Going, Going, Gone

It all started when I was in college. A set of three rhinestone pins I had worn to a formal dance disappeared, but showed up on the seat of a velvet-upholstered chair in the dormitory lounge the next day. Later, when I was married and entertaining guests, eight sterling silver dessert spoons vanished, only to show up in the basement laundry area months later.

There ensued a long period of things staying where they belonged. Then, about four years ago, things started vanishing again. The first to go was my treasured black cashmere scarf, so light and warm and a regular component of my cold weather dress.  It was nowhere to be found among the stored winter clothes. I checked with all the dry cleaners, but they didn't have it either.

Kitchen tools began to disappear -- the 10-inch serrated knife, four of our six steak knives, four teaspoons and a 1/2-cup measure -- all things I used frequently. After cleaning all the cupboards I have found none of them.

Last fall my wool winter dress coat went missing from its summer storage in the basement. Did it run away to rejoin the cashmere scarf?

This spring when a crowd of people was coming for dinner we brought the big coffee maker up from the basement. Cleaning up the kitchen later, I couldn't find the filter basket, so the coffee maker sat waiting on the counter. Finally I carried it to the basement and was amazed to find the filter basket already there, nested in a large sieve.

Last week the black-handled cheese knife was gone and this week my favorite wooden spoon, the one I use to stir biscuits, pie crust and brownie dough, has gone AWOL.

Poltergeist? Carelessness? Who knows, but it's becoming tiresome. Does this happen to other people?

Needless to point out that no photos accompany this post.