Inspector Gadget

When I was a kid, I remember my mom having a spatula, a ladle, a large wooden spoon (it doubled as a disciplinary device), and an electric mixer. With these few items she was able to whip up meals and treats for her large family. Everything from meat loaf to chocolate cakes came out of her sparsely appointed kitchen. This is a woman who was able to prepare meals and deserts with the precision of an army mess hall using no more than the few tools she was given. In fact, I think she may still have the originals somewhere in her kitchen today.

I almost had another clutter attack this morning. The only thing that kept me from ripping Mark's gadget drawer out of the cabinet and tossing it outside was the squeaky voice in the back of my head saying "Don't you dare!" (Yes, even when Mark isn't around I can still hear him). It all started when I tried to close the drawer, and instead of sliding nicely into place, it made a loud crunch and stopped. When I tried to open it to see what was in the way, something in there got caught and the drawer jammed. After a few minutes of cursing and pulling, I gave it a mighty yank. For just a second I thought I had opened it as the front of the drawer ripped loose and I fell back against the kitchen sink, the rest of the drawer still firmly wedged in the cabinet.

I managed to patch the thing up, and while it's not quite right, it does open and close again. What I can't figure out is, what the hell does Mark do with all those contraptions? That drawer and the canisters on the counter are filled with weird shaped devices, and implements that would have made the inquisitors of medieval Spain happy. In fact I'm glad my mom only had her small choice of weapons when we were kids. She could have done some serious damage with some of the things Mark has in there.