• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.

Minor Strangeness (IHTM)

Checked time before leaving for work, saw that I had 12 mins to get train, (it usually takes me 6 mins to get there). Picked up a branch that had fallen on the path. Moved branch near the bins to deal with later, (I estimated max about 4 mins), wife leaves after me and says you've got less than 5 minutes to get the train.

No idea where the lost 4 minutes went
Eons ago (without a time slip) I heard a scientist on the radio talk about how metabolism is linked to the perception of time. The slower your metabolism, the faster time seems to pass. When your metabolism speeds up, like during the adrenaline rush you get when you're watching a horror movie or experiencing a train derailment, time seems to pass much more slowly. (This had led to my decades long curiosity about what a fruit fly's perception of time must be; their metabolism is faster—do their brief lives feel the same to them as our 3 score and 10 does to us—too short?)

Your metabolism changes during the day and from day to day, so why not something like that to account for the "lost 4 minutes"?
Yes, there are other things that can contribute. Some horror movies are just bad, and that alone makes them seem too long.
 
Eons ago (without a time slip) I heard a scientist on the radio talk about how metabolism is linked to the perception of time. The slower your metabolism, the faster time seems to pass. When your metabolism speeds up, like during the adrenaline rush you get when you're watching a horror movie or experiencing a train derailment, time seems to pass much more slowly. (This had led to my decades long curiosity about what a fruit fly's perception of time must be; their metabolism is faster—do their brief lives feel the same to them as our 3 score and 10 does to us—too short?)

Your metabolism changes during the day and from day to day, so why not something like that to account for the "lost 4 minutes"?
Yes, there are other things that can contribute. Some horror movies are just bad, and that alone makes them seem too long.
This could account for that hour in the office (when I worked in an office) between 3 and 4 when energy takes a slump and the clock inexplicably slows to a crawl, and takes twice as long to get through an hour than it usually does.
 
I can't believe I'm going to write this because I am just embarrassing myself now, but in the interests of all things Fortean, I am going to write this.

A chunk of cooked beef has disappeared.

Husband cooked it yesterday for him and the kids (I'm a pescetarian), and left half in the oven to eat for his tea tonight.

I saw the roasted beef in the top (smaller) oven at lunchtime today when I went to put my fish fingers in there. I left the beef there, quite far back in the top oven, and put my fish fingers to cook in the bottom oven.

Fast forward to husband coming home from work, looking forward to his roast beef sandwiches. I was on the phone to work when he comes storming into the room. He waits impatiently for me to finish my call, and when I do he demands to know where his roast beef is.

I roll my eyes. Silly husband. It's in the upper oven, and I take him to the oven to show him the beef THAT IS NO LONGER THERE!

The metal grill plate the beef was cooked on, is there, but the beef itself is not there.

I actually search the oven, with my eyes, then I feel around the oven with my hands (obvs it's not on, I'm not that insane). Then I search the lower oven the same way. Not there.

Son is too lazy to have done anything with it (it would mean knowing the beef was there, taking it out of the oven and slicing it, which is too much effort for most 16 yr olds, but especially my son). Daughter has been out all day, left the house before I saw the beef at lunchtime.

So we both look at the dog. It MUST have been the dog. But the thing is, this would've meant him opening the oven door, delicately fitting his snout into the slim space between oven shelf and top of oven, removing the beef without also dragging out the grill plate, shutting the oven door, and eating a hunk of beef without me catching on. And not being funny, but our dog is not that bright.

So, lost hunk of roast beef.
 
I can't believe I'm going to write this because I am just embarrassing myself now, but in the interests of all things Fortean, I am going to write this.

A chunk of cooked beef has disappeared.

Husband cooked it yesterday for him and the kids (I'm a pescetarian), and left half in the oven to eat for his tea tonight.

I saw the roasted beef in the top (smaller) oven at lunchtime today when I went to put my fish fingers in there. I left the beef there, quite far back in the top oven, and put my fish fingers to cook in the bottom oven.

Fast forward to husband coming home from work, looking forward to his roast beef sandwiches. I was on the phone to work when he comes storming into the room. He waits impatiently for me to finish my call, and when I do he demands to know where his roast beef is.

I roll my eyes. Silly husband. It's in the upper oven, and I take him to the oven to show him the beef THAT IS NO LONGER THERE!

The metal grill plate the beef was cooked on, is there, but the beef itself is not there.

I actually search the oven, with my eyes, then I feel around the oven with my hands (obvs it's not on, I'm not that insane). Then I search the lower oven the same way. Not there.

