[Anon]

After 15 years and 750 hours of pretty uneventful and thoroughly enjoyable flying, I made probably one of the stupidest and potentially disaserous mistakes on my last flight.
Yes, believe me when I say I feel a right dickhead, but I departed with two 60lb water/aggregate barrels hanging from my wings. Aaaaaghhh!
Surprisingly I didn't notice anything during the flight and fortunately they were both still attached when I landed a short flight away. I can't help pondering what could have happened had one or both detached during the flight.
How did it happen?, well it has to be poor pre-flight checks, but why? Can I blame Covid lockdown syndrome? was it just rust after a long break? or am I just getting too old for this?
I will continue to beat myself up over this and try to adopt a proceedure which will prevent it happening again, but I can't help wondering if this is just one error too far.
Sensible advise please!