Lost Keys - Problem Solved

Spiral or coil keychain, or spring keychain. In green. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Lost Keys Problem Solved. Comical Poem by Angela Lansbury. 

Where did I lose my keys?

Did I lose them, did they lose me?

Lost Property has lots of them

To prevent burglars, with no name

My new bag contained a key chain

My keys had a place, I was glad

But when the fabric fell apart

My homeless keys and I felt sad

I cut out the sewn in ribbon

Thought, I'll sew it on my new bag

I had no time to sew it

Used the large safety pin I had

I kept my keys on the lanyard

Moved and pinned inside each new bag

I was organized, soon forgot

Those lost key troubles I'd once had

When I went out without a bag

I pinned key ribbons to pockets

Not sewn, secured with safety pins

Like plugs stuck firmly in sockets

Now I always have my door keys

'though my pocket's a bit heavy

I never have to wait and hunt

Nor pay cut a new key levy

Once my mother lost her house keys

We found them after she had died

In the pocket of a beach bag

Before donating, looked inside

Then our son lost our front door keys

We had to add another lock

Keys were under his friend's sofa

Their cleaning lady was a rock 

I've made a long list of places

Where our sets of keys like to hide

Inside an old coat, or jacket

And each suitcase, search each pocket

It's like losing your train ticket

To prevent the loss, day and night

You simply must decide - always

Which pocket, the left, or the right

When I go to a conference

Or a one hotel holiday

I keep the bedroom key on a lanyard

Round my neck. There it stays all day.

Some people lose keys so often

I call it losing keys disease

It's no good asking dead mother

Paying to God, upon your knees

Just have a designated place

Maybe inside a hollow book

In your jacket's right-hand pocket

Or in a cupboard on a hook

In a hotel beside the bed

Or on the hook behind the door

On the door handle, on the floor

Then you won't lost them any more 

I've listed the common places

You can find door keys or car keys

So when we're in your home or room

Find those vital keys quickly, please.

-ends-

Updated with improved syllable count on October 22nd 2026.

A spiral key chain takes up less room in a pocket but enables you to reach a lock without detaching the key from a bag or jacket pocket. If the spiral is not long enough, lengthen it by adding another.

Please share links to your favourite poems. I wrote this poem for my blog, comical poems hazel nutter.blogspot.com. For this travel blog I added the lines about holidays and bedroom keys I am copying this poem to my dress blog, dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

Jacket features for travellers, removable hoods and inside pockets, double pocket blouse

 

this blouse has black edging to the cutts and collar. Easy to keep clean. Being polyester it does not stain. It dries quickly. The colours do not run. The pocket is handy. The gold buttons add a touch of class. They button up warmly. They can be left undone in the day to look casual, up high at night to look smart.

My blue hooded jacket is from C & A, The brand Canda. 

The removable hood is handy, adaptable to weather conditions, keeps you warmer in winter.

C & A has several similar jacked, quilted for warmth in winter, with removable moods. 

Useful Website

Canda, C & A

See my blog dressofthedayangela

Travel clothes - pockets for pleasure and practicality

 My pale blue denim jacket has four big outside pockets and an inside pocket. I wore it everywhere in Albania on holiday, hiking in the countryside, and visiting museums and restaurants in the cities. 

The pockets have button fastening. Safer to prevent things falling out, as well as theft. I did occasionally drop things out when I did not bother to fasten the pockets and leaned over or took off the jacket indoors. For extra security, one day I shall add small zips.

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Filing Brochures And Papers

Angela at World Travel Market.

I go to an exhibition such as the World Travel Market in November and come back with bags of brochures. Every holiday I plan adds more. Then, returning from the holiday, more.

When I pack in a hotel room, I check through to see if I have duplicates of local maps and brochures. Even so, I arrive home with a lot.

Where to keep all those holiday brochures?

