Monday, January 08, 2007

Best Gift Reaction Ever

This is a picture of one of my family's newest members.

His name is Benson. He's a ten month old Neapolitan mastiff belonging to Jeff's sister. He really doesn't look that enormous in this photo, but trust me, he's a hundred pounds of unbridled puppy love (he'll probably double his weight before he's full-grown), and BOY OH BOY was he excited (and eventually exhausted) this past weekend when eleven of Jeff's clan gathered together in Victoria for one last holiday celebration.

(Yes, Christmas is a flexible date--we count ourselves lucky if it's all done by the end of January, and my brother's still in Nicaragua so my side of the family will probably call still another dinner Christmas before Valentine's Day).

With all this socializin' and celebratin' the grownups would probably be bankrupt from all the gift-exchanges, so we mostly exchanged hugs and food and scratch-n-win tickets.

But we still give presents to the children and this year we sent our ten-year-old nephew Riley over the moon with the recycled gift of our old laptop computer. You should have seen the kid's eyes--big as saucers!

Did he appreciate it? Well...after the frenzied cries of joy and elation...

He puts one hand to his chest, looked deep into Auntie Spider Girl's eyes and said: "This is the BEST PRESENT I have EVER received...except for love..."

His mom pats him bemusedly on the shoulder. "Yes, Riley, love is the most important thing."

"Oh man", my nephew continued, "This weekend has just taken a most UNEXPECTED and amazing turn!"

Heh, is that appreciation or what? :)

8 comments:

Momo said...

I bet that felt amazing! Giving such an appreciated gift. He seems like a good kid, too!

And what a cute "li'l" puppy!

Heather said...

You couldn't have hoped for a better reaction! How sweet that he was so appreciative.

Pol* said...

Cool dog! (though I wouldn't want to have to clean their lawn) That is a most amazing gift! I have been meaning to get one of those things for years, but I am too stingy.

Dagoth said...

Hi Spider

I gave my son a laptop for his 16th birthday and you would swear I gave him the world. After he unwrapped the box he seemed to be trying to figure out what was in it because it couldn't possible be what was written on the box. He spent the rest of the evening hugging everyone...Mastiffs are great as long as their tail is bobbed. Their tail is all bone and if the smack you with it you will know it...

nicki said...

thats awesome :) your nephew sounds like a great kid :)

looove the doggie...they're so friggin huge and cute :)

Tai said...

Aw, what a good kid Riley is!

Best gift ever...except love!

blackcrag said...

Now that's talent! Expressing appreciation and sucking up, all in one comment! My hat's off to the kid.

EdotR said...

that puppy is adorable!!! and it's a bonus to give a gift to a very appreciative child...you know some kids are very very on the contrary...