I was pondering about what to write about today and at first considered writing about how the Duggar family is now expecting baby number 20. This is what I posted on my Facebook status : “Michelle Duggar is pregnant with number 20….I just don’t know what to say about that.” I got a lot of comments. A lot!!! They ranged from “good grief” to “leave them alone—at least they can support the family and the children are all raised to be respectful and kind”. I didn’t expect such a response. Seems that everyone has an opinion.!!! I, for one, can’t envision having that large of a family. Since my first delivery ended up with me back in the hospital 3 weeks later for emergency surgery and my second delivery was a stressful 6 week early delivery (and then back in again…) Chris and I decided that our family size was best left at 4 so that there would be a momma to take care of the babies! I don’t think I could honestly handle a family of those proportions but hats off to the Duggars for their love of family. 
Instead of writing about that I thought I would write about an article in in USA Today about traveling and leaving things behind. It was pretty interesting. The article starts out talking about a woman, Joyce Gioia, who forgot more than $20,000 worth of jewelry in her hotel room in Italy last year. Fortunately she remembered it and the Marriott Grand Hotel Flora shipped it to her in Austin, TX . First of all—WHO has $20,000 of jewelry when they travel??? Good golly, Miss Molly!!! I must be traveling in the wrong circles!! I thought when “I” went to Italy last year that spending $200 on a Murano glass necklace and earring set was extravagant!!! (Thank you, Chris! <3)
Seems that it is not uncommon for travelers to leave things behind. According to this article we are “distracted” when we travel and forget things just because we are out of our normal routine and environment. Southwest Airlines reported that they had up to 10,000 items a MONTH that are left behind at airports and on airplanes. Cell phones, books clothing and reading glasses top the list. Understandable. The most expensive items??? A 10K engagement ring, a Super Bowl ring and professional video equipment. (All were returned to their owners. Whew).
Evidentially Southwest has a warehouse in Dallas where they store unclaimed items in the 4000 square foot facility. If they are not claimed within 30-90 days the majority of the items are donated to the Salvation Army.
McCarren airport in Las Vegas has about 30.000 items are left behind each year. Most are left at TSA checkpoints which is understandable as it is traumatic to be frisked before going through to the gate. People just forget things. The airport hires a full time employee to handle lost items and it costs between $10,000 to $20,000 to return these items.
Hyatt Hotels reports that the most common item left behind is a phone charger. (Yep. I left one somewhere!) Next is underwear. Ewwwwwww. 
Followed by false teeth (really?? How do you leave without your teeth?),
hearing aids (What???), 
shoes and clothing, keys, toiletries, adult toys (I assume they mean iPads????), electric toothbrushes, laptops and jewelry.
Most hotels will not automatically return items unless the owner asks for them. This is to head off sticky situations as might be the case if you left behind one of the aforementioned adult toys and the guest was not there with the spouse, I guess. Yikes.
Anyway, it made me think about being forgetful and out of my element. A place I am all too familiar with these days!!! Have you forgotten anything valuable in your travels??? I would love to hear where you left your false teeth! And if you are ever at the Holiday Inn in Cherokee, NC I left a nightgown on the back of the bathroom door in 1986. I would love to have it back. It was white with blue flowers. Let me know if you see it. Thanks.
