to be angry with my neighbour about a spoon?

[Hullygully]

It may sound petty, but two months ago my neighbour had a coffee morning (I wasn't invited, fine, we aren't best buds or anything), and she asked me if she could borrow some teaspoons. I lent her four, and she gave three back a few days later. They were wrapped up inside a napkin so I didn't notice until she'd gone that one was missing. Time just went by without seeing each other so there wasn't a casual opportunity to mention it.

I know it's only a teaspoon, but I feel really angry that she has basically stolen it. I don't feel I can mention it now because it's been too long and it is only a spoon, but I feel angry everytime I make a cup of tea and am reminded. I can't help thinking she must know. They are quite distinctive sppons, she must know when she sees it that it isn't hers.

I am capable of not knowing I have a stolen spoon.
DS has a thing for spoons, never really got over it. So we have dozens, none of which match, each carefully selected.
I have no idea if he's trousered spoons from other establishments to add to his collection.
I can donate one to you if you like?

jeez
what is wrong with people?

just ASK HER for heavens sake.

i had a next door neighbour whose child basically lived with us. she once told me that she was upset that her child sometimes came home without her socks and i never bothered to give them back.

when i had stopped laughing, i invited her to inspect our sock basket. having numerous children, everything was bunged in the wash. all socks put in basket, each person helped themselves from basket. once she understood this, she knew why socks never came back, as the owner of one pfb child it was a method she could not even have imagined. we laughed about it for years- me the sock thief- her the paranoid neighbour.

she may have found it 10 mins later and bunged it in a separate bit of her cutlery tray to give back. JUST ASK FOR IT

Really nebulous? You don't know the contents of your own cutlery drawer?

A lot of damage can be done with a spoon.

In which order did you keep your spoons in relation to the rest of your cutlery?

Invite her to a coffee morning at yours. Make it fabulous. She will need to return the invitation or forever be a social misfit. When you are in her home, start nicking stuff. She'll know what it's about. Then you will be even.

she might have a massive hoard of spoons all 'borrowed' from her neighbour. The trouble is it's people like you who just let it go that lets these people get away with it, and actually Minty that's quite true. I have never known my GP's but it could be upsetting if you had

I knew the neighbour had form

999. Now.

You could watch carefully and every time she uses a small (teaspoon) amount of ingredients you could bang two pans together loudly to startle her into remembering. This has worked for me in the past when faced with a similar situation.

Write her a nice, brief note along the lines of

Dear Neighbour, I seem to be missing a teaspoon and wondered if it may have accidentally have got left behind when you borrowed a few the other day?

Wrap note round a brick, secure with elastic and pop through her front window.

This way you get your message across and if she gives the teaspoon back you win... and if not you can feel better you got her back already :)

Is anyone else reading this in the manner of 'me and my spoon' in Private Eye?

If I were you hully I would go and secretly spray bleach on her hydrangea bush.

She's got all my pegs. I know it's her now. I thought it was a passing prankster, but I bet it was her.

Really nebulous? You don't know the contents of your own cutlery drawer?

Neither do I. It has some knives, forks and spoons. From all different sets. All random. Not even properly sorted. All chaotic.

What are you doing speaking to your neighbours anyway hully? You live in the south east after all. Surely you should just nod briefly and be on your way.

I am simply unable to believe that bedmonster

at the OP.

I can imagine the conversation at your neighbour's.

"Wow! Look at this set of very expensive and exquisite spoons. I must have it. If I 'forget' and keep one, her next door won't notice".

Stop being a drama queen. Your neighbour most likely forgot that she borrowed four. Knock on the door, say something about just noticing and ask her to have a look in her cutlery draw. It's that simple.

We don't really speak, she just steals from me, apparently.

I think she is setting you up for the 'Me & my Spoon' feature in Private Eye, as she has realised what a famous Mumsnetter you are.

The journo will be round soon to interview you - so sharpen your wits, dear.

Oh for fucks sake. None of you should be using spoons. They ate fucking dangerous and can only cause harm.

I don't understand what the fuck is wrong with some people,

I found a mug in my cupboard once (no, not my DH, an actual mug) and I have no idea where it came from but it isn't mine !! Strange!

I hate it when people borrow things and don't return them

My friend borrowed our lovely old pine table for Christmas lunch one year as she was having loads of her family over and her table wasn't big enough.

She stuck it on her boxing day bonfire when she'd finished using it.

Sorry, cross posted with GetOeuf.

This place moves far too fast for an oldster like me.

Anyway HOW ON EARTH with teenage children in your house can you have an accurate teaspoon inventory?

They should all be down the back of the your dd's chest of drawers until the moment you howl in rage and dd goes on a forced teaspoon retrieval mission with The Face. (not him off the A team, her expression)

Are are are weasel counting are

SHE BURNT YOUR TABLE?