1 Make a denim pocket from discarded garments.
2 Cut a cereal box diagonally to make a magazine rack. Cover with white A4 paper, or wrapping paper.

3 If you not a handy person, just cover the box with a duplicate or unwanted holiday brochure with the country name or scene.
4 Keep the see-through covers off free advertising brochures for receipts. Stick a white address label on the outside.

5 For a neat effect, print a label, just the name of the country printed very large. Cut and and stick on your box or folder.

https://www.favecrafts.com/Green-Crafting/14-Things-to-Do-with-Old-Jeans#section33818903

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Pickpocket-Proof Clothing Shows New Designs, Colours and Comments

I am a great fan of pockets, concealed pockets, and pickpocket-proof clothing.

I am on the mailing list of clothing arts so get to see all their updates and read their site religiously, including the users' comments.

Colours
I notice that they now have the women's 'shirt' in navy as well as black and what I would call sand colour. That's great. Neutral colours which go with everything. But I do get fed up with black. When I was teaching English at a school in Singapore, the head teacher told me the pupils complained that I wore black and white every day. They wanted me to wear brighter colours, such as red on Monday, Orange or pink on Tuesday, Yellow on Wednesday. Blue on Thursday. Green on Friday.

I had a red, white and black clothes colour scheme as a travel writer, so that everything I wore and packed co-ordinated with everything else. My edito,r who travelled with his entourage of writer and photographer on travel rpess trips, told me, 'I am tired of seeing you in red. Wear another colour - any other colour.'

Pockets
One of the reviewers pointed out that the woman's shirt had only one pocket whilst the man's version had two.

How irritating. I hate single pockets. I never use single pockets. I forget they are there. High single pockets are silly if you have any shape. Left empty, they look lopsided. Filled, they give you a lopsided bust.

One of the reviewers points out that the pocket is not big enough to fsten over a passport. The reply is that you are supposed to wear the shirt with their (matching or contrasting) skirts or pants. (In the UK we say trousers).

Hm. Not everybody can afford both - or even one.

Cost and Offers
If you are strapped for cash they frequently do money off offers. As the lines of colours and items available expands, I look forward to more choices.

https://www.clothingarts.com/

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

QUICK TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS On travel, postcodes, delays, and e-tickets

Problems
1 DIRECTIONS
You want directions of buses and trains to a venue for yourself or a colleague. You need the postcode. However, the organization's website has three addresses. (For example, London Business School.)

2 E-TICKETS & PRINTING
You book the event though Eventbrite. You can save paper by not printing it.
However, when you reach the venue, you need a code to log onto their wifi, so you can't show your e-ticket on your phone.
The person with the list of attendees is in another room. Other visitors don't know the name of the person you need to find.

3TIMING
You have timed the route. However, there are delays.

4 DEALING WITH DELAYS
Your route has unexpected delays.

5 ARRIVAL - now what?
You arrive at a huge venue. Nobody knows anything about your event.

Answers
1 DIRECTIONS
Write the postcode of the venue in your diary.
 Add it to the contact details in your phone.

2 E-TICKETS - To print or not to print?
Print out the e-ticket in advance. To save paper and printing ink:
Copy the section which is relevant.
Cut the part with your number from the paper. Stick in in your diary or keep it in your right-hand pocket, in a see-through cover which makes it large enough to find in a hurry.
Find out who has the list of attendees. Put their name and phone number in your phone. Find out what time they will arrive and where they will be.

3 TIMING
Allow extra time in case of delays. Arrive early. Find out where you can wait if the room is locked.
Have your own food and water, in case you are left standing alone in a corridor or lobby.
Know the name of the event, which might be different from your session.

4 DELAYS
Allow time before setting off to check on delays, alternative routes, and messages to tell anybody who needs to know that you are setting off and of any delays.

5 ARRIVAL
Know the name of the entire day's event. Know the orgnization organizing the event.
Know the divison or number of your club because there could be events worldwide on any one day, so you need something specifici for an internet search. Note the name of the person who sent the email inviting you to the event.

