Monday Mystery

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted a Monday Mystery. And had this mystery not been solved---I never would have told this story!

In October, when I was in Charlotte, I started my Christmas shopping. My goal was to get most of the gifts that needed to go to Charlotte---IN Charlotte. Before I left there, I had them wrapped and ready to go. I felt pretty good about being on top of it.

About two weeks ago, I started wrapping gifts for my "in-town" family. I needed to see where I was in the gift department. I started to look for the mitt full of gift cards that I bought while I was in Charlotte. I couldn't find them---even though I was sure where I had put them---on the table next to my chair. They weren't there. I searched everywhere. I checked my computer bag where I would have put them on my trip home. I checked upstairs in my office, scrapbook room, the front hall closet, the purse I had taken with me---every single place I could think of.

Since nearly a month had gone by since my trip to Charlotte, I started questioning myself. "Did I really buy them? Yes, I know exactly where I put them!" Still, I couldn't find them. I couldn't find any receipt either, but then I knew I kept the receipt with the gift cards.

I was sick about losing them. I tried to figure out what I might be able to do to replace them---perhaps the store would have the purchase in their computer if I could find the charge. I went to my credit card account online and checked the purchases while I was in Charlotte---Target, Hobby Lobby and Walmart. I had ALL the receipts for the charges listed. I started to think I must have dreamt buying the cards. But yet, the dream seemed so real---I remember going through each card and telling the cashier how much I wanted on each.

I was pretty upset about it. I lost sleep. Still, I could find no charge that reflected the purchase. Plus, now I was going to have to buy them again. I said a quick prayer to St. Anthony (the patron saint of lost articles) and to my favorite, St. Jude (the patron saint of lost causes). This was definitely a lost cause if there ever was one!

Anyway, they were gone. I just had to get over it. Plus I was now, pretty convinced that I never bought them to begin with. Then why was I so upset?

Fast forward to earlier this week. I was wrapping gifts. I keep all of the wrapping materials in the library. I have a bag full of gift bags, little boxes and tissue paper. When I finished my wrapping, I decided to clean out that bag and organize it. Oh. My. Gosh! There at the bottom, was a plastic Office Depot bag with the gift cards! Then it dawned on me that the day BEFORE I left for Charlotte, I had to go to Office Depot to get ink for my printer. It all came back to me. The store had the rack with all the gift cards. That's where I bought them! I was so happy! And relieved. I remembered putting them on the table where I thought I had, but then changing my mind because I felt like that wasn't a very secure place---we always seem to have work men around here for different things. I obviously moved them for safe keeping! I was beyond ecstatic to find them!

Two things make me really happy about this situation.
1. I'm not crazy after all.
2. It pays to be a little OCD---otherwise I would never had cleaned out the bag with gift bags in it!

Okay, I'm definitely a little crazy. But being a neat nick makes up for it!