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Lost - I thought forever - but found during a clear out!

(52 Posts)
Witzend Mon 08-Jun-26 16:01:37

I was tackling the drawers of a small chest, full of goodness knows what, the stuff and junk of ages, when I found some pearl and diamond earrings dh gave me many years ago. I had been tormenting myself for a few years with the idea that they had been lost through my own stupid carelessness. I thought I even knew exactly how.

But lo, there they were - in a little box, but not the fancier one they’d come in. What sort of memory lapse I must have had, to have forgotten where I’d put them, goodness only knows!

Evidently I need to do clear-outs more often!

He’d never asked why I wasn’t wearing them, but then he’s never been a great ‘noticer’. And for some time I haven’t worn any earrings at all, having lost one of my ‘everyday’ pearl studs, and not bothered, so piercings closed up.
I shall now get them pierced again!

Smileless2012 Mon 08-Jun-26 16:03:21

How lovely Witzend smile.

GrannyGravy13 Mon 08-Jun-26 16:05:46

What a lovely surprise!

Fallingstar Mon 08-Jun-26 16:12:19

That is the joy of clear outs. I found old photos of my mum and dad that I swore I had lost and that are now framed in my living room. They were taken when they were courting, standing against the railings on Blackpool promenade.

NotSpaghetti Mon 08-Jun-26 16:15:17

How lovely!
I hope my beautiful wedding and engagement rings turn up like that.
I fear I've hoovered them up some years ago.

Wyllow3 Mon 08-Jun-26 16:19:38

I'm hoping I haven't lost forever the one precious letter I got at uni from my Dad before he died suddenly when I was just 20, but can't recall any clearcuts that would have lost it.

Smileless2012 Mon 08-Jun-26 16:45:17

Fingers crossed that your treasures will turn up when you least expect it NotSpaghetti and Wyllow.

Cossy Mon 08-Jun-26 16:47:20

How fab! I’ve managed to lose FOUR rings all inherited from my mother and she inherited two from her mother!

GrannyIvy Mon 08-Jun-26 17:23:54

I cannot find my diamond eternity ring I am sure I had hidden it somewhere safe and will find it one day 🤞It’s been missing for many years 😳

NotSpaghetti Mon 08-Jun-26 17:24:39

Thank you.
I took them off when my fingers got puffy post-stroke.
Thought I had put them at the side of the bed.
No.
Never seen again.
😕

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Mon 08-Jun-26 17:24:40

What a wonderful surprise Witzend it’s so satisfying when lost items turn up.

I’ve mislaid my house keys (using spares at the moment) and a solid silver bracelet from my grandfather bought in South Africa and given to my mother. It’s chunky and I don’t live in a mansion so 🤷‍♀️

M0nica Mon 08-Jun-26 19:17:46

I lost a beautiful sapphire ring of my mothers. I came downstairs one morning, when DGD, then aged 3, was staying. Why I had not put them on I do not know.

DGD loved playing with any jewellry that came her way, so I put it right at the back of the kitchen worktop , well out of her reach - and that is the last I saw of it. I emptied every storage jar on the shelves behind where I left it. If DGD had had it someone would have seen because at 3 years, children are under almost constant supervision.

I assume it ended up in the bin, but I cannot think why because that bit of worktop was rarely, if ever used for preparing food. It was dumping corner, so was unlikely to have been wiped over with a cloth.

My last hope was it would be found whenever we took the kitchen out for a refit. We did, and nothing was found. It will a sad mystery in my life to the end.

Doodledog Mon 08-Jun-26 19:29:22

Congratulations, Witzend!

I've lost a silver Biba bangle. It's quite chunky, so can't be down the back of the sofa or anything. I've still got the box, which is strange. I hope it turns up, as I like it, and haven't seen it for years now.

Georgesgran Mon 08-Jun-26 19:41:23

Still lost - my glasses. Last year, I decided not to take my ‘best’ pair on holiday, but took a cheaper pair and a pair of older glasses just in case. Don’t ask me what I did with the left at home pair - they’re in a green Specsavers box. Since I came home, I’ve got new glasses anyway, but where I put the green ones remains a mystery. I didn’t bother to hide my store or credit cards, so why I hid the glasses I’ll never know.

