disappearing

Where do things go when they disappear?  We've had a rash of missing things over the past year:
1.  Mike's charger cord for his iPod shuffle ~ lost February 2011.  I remember when we got it thinking, "Wow, this is so small, I'll have to put it some place safe so I don't lose it."  Where that place is I still don't know.  Mom and Dad were here at the time of the loss and Dad found one on Amazon for 99 cents.  Unfortunately, it didn't work as the iPod shuffle is the only iPod to not have a universal charger.  Apple wanted $30 for a replacement charger (HELLO, the iPod only cost $47).  I was ready to buy a new iPod when I found chargers on eBay for $1.29.  It came from Hong Kong at a total price of $3.29.  Quite a deal. 

2. Jacob's iPod ~ lost April 2011 (as we were leaving for spring break).  He claimed that it was on the counter in the mud room.  He had put it there and I remember seeing it.  He had a 22 hour car ride looming and no iPod.  I felt pretty bad for him and searched high and low.  We all did.  No iPod.  Mike dug out ol' Mae (the pink iPod found on the side of the road...that does work) and Jacob was happy to have something.  In May Jacob got a bunch of birthday money and in June he bought himself a new touch screen iPod nano for $150. 

3. Patrick's cell phone ~ lost at float week July 2011.  He remembered having it the first day of the week spent camping.  He looked in the tent and around the tent.  I think it's lost in the woods.  Luckily we found his old phone and a charger that works and Version actually activated it for free.  I could have even done it myself through the website.  That was a miracle.

4. Patrick's soccer cleats ~ lost August 2011.  He swears he put them in his bag, put his bag in my car, and went to the (stupid) mandatory OHSAA meeting at the high school.  The next practice (two days later) the only thing in the bag were empty Gatorade and water bottles.  No cleats.  Things that make you go hummmmm.

5. The remote control for the common room TV ~ lost August 2011.  Not under the couch cushions.  Not under the couch.  Not under the chair.  Not under the bean bags.  Not under the blankets.  GONE.

This is when we said, "What's up with this bad juju?"  Something is going on here.  Which begs the question, what IS happening?  Is there really something taking stuff from us?  Mike went back to the common room to find the remote.  He lifted up the couch...and there was Jacob's iPod.  Patrick walked into the common room and looked at the couch and the dislodged middle cushion...and there was the remote control.  He said, "Quick, lift up the couch again and find my cleats!"  (but they weren't there)
Maybe the "curse" has lifted and all will miraculously be found.   Maybe we'll learn to be more careful with our stuff.