Find out the room of the event. Conference centres are big. The welcome desk may be unattended by the time you arrive late. In the lift which floor are you looking floor, Basement, lower basement, ground, 1, 2, 3? Is it in the basement, the auditorium, the conference centre, on the 3rd floor.

TOILETS
Where are the toilets for men and women, same floor or upstairs or downstairs. (When retinring from the toilets, are you going downstairs or upstairs.

FOOD
Should you grab a coffee at the station or the supermarket you pass? Will the college cafeteira be open at the weekend, and at the end of the coference at lunchtime, 4 pm or 6 pm?

You may need cash to grab a sandwich in a hurry in the interval. How much are the sandwiches? If you are a group, can one of you buy sandwiches for everybody. If so, will they all eat meat or do you need egg or cheese (not for vegans).

Who will pay for the food, you, your club or oganization, the people giving you orders? (Get them to write their name and food choice. Meat only, meat or egg and cheese, no shellfish, any. If no sandwiches, will they want cakes, donuts, etc? Price limit - £2.50, £5, £7.50. £10, any.)

Find out what latecomers should do. Sneak in at the back? Wait until the interval to avoid using the door which open onto or beside the stag.

Wave to signal to the chairman on stage that you have arrived. Pass the usher a note to hand to the organiser on stage.

Information on delays
https://tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/#line-tfl-rail

Author
Angela Lansbury
Travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Look For Hidden Pockets In Hats and Jackets, Trousers and Shorts

Problem
To guard against loss, you might store some things in inside pockets. But if you have too many pcokets, you can't find anything - unless you have a system.

Rucksack Pockets
Some things are obviously sorted by size. Not so obviously.

Pocket Too Small
I put a water bottle in an outside pcket of a rucksack for quick access. But when I put the rucksack on the floor the water bottle rolled out. So the water bottle stayed inside the rucksack when I was in a restaurant.

Pocket Too Large
I put my train ticket in a large pocket with several other cards. I had a hunt when I reached the train destination. Once or twice I thought I had lost the card.

My next system was to have the train card in a small pocket. The other cards, needed less often, or the identity card, was kept separately in the deeper pocket.

Jacket Pockets
I frequently look inside a recently-bought jacket, or an old one got out of a cupboard, and regret that there are only two outside pockets and none inside. However, a day later I discover a hidden pocket. Once I snagged my fingers against the end of a zip in a seam.

On another occasion, I hunted for something in the outside pocket, turning the garment inside out  and feeling for the double thickness of the pocket. Another pocket manifested itself!

Hat pockets
Some hats have pockets outside.  Other hats have pockets inside. A separate flap both conceals the zip and protects your head from the abrasion of the pocket contents.

https://www.mountainwarehouse.com/walking/clothing/sun-hats-caps/australian-brim-hat-with-head-net-

https://lifehacker.com/5840155/create-a-secret-compartment-in-your-hat-to-keep-your-valuables-hidden

Author
Angela Lansbury

Nuts On Planes - Is Banning Possible, Practical?

Problems
The problem for the mother is that her child is allergic to nuts. She asks an airline to desist from selling or supplying nuts and to announce that passengers should refrain from eating nuts.

The problems for the airline is that they cannot guarantee a nut-free plane and don't want to risk inconveniencing passengers, a medical emergency, a diverted flight costing passengers and airline money and risking the nut allergy sufferer's life.

The problem for other passengers is that they cannot eat nuts which sustain them, especially if they have diabetes. Alternative snacks do not proved calories in a fast sustaining way and nuts are natural but crisps are reputedly bad for health. They may have only nuts in their pocket and not want to buy alternative foods (especially if they are vegan). The nuts in their pocket may already be opened, forgotten, or pockets may have crumbs.

