A very useful Christmas present for those of us who often lose things

     As I get older, I am becoming increasingly forgetful and losing things. At the same time, I believe people who find lost objects will generally return them, if only they know to whom they belong. That is why in recent years I have developed a habit of labeling cameras, cell phones and other valuable objects with my email address.
     When I was leaving New Zealand I left a favourite sweater on a boat. I got it back, not because I had my name in it, but because I had my name on a memory stick that was in the pocket.
     Knowing about my labeling obsession, on Georgia's suggestion, Sally bought me this labeling machine for Christmas. While I was initially disappointed to discover it needed 6 AAA batteries (that were not included), and the instructions were difficult to understand to say the least, I will soon be creating labels for family, friends, dinner guests, etc. in the hope that one day they too will have lost objects returned.
    So the purpose of this post is not to brag about my new Christmas present, but rather to suggest that you go now and put your email address on your cameras, cellphones, and other valuable objects, in case you lose them. If you don't have a machine like this, start (as I did) with white paper and scotch tape, then moving up to white sticky labels. And who knows, one day you too may receive a gift like this for Christmas!