Curiosity Did Not Kill the Cat.... It Made the Cat Excited and Resilient!

Chances are if you asked my family to describe me in one word the descriptor they would use would be snoopy, especially if you are asking my mother.  I prefer to think of myself as naturally curious.  I like to know things..... knowledge is power and there is no better power than knowing what you are getting for Christmas.

Christmas past:

I really have to thank my mother for taking my "snoopiness" at Christmas time to a new level.   

Mom was getting tired of our childhood game of trying to guess what was in the packages and of our "accidental" tears to the wrapping, trying to get a glimpse at the present or the box to get further clues as to what was inside.      In an effort to quell our desire to find out what our Christmas presents were, she told us a story about how one Christmas she opened up all her Christmas presents and rewrapped them.  Now the part of the lesson that she wanted us to focus on was the part where her Christmas was ruined, as she had no surprises.  Sadly morale of  the story was lost on me.  I was stuck on the beginning part of the story..... "Ingenious!!!!! I never thought to open up the presents and then rewrapping them!"  

The gauntlet was thrown and the challenge was accepted.  Did I have the skills to unwrap and rewrap presents undetected?????   My mind immediately switched into planning for the next time I was left unattended and had unfettered access to the presents.  

Unlike my mother, Christmas was rarely "ruined" by knowing what was in the boxes under the tree... it was heightened.  I couldn't wait to open the boxes containing my new "preciouses" and play, play, play.  

Gone were the days of spending weeks guessing what was in the box and hoping I was right.  I would still guess but then I would open, verify and stew until I could open it again on Christmas Day.   

Now don't be thinking the wrapped presents were the only thing that as unsafe in the house.  If you did you would be wrong.  See my all time favourite thing in the whole wide world was to ferret out where my mother stashed the presents before she could wrap them.   This was my skill.  I was the Present Bloodhound.  There wasn't a hiding space that was safe, which in someways was an advantage for my mother.  

My mother is a little paranoid and she is also a little forgetful.  She likes to stash things all over the place but then forgets where she put them and sometimes that she even purchased them.  I am a natural seeker and finder, so in some respects she should have spent her time praising my abilities vs trying to curb them.  

There is only one time where my curiosity and skills lead to disappointment.  

I was doing the pre-Christmas rounds of all the usual hiding spots when I came across a new hiddy-hole and in it was the most beautiful Starter Seahawks sweater.  My breath caught in my throat and my heart was ready to explode.  It was the best present, ever, and it was going to be mine.  I visited that sweater everyday and tried it on at least a few times.  I could barely contain myself.... I was so excited for Christmas that year.  I counted down the days until I could wear my new Seahawks jersey out in public.  The parents had really out done themselves and I couldn't love them more.

Christmas day came.  The sweater was not in my pile of Santa presents, which could only mean it was in one of the boxes under the tree.  Box after box was opened and there was still no sweater.  My confusion grew.  All the presents were opened and there was no sweater.  What the hell happened?   I looked under the tree and behind the furniture thinking the box was misplaced.  No box!

Then I started to panic.  What if Mom found out that I had snooped and found the sweater.  It would be just like her to return it as a lesson/punishment.    

NOOOOoooooooooooooo!

I rushed downstairs to the hiddy-spot, filled with angst that my fears would be true and the sweater would be gone.  

I approached with dread, but was elated when I saw the familiar blue of the sleeve peaking out from the items laid over top of it.  

Now the tricky part.... how do I bring up that I know about the sweater without giving away that I was snooping?

In the end I figured the penance I would have to do for being snoopy was less then my overwhelming desire to own that sweater so I approached my Mom and asked her about the sweater.

At first she looked a little lost "Sweater?  What sweater????"  With her memory jogged, she exclaimed "Ohhh I forgot I bought that!!!!!  Where is it?"  I brought it to her and she promptly gave it to my brother.  

It seems this mecca of a gift was not mine after all it was intended for him the entire time.  

The disappointment is still vividly close to the surface, even today.  

Needless to say my brother was extremely excited.  I sulked for the rest of the day and cast him dirty looks every time he wore "my" sweater.  

So kiddo's if this inspires you to unleash your inner curiosity, just make sure you only fall in love with presents that are not intended for you.  

Christmas Present:

Flash forward to Christmas 2016.  Long gone is my need to open presents before hand.    I find I can contain my need to know for at least a few weeks.   This year I open up the present from my parents and I was perplexed.  There were all these random pieces and I could not sort out what the hell it was.  Based on the sewing related material I deduced it had to be something to do with sewing but what?

Here are the pieces I received... let's see if any of you know what it is?

The pieces

The pincushion part

Through fiddling I matched the Velcro to the Velcro and figured out part of the present was a pincushion but I could not figure how the bag played into it.

That is when I got curious about the base and opened it up to explore it some more.  Low and behold I found money.   My Mom had sent me Pounds for my trip to Scotland.

When talking with my mother I thanked her for the money and had to ask- "What is the other part of the present?".  

My mother's response-  "How did you find the money??????  You are soooooo snoopy!"  That was promptly followed by-  "What do you mean you don't know what the present is?  It is a thread catcher!!!!!!  You commented that you wanted one for Christmas when you saw mine in the summer!!!!!!!!"  

The Thread Catcher!

Okay audience-  confession time..... I vaguely recall seeing my mothers' in the summer.  I recall commenting it would make a good present and that it was neat.  But I must have been having an out of body experience because I don't recall saying I needed one.  

Now my mother was irritated with me as- I did not remember asking for one; for the fact that she worked hard to make me this "perfect" present that I could not remember asking for it and because I ruined her grand moment...... that moment when she could say-  "But there is more!  Open up the base and there is a little treat in there for you."  

Oops!

Don't worry Mom the whole thing was a surprise to me, wrapped in a conundrum and now that I know what it is I will use it with pride.