Starrs Aboard

How do you define a spatula?

I came to a realization tonight that somehow, in 60 years, I have never really thought about before.

I have always called the thing you use to flip a pancake a spatula.

But I ALSO call the thing you use to scrape and mix batter in a bowl a spatula.

These are two totally different kitchen utensils. You cannot use one in place of the other.

How have I missed this for 60 years? Does everyone else know there are two completely different things called spatulas? 😂

Anyway, apparently I have been preparing for some sort of worldwide spatula shortage.

I have 11 of the scrape-the-bowl kind.

And 7 of the flip-the-pancake kind.

EIGHTEEN SPATULAS.

There are two people living in this house.

I have metal ones. Rubber ones for my nonstick pans…which I don’t even own anymore. I even have a wooden one.

Apparently, at some point I thought I needed a spatula for every possible spatula situation.

And the spatulas were only the beginning.

I have four basting brushes.

FOUR.

I haven’t basted anything in probably 15 years. Certainly not since we’ve lived in this house.

Then I started finding the Pampered Chef stuff.

About 25 years ago, I used to help a friend who sold Pampered Chef with her shows. And I loved Pampered Chef.

LOVED Pampered Chef.

So apparently I bought everything they made.

And did I mention this stuff is TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD?

That means it’s old enough to be considered vintage on Etsy.

Other than my Pampered Chef stones and a few random pieces I still use, I probably haven’t touched most of this stuff in 20 years.

Yet somehow, I have packed it up, moved it and unpacked it through three different houses.

Why???

And then there are the ravioli makers.

Yes, that’s plural.

I have TWO ravioli makers.

Number of times I have made ravioli in my life?

Zero.

I knew this drawer would be scary.

Well…these TWO drawers.

But I had absolutely no idea there was this much stuff hiding in them.

And looking at that six-foot table covered with kitchen gadgets I’ve accumulated over the years, I expected to feel a little sad about getting rid of it.

I don’t.

I actually feel relieved.

Apparently, getting rid of two ravioli makers and 14 spatulas (yes, I’m keeping four…two of the mixing kind and two of the pancake flippers) feels pretty darn good.

All the gadgets that I actually use and plan to keep will fit in the one small drawer.

Two more drawers down…lots more to go.

…OH CRAP!

I just realized…

I already have spatulas in the RV!