[Blessings2You]

OK, flatware--it isn't silver, it's stainless steel. And I've had it for...mm, probably 44 years? It has 8 each of knives, forks, teaspoons, soup spoons, and salad forks. Not expensive--in fact, my brother got it as a premium for opening a savings account and he gave it to me! But I like it. It feels right in my hand.

So this morning I went to get a spoon for my yogurt, and there weren't any "good" spoons left. I couldn't believe we used 8 teaspoons yesterday afternoon, so I looked in the sink. Six teaspoons. Huh.

So I went back to the drawer and counted the other pieces: 8 knives, 7 forks, 6 soup spoons, 7 salad forks.

Well, I don't count my flatware every day, or even every month. It's probably been years since I've had 8 people around the table at once. So who knows how long the other pieces have been missing?

What's bugging me is...what happened to them? I poked through the rest of the drawer, but they're just gone. Did I really accidentally throw away SIX utensils? It's highly unlikely one of my children shoplifted them. I didn't leave them in a canister or other food container. I don't believe in poltergeists. They didn't get sucked into the washing machine like socks. I do not like unsolved mysteries.

[Sparky10]

I call my utensils "silverware" also. The real stuff is simply "silver".

In 44 years I can easily see 6 utensils disappearing.

[Kitty]

As soon as you stop looking for it.....you'll find it!

[nemsmom]

Originally Posted by Blessings2You

OK, flatware--it isn't silver, it's stainless steel. And I've had it for...mm, probably 44 years? It has 8 each of knives, forks, teaspoons, soup spoons, and salad forks. Not expensive--in fact, my brother got it as a premium for opening a savings account and he gave it to me! But I like it. It feels right in my hand.

So this morning I went to get a spoon for my yogurt, and there weren't any "good" spoons left. I couldn't believe we used 8 teaspoons yesterday afternoon, so I looked in the sink. Six teaspoons. Huh.

So I went back to the drawer and counted the other pieces: 8 knives, 7 forks, 6 soup spoons, 7 salad forks.

Well, I don't count my flatware every day, or even every month. It's probably been years since I've had 8 people around the table at once. So who knows how long the other pieces have been missing?

What's bugging me is...what happened to them? I poked through the rest of the drawer, but they're just gone. Did I really accidentally throw away SIX utensils? It's highly unlikely one of my children shoplifted them. I didn't leave them in a canister or other food container. I don't believe in poltergeists. They didn't get sucked into the washing machine like socks. I do not like unsolved mysteries.

I don't know, but when you figure it out do you think you could let me know? I have had... I don't even know how many utensils disappear in the last year or so. I had to buy a set of twelve new forks because I only had three or four left (out of 8). I bought teaspoons at the same time. Now I'm in need of more teaspoons again and possibly tablespoons. I'm thinking maybe my drawer ate them.

Seriously though, I know something had to happen to them and nobody will fess up. It's driving me crazy. My small plates are even missing. That I figure I did when I sent desserts to a family member or friend. But I never send silverware!

[Sparky10]

How do the go missing?

• Have you moved in 44 years? Maybe a spoon was left undetected in the dishwasher.
• Is (or has there ever been) space between appliances that a utensil could drop and disappear?
• Have you ever looked under the refrigerator or stove?
• Maybe you served crab legs and someone used a fork to open them. The fork got so bent it was thrown away.
• Maybe a spoon got used to work with a house plant repotting job, and got left in a shed or in the yard.
• Maybe a dinner knife was too dull to cut a piece of meat and, in a fit of frustration, got thrown away.

We're talking 44 years of use here! And just because you don't believe in poltergeists or gremlins doesn't mean they don't exist.

[Kitty]

Those of us with MS have precious few spoons to begin with. Now we have a "teaspoon monster" that hides them from us????? Wonder if he's in cahoots with the sock fairy that lives in the dryer?

[Blessings2You]

Originally Posted by Sparky10

• Have you moved in 44 years? Maybe a spoon was left undetected in the dishwasher.
• Is (or has there ever been) space between appliances that a utensil could drop and disappear?
• Have you ever looked under the refrigerator or stove?
• Maybe you served crab legs and someone used a fork to open them. The fork got so bent it was thrown away.
• Maybe a spoon got used to work with a house plant repotting job, and got left in a shed or in the yard.
• Maybe a dinner knife was too dull to cut a piece of meat and, in a fit of frustration, got thrown away.

* Yup, but I haven't moved for 41 years, and I've had all 8 during that time. And I've never owned a dishwasher!
* I'll look between the counter and fridge, but they didn't all disappear since I moved the fridge out a few weeks ago--I don't think
* Yup, because the cats chase stuff under the appliances and we have to recover them. (The stuff, not the cats)
*Never served crab legs...never HAD crab legs...
*Nope, I'm the repotter and would NEVER have used a "good" spoon
*Haha, I like this one, but we're too stingy, I mean frugal, to throw away anything in a fit of frustration!

I like all your suggestions though, Sparky, you'd make a good detective.

[SallyC]

I, for one it seems, doesnt understand how, after 44 yrs., that you have any of it still in perfect use.

I've had two sets in the last 43 yrs. and have left from the 2nd set, 2 small spoons, 6 soup spoons, 1 sugar spoon, 2 salad forks, 6 dinner forks and 6 dinner knives. I also have about 25 various steak knives?

I think I have the complete set of my, inherited, sterling.

[Blessings2You]

My mom and dad still had their wedding sterling set (1945) when they moved in with us in 1998. I don't think they had any missing pieces. (Too lazy to go count them)

[doydie]

We used to have a cat named Penny that loved to hide things so when we lost anything we would just say 'Penny did it".