Want advise for giving gift to a very dear friend...

thesids...Bird has also suggested the same thing...and honestly it is one of the best suggestions out here... Photo Album...digital one...or even some CD with recordings of her kids...nowadays she is using computers.. So that can be good, especially when she does not feel like walking much...

I bought her three pots of roses, one dark red, one bright red, and one white bunch. She was very happy. I took a small box of chocolate and cake as well. She returned the chocolate box, with a large piece of cake saying she is allergic to chocolates. Actually, we did have problems that day. I mean, I had fixed the program, and dad joked that he would not take us as he was busy, and she took dad's word to be true, so she was late dressing up. In the process when we reached the temple, the granite floor was hot...I felt very sorry because the priest would not listen to us...he said come again in the evening. We have a jagannath temple out here...its exquisite..except that we should reach there before eight in summers if we dont want our feet burnt..lol. Somehow things went a bit awry from there...after cutting a cake, we had a little snack, and she was almost dozing. So we called it a day. Sorry for delay in replying. I have some household chores to clear..:(

I would love to know how did it all go. I know, finding a bunch of pics and maybe video clips too can be cumbersome but the good thing is that it is possible. Hope I(and maybe others too) would get to know how it all went on the 4th... Good Luck with finding the ones that you want on the CD

She cant walk much...she should...but she had to climb stairs a few weeks ago, because lift was not working, and ever since, she has given up on that exercise. The only time she walks is, when she has to go to the kitchen, or bathroom, or answer a door bell. That is not good! She underwent chemo last year...so she does not really relish eating much...though I know she cant resist chocolates. :) All I want to do is to make her feel loved..and make her feel wanted...and make her feel cared for.

How about offering her a day of pampering, any day she chooses that is also good for you? I wrote a "ticket" for my mother's birthday once; the ticket was good for one entire day of being pampered. She LOVED it! Like your aunt, my mother had everything she needed and almost everything she could want. My stepfather made extremely good money and was quite generous to her so there wasn't much I could offer her in the way of material things. The day of pampering was perfect for her. She didn't need to lift a finger (or walk anywhere) because I did everything for her. Of course, chocolates are ALWAYS appreciated. lol

Oh pampering is something we do most of the time..lol

Dawny she has problems with her legs...she can barely walk on road...:( She is also very fragile. We are taking her out to the temple, but that is it...its too hot. If she drinks outside water or eats out, I cant guarantee that everything will be fine with her. So no...we are going to have a gambling session at her place, a small sponge cake because she does not like cream. My maid is going to cook some fish for her. That is all that I had planned. But now that you say it is ok to offer chocolates, I am going to add that. :) I thought it was childish..lol.

hi vandy and dawn speaking as an elderly lady oh my goodness you cannot go wrong with a box of chocolates. I gifted myself last night with a small box of Whitmans sampler. It had 8 pieces of the most divine chocolates,. I could only eat one piece as I have to watch my blood sugar but it was really so very delicious too. No special occasion but just felt like it. not childish at all. So I will have one each evening for 7 more evenings lol,.

Thank you Hatley for confirming that it is not childish. :) Now I am more sure about what I want to give her. :)

She is not diabetic...she's been very active person, and she does monitor what she eats. So chocolate will not hurt her. :) Ganesha.? Why...I have a nice one..:) Why didnt i think of it...:)

Mavic - one of the reasons I like giving potted plants for most occassions is, it keeps the person cool and leaves them with pleasant thoughts. Another factor that influences such a decision is, there is no differentiation between friends and relatives. I do have a lot of friends and relatives who compare the gifts, especially its cost. So if I give one person a gift of 1000 bucks, another person would hold a grudge if I gave her a gift of 700 or so. :) So with plants, that comparison does not arise. :)

okidoki vandy

Oh cake is on cards. But other things...I am not sure...now that you are suggesting, perhaps I will ...:) Her favorite dish? She is a very poor eater...cooking in small quantities is not something that I specialize in. :) We will buy instead. :) Yeah...it will make her feel young again. I am going to try that. :)

Kala...going out...yes, I am taking her out to temple...on that day. :) Its very hot out here...so chances of her getting sun stroke increase considerably if she is taken out around this time of the year, especially since, she rarely goes out. Given that, a brief visit to temple followed by a visit to KFC, and then to her place with a small cake...and a cards session was what I planned. :)

I gave her three rose plants. She was so touched with the gesture. I also gave her a chocolate box, which she promptly returned along with a large piece of cake..lol She says she is allergic to some of the chocolates so she avoids them. :)

Bird...what a beautiful suggestion!!! Yeah...it is a nice thing to look at, especially when you are bed ridden...well almost bedridden...

Flexible budget..:) I liked Bird's suggestion below...and even Vegan's...though of course...I dont think its a viable thing in her case...she has been through chemo, and just last Jan...she had severe urinary infection that almost sniffed life out of her. She is very very delicate...she is a poor eater...and she has about 100 sarees...which she does not use as she hardly goes out, if at all. I wanted to give her Salwar Kameez ...but I know she wont wear it...another time, another place...may be.

vegan...I would have loved to take her out ....to a hill station...and get her on a boat...but her son is ...you know not confident that his mother can withstand...overprotective...I hate sons...they dont have brains.

Yeah, and the heart wants to give her sooooooooooooooo much that I get confused :)...she is a real darling...:)

After reading through responses, I am now going to offer her a small chocolate box, and a small potted plant with an exotic plant in it. :)

sky diving...she can barely walk..lol

No... wait! How's about sky diving & bungee-jumping??? It'll add years to her life & she'll love you forever!

Oh yes..plants are definitely a better choice. :) But instead of giving only one plant, I could give her a small box of chocolates as well. :)

Out here, we are not that poetic..lol I mean, she is already in that ...god and goodness mode...we call it "krishna rama" mode..lol. Most of the elderly folks become devout...by the time they reach seventy. She is seventy eight..right? :) Sorry for delaying the response...I took three different color rose plants for her. She liked them. :)

at "help" for eating "before it gets stale". We could give both actually. Papa could give her chocolates, and I could give the potted plant. She likes chocolates. And basically, being a poor eater, she wont each all that much and yes, in her case it may "get stale"..lol. Potted plant would prompt her to walk and be there for a while in the sunshine. That is what I want. Right now, she does have a problem with her leg, but she also needs to keep herself mobile. :(

Yeah...and it would prompt her to get up to water that plant, and tend to it...right now, she is not walking much...even though she needs to.

Thats what I did...and the hug must have felt good for the lonely lady. I could see she was touched. :)