b-day gift!

My Mom sent a very nice gift box for me! I picked up the box at the Post Office on the way to work, and opened it in the breakroom in front of all my co-workers, and they were all impressed.

First there was something made of a violently pink silk, which, upon unwrapping, proved to be a Korean pillow-case with drawstrings at both ends.

Inside of the pillowcase was a wooden box with inlaid brass leaves and vines on the top, very pretty.

Inside the box was a pair of leather gloves, attributed to Pierre Cardin. In Korea one can get all sorts of knock-offs, so who knows, but I guess they might be. And they fit me perfectly!

Under the gloves there was a box of playing cards, each illustrated with a tiny Japanese painting. Definitely looks Japanese, not Korean. Of course I handed them around so everyone could see the occasional breasts that will inevitably grace any collection of Japanese art, and we discussed whether they were work-safe, because we're all a bunch of twelve-year-olds. ;) Now I'm considering whether I could lay them out and pretend like they're tarot cards - I could make up meanings as I went along, to fit the person.

Anyhow, I was quite delighted. :)

oooh, another b-day gift - squeeee!!! :)

eor set this one up skillfully. He asked me the other night if I would prefer bookshelves or a Morris chair for my birthday, and then when I said I'd actually prefer a Morris chair, but that it's way too expensive he said, "Maybe we could just get the footstool for now."

Tonight he met me at the door and presented me with a bag of chocolate-covered blueberries.

"Here's your present!"

"Oh, thank you!"

"You might want to sit down to eat it." And stepped back to reveal the footstool.

"Ooh!"

And after I tried that out he stepped back again and revealed that the actual chair was in the bedroom.

0.0

And then he showed me the blisters he got from assembling it before I got home. Aw, my sweet dear!

(ETA: The other thing I'm dithering on about in the back of my mind is "waaaay too expensive!" I'm trying to console myself with the thoughts of A) I think he likes the chair as much as I do and B) he does get an employee discount, so it wasn't as much as the catalogue price. And C) I do believe in having not a lot of things but the best - the old recliner has to go, now. And this chair will be much easier to keep clean. Even so, I've got to admit I'm feeling rather jaw-droppy. I'm never comfortable with spending money.)

(ETA yet again: Feeling better about that after a quick discussion. ;))