Birthdays: stressful

[todayiamadaisy]

My mother is so hard to buy presents for. No, that's not right. Buying presents is fine; the problem is the accompanying card. She doesn't like soppy or inspirational cards. She doesn't like innocuous floral cards. She doesn't like too-cute, teddy-bear sort of cards. She does like funny cards, but not if they're vulgar. Arty photographs or quirky handmade ones are also acceptable. Last year, I chose one with a photo of a Friesian cow on it; she likes cows and photos, so I was pleased with that. Or I was until she opened the card and said, "Oh, a cow. Is that what you think of me?" And again later, showing John what I'd given her, "And this card, too. She thinks I'm a cow." It may have been part of her ongoing campaign to make me less sensitive (apparently I have no sense of humour and need to lighten up), but... arrggh!

So this year with April 17 fast approaching, I picked a card showing a cat wearing a string of pearls and a caption about "caring enough to send the furry best" and there's absolutely nothing she can find offensive about that. And then I realised I'd wrapped the present in paper covered with pigs. Sigh.