Son is too lazy to have done anything with it (it would mean knowing the beef was there, taking it out of the oven and slicing it, which is too much effort for most 16 yr olds, but especially my son). Daughter has been out all day, left the house before I saw the beef at lunchtime.

So we both look at the dog. It MUST have been the dog. But the thing is, this would've meant him opening the oven door, delicately fitting his snout into the slim space between oven shelf and top of oven, removing the beef without also dragging out the grill plate, shutting the oven door, and eating a hunk of beef without me catching on. And not being funny, but our dog is not that bright.

So, lost hunk of roast beef.
Did son have a friend visiting?
I don't think the dog did it.
 
I'm more bemused by your keeping the cooked meat in the oven and not the fridge. Did you check the fridge? Perhaps you'd moved it there earlier?

Sollywos x
 
I can't believe I'm going to write this because I am just embarrassing myself now, but in the interests of all things Fortean, I am going to write this.

A chunk of cooked beef has disappeared.

Husband cooked it yesterday for him and the kids (I'm a pescetarian), and left half in the oven to eat for his tea tonight.

I saw the roasted beef in the top (smaller) oven at lunchtime today when I went to put my fish fingers in there. I left the beef there, quite far back in the top oven, and put my fish fingers to cook in the bottom oven.

Fast forward to husband coming home from work, looking forward to his roast beef sandwiches. I was on the phone to work when he comes storming into the room. He waits impatiently for me to finish my call, and when I do he demands to know where his roast beef is.

I roll my eyes. Silly husband. It's in the upper oven, and I take him to the oven to show him the beef THAT IS NO LONGER THERE!

The metal grill plate the beef was cooked on, is there, but the beef itself is not there.

I actually search the oven, with my eyes, then I feel around the oven with my hands (obvs it's not on, I'm not that insane). Then I search the lower oven the same way. Not there.

Son is too lazy to have done anything with it (it would mean knowing the beef was there, taking it out of the oven and slicing it, which is too much effort for most 16 yr olds, but especially my son). Daughter has been out all day, left the house before I saw the beef at lunchtime.

So we both look at the dog. It MUST have been the dog. But the thing is, this would've meant him opening the oven door, delicately fitting his snout into the slim space between oven shelf and top of oven, removing the beef without also dragging out the grill plate, shutting the oven door, and eating a hunk of beef without me catching on. And not being funny, but our dog is not that bright.

So, lost hunk of roast beef.

So it vanished somewhere between lunchtime - 1pm ish - & the time he got in from work which I'm guessing as between 6 - 7. Were you in the house the whole time so you'd have noticed someone going in the kitchen?
 
I can't believe I'm going to write this because I am just embarrassing myself now, but in the interests of all things Fortean, I am going to write this.

A chunk of cooked beef has disappeared.

Husband cooked it yesterday for him and the kids (I'm a pescetarian), and left half in the oven to eat for his tea tonight.

I saw the roasted beef in the top (smaller) oven at lunchtime today when I went to put my fish fingers in there. I left the beef there, quite far back in the top oven, and put my fish fingers to cook in the bottom oven.

Fast forward to husband coming home from work, looking forward to his roast beef sandwiches. I was on the phone to work when he comes storming into the room. He waits impatiently for me to finish my call, and when I do he demands to know where his roast beef is.

I roll my eyes. Silly husband. It's in the upper oven, and I take him to the oven to show him the beef THAT IS NO LONGER THERE!

The metal grill plate the beef was cooked on, is there, but the beef itself is not there.

I actually search the oven, with my eyes, then I feel around the oven with my hands (obvs it's not on, I'm not that insane). Then I search the lower oven the same way. Not there.

Son is too lazy to have done anything with it (it would mean knowing the beef was there, taking it out of the oven and slicing it, which is too much effort for most 16 yr olds, but especially my son). Daughter has been out all day, left the house before I saw the beef at lunchtime.

So we both look at the dog. It MUST have been the dog. But the thing is, this would've meant him opening the oven door, delicately fitting his snout into the slim space between oven shelf and top of oven, removing the beef without also dragging out the grill plate, shutting the oven door, and eating a hunk of beef without me catching on. And not being funny, but our dog is not that bright.

So, lost hunk of roast beef.

Firstly it sounds like you were rushing about. Beef in the oven, fish fingers, dog, son, on the phone to work.

I think you took the beef out and put it somewhere probably the bin - I did that with the car keys once.
 
I'm more bemused by your keeping the cooked meat in the oven and not the fridge. Did you check the fridge? Perhaps you'd moved it there earlier?

