Art called me to the kitchen where mom was standing upset and agitated.
"I don't know where my gardening shears are," she said remorsefully. "I had them yesterday, but they're gone today."
Art and I scoured our yard and all the places outside where she might have left it.
"I think I might have put it in my little trash bucket and thrown everything into the yard waste bin," she suggested hopefully.
Art and I looked at each other. The bin is full of two weeks of yard waste. We sighed and went through it... twice... but couldn't find her shears.
"It's my favorite shears," she said. "It cuts the best and the handles are soft and I use it all the time...." I think she was attempting to emphasize just how crucial a problem this was for ALL of us.
Art and I circled all the places she normally walks and then realized that mom was suspecting some thief had known how good her shears were and had made off with them. Or perhaps... just perhaps... one of us had used them and not put them away properly.
Just as I was wracking my brain to see if indeed I might have borrowed them, Art called mom. He took her shoulders and stood her next to the lemon tree that she often enjoys trimming and pointed her in the direction of the stone wall.
"Make a surprised face, Mom!" I told her.
She was so happy that she was willing to do anything.
Now where's that notebook I was looking at when Art called me away?
"I don't know where my gardening shears are," she said remorsefully. "I had them yesterday, but they're gone today."
Art and I scoured our yard and all the places outside where she might have left it.
"I think I might have put it in my little trash bucket and thrown everything into the yard waste bin," she suggested hopefully.
Art and I looked at each other. The bin is full of two weeks of yard waste. We sighed and went through it... twice... but couldn't find her shears.
"It's my favorite shears," she said. "It cuts the best and the handles are soft and I use it all the time...." I think she was attempting to emphasize just how crucial a problem this was for ALL of us.
Art and I circled all the places she normally walks and then realized that mom was suspecting some thief had known how good her shears were and had made off with them. Or perhaps... just perhaps... one of us had used them and not put them away properly.
"Make a surprised face, Mom!" I told her.
She was so happy that she was willing to do anything.
Now where's that notebook I was looking at when Art called me away?
Well, I am glad that Art found those shears!
ReplyDeleteLove that look of delighted relief and surprise on your Mom's face.
"Don't fret and promise tears,
Art is here, he'll find your shears!"
There, who else will write a rhyme for you today!
Happy Mother's Day this Sunday!!
Ohhh my gosh! I LOVE it! I just read your poem to Art and he got such a wonderful chuckle. You are very talented.
DeleteHa! You are all such good sports!
ReplyDeleteSecateurs always get lost outside. They should have bright orange handles and maybe even bells. :)
That's so funny! I'm glad it had a good outcome, though, since losing your favorite implement of any kind is a minor disaster! :-)
ReplyDeleteI had a pair of red handled pliers. Everyone knew they were supposed to be returned to their spot in the kitchen the minute they were through borrowing them. It has worked for ages, but suddenly the pliers are gone. Could you and Art come help me look? I know just how your mother felt.
ReplyDeleteoh no! Its catching, you have it now, the dreaded "where did I put that disease!!!
ReplyDeleteI do not practice a religion, but I have been known to pray to St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost items. A woman I once worked with taught me this: "Good St. Anthony, come around. Something's lost that must be found."
ReplyDeleteI'm all for asking St. Anthony next time we lose something. :-)
DeleteGood for Art. I was feeling sick to my stomach while you were looking for them. Those are fine shears.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what I would do if I didn't have Bob around to find all the things I lose.
ReplyDeleteWhew! Glad you found them. I buy metal tape measures in bright green or yellow cases so I can find them when they wander off. DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteWell done! I lose my garden tools all the time - it's very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI love it when you post pictures of your mom....this one is especially fun with her surprised face and a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteWe have all been there and done that...thinking hubby failed to put it away...rarely assuming someone stole it because I have very little worth stealing!
ReplyDeleteglad your story had a happy ending...lol!
ReplyDeleteoh this is just great, and so glad she located them. Something I would definitely do myself!
ReplyDeleteOur Mom had a little "gardening" bag for her small gardening tools (like clippers and weeder), but I don't know how she kept track of the bigger tools that she used when she worked in her garden (which was pretty much EVERY day). I'm sure Aunty feels 100% relieved now!
ReplyDeleteMom has a gardening bucket...... but.... well....
DeleteHi Kay! Here's my third attempt to post a comment. The first two times it disappeared into cyberspace when I tried to post from my phone so am now at my trusty computer.
DeleteAt any rate, what I keep trying to say is that I laughed out loud reading your description of Art taking Aunty by the shoulders to face her in the right direction. That's what my son Taylor does to me! Don't know if this would work for Aunty but our mom would wrap red duct tape around the handles of her gardening tools so that she could easily locate them.
Holly
I find it irritating everytime husband says "I think someone took it"...no!! don't blame a thief for poor failed memory. But I am glad your mom found her favorite shears as I am sure it will be a tool difficult to replace and like her reluctance to blurt a thief took it.
ReplyDeleteL...w
Hilarious! In our case, someone actually did take our gardening tools and other outdoor thingies. But this was before we locked the gate to the backyard. Now they steal stuff from our garage.
ReplyDeleteCute!! When i was a kid and "lost" something, my Mom spotting it before me would say, "If it was a snake it would bite you." I never figured out what she meant. Dianne
ReplyDeleteRe the P. Japonica, the shrub is awesome around here this spring. My little plants are 'in recovery' from drought and neglect a couple of years ago (and only about 4 feet high) but neighbors have shrubs 20-30 feet high. I never knew they could grow so tall. Hope your Chicago shrub is doing well too. Dianne
Actually, I exaggerated a bit. The shrubs I saw are 15-20 feet high and may not be P. Japonica at all. Dianne
DeleteWhat a cute story and how often have we done that? Love the expression on your Mom's face, and I am glad for this happy ending.
ReplyDeleteThis made me smile....
ReplyDeleteHa ha, I just love the look on her face. Been there and done that. Hate those thieves that steal stuff then return in when my back is turned. Just can't trust them:))
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the time I wondered where my glasses where when I had them on.
ReplyDeleteOh, doesn't that happen to all of us? Senior moments seem to be happening more often these days to us too. Yesterday C borrowed my driving licence to photocopy for our holiday. When I asked for it back he couldn't find it anywhere and said he was certain he must have given it back to me. I knew for sure he hadn't. So I thought about what he might have done with it, went straight to the photocopier and there it was! He may be a few years younger than me, but I like to tease him that he has more senior moments than I do.
ReplyDeleteYour mother is in good company. Things like that happen often around here. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great entry. Love it and love the picture too. So glad they are found.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I have these all the times. It is wonderful to have a mysterious scapegoat that is the source of all these "disappearances" Usually we blame our son, but it is most likely me who mislaid something that I usually fid.
ReplyDeleteThis is so funny! Sigh... I'll be doing this a lot soon too.
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