Nuts are in many other foods, such as chocolate bars, peanut butter sandwiches (technically peanuts are not nuts but it seems they may contain nuts or items affecting allergies), cereals.

On land a medical emergency can be dealt with by calling an ambulance fast. In flight medical help is not a v a i l a b l e.

Costs
An airline might not want to carry a mother who is l i t i g i o u s (included to go to law). The airline might want to avoid conflict between a nut allergy mother and a diabetic or drunk.

Passengers speaking minority languages might not understand the announcements. Older and/or hard of hearing passengers might not her announcements.

An ongoing or quick return flight might not be cleaned and people on previous flights might have left sweet wrappers.

A quick stopover without cleaning or a quick stopover with cleaning means some parts of the aircraft may contain sweet wrappers.

By the time the announcement is made some pope may already be eating nuts or have nuts in pockets. They might quickly finish their nuts, hide or throw away the wrapper, and wash their hands leaving
t r a c e s of nuts on the toilet taps.

Answers
The mother(s) say(s) that:
They carry an e p i p e n  and doctor's letter. (Spaces to prevent spell checker changing words.)

Some airlines make an announcement asking passengers not to eat nuts.

The mothers can book flights on a ferry and sit on top deck breathing fresh air far from people eating food.

The airline could ban nuts in one section of the plane, make an area or a class (such as economy or business or first class) banning nuts. (But the problem is that the air circulates the traces.)

A notice could be placed on both all airline advertising and the airline ticket saying that the flight may contain nuts and nut allergy passengers must inform the airline, fly at their own risk, and are responsible for any costs incurred by themselves or others.

The passengers should take a course of treatment to cure allergies.

Conclusion
Passenger Safety
It seems to me that if a passenger cannot survive without being near medical attention involving a diversion of a flight, they could / should take alternative transport.

If pregnant women in late term are banned, people with other conditions can or should be banned.

A person requesting an announcement needs to have it translated in numerous languages.

Announcements could / should end with a request to remain silent during announcements made in other languages.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

South Korea Going 'Coin less' not Chinless - I typed c o i n l e s s

Problem
South Korea is trying out a no coin system. This will make your wallet and pocket lighter. Fewer coins to have to recognise. Less embarrassment

On the other hand all those coins you find in pockets and bags and down the back of the sofa will be worthless.

Even if they refund the money at a central bank, the cost of going there will outweigh the fare money.

As for those jars of coins with the word for tips, or the charity boxes in which you can slip the odd coin, the collect of the pennies at charity shops were everything is priced at something and 99p as a marketing ploy to make it sound cheaper, and the customer says, Keep the Change.

All the items with prices pre-printed will need new packaging.

I used to wonder why some book printing systems would not allow you to print the price on the cover. I thought, 'but the customer wants to know the price and doesn't like to ask. The customer is more likely to buy if the price is marked and sounds cheap.'

Beggars will now be asking for a dollar.

You will no longer have coins for your coin collection.

Will they still issue high value commemorative coins? We will be watching the results of the experiment in Korea with interest.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Where to sit on a plane? Your options ...

http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20160919-where-should-you-sit-on-a-plane

Where do you sit on a plane? Obviously first class, if you can afford it or somebody else is paying.

Two factors are not necessarily dovetailed, comfort and safety.

In the middle of the vehicle, on planes like in ships, means less problem when you are dipping forwards or backwards.

I hadn't realised that the larger planes fly higher which is one factor which makes them less bumpy, above the turbulence.

The report says you are more likely to get an empty row of seats towards the unpopular back area.

I used to like a window seat so I could see the cities as we flew overhead and approached. You can also take photos. And you can lean against the wall.

The aisle seat means your elbow gets knocked. Your toes might be run over by a passing trolley or trodden on. Then the passenger who empties the overhead rack sending flying missiles at your head is more likely to score a direct hit on on a target such as somebody sitting in an aisle seat.

The centre seat gives you two chances of making a friend. You are more likely to be left with empty seats, because couples will take a row with a free aisle seat.

