So here's the short of it,
Tonight I had a fun evening opening presents from California cousins!

And here's the long

So in early August Mom forwarded me the e-mail below from my cousin Ann.

Dear Aunt Frances, Aunt Joyce, & Aunt Emily,
  Hello,
Aunt Frances already got her birthday box. Now Aunt Joyce & Aunt Emily's is on the way. It has one present for         Frances because Frances has one present (a garment) from her box to give to Joyce. And there are a few presents for Lynn. If there's something you don't like, you can "re-gift" it, but don't feel you have to give anything away. We went to a little trouble to get the box together for you. Joyce you have a small, black squar-ish, useful one--the package is written entirely in Japanese (Andy brought it back from Japan). If you can't figure out what it is, let me know. I love it and have one more. People from southeastern Kentucky would never guess that coal could be used for this purpose.
 I think it's also ok if you open Lynn's presents just to see what they are---IF you wrap them up again. The presents are wrapping-paper coded. All Aunt Emily's are wrapped in one kind of paper; all Aunt Joyce's in    another, etc. There's a key in the box. There's a key in the box.
Happy Birthday to all. Please consider this your card!!  Love,
Ann, Hannah, & Andy

Last weekend, Mom went to spend "the birthdays" with her sisters.  Not really any of their real birthdays, but a time near their birthdays.  They had a lovely time doing some sister things, and they got the "birthday box". Tonight I went down to visit with Mom for awhile and She had the cat and dog presents which she and her sisters had unwrapped and checked out!  It was fun to open them. 

My sweet cousins - thanks, thanks, thanks.  I feel very loved to know that you spent so much time planning and implementing this fun idea!

So, here was the key.  You can see that HV, AJ & AJ really do understand that I'm a dog and cat person!

Here's the stash of gifts before I opened them.  Mom, Aunt Frances, and Aunt Joyce had already opened them, checked them out and rewrapped them per instructions!

Here are the gifts - Scented soap, a little pink travel bag, lovely earrings, a great ring, and a beautiful long sleeved t-shirt. 



 !!!