Aldom Mon 08-Jun-26 19:54:46

Many years ago, during the last holiday we had before my husband died, my husband apparently lost his expensive tie pin.
About three years after my husband's death I was sending his old car to the scrap yard. As I sat in the driver's seat I looked down at the passenger seat and there, right in the middle was the tie pin!! It had been 'lost' for about six years by then. How the tie pin got there remains a mystery.

MiniMoon Mon 08-Jun-26 21:38:36

Isn't it a wonderful feeling when you find that which you thought lost forever.
Some years ago I lost a gold and ammolite pendant. I cried over it and didn't tell my husband. Then, one day I was throwing out an old handbag and went through pockets and behold, there was the pendant. I couldn't remember putting it in there, but I'm so glad it turned up.

Greenfinch Mon 08-Jun-26 22:36:52

I never did find my driving licence which I lost about twenty years ago. I felt sure it would turn up as soon as I received my replacement but it never did and I was quite glad having gone to the bother of getting another one.

NotSpaghetti Tue 09-Jun-26 07:00:57

So happy for all of you who have found lost treasures!
🎉Hooray!

baubles Tue 09-Jun-26 07:34:05

That’s lovely Witzend, I’m so pleased for you.

I too have lost precious things over the years, it’s a horrible feeling.

Maremia Tue 09-Jun-26 08:29:18

Good luck finding your precious letter, Wyllow and to all the other GNs with lost treasures.
It is a thrill, and a jolt, when you find them. 🍀

Esmay Tue 09-Jun-26 09:12:08

A lovely story with a happy ending.

I bought my mother a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring .
It's lovely darling , she said at the time.
I could tell by the expression on her face that she was disappointed with it.
Some days later she asked me if it could be changed .
I looked crestfallen and she dropped the subject.

Last year , I found the ring in a pot of pencils !
I've yet to find the gold encrusted with tiny diamonds crucifix that I bought for her.

Enjoy your new found treasure ,Witzend .

Fallingstar Tue 09-Jun-26 09:22:33

Esmay

A lovely story with a happy ending.

I bought my mother a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring .
It's lovely darling , she said at the time.
I could tell by the expression on her face that she was disappointed with it.
Some days later she asked me if it could be changed .
I looked crestfallen and she dropped the subject.

Last year , I found the ring in a pot of pencils !
I've yet to find the gold encrusted with tiny diamonds crucifix that I bought for her.

Enjoy your new found treasure ,Witzend .

Esmay what beautiful gifts you bought for your mum, and costly too, if I’d been your mum I would have been thrilled.
As my old mum would say ‘there’s nowt as queer as folk’.

Esmay Tue 09-Jun-26 09:26:15

Fallingstar -
I look back on difficult years with Mum .
I loved her,but she was so difficult to please.
I'm incredibly sad that her favourite granddaughter is exactly the same .

yogitree Tue 09-Jun-26 09:47:52

Witzend

I was tackling the drawers of a small chest, full of goodness knows what, the stuff and junk of ages, when I found some pearl and diamond earrings dh gave me many years ago. I had been tormenting myself for a few years with the idea that they had been lost through my own stupid carelessness. I thought I even knew exactly how.

But lo, there they were - in a little box, but not the fancier one they’d come in. What sort of memory lapse I must have had, to have forgotten where I’d put them, goodness only knows!

Evidently I need to do clear-outs more often!

He’d never asked why I wasn’t wearing them, but then he’s never been a great ‘noticer’. And for some time I haven’t worn any earrings at all, having lost one of my ‘everyday’ pearl studs, and not bothered, so piercings closed up.
I shall now get them pierced again!

How lovely. I am so pleased for you! I lost a load of family jewellery (mum's and dad's, kids, uncle's, auntie's my own and DH 's) after polishing it before taking it to be valued. Myself and hub searched the whole house, checked with shops etc, hospitals, police - anywhere we'd been basically but nothing. 4 months later, went into my dressing table drawer to retrieve nail polish and found it! I'd already searched there........... Months of heartbreak for my own failing memory!

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Tue 09-Jun-26 09:53:30

Well I found my house keys this morning! They were in a handbag I hardly use. Pleased anyway. 😊