There is an ancient mystery, something that has bewildered just every type of person who has ever lived be they wizard, witch, philosopher or nuclear physicist. Not to mention a few ordinary folk. Anyway, since the beginning of time, or at least since socks were contrived, the phenomenon has been investigated inside out, upside down, backwards, forwards, sideways and any other way anybody can think of. It is, of course, why pairs of socks become single socks?
Do washing machines have a secret component that eats them? Are washing baskets really a species of ravenous sock eater? What is behind this pestilence on all of our feet? We can blame whoever lives within our household, children being the easiest target because they will always be under the bed or somewhere like that. Until you search and find that you cannot find the missing socks.
I have just put two into the plastic bag full. Of course, I tipped the lot out to see whether I could match the two to ones in there. But no! Of course not, the mystery sock eater has struck again. In my mind it is time the total weight of missing socks was calculated off the mass of planet Earth, they simply do not exist. As for those that do, well making cushions and such things I suppose.
I permanently have an odd sock pile. usually there's about 20 or so.
I keep adding to it, more than I take away.
After a year of having the odd sock pile, I throw them away and start again (I 'pair' up the ones that are part of a set but usually still odd-not the same colour etc) I can't wear odd socks, it just feels strange to me, but the rest of the family wears them :-)
I had an "odd sock" box when all 4 of mine were young and still at home. Theoretically they would pair up eventually but in practice we all ended up just wearing odd socks. I swear I went through it once and counted over 50!! In the end I simply concluded it was either the gremlin, the black hole (or a combination of the two) and if all else failed it had to be the 5th child that existed but was never seen - the one called Nottmie.....
Aha, an excellent theory of transmutation that explains our assortment of boxless lids, none of which appear to fit any box whatsoever. As for the socks, I ain't counting dem dere cheese bags, but only 32 would be a treat. Just after I put up that post, in came the women, the two young ones bearing fresh packs of new socks. The question is not when half of a pair will go, because we know it will, but how inconveniently will it happen? If only I had some microchips...
My mum swears that she always had 19 odd socks. I reckon I have about 30. I found 2 down the side of Maisy's bed today but I can almost guarantee the matching socks will not be in the sock bag (yes we now have a dedicated sock bag for the odd socks) and the odd sock count will go up to 32.
One theory I saw on fb the other day was that odd socks turn into tupperware lids - this is possibly a good theory as I do have lots of lids and can never find the s0dding dishes that match! A true mystery!