A mop in the TREE

Well, I must go back to explain why I have a mop in the tree and how I found out about it.
A few days ago, I had the mop.
The next day I didn't.
I had to mop my floors last night.
Because the property manager, with whom we rent the house from, wanted to have the annual walk through.
No big deal, they just want to make sure we aren't completely gross (much to every ones disbelief, we ARE clean and ARE NOT disgusting.) and they want to get a list of stuff that needs to be repaired. (which is VERY small, I swear)
I went to the laundry room where I had to look around a huge pile of dirty clothes, (only because my washing machine broke early that day) to find my mop.
Not there?
I looked out side on the back porch, just in case Jeff put it there to dry, nope , not there either?
I looked in the garage.
I even looked in the boys room... you never know around here.
I gave up after a while when I had reached the point I wanted to swear.
Instead I used wet rags (which now I have to wash with no washing machine) and sprayed the floor and used my foot to scrub. This method has worked well in the past.
I almost finished the whole house.
And because of the missing mop and the time I wasted looking for it I never got to the 3 loads of clean dry laundry that was on the couch that needed to be folded and put away.
Other than that, I successfully finished everything.
At 3am, when I had snuggled under the covers, I still wondered after my mop.

I think you all can figure out now where it had gone.

After very few hours of sleep, I helped get the boys off to school, realized there was not a slice of bread to make a sandwich with in the house, off to the store I went.
Back with doughnuts, (never shop when you are hungry) and bags of food.
I asked after the mop.
I asked Jeff because it never occurred to me that my boys would take the mop. (duh... idiot, I know) You see they hate cleaning. And mops are not like brooms (check old posts below), they aren't as effective for weapon use.
"I have no idea" he replied wondering to himself.
We talked about possible places it could be.
Out of the corner of my eye I see the boys chatting quietly.
Caleb is so sweet when he says, with his toothy grin, "Um... Mom... I think the broom is in the back yard..... in a tree."
"What?"
I don't even ask why.
I don't really want to know the truth.
I am just glad I can mop again like regular people. And I don't have to spend more money for a new one.
Jeff chimes in... " what? why is it in the back yard?" Men... why do they ask?
"Um.... I don't know" Matthew says.
Total lie.
"but it is wet and muddy" he says matter of factly.
Jeff and I just look at each other, we both sigh and go about what we were doing before.
I guess I need to buy a new mop anyway now.
So, if you ever lose your mop, you might want to look up a tree.