So earlier in the week the missing earring showed up...and then John was looking intently down at the kitchen floor on Wednesday and said "is that the back off your earring?" and sure enough it was - and before you think it, the floor had been swept and mopped many times since I'd lost it
I think it must've got stuck in my black bobble hat which I hadn't worn that since last week, it must've shook loose when I used it again.