I should not have nice things. Nice things are not long-lived in my possession.
I cracked the sapphire ring my grandparents gave my mother for her 21st birthday. How on earth do you crack a sapphire? Working on the turf harvester, as you do, wearing a family heirloom.
I lost half of my own 21st present in the waters off Brampton Island in a bit of a kerfuffle that involved three grown men; whom despite their inability to swim, thought they'd try their hands at snorkelling off a boat. I was the nature guide for this particular guided snorkel. Trying to swim back to the boat with three terrified blokes in tow, I'm probably lucky an earring is all that I lost that day!
Dropped on it's first outing.
Regular readers will recall that my beloved European stove top caught fire last week, but it doesn't end here. There have been evening bags, suede shoes, manicures, text books.... you name it, I've wrecked it. Which (by way of seamless segue) brings me to today's post:
Last year I bought myself a Personal Planner. I lusted over it for a month, and then finally succumbed, promised myself I would religiously use it, and set about choosing my design and cover photos, lists and layouts.
It arrived in September and I was instantly enamoured. I loved it's quirky colouring-in pictures and it's little ruler. I copied bungled sudokus into the quad-ruled section at the back for second attempts. I wrote recipes and blog posts in the back. I made to-do lists and planned school holidays. I'd finally found a diary I actually used.
But, as previously stated, I should not have nice things. In hindsight, I should have known that my Personal Planner would not long be lovely.
Injury had befallen my personal planner by December. Victim to a leaky water bottle in an oversized handbag. It's now a wrinkly slightly discoloured version of it's former self - not unlike it's owner really.
Last week, the lovely people at Personal Planner sent me an email. They said they'd like give me a planner to giveaway on the blog and one for myself. Little did they know - I am already the proud owner of a formerly-nice personal planner.
While I'm not worthy of nice things, I'm sure the pulchritudinous readers of this blog take much better care of their things. So I emailed right back. To win a $45 voucher from Personal Planner (enough for even the biggest diary or notebook), you need to leave a comment on this post answering the following question:
what treasured thing have you lost or destroyed?
{This competition has closed.}
Congratulations to Cynthia Hosking -
I hope your Personal Planner escapes the fearsome teeth of your two year old.
Didn't win?
Personal Planner have given me a discount code for 15% off to share with my readers - it's good til Valentines Day.
- Competition closes at 11.59pm on Thursday 31 January 2013.
- This is a game of skill – I'll rate the comments received.
- Liking Personal Planner and Cooker and a Looker on facebook will gain you an extra point towards your comment rating. As will subscribing to this blog (via email or RSS). You can do this at the top right of this page.
- Winner will be notified by email.
- Prize not transferable for cash.
- If you’d like a copy of the full Ts & Cs
you’ve got too much time on your hands, email me and I’ll send you a copy.
Disclosure: As stated above, Personal Planner are supplying the prize for this giveaway. They are also giving me a voucher to use when the misuse finally gets the best of my current version in exchange for writing this post. All opinions, tales of woe and photographs of broken things are my own – my disasters are not for sale!
I'm linking this post over at Three Little Princesses because that's where all the great competitions are.
iSophie says
Oh dear!
But what a timely email! Now.. be careful with that new one!
#teamIBOT
cookerandalooker says
I'm going to let the existing one serve out it's time Sophie. My track record is reason enough to hold out!
10 % Inspired says
I had a strange ring my great grandmother left to my nanna. It was a funny looking little thing with gold and some kind of pale pink enamel stuff. I absolutely loved it, but when I lost some weight it started to fall off so, being all clever like I am, I put it on a chain and wore it around my neck.
One day I went out to lunch with a friend and it got really hot so I took my turtle neck off... but I'd been wearing the chain on the outside and when I pulled off the top, the chain went too! I didn't notice for about half an hour and by then I had no idea where it'd falled off!!! I was totally heart broken!
cookerandalooker says
What a shame! I've broken a necklace wearing a turtle neck before. I've also had countless episodes of getting one stuck half on-half off my head because of something around my neck too. can't believe I just admitted that!
Anne @ Domesblissity says
Ha! Wait until the kids get older Amanda! I don't know why my kids are more interested in MY things. LOL xx
cookerandalooker says
The Big Sister is almost big enough for hand-me-downs from my Brother's girlfriend. Hopefully she'll wreck her stuff first! 🙂
becc03 says
I have an issue with diamonds dropping out of my rings! A few years ago I lost the large diamond out of my engagement ring....it was in the safest setting possible and yet, it just dropped out.
Last week a diamond fell out of my wedding ring. Seriously, what is going on here?
One thing differs between us though. I believe I definitely deserve nice things, just need to ensure I have an up to date insurance policy 🙂
Becc @ Take Charge Now via #ibot
cookerandalooker says
Sugar Becc - hope you're on good terms with your agent!
