My father had it. My mother had it. And I am certainly not the only one of my siblings who has it. “It” is the tendency to lose things, especially when traveling!

People probably don’t know that I tend to lose things on my travels. Over the years I’ve lost coats, jackets, glasses, you name it — I’ve lost it! One of the best stories was when I went through security in the Oslo, Norway airport and left my jacket. Two weeks later, when I returned after a tour of Norway, I was able to retrieve it when I left the country, although I was charged about $8 in storage costs!

Another time I left a pair of glasses in the Newark Airport on a layover before going to Boston. I was so thrilled that I was able to order another pair while calling from Newark to a Boston Lenscrafter store and they were ready when I arrived. Alas, I lost that replacement pair only a day later when I left them in a church after a concert, and ordered yet ANOTHER pair. This time, I found the glasses when I went back to the church after a couple of days. (sigh!)

And keys! Once I drove to the church, and then when the service was over, I couldn’t find my keys to drive home. To this day, those keys have never been found. And what about the time I lost my keys in between services? The keys were found a week later, in and among some music that got put away with my keys inside a three-ring binder!

I’m just about ready to head out for the airport … for the THIRD time today. All because my baggage came in late last night and I misinterpreted the message I received from United Airlines. In other words, when I got off the plane last night in Honolulu after six days in California, my luggage didn’t come out even after waiting an hour at the baggage carousel. (So much for priority baggage!) I opened up the United app to read this message:

I assumed that I wouldn’t be getting my luggage last night and went home, only to spend two hours on hold trying to talk to an agent. At 11:30 pm, I finally learned that my bag was at the Honolulu airport after all. I went back to the airport this morning at 6:00 am to retrieve my luggage, only to be met by a darkened office with absolutely no one around, and no sign saying what the hours of service were. After playing the 9:00 am service at Nuuanu Congregational Church, I went back to the airport only to find a still closed baggage service office. Finally I was able to scan a QR code to text someone at United Baggage … only to learn that the office wouldn’t open until 11:30 am, an hour and a half from then.

Even on this short trip to California, I went to visit my friend Janice in Laguna Beach, whom I met through an online Spanish class called Cada Día Spanish. I had briefly met her three years ago when my sister asked me to come along with her to an art show in Laguna Beach, but mostly I’ve come to be acquainted strictly through our online class. She invited me to stay overnight at her house and what fun it was to have a whole day and evening together in person! She and I, along with her husband and another friend from our class, will travel together in April to South America, specifically Buenos Aires and Montevideo, to meet our teachers in person for an immersive Spanish experience.

Guess what, though?! I left my brand-new shower cap at Janice’s house!

The rest of the time I spent with my son and his family. Wouldn’t you know it, one day I was in a panic because I lost my sunglasses (they were found at my son’s house on a dining room chair), and another day I returned to my sister’s house where I was staying without my purse. Apparently I had left it in my son’s car by accident. See what a disaster I am when traveling?!

We spent one day traveling to Tijuana, Mexico, where my son’s family frequently goes to shop and eat in restaurants. They specifically looked for Three Kings cake which is famous in Spanish-speaking countries. You may recall that when I was in Mexico four years ago at this same time of year, I found a baby Jesus in my slice of Three Kings Cake.

Here are some pictures I took of our short trip to Mexico. Of course, we took the chance to eat in a nice restaurant! Luckily I didn’t leave any of my belongings behind in Mexico … although I did leave my purse in my son’s car when he dropped me off!

One thing I’m pretty proud of was that I was able to have conversations with my daughter-in-law’s sister and mother all in Spanish on my visit! We have never been able to converse before because they only speak Spanish and don’t know any English. I was also gratified to learn that my 5 year old grandson is completely bilingual, and can switch languages mid-sentence, depending on who he’s talking to!

I only have one day to “rest”, and then I’ll have to get on a plane again on Tuesday when I fly to Kauai for my monthly round of organ lessons there. Luckily I have made it a habit to always take a photo of my car and the sign in the parking lot showing the level number and the area … since I nearly always park in a different part of the airport parking structure each time.

For now, it’s back to the airport to pick up my suitcase!