Is there any workaday item more prone to disappearance than a spoon? (OK, yeah, yeah. Socks.)

I had, up until about a month ago, something like two dozen spoons -- teaspoons, soup spoons, iced tea spoons.

I now have two. None, to the best of my knowledge, were packed in school lunches. I bought plastic spoons for that. At the moment, we're using them to eat dinner.

Scouring the Web for spoons to match my set, purchased before I got married 20 years ago, I find they're no longer made.

It may be time to execute my idea to throw a post-bridal shower for my friends and me, to restock the stuff we've worn out in our years of marriage. (Except husbands, unless we've already restocked.)

At Mt. Lebanon High School, the effort continues to hold on to yet another utensil: the spork.

A spork is a cross between a spoon and a fork -- basically a spoon with tines -- and the senior game that has been played off and on for some years is pretty much a game of tag, said senior Hannah Sharbaugh, one of its organizers.

"You have to spork [other participants] with a spork when they don't have theirs," she said. And then the sporkee is out.

Started in the fall with 190 seniors who paid $5 to participate (it hasn't been decided what will happen with the money), the game is now down to about 35 people, she said.

Until lately, Ms. Sharbaugh had the job of letting the sporker know which sporkee he or she had to spork.

"All you know is who you are going after," she said.

At the moment, the game is a free-for-all, to conclude before the school year ends in about a month.

The aim is to touch with your spork a person who does not have a spork either in hand or in mouth. (Boston Market is a favorite source for sporks, or they're bought online, in bulk.)

(Oh, that explains those kids walking around with plastic sporks between their teeth.)

Some classrooms at the high school have "spork-free zone" signs, an indication that there will be no game playing there.

But it's been fun, Ms. Sharbaugh said. "People get really into it," she said, adding, "It's also a good way for people to get to know other people."

Among plants available at Mildreds' Daughters Urban Farm, Stanton Heights, are heirloom tomato transplants, peppers, eggplants and herbs. Visit from 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays and 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays until May 31. E-mail mildredsdaughters@earthlink.net or 412-799-0833.

More than 20 Oakland restaurants will participate in a Taste of Oakland from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $5, available from noon on at Eureka Bank, 3455 Forbes Ave., or at the parklet at Forbes Avenue and Bouquet Street. (Tickets are free for Carnegie Museums members.)

Sample foods at the restaurants and tour Oakland. Participating retailers will also offer bargains. Parking is free at the UPMC Forbes Tower surface lot on Meyran Avenue. Tickets also include free admission to the Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History and carousel rides at Schenley Plaza.

You also get $5 off per ticket to performances of "An Ideal Husband" or "Wilde Tales" at Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre and $1 off a two-performance package at the Pittsburgh International Children's Festival, which began yesterday on the Pitt campus. Go to www.onlyinoakland.org.

Sam's Club of Greensburg, 6211 Route 30, will participate in qualifiers for the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, held at Coney Island. Apply at www.nathansfamous.com for the qualifier, held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 24. You must be 18 or older to participate.

The event also includes a $1 Nathan's Hot Dog & Coca-Cola special in the Sam's Club cafe, a "Neater Eater" contest for children under age 12, and other activities.

Guy Fieri, he of the spiked white hair and Food Network, roars into Giant Eagle's Market District stores on Saturday. He's at Bethel Park at 10 a.m. and Shadyside at 2 p.m.

While they're here, Mr. Fieri and his TV posse are to be visiting some local culinary landmarks for the "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" show, including Kelly O's Diner in Perrysville and LoBello's Fifth Ave. Spaghetti House in Coraopolis.

Gluten-free ideas for baking will be presented by gluten-free specialist Lori Karavolis from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at Bethel Park and from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 the same day at Shadyside.

At Bethel Park only will be a hands-on cooking class for kids ages 4 to 10 at noon and 2 p.m. today and Sunday. At 1 and 5 p.m. Monday will be "The Culinary Colleen -- Picnic Pasta Salads"; at 3 and 5 p.m. Tuesday, "Brandy's Best: Cheesecakes and Fruit Tortes"; and at 1 and 5 p.m. Wednesday, "The Culinary Colleen: Fresh Salads with Citrus Dressings."

At Shadyside only will be "Southern Cuisine: Seafood" from 4 to 5 p.m. today; Chef Karla Contreras will discuss grilling safety from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and demonstrates spring rolls from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Waynesburg will celebrate its annual Sheep and Fiber Festival from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

High Street will be closed to traffic but be open to sheep and people. There will be sheep-shearing and sheep-herding demonstrations, plus wool washing, carding, spinning and weaving demonstrations, as well as crafters, food (including lamb) and music.

Some sheep may escape the lamb grilling competition at 2 p.m. Sunday. For more information go to www.sheepandfiber.com.