Sunday, January 11, 2009

The Case of the Mysterious Missing Socks

We have quite a mystery at our house. Even though I buy lots of socks for every member of our household and James does a great job keeping up on the laundry, no one EVER seems to have clean, matching socks. NEVER!

When Spencer came to live with us, I went out and bought a brand new package of socks for him. I think there were nine pair. Then there were the socks he came with and several pairs of hand-me-downs from A.J. The kid must have 18 pairs of socks. Yet every day, it's the same thing: NO SOCKS!

I have the same problem. It's rare that I wear socks from May-October so I forget until the snow flies that I don't have any socks. Then I go out and buy six or so pairs and by January, it's the same thing: NO SOCKS!

A.J., well, his foot is getting so big these days. I frequently find his socks mixed in with my socks (did I mention he told me this morning that all his size 3 shoes are too small for him?), but still not pairs of socks. Grandma sent two more packages for Christmas so he is doing a bit better right now but I am sure by Valentine's Day there will be the same thing: NO SOCKS!

Where do they go? That seems to be the question that everyone is asking. Do a "missing sock" search on Google and you will find 368,000 hits. Really? Does Chris Hansen over at Dateline NBC know about this?

I think our soon-to-be President Obama needs to form a panel study the missing socks. It very well could be a serious national security crisis. What if terrorists are taking all our socks to throw us off our game? At the very least, it could be the cause of our economic woes. Families are forced to buy more and more socks, leaving them with less money to spend on mortgage payments and durable goods. Think about it.

In the mean time, I will keep looking for our missing socks and sending Spencer and AJ to school in mismatched socks so no one look underneath those pant legs. K.

PS - If you have any theories about what happens to the socks or where I should look for mine, feel free to share in the comment section.

8 comments:

Amy said...

Now *THAT* is funny! We have the same problem. And I have to buy "different" socks for each kid, so we know who really has socks, and who is "stealing."

Definitely a govt issue. Right after they figure out the digital transition. {rolling eyes}

On a serious note, I have a "sock basket" where everybody's socks go. I try to match/fold as I take them out of the dryer, but it's not always realistic. Anyway, at least in theory, the socks are all together.

I think the missing ones are somewhere having a puppet show, but that could be too many years of watching public television.

Pammybaby said...

Ha! Paula, that is so funny! My DH was just complaining of the same thing yesterday! Where DO those socks go?? I agree with you - I think there is a Sock Conspiracy, and someone needs to investigate this!

Kathy said...

There is a black hole in my house that sucks those socks away into a vortex somewhere. I used to ask my neighbors if they wanted a 'sock trading' party.

I also have a sock basket. All the clean socks go there. I never mate them. The kids have to dig to find mates. One day my son showed up somewhere with one pink and one blue sock - 'cause that's all there was left in the basket! Poor guy!

Jeff and Kayla's Family said...

Brent has been known to put them in the vents or in the garbage. He takes them off in the car and everywhere. I never have enough socks. Sorry.

Paula said...

So glad to hear I am not the only one. And that I am not the only one sending my kids out into the world with mismatched socks since that is all I can find.

Lisa said...

I feel your pain. In my house it's pillowcases that disappear. I just don't want to know how THAT happens. And DH lost a pair of pants once. Again, don't wanna know....

Kim & Campbell said...

You are a clever one! It couldnt be truer though. There always seems to be at least one missing sock. Campbells seem impossible to keep track of.

Rachelle said...

I know at our house it is the little dog that is the thief. we will find random socks everywhere. she gets into the laundry baskets and takes off with them. she is sooo naughty.