Why do I always seem to do this? D'oh

Before I continue, the title of this discussion was a rhetorical question.

There used to be a time when I would load my washing machine, turn it on, select the required programme, and then leave it to do its thing until it had finished.

As I don't always see eye-to-eye with Mother Nature, I am choosing to point the finger of blame in her direction for the following, which I have decided is a result of the post-menopausal forgetfulness that she (Mother Nature) decided was something I needed, in addition to a whole catalogue of other post-menopausal 'gifts'. 

It seems to have become a habit of mine that when there is dirty laundry I want washing and dried as soon as possible, I will remember to load the washing machine, and remember to add the laundry detergent, but then forget to turn the washing machine on, select the programme, etc. This is often because I've become distracted, or am too tired for my brain to be capable of functioning as well as I would like.

My washing machine has an annoying alarm that sounds when the wash cycle has finished. If I don't turn off the washing machine, the alarm will continue to go off intermittently. As a result, even if I am not in a position to remove the laundry from the washing machine, I will turn the washing machine off.

At some point yesterday, I had done my usual trick of loading the washing machine and forgetting to turn it on. Several hours later I had then gone to retrieve the laundry, only to be greeted by a rather unpleasant whiff. I felt sure I had turned the washing machine on a few hours previously, AND that I had heard the sound of it progressing through the various cycles, but obviously I hadn't.

It is now after 1 am, and I am willing the next 50 minutes to speed up, so that I can then transfer the laundry that is currently being washed to my tumble dryer, and get it dried a.s.a.p,

Do any of you have similar tales regarding forgetfulness, which you would like to share?