Joseph x 2 and a 'dead hamster' tale (sorry bit longwinded)

aka I scored sort of medium-ish (30 if I remember) on the psychopath test and it told me how wonderful and empathic I am. Funnily enough, husband who is a much tougher character than I am, and gave completely different answers (I was watching over his shoulder) scored much the same. So we're two all loved up non-psychopaths.

tiggy I better investigate the points. I also think they're high-priced items with a touch of 'style over substance'.

bags I didn't get asked, and jess it was presented with a "see-what-a-wonderful-gift-I-found-for-you" excited smile, so that's why I'm finding it a bit difficult to be apparently shitty about it.

phoenix not ridiculous, I carried a lone spatula here all the way from SA - and we arrived with only 2 suitcases each having given everything else away. (Now that was liberating!)

I have to deal with it so my wooden spoons can take their rightful place again, alongside the plastic timer in the shape of a hen ...

Take the stuff you don't want to a charity shop, or bin it, and tell him you're content with what you have. He may sulk for a bit. Shrug. Did he ask if you wanted new stuff?

Yes, I've been there. e.g. a silver cutlery 'canteen' (is that the right word?). All very posh and unsuitable and they bloody well need polishing! They are in their beautiful wooden box on top of one of the kitchen cupboards and I continue to use my old and well-loved actually useful stuff. I might get round to using the knives when the old bone handles on the current ones eventually fall off. might !

Just 'fess up and tell him you don't like fancy designer kitchen gear for presents. IMO you are being a bit silly - this is your DH you are talking about not some touchy aged relative who is about to disinherit you and change his/her will in favour of the cats home.

Not having a clue about what Joseph Joseph stuff was I have just googled it. After nearly choking on my porridge at the price I do realise why your DH keeps getting it for you grannyknot. The more he buys the more points he gets and we all know that points mean prizes so you could end up with even more !!!!!

This may sound totally ridiculous, but one of the things that I actually insisted on having when I left exdh, was a very cheap wooden spatula, that over the years (and many of them!) seemed to have curved due to the way it was used.

I have got it now, probably half the width that it was to begin with, but the way it fits into my left handed grip and feels so right.... I gauge the consistency of sauces by "feel"

They look like utensils that have been designed by a man who never cooks to be sold to a man who never cooks to give to someone who's too nice to say she can't cook with them.

Grannyknot sorry, but laughing here!

Aka You are a woman after my own heart!

You are too kind by far Grannyknot .. I bet you scored low on the psychopath test (on another thread). Talking as one who scored high on that scale I'd call a halt now by saying something subtle like "I hope you're not planning on getting me any more of that J&J rubbish that I've just taken to the charity shop'. That should focus his mind.

I inherited a load of wooden spoons of varying sizes from my mother. I keep them in a brightly coloured Provencal utensil jar along with several silicone spoons and a J&J colander/ladle thingy. I don't mind having unmatched utensils - in fact, they reflect my history. Breadboard and pastry board were both bought 48 years ago in Nairobi.

You can't beat wooden utensils. If you leave them too near the heat they char, but they don't melt (well, they might go on fire if you leave them long enough). Didn't they find out recently that wood has a natural antiseptic in it, so wood is actually much more hygienic that scratched plastic? After all that ceremonial burning of grandma's heirloom wooden spoons, too!