Sollywos x
I didn't keep the meat anywhere! I don't cook meat, I don't eat meat, the beef had nothing to do with me. I was quite surprised to find it in the oven when I went to cook my fishfingers, but I definitely didn't move it, as nothing to do with me etc...
 
So it vanished somewhere between lunchtime - 1pm ish - & the time he got in from work which I'm guessing as between 6 - 7. Were you in the house the whole time so you'd have noticed someone going in the kitchen?
I did think about that, and as it's a town house, someone could've come into the kitchen very easily without my knowledge because the lounge is on first floor, but the back gate was bolted, so they'd have had to have scaled a 6ft fence just to come in and see if I had any beef in my oven (ooo-er), so I crossed that idea off.
 
Reckon son is the culprit. Even a lazy kid will grab food if hungry.
You know, the more I've thought about this this evening, the more I think it WAS him. Perhaps he smelt the fishfingers and went to have a look what the smell was, and literally just took the whole hunk to eat. I plan to check in his room for evidence next time he's not in...
 
Firstly it sounds like you were rushing about. Beef in the oven, fish fingers, dog, son, on the phone to work.

I think you took the beef out and put it somewhere probably the bin - I did that with the car keys once.
I totally have not rushed about on the hottest day of the year Naughty_Felid! I spent the day in front of a fan, writing. I didn't put the beef in the oven, I just spotted it there at lunchtime, my dog has slept all day and son has been in his room. Work didn't call until husband was already home. That's all about as exciting as it gets around here! I didn't touch the beef, not my beef.
 
Yup, your son has had it, couldnt be arsed to make anything and didnt fancy your fishfingers, he could have at least told you
 
I can't believe I'm going to write this because I am just embarrassing myself now, but in the interests of all things Fortean, I am going to write this.

A chunk of cooked beef has disappeared.

Husband cooked it yesterday for him and the kids (I'm a pescetarian), and left half in the oven to eat for his tea tonight.

I saw the roasted beef in the top (smaller) oven at lunchtime today when I went to put my fish fingers in there. I left the beef there, quite far back in the top oven, and put my fish fingers to cook in the bottom oven.

Fast forward to husband coming home from work, looking forward to his roast beef sandwiches. I was on the phone to work when he comes storming into the room. He waits impatiently for me to finish my call, and when I do he demands to know where his roast beef is.

I roll my eyes. Silly husband. It's in the upper oven, and I take him to the oven to show him the beef THAT IS NO LONGER THERE!

The metal grill plate the beef was cooked on, is there, but the beef itself is not there.

I actually search the oven, with my eyes, then I feel around the oven with my hands (obvs it's not on, I'm not that insane). Then I search the lower oven the same way. Not there.

Son is too lazy to have done anything with it (it would mean knowing the beef was there, taking it out of the oven and slicing it, which is too much effort for most 16 yr olds, but especially my son). Daughter has been out all day, left the house before I saw the beef at lunchtime.

So we both look at the dog. It MUST have been the dog. But the thing is, this would've meant him opening the oven door, delicately fitting his snout into the slim space between oven shelf and top of oven, removing the beef without also dragging out the grill plate, shutting the oven door, and eating a hunk of beef without me catching on. And not being funny, but our dog is not that bright.

So, lost hunk of roast beef.
Having thought this through, I think my son must have taken it to eat. He is the only one with motive and opportunity, and just because he said he hadn't taken it, doesn't mean he was telling the truth. Stand down everyone. No Fortean event here to see :(
 
Yup, your son has had it, couldnt be arsed to make anything and didnt fancy your fishfingers, he could have at least told you
The fishfingers were for me lol! He said he had a sausage roll for lunch. But he could've owned up to taking the beef. No one would've been angry at him, and it'd saved me from making an arse of myself on here! I am so gullible.
 
Having thought this through, I think my son must have taken it to eat. He is the only one with motive and opportunity, and just because he said he hadn't taken it, doesn't mean he was telling the truth. Stand down everyone. No Fortean event here to see :(

Bu88er.. after reading your reply above I was working on the theory that a vegetarian goddess had taken it.

Sollywos x
 
I can't believe I'm going to write this because I am just embarrassing myself now, but in the interests of all things Fortean, I am going to write this.

A chunk of cooked beef has disappeared.

Husband cooked it yesterday for him and the kids (I'm a pescetarian), and left half in the oven to eat for his tea tonight.

I saw the roasted beef in the top (smaller) oven at lunchtime today when I went to put my fish fingers in there. I left the beef there, quite far back in the top oven, and put my fish fingers to cook in the bottom oven.