I am just telling you this to persuade you to take the window seat or the centre seat. I prefer the aisle seat. I need to hop up and down to the loo and to get exercise because I eat all the food.

Rest assured, in an emergency I won't be blocking the way. I'll be first out. And I won't stop for my overhead luggage either. I'll have my passport and phone in a pocket.

If you are ever in the centre seat and I'm beside you, you have the opportunity for plenty of conversation.

http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20160919-where-should-you-sit-on-a-plane

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Travelling and Keys for suitcases

Where is the key to this suitcase? Sort out your keys well in advance.

1 SUITCASE KEYS
a) Storing and finding
i) My system is to do what the shops do. Keep the key which came with the suitcase attached to the suitcase handle.

ii) I also used to have a plan to keep suitcase keys in the pack with my passport so I didn't get to the airport and find I'd rushed out to the taxi and left my keys at home in a drawer.

iii) Other people keep all their keys in one bunch in one place. But you must keep them in a place where you can find them.

iv) You could also attach a note to the suitcase to say that the key is inside in the inside pocket or that the key is in a top drawer in a desk either at home in the bedroom or study or wherever you keep it.

b) Buying Keys
Note that special keys which can be opened by US customs for security checks are required for the USA. Check which keys your airline or destination requires.

Duplicate keys
( D u p l i c a t e - spell check likes d e l i c a t e)
When storing  (s t o r i n g not soaring) the keys you may wish (w i s h not with) to keep both keys at home together, either in a top drawer or a key box hanging on the wall. You might label keys or colour code them and label them key one and key two.

To colour code the locks and keys if they are plain metal and you have several, paint nail varnish onto them. At one time you could only buy red and pink and orange nail polish, but now you can buy nail polish in blue and green and black and yellow at low prices.

A good system if two of you are travelling is to give the duplicate second key to your partner. That way if one of you mislays the keys the other person can quickly supply a duplicate when you are trying to check in hurriedly at the airport without keeping others waiting whilst you hunt.

Back home again, if you find key one on the floor or in a drawer it is easier to find out which person has the second key and know where to look.

Another solution is to you leave one key at home. That helps if you get home with a locked suitcase and find the key to the locked suitcase is left behind in your holiday flat, the coat you left behind or lost, or in one of a myriad pockets. You go straight to key two and start unpacking. When you later find missing key one in your inside jacket pocket, or the purse with your foreign currency, you can then match up the two keys.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Cheap T Shirts for making matching outfits

t shirts for only a pound in a variety of colours? Just what I need.  I have been through my wardrobe. I have shorts in patterns and t-shirt with slogans and pictures and they clash. I need plain colour shorts and plain colour t-shirts to make up sets to wear.

Otherwise I have loads of separates which don't match anything. But the family have banned me from buying more clothes because I am spending too much and the wardrobes are overflowing yet aI claim I never have anything to wear and to out looking bizarre with two many clashing patterns, or take hours to dress.

Yes, I know the problems with cheap tee-shirts. Wear it once and it's stained.  (Answer is to tie - dye it.) The seams split. The fit isn't right - too tight or too baggy or just not smart enough for the nice restaurant at lunch or supper.

Needs ironing if it's cotton. Cheap and nasty if it's synthetic, and the fabric won't match anything else.

