Where, oh where has my dishtowel gone...?

[greerwatson]

It's the most absurd thing to fret over but ... I'm a creature of habit, and I live alone and expect things to remain where they belong. Also, I have a tendency to get fond of things—even trivial things—and worry about them.

So I have a favourite dishtowel, i.e., the one I use most often. I always keep it hanging over the handle to the oven door. I don't often dry dishes with it. (I've a dishwasher, after all; or, if I wash a mug or spoon by hand, I just leave it in the rack.) However, I dry my hands on this dishtowel a lot; so, every week, it goes in the laundry.

It's of those terry-cloth ones, which I find are the most absorbent. White with orange stripes in a sort of loose plaid design. I've had it for quite a few years, and have to admit that it's got a bit on the shabby side. However, it's still quite serviceable: a bit thin, but no holes or ragged edges or the like.

For nearly two months, it's mysteriously been missing.

At the end of September, Flo came for a couple of weeks. Shortly before she left, she did laundry in preparation for packing. I went into the kitchen, couldn't see my dishtowel, and asked her if she'd washed it with the other things and put it away somewhere (thinking, of course, that it might have been put in the wrong place). However, she said no.

And I've not seen it since.

I've looked—God knows I've looked!—everywhere I can think of. Through the drawers in the kitchen, the cupboard under the sink, the shelves where cleaning supplies are stored ... and then round odd corners of the dining room, the living room (in case I'd used it to carry something hot) ... basically, everywhere that seemed likely and then those that seemed most unlikely.

I keep being reminded that I have still to find it because, each time I go in the kitchen, I immediately notice yet again that it isn't there. If I'm not in a rush, I'll at least try to find it. Okay, not daily at this point; but certainly I have another look round at least once or twice a week. It's got to be somewhere!

As my mother used to say, when I told her I couldn't find something, "It has to be in the house, Greer. It can't walk off on its own."

Let me tell you, when you're middle aged and live alone, the last thing you want is to have something mysteriously vanish with no memory of where you might have put it.

Comments

[fawatson]

I cannot promise you an orange and white striped teatowel (dishtowel in Cdn parlance) but you can take back some of the terrycloth teatowels I have over here - inherited from Mother (as you know I generally prefer the linen sort). Not to mention a couple of wooden spoons....

[greerwatson]

I'll certainly take a look at them. A lot depends on colour: as you know, I've always had an orange/brown toned kitchen.

Apropos of which: in my searching, I have—an absurd number of times—checked the drawer where dish- (or tea-) towels are kept. There are a couple of white ones in there with a blue stripe decorating them near the hem. They look the sort that you like. Excellent condition: good as new, in fact. (Did you buy them for her? I can quite see her deciding that they were "too good to use".)

If you like, I can bring them over with me: they'll make perfectly good packing for breakables.

If you don't want them, I'll put them in the next charity box.

[greerwatson]

By the way, I could have sworn that I inherited (so to speak) two or three solid plain white—or formerly white—dishtowels. Ones without any coloured trim, I mean. They were in fairly good shape, barring badly wanting bleaching. Did you put them in with the cleaning cloths? If so, no problem: I kept them, thinking they were still serviceable; but, in fact, I never used them. Cleaning cloths would be a good fate for them.

I am a bit puzzled about another one of hers, though: a sort of tomato red, in a two-tone blend of shades, with a chili pepper embroidered on it. (Originally, it had a mate in avocado green; but I haven't seen that one since before I moved upstairs; so I suppose it got thrown out a few years ago.) I remember it well, since I gave the pair years ago for either birthday or Christmas presents. That one, terrycloth with quite a few disreputably pulled loops, also seemed serviceable; but again, I actually never used it.

In passing, I must have noted their absence some weeks ago; but it was looking over and over again for my dishtowel that finally brought them to mind.

It is, of course, my own familiar orange-and-white towel that I'm concerned about. The absence of the others is no more than a trivial puzzle.

[fawatson]

Hmmm... unlike you I have no strong memories of tea towels but my guess is if they are linen and look almost unused they may well be ones I gave her. They are the kind of thing I often buy in church gift shops and then give away as presents (killing two birds with one stone, so to speak: how to support the church refurbishment fund and fill someone's stocking). By all means bring them over when you come next week and I can give you some to return with. Whatever is Christmas for if not to exchange tea towels!

BTW, if you are wondering what I am doing posting at this time of day: I am at home with a cold (now on day 4 which means finally the nose is drying up and I am starting to cough, which tells me I am starting to mend and can go back to work tomorrow).