Declutterbug says
Lost earring but a pub story to last a lifetime, you can always have nice memories 🙂
cookerandalooker says
I ended up replacing the missing earring Declutterbug. They have industrial strength backs now! 🙂
Brenda Kapsley says
i begged and begged my mum to give me the baby bangle i had for my daughter first time out with her wearing it, lost it still devasted nearly 12 yrs later
cookerandalooker says
Confession time: my kids have never worn their baby bracelets, Brenda. I didn't trust them (and now they're too big to wear them) - wasted opportunity. 🙁
Seana Smith says
I lost my favourite, favourite earring on Balmoral Beach 9 years ago and I'm still not over it. It was a beautiful silver seahorse (my totem!) and I'd bought it the earring the day before my eldest was born. I still have the other and wear it with another solo earring. But not the same!!
cookerandalooker says
The bl00dy beach strikes again, Seana.
I'm starting to notice a theme here....
Keeping Up With The Holsbys says
how's this....I recently had my engagement ring stolen by a tradesman - inside my home- because I carelessly left it on the counter.
Got it back, but not without a whole extortion attempt.....I also lose things, break things, scrape cars, generally struggle with looking after my belongings.
It's not because I don't love them......it's because I'm a teenage boy trapped in a 36 year old woman's body!!
Loving you via ibot
cookerandalooker says
Danielle, your comment made coffee come out of my nose! Perhaps I too, am a teenager trapped in a woman's body!
Tanya Berglund says
New liker. I remember as a kid, my parents were throwing the ball around the back yard with us kids, and my Mum lost her wedding band. I found it about a month later, and my Dad was so excited, I remember my mum was on the phone and for once I had a good reason to interupt her!!
cookerandalooker says
There are very few good reasons to interrupt your Mother on the phone, but that is definitely one. Nice work Tanya!
Michelle V says
My beautiful mum gave my daughter a pair of earrings for Christmas a couple of years ago. They were beautiful, and mum saved for quite a while to get them (seeing she's only on pension).
We went on a summer holiday, and after a day at the beach, realised one earring was lost!!!!
I went back and searched FOR HOURS, sifting through the sand, to no avail...
cookerandalooker says
I've often wondered how many lost treasures the people with metal detectors find Michelle. While I was working on Brampton, a newlywed couple hired one and flew it to the Island after the husband lost his wedding ring playing volleyball. I don't think they found their treasure either. 🙁
Rita Azar says
Two of my friends gave me an amazing Swarovski ring for my 30 birthday. When I moved, I just lost it in the boxes... It just disappeared... I couldn't find it and went to buy a new one, exactly the same!
cookerandalooker says
I broke a beautiful Swarovski crystal fish when we moved to the farm. Moving sucks!
Nicole Kent says
I lost my son's Amber teething necklace...and whilst it doesnt cost alot to replace..it is very treasured to him and the pain he is in without it.
cookerandalooker says
The Little Sister wore a amber necklace for a while Nicole - I honestly think it worked wonders. Hope you get a new one soon. x
Have a laugh on me says
I'm a little bit the same, nice things just seem to go missing or broken around, but I'm not always to blame, sometimes it's my children's fault. Have a great week!
cookerandalooker says
Oh my kids wreck lots of stuff too, but these things are all my own work! 🙂
Annaleis from Teapots and Tractors says
It's not me but I have to tell you about my Mum. My Dad bought her a gorgeous gold and diamond butterfly brooch. Mum lost it - so she went to the jewellers to buy another one and replace it - found out it cost quite a lot and so laybyed it mainly so Dad wouldn't see the large amount missing out of the account. Finally paid it off and wore it out so Dad would see she 'still' had it - lost it again!
Luckily a lady found it and gave it to her - she took it back and they fixed the clasp - she only wears it in the house now!
cookerandalooker says
Slippery little sucker! Pleased she got it back Annaleis - I love hearing stories about people doing the right thing.
Eleise @ A very blended family says
I lost an amazing crystal bracelet whilst skinny dipping in Italy after a few magnums of champagne. I have broken every phone I have ever owned, how do people keep them for 2 years? I hope you enjoy your new planner.
cookerandalooker says
Oh Eleise, sounds like the story is almost worth losing a bracelet over - how exotic!
P.S. I've dropped my fair share of phones into the toilet from my back pocket. 🙂
Kylez @ A Study in Contradictions says
Every year I buy a lovely diary and at the end of every year I still have a lovely diary. Because I've forgotten to use it!
cookerandalooker says
I often have this problem too Kylez, but I promised myself I'd use it when I was justifying my online spending! So far, so good, so ruined! 🙂
Desire Empire says
Entered I think. And yes you do deserve good stuff.
Carolyn
Desire Empire says
PS An earring, all though sentimental, for your life and the lives of three others is to be celebrated.