Fast forward to husband coming home from work, looking forward to his roast beef sandwiches. I was on the phone to work when he comes storming into the room. He waits impatiently for me to finish my call, and when I do he demands to know where his roast beef is.

I roll my eyes. Silly husband. It's in the upper oven, and I take him to the oven to show him the beef THAT IS NO LONGER THERE!

The metal grill plate the beef was cooked on, is there, but the beef itself is not there.

I actually search the oven, with my eyes, then I feel around the oven with my hands (obvs it's not on, I'm not that insane). Then I search the lower oven the same way. Not there.

Son is too lazy to have done anything with it (it would mean knowing the beef was there, taking it out of the oven and slicing it, which is too much effort for most 16 yr olds, but especially my son). Daughter has been out all day, left the house before I saw the beef at lunchtime.

So we both look at the dog. It MUST have been the dog. But the thing is, this would've meant him opening the oven door, delicately fitting his snout into the slim space between oven shelf and top of oven, removing the beef without also dragging out the grill plate, shutting the oven door, and eating a hunk of beef without me catching on. And not being funny, but our dog is not that bright.

So, lost hunk of roast beef.

Gosh this reminds me of a similar thing I'd completely forgotten about. 30 years ago I had Old English Sheepdogs. In those yoofull years I had a great fondness for spaghetti and would eat it on it's own. The first time it happened put cooked spag on kitchen worktop and go to answer phone. Come back and of course it's all gone. Dog asleep in garden. This happened again (again dog not around) and I remember thinking I had a sneak thief. Suspicion falls on dog who I eye, but he looks innocent. I set trap next time and lurk on stairs and hear dog very quietly comes through patio door(he was a great lumbering clumsy thing) I peak round corner and see him on his hind legs literally slurping down the spag as fast as he could. Bolts back into garden and literally pretends to be asleep. After that I always made sure to split the spag in half ! He was a lovely dog and I still miss him.
 
It was cooked on a sort of griddle plate, and yes that was still in the oven and still greasy.

There’s a you tube channel out there called top 5’s. Check it out - It’s run by a young British guy and the video’s he uploads mainly concentrate on fortean theme’s.

I was watching one last week where a guy kept noticing food going missing from his fridge and cupboard.

He lives alone but his girlfriend stay’s with him frequently, so he assumes it was her and asks her about it, but she strenuously denies taking anything, so he sets up a CCTV and focus’s the camera to film directly on the fridge.

Above the kitchen dining table is a larder, and in the early hours of the morning the camera shows the larder door open slowly outwards, and a girl very carefully climb out and into the kitchen, once in the kitchen she raids the fridge and even takes a leak in the kitchen sink.

Basically he has a squatter living in his larder, but how long she has been there is anyone’s guess. I personally don’t think the footage is a wind up, as it seems so genuine, but even if it is phony, how scary is that thought.

He watched the footage the next day and immediately called the police who promptly turn up and arrest her.

So scribbles….you aint got a squatter living somewhere in that town house of yours have you..? :)

NOTE: Discussion of people surreptitiously living in others' homes is now consolidated in this thread:

Secret Squatters / Hidden Housemates
https://forums.forteana.org/index.php?threads/secret-squatters-hidden-housemates.67191/


Top fives.png
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gosh this reminds me of a similar thing I'd completely forgotten about. 30 years ago I had Old English Sheepdogs. In those yoofull years I had a great fondness for spaghetti and would eat it on it's own. The first time it happened put cooked spag on kitchen worktop and go to answer phone. Come back and of course it's all gone. Dog asleep in garden. This happened again (again dog not around) and I remember thinking I had a sneak thief. Suspicion falls on dog who I eye, but he looks innocent. I set trap next time and lurk on stairs and hear dog very quietly comes through patio door(he was a great lumbering clumsy thing) I peak round corner and see him on his hind legs literally slurping down the spag as fast as he could. Bolts back into garden and literally pretends to be asleep. After that I always made sure to split the spag in half ! He was a lovely dog and I still miss him.

He sounds gorgeous! Dogs can be so sly. One of mine used to lie on my bed and watch for me in the mirror walking along the landing to catch him out.

He was greedy too. We'd put a piece of meat or biscuit on a small table and he'd happen to walk past it nonchalantly a few times, never taking his eyes off it, hoping we'd forgotten about it; then the desire would overcome him and he'd open his mouth wide and grab it like the sharks in the fillum Deep Blue Sea.
 
Back
Top