Some months ago, the US government sent a lot of people a few hundred dollars to spend. They called in 'economic incentive' payments. Supposed to pep up the economy, I guess.

I let mine sit in the bank. If I spent it, I would have another thing, and I don't actually have the room for another thing or the desire to take care of it.

However, 8 months ago, I received a gift certificate to an upscale kitchen store. I decided that I should use it before it expired, so yesterday I ambled around the place, looking at overpriced and useless things. Did I want a jar of cranberry-Dijon sauce? No. A hand made of cheap green glass, whatever it might be for? No.

Eventually I realized that I could use a good bread knife. I have three bread knives, all of which shred the bread and tend to cut crooked. So I used the gift and $46 of my own ($46!) to buy a splendid bread knife. You could do brain surgery with this bread knife, and it cuts bread be-a-u-tee-fully.

It was made by Wusthof. (In your mind's eye put the two little dots, the umlaut, over the u in Wusthof. The umlaut adds $10 to the price.)

Some people buy Ferrari, Armani and Subzero. I buy thrift shop, Target, and supermarket. It is a big deal to me to spend money like that and buy the the best. The knife is such a joy to use that I stood around cutting up bread that didn't need it, just to watch it in action. The DH was amused.

We had a conference on Care of the Knife ('Do not leave it the sink to soak.') and where to store it. Now I think I better get a knife-holder. More economic incentive! The Republicans are probably reading this with great joy.