What's in the box?

My present from Mr A has been a closely guarded secret between him & his family.

I truly had no idea what he had got me......until I saw the box!

He'd tried to fool me by saying it was a box, in a box, in a box....but when he asked me to help him carry the box upstairs that's when I guessed (correctly) it was a chair for my dressing room.
I'd been looking for a mini chaise longue, but they are so expensive and most were just that little bit too big for the space I had in mind.

What Mr A has got me is a stiletto shaped chair, in black velvet, with diamanté buttons....it's fab! (A blip for another day no doubt)

We got up early to open presents and got totally spoiled by everyone. I got Mr A a personalised street sign and also a limited edition, signed print by James O'Barr (the guy who drew the comic books 'The Crow')

Mr A had told my niece when we saw her in Bristol a couple of months ago that he'd love some signed artwork by him so that gave me the lightbulb moment, and the hunt began.

My Mum came for her dinner with us and brought a takeaway tray to take another dinner home with her; she had this for her tea!

Once we dropped Mum back home, it was off to Mr A's parents house for a buffet tea and general mayhem.
We played a sort of Russian roulette with some jelly beans his niece had got as a present; the flavours were mixed and included nice flavours like popcorn, lime & chocolate pudding.
The not so nice flavours included bogey, rotten egg & canned dog food.
I got the latter one and couldn't eat it; it's the most foul tasting thing I've ever had. I almost barfed!
Worse still, the taste lingered for AGES :-(

His brother's new girlfriend was lovely and really liked the gift basket we had got for her.....despite (as we found out annoyingly too late) not being a vegan after all!!! She's a vegetarian.

Not everyone had such a good day; I had a nasty text from my sister this morning (a similar one was sent to my Mum) saying we'd basically bought her a pile of junk that she'd never use (this included a £50 bottle of perfume.....junk??) and she was really upset.
She was upset??!! My poor mum was in bits when I picked her up!!!

As furious as I was about this, we agreed not to let it spoil our day.

Her grievance was I'd not given her a voucher that she asked for. I actually did, but in her tantrum she overlooked it and I think it's been thrown away with the wrapping as she said she can't find it.

I explained via text I had wrapped it with her chocs, and that I wouldn't bother buying her stocking fillers in future if that's how she feels about them.

I know she's been ill for the last few days and hasn't slept well, but that's no reason to attack us like she did.

I've had no apology from her; I'm thoroughly disgusted by her behaviour, but really don't want to fall out with her; especially as we've only been back on speaking terms for the last couple of years.

I'll leave her a few days to calm down and see what happens. Luckily it was an e voucher so I should be able to print it off again.

Not that she deserves it! Maybe I'll get her some bogey flavoured jelly beans instead.
Bah humbug!