Dave gives me grief for losing things, or forgetting where I left them. Same thing, I guess. It does seem I hear myself saying, with increased frequency, and panic, "I can't find my notes! or "Have you seen my camera?"

That's his clue to retort, "Where did you have it last?" Well, if I knew that, would it be lost? Or, his other favorite, "Why don't you pay attention to what you're doing? You spend half your life looking for things."

The most recent object of alarm was a nifty little purse I bought myself after scouring department stores on two continents. It fit all my requirements: Small and flat, with key ring and coin purse on the outside; a pocket for bills, one for my driver's license, and several convenient for credit cards. Oh, and brown leather, matching my indispensable Day Runner.

I rarely carry cash. Obviously, the catastrophe here is the loss of the ultimate ID, my driver's license, plus a credit card and a debit card.

So we were halfway between Lake Martin and Lakepoint Resort, Ala. last week, relocating the boat, when we stopped for gas, and discovered we'd chosen one of those little country convenience stores that have glassed-in warming tables full of deep-fried potato wedges, deep-fried egg rolls, deep-fried corn dogs, and a deep-fried mystery food I asked the young woman behind the counter to identify.

"What are they?" I pointed.

"You mean the cheese-stuffed peppers?"

"Yeah."

"Cheese-stuffed peppers," she answered, her face barely concealing her opinion of the alien standing in front of her case.

"Did you make all these?" I asked, adding hastily, "They look wonderful," but finding it hard to believe egg rolls were hatched in Alabama.

"Yes'm," she replied, finally softening a little.

At an average just over a dollar a portion, I had the most delicious, unhealthy lunch I'd eaten in ages, mitigated by NOT ordering corn dogs, and drinking water instead of sweet tea.

Dave paid the bill, and I swooned my way out to the car, and we'd gone another 30 miles when I realized I didn't have my purse.

I dug into every crevice I could reach from the front seat, and could hardly wait until we got to Lakepoint to do a serious search. First, of course, we had to launch Alice III and tuck her into her waiting slip, after which Dave expected me to help wrestle tarps and bungees into place to protect her teak from the summer sun.

At last I got