When the three little kittens lost their mittens, not only did they start to cry, but their mother was irritated at them and told them “you shall have no pie.” Clearly the cat couldn’t just run down to the store and buy an inexpensive pair of replacement mittens. Losing their mittens had in fact been a serious mistake. The same held true when I was a child, and the solution was to have a braided cord that joined the two mittens and ran across one’s shoulders under a coat. Most mittens in my group of friends were hand knit and worth holding onto. When we hung our wet wool on those radiators it was clear which mothers didn’t trust their kids to keep their mittens. Those tell-tale cords told us all.
Yesterday as I parked my car at the grocery store I saw one bedraggled glove, propped up on the curb, missing its mate. Perhaps most people in my neighborhood still can hear their mothers yelling “where did you lose your glove?” (As if we knew!) All over I see lone mittens and gloves propped on signs, sticking off fire hydrants, wedged onto parking meters. People have spotted lone gloves or mittens in the snow and, not wanting them to be covered by the next snow, have placed them up off the ground. I think it is an optimistic gesture, and maybe sometimes it helps the panicked glove loser.
I think that mittens and socks should all be sold in threes. They are interchangeable after all. At least that way when one disappears–as it inevitably will–a matching replacement will be at hand.
Saved By Words 
One day I found a glove that looked suspiciously like mine sticking on top of a fire hydrant. Oops, it was mine. Now whay I do is buy gloves that are either black or red. Not all of my “pairs” were oginally purchased together, but at least they match.
LikeLike
I am glad that occasionally it works. And at least you know exactly what I mean. I finally did resort to buying many identical socks. Haven’t tried that with gloves.
LikeLike
My first mittens had that cord keeping them together. It was such a pain to thread it through both sleeves every time. But at least I never lost one. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
I mastered the art of taking the coat off and leaving the mittens dangling. Only if things weren’t too wet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This post brought to mind a song about a lost glove in a different way. I think the lyrics are particularly sophisticated for a popular song ot the time:
LikeLike
I loved the song. I also left things behind “on accident” but really on purpose for that same reason.
LikeLike
My children had a cord on their mittens, lovingly made for them by my MIL. I wish I had saved one pair.
LikeLike
Cord is the right word. I knew it was sturdier than string but couldn’t find the word. (A common experience these days. Despite rummaging around in my brain some words just refuse to deliver themselves.)
LikeLike
We’re in the same boat.
LikeLike
Where do those words hide anyway?
LikeLike
I have no idea where words hide. They’re probably hiding wherever I’m not looking.
LikeLike
Maybe the squirrels took them.
LikeLike
Yes! Let’s blame the hidey-acorn squirrels!
LikeLike
Since the kids moved out we have had to find new targets for our blame! (Of course not one of them had ever done the bad deed under question!)The squirrels will do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It always seems like the less I like a pair of gloves, the less likely I am to lose one of the pair.
LikeLike
That is true for the rest of my clothing. I only stain things I really like.
LikeLike
Great idea! 😀
Blessings,
Jennifer
LikeLike
Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good idea. My daughter will like it.
LikeLike
Your granddaughter is just the right age.
LikeLike
I wonder whether the children of today worry much about losing a mitten, Elizabeth. Our culture has become easy come, easy go.
LikeLike
I was thinking the same thing as I wrote. It was really a big deal to lose a mitten when I was little. Not easy to replace.
LikeLike
Love this….I assist in a kindergarten class..some of the coats have hooks that can attach the gloves and mittens. But the kids get really upset if one is lost….just yesterday I had to go with a little one to search the playground for her lost mitten.
LikeLike
I love the idea of hooks in the jackets. I guess these days the old solution would alarm some as a choking risk. We never thought of that in the 1950’s.
LikeLike
Love your solution, Elizabeth!
LikeLike
Thanks. Either that or buy all identical socks and gloves.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha! Boring!
LikeLike
Thank you for returning me to the memory of wet mittens drying on radiators….😊
LikeLike
Thank heavens some people knew what I was talking about.
LikeLiked by 1 person