I still feel I must look at the website. What do I find. Most of those lovely colours, the emerald green and bright orange are only for children. Ladies long sleeves are black, or white, OK, that goes with a lot of things. Ladies are also in pink and yellow. But what If I want long sleeves to guard against mosquito bites and dengue fever? I can wear a jacket or blouse on top of a short sleeve tee. To get navy I would have to buy a men's size. Best to go into a shop to see the sizes and colours and fabric. Good for a gift for a meeting, Xmas, or summer picnic or barbecue, sports day or running club or give or lend to a friend for jogging together.

http://www.poundshop.com/fashion/clothing?p=2&utm_campaign=HFPS-TS-26-03-16&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Newsletter

Sewing an outfit
If you want matching shorts, at that price you can afford to buy two pairs and cut shorts. Or use the second pair to make a wide strip into a wrap around skirt to wear over bikini bottoms or shorts which don't match but provide a flash of contrasting colour. You could even buy three to make matching shorts, t shirt and long sleeve shirt or jacket. Use a spare strip to add a scarf or attach it as a mock scarf. Make a belt to match from strips seemed and turn inside out. Sew both narrow end edges straight or in a v-shape.

Pocket using No sew Velcro
To make a safety pocket for your keys, travel card or credit card or phone, use a strip on the inside for a pocket. To fasten sew a loop and a button. Or a slit edged with blanked stitch and a button which matches or contrasts. Or iron on or sew on a piece of velcro (stick and loop tape).

If you can't get to Poundland for summer offers, also look at Primark. Primark has white crew short sleeve t-shirts for ladies from £3. Stores are in UK, Wales, Ireland, the USA and Europe.
See
primark.com

Angela Lansbury, travel writer

How to find lost pens, and label your own

My good friend and president of a club lost a pen at a club meeting. At least ten of us went hunting. It was a valuable pen. A Waterman.

A waterman pen.

Other valuable pens include Parker pens (£60 upwards), Mont Blanc pens with a white star shape cap like the snow-capped top of Mont Blanc (about £300), any pen which you care about.

Here's where our lost and found searches went:

I  checked

every pocket of my coat jacket inside and out, all my pockets in my vest emptied out, turned my bucket bag onto the floor, and shook out the books and manuals, and inspected my pens now on my kitchen table/desk which say Angela Lansbury or Writers Holiday or hotel names or are very cheap.

.... The rest of the post is on my new blog How to get out of the mess you're in, which is the title of one of my books.

How to Always Have a Pen
1 Buy a jacket with a vertical slit for a pen beside the top pocket over the side by your left arm.
Make sure the pocket is sturdy so the pointed pen does not drill a hole. Wear dark blue if carrying a blue pen, and make sure the point is either retreated or covered.
2 Wear a pen on a thread.
3 Attach a pen to a long necklace or lanyard.

Make a holder for a mobile phone and a pen. (Any large fabric pocket on a ribbon with a vertical line of stitching or even safety pins to separate the phone and the pen. When looking for either your phone or the pen use find my phone or a keychain finder.

As for sets of pens and pencils with your name for birthday, Xmas, wishlist, club gift, anniversary.

You can quickly see if somebody has taken your pen, or you have left it behind on a table or desk. Nobody can say, 'you've got my pen' and throw you into a panic. If it's got your name on it, it's yours, and if it hasn't it is theirs and you can courteously hand it back.

Get pens for your business and write the cost off against tax as stationery. If you lose them, it's advertising. Make sure your phone number or website are on the pen. If space allows, write on the pen or add a sticker saying: 'With compliments from ...' or 'Return to .... Thank you.'

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Travel Jacket or Coat with Pockets - by Scottevest

My best travel jackets? In winter a ski jacket which comes with pockets inside and out, plus a concealed or zip-off hood.
    In summer I like a photographer's jacket which has lots of inside and outside pockets. Enough space for a phone, paper hankies, toothbrush and toothpaste, a comb and lots more. The trick is to have a pocket for every item you use regularly. Or a pocket for the most vital item on that trip. (Such as your Tesco/ supermarket card, gym card, car key, door key, sunglasses, warm gloves.)
   Alternatives are a body belt.
   For those who are handy with a needle and cotton, save pockets from discarded garments and sew them in the seams of other garments, or inside tote bags which don't have enough inside pockets. You can keep a bag or pockets and zips to match up the colours.
   You can also save the linings of old garments. But for those with more money than time, check out the new garment from Scottevest.