in the garbage bin with the bits of plate scrapings. She still is thankful to her DH for taking the time to go over every little bit of garbage from the day.

A few years ago my SIL bought me a beautiful cobalt blue cashmere sweater for Christmas. I never saw it again and am convinced I threw it out with the wrapping paper!

I borrowed my Dhs brand new car last weekend. It’s one of those you don’t need to lock just stand new at and press a button. I went shopping I one store. Came to put all
My purchases in the boot. No keys in bags pockets etc. went back in the shop with arms full of cushions and searched. In the end I phoned his and asked he bring the spare key just in case someone picked them up and just took the car. He was remarkably calm. Thank hod someone had picked them up and put them behind the counter. Whoever that was thank you as I have not felt quite that panicked for a while.

How reassuring that so many others have done daft things!
TBH I was half expecting a few posts on the lines of, ‘Well, that’ll teach you - I would never have been so careless!’

About 40 years ago we drove my mum and dad to the airport (Bank holiday Monday)we didn't even take note of what level we were on in the airport car park( we were very young)for some reason after we had been in the airport departure lounge for about 30 minutes I got the passports out for my mum and dad only it wasn't ..it was both of my mum one in black and white which had expired and one in colour, my father's was still in the dressing table drawer.
You can imagine the panic Manchester,roadworks,bank holiday traffic and we lived 15 miles away from the airport my husband offered to drive my dad back for his passport but couldn't find the car so my dad had to get a black cab to retrieve the passport ,luckily the flight was delayed so he did manage to board in time (just), my mum said he didn't speak to her for the whole flight..

I had been abroad and bought the almost obligatory knock off Chanel watch. I had the original at home but this was a very good option to wear on holiday. A couple of years later after a clear out some months before I went to take my watch out of the lock box and found I'd actually thrown away the genuine article and only the fake remained. That was a stomach churning moment and all my own fault.

A word to the wise: Never put anything in the proverbial SAFE PLACE!

My mother did this all her life and Panic Stations when she needed anything, as she could never remember where the safe place was!

If you must use the safe place method, have only ONE safe place. If anything is too big or bulky to fit in there, put a note of where it actually is in the safe place, so you have a hope of finding whatever it is that is hidden away when you need it.

When my son was at school he went on a school trip to Berlin, returning in the early hours. Some time later after planning to take son and daughter to Florida I couldn't find his passport. I did the blame thing - "Why didn't you give it to me to put away safely?" He said he did, I said he couldn't have done as it wasn't in the locked box with the others. So I have to apply for a new one and put off booking the flights 'til it arrives. Flights then cost much more than they would if booked earlier. Thankfully we had the holiday and enjoyed ourselves.

Months later while having a sort out, the original passport appeared in a pile of my paperwork! He had given it to me and I hadn't put it in the locked box as it was late and I just wanted to go to bed. A very costly mistake and also entirely my fault! I no longer have charge of their passports and I'm much more careful with mine as a result!

I once tidied up my sons desk, clearing out old papers etc. once it had gone to recycling I found out there had been a cheque for £200 in there. I was so mortified. Never interfere again.

I realised one day that I hadn’t seen a special diamond necklace and earrings that I had bought with money from an inheritance. I had forgotten I had wrapped them up “safely” in a couple of make up pads in a plastic bag, as I didn’t want to wear them coming home from holiday. Long story short - I had thrown the plastic bag away without checking inside and the bins had been emptied long since. O f@#&k. The only time I have ever claimed on my insurance but the sentimental attachment cannot be replaced.

I felt your panic reading your post!

It has sent my blood pressure up just reading these stories. I have a similar one but don't want to relive it now.

I once threw £150 in Christmas present money into the dustbin with wrapping paper. Luckily found all of it.

Well done with your detecting skills Witzend always worse when it's someone else's property you mislay.
Time for a restful afternoon with a large G&T.

Phew, what a relief the photos hadn’t ended up at the local tip!

We were lucky enough to win a holiday in a P & O competition many years ago. They invited us and the other winning couples to a presentation on a special sailing (in happier days) from Dover into French waters, where we’d have a champagne lunch, a tour of the bridge with the captain, the chance to take the ship’s controls… A limo arrived to collect us from our hotel and the chauffeur checked that we hadn’t left our passports in our room. We hadn’t - we’d left them at home in Yorkshire without even thinking that we’d need them. They bundled us into the same limo as the Chair of P & O and we were just waved through (and saluted).

The things we do for our DC and DGC that we wouldn’t even do for ourselves!

Oh what a relief, your blood pressure must have been through the roof. Now, when you have calmed yourself, could you put your mind to where DH put his tablet when we went on holiday, pre-covid?

Hope they all come in time Witzend. DD1 going away on 8/4 and DGD had expired. They paid extra for it to be returned and have been panicking as it didn't show it was being printed. Thought they might have to go to Glasgow passport office but they don't do the fast track now so would have meant a longer trip. So relieved when it arrived on Friday.

I am ALWAYS searching for things ..?