Everyday Carry?

Yesterday I found, stuck to the bottom of my handbag, a Drumstick (lolly), a 10p and an Allan key, welded together with goo. I was a bit horrified. I went so far as to mention this on social media.

This led to a bit of discussion about what else I have in my handbag. My friend Gareth sent me a link to an Everyday Carry blog. This, as they say on the internet, is apparently A Thing.

This blog mainly seemed to comprise of photos of expensive-looking electronic devices in leather cases, wraparound shades and propelling pencils with a few multi-tools thrown in. I think the Everyday Carry guys probably would restrict the name to these sort of outward-bound/specialist tools but here's my contribution.

- the handbag - from a Moroccan leather shop in Portugal. I bought this the year before satchels were 'in' ;-)
- Owly umbrella and make up bag
- a broken mirror
- an unbroken powder compact from a vintage fair (to replace the one that got stolen in our burglary)
- a (not) Lemsip, plasters and some painkillers
- handsfree headphones and normal headphones
- glasses case
- emeryboard
- three concealer/foundations, three eyeshadows, mascara, and three lipsticks. I almost never wear make up.
- a safety pin (this might actually be useful)
- some hankies and FBU branded breath mints
- my sunglasses, in a child's sock I found in a pocket of a coat Alexander was given (just the one)
- my diary. I almost never write in it or indeed look in it. It has nice pictures though.
- Vaseline (I suppose this might come in useful)
- replacement earbuds for the headphones I never use
- the base of a Lego minifgure
- two flavours of gum
- a notebook, pen and some mini post-it notes from the group of European Socialists
- an 'I'm voting NO' badge
- a flashdrive Bob got me in China on the Cheers keyring that my dad got me in Cheers
- a projecting torch with no batteries. This has tiny slides of dinosaurs that fit in the end and a lens to enlarge them. I've been meaning to get new batteries one lunchtime. That was months ago.
- a phone sleeve from the leather man on Newcastle Quayside: 'London, New York, Paris, Blyth (mainly Blyth)'. My new phone doesn't fit in it.
- a Double Lolly (I am a Swizzells fan, who isn't?)
- my purse (an exact replacement of the one Mr HPW bought me which was also stolen in the burglary)
- the aforementioned phone
- my camera sleeve, but not the camera, obviously
- my keys and Swiss Army Knife. I bought this almost exactly 20 years ago with my first adult pay package (i.e. a brown envelope of cash. I digress, but for my first job making theatre costumes when I was 14, I actually issued invoices!). It cost the lot too. But I've only needed to sharpen the blade once. There's a company that wants to put itself out of business. I have got into trouble in quite a few places for carrying it but I use it all the time. It's probably the only thing those Everyday Carry folks would count...

I did in fact promise Gareth that I had a face mask for giving CPR, on a keyring, but it appears I don't. Maybe I thought I just had too much crap in my handbag. No wonder I have to get a back massage every month lugging this lot about.