Many of you know that I just returned from the longest vacation of my life — a full five weeks on Florida’s West Coast.
Prior to the trip, I began concocting plans for all I wanted to do, see and accomplish while away:
Get the audiobook up and available online.
Visit Captiva and Sanibel Islands.
Spot a wild dolphin.
Start writing my next book.
The list went on.
And I’m happy to say that most of my goals were achieved, including each of the above.
But among my aspirations was one that may seem strange to some:
Complete a difficult jigsaw puzzle.
When I was a child, and into my teen years, I always had a jigsaw puzzle going. And as far as I was concerned, the harder — the better.
I did an all-black puzzle with only a tiny pinhole of light at the center.
One was just bubbles.
I enjoyed the square variety where the same picture from the front was displayed again on the back, only rotated 90 degrees.
I did puzzles where the frame was irregular instead of having flat edges.
And though finding room was a challenge, I often did puzzles of 4000 or 5000 pieces.
Still, as big a part of my growing-up years as puzzles were, it struck me recently that I hadn’t done a single one since high school.
As crazy as it sounds, setting into that jigsaw puzzle — whatever it would be — was cause for just as much anticipation as watching a tropical sunset. I’d been given a Barnes & Noble gift card for Christmas and had tucked it away in a special place, just the occasion.
Within 24 hours of arrival in Florida, I’d chosen a first puzzle. I decided to ease my way into it with a puzzle of a mere 500 pieces: a colorful underwater scene featuring sea turtles. (After all, I did have other things I wanted to be doing on this vacation besides puzzling.)
Working on the puzzle, I was transported back