Carolyn
cookerandalooker says
Thanks Carolyn. It was a big deal for a homesick girl at the time. I've got more perspective since then. 🙂
Kirsty @ My Home Truths says
I'm so bad at looking after nice things (especially jewellery) that it's a running joke now between my husband and I - he refuses to buy me anymore as everything he seems to buy me gets lost or broken like the bangle he bought me for my 30th that broke or the ring that I lost while gardening...*sigh*
cookerandalooker says
Hope my husband doesn't get any ideas Kirsty. Seems I'm in good company! x
Grace says
Oh, I lost a beautiful necklace and earring set at the hotel we stayed when we were getting married. I was so bummed! It was one of a kind too so I couldn't go buy it again. My husband's gone to the jeweller and bought some beautiful necklaces for me to make up for the loss and I do love them all. Just wish I never lost that beautiful set!
Your personal planner is gorgeous! Take good care of it!
cookerandalooker says
I'll persevere with the one I've got Grace - don't think I can be trusted with a new one!
Sorry about your necklace. 🙁
Kell Kelly says
The most treasured thing I have lost (I would almost go as far as saying destroyed) would be my pre-baby figure, the flat and toned stomach and of course perky boobs. Also in the process of losing the figure I lost every minute of free time I ever had!
Everyone deserves pretty and good things - including you!
cookerandalooker says
Ha Kelly! I never had perky boobs to lose, but I miss just about everything else about my pre-baby body.
Ditto for free time!
mlm247 says
Wait until you get old and saggy. You will find your private interior female parts as they fall into view. You will completely lose your dignity then. Do those pelvic floor exercises!!!
Kell Kelly says
Hahahaha as soon as I read that my body instinctively stared doing them! hahaha thanks for the heads up 🙂
Kaz & Ang (@MeltingMoments_) says
I lost a beautiful heart shape pendant and necklace years ago. I still miss it 🙁
Kaz & Ang (@MeltingMoments_) says
Following via G+ and twitter
cookerandalooker says
I hate losing things too!
mellie jane says
I was so sad to have lost my mothers wedding ring from my father she had given me after he died breaks my heart when i think about it.
cookerandalooker says
Oh that's sad Mellie. x
Sharon Fawcett says
My most favorite thing that I lost was my gorgeous dog Mickey when she passed away unexpectedly and unfortunately unlike actually losing something there is no way I'm ever going to find her again 🙁
cookerandalooker says
Maybe you could put a photo of Mickey on the front of your personal planner, Sharon. Good luck!
Catherine says
I hate going to the dentist, and last time I went I wore my favourite sterling silver, intricately etched and filigreed hoop earrings that my Grandma gave me for my 21st birthday. When I got home one earring was missing. I never found it, and now I hate the dentist even more than ever!
cookerandalooker says
As if anyone needed another reason to hate the dentist! 🙁
Pam @TheMindfulMum says
I am very ashamed to admit this even now, but in my wild years I managed to lose my grandma's ring, it belonged to her and was a special gift. I am happily not so wild these days, positively dull in comparison to my previous self! A lot happier tho 😉 Would love to win a planner though as I can't live without one and love trying new ones 🙂
Zara S says
Our poor car, "Mitzy!"
In the last eight months I have damaged her twice in shopping centre car parks!
womblywoo says
Yesterday I dropped my Grandmothers salad server spoon on the ground, not such a big deal? Except the handles were ceramic. I know that now that it shattered all over the floor.
girlsaveshouse@gmail.com says
I destroyed my favourite bathing suit by leaving it on the fireplace. That sucker burnt quickly because I fell asleep! I'm lucky the house didn't go up!
mlm247 says
I lost a bracelet that my grandmother's brother had brought home from the Boer War. I excitedly described it to a colleague at work whom I had actually known for about five years. She took the next day off as a sickie, broke into my home, and stole the bracelet. Of course she denied it to the Police. Of course I am positive it was her as no-one else knew I had it. That was the biggest loss as really I was just a steward and it was entrusted to me for future generations.
Wendy D says
I lost my husbands watch that his dad gave him. I went to get it cleaned and working again for his birthday present. I got to the shop and couldn't find it in my bag. I have never told him and he hasn't found out that it is missing. I feel terrible.
Tara Hart says
My youth.. and my sanity..one minute it was there.. next pffft.. gone
I blame the kids.. either that or the earth's gravitational pull..
Cynthia says
I have something which was both lost and destroyed 🙁
I "lost" somewhere in the house the beautiful little silver opal ring my hubby bought me on our honeymoon.
My then 2 year old found it and put it in his mouth and somehow managed to crush the silver part so it's no longer round and is missing a tiny diamond.
We were very thankful that the 2 year old did not choke on it (but obviously has nice strong teeth!) but I am still very sad about my poor little ring 🙁
Amanda Gorton says
I had been using the same coffee mug for the last 6 years, which was a memento from my late grandmother, when one day when washing up it slipped from my hands and smashed. Not only did I have a broken mug but a broken heart too!
Rebekah says
An opal necklace from my grandmother. It was devastating.
Karla says
I lost my iphone on a camping trip last year 🙁
anothercatlady says
A gold bracelet that I treasured fell from my wrist one day when picnicking. I returned to the spot I had been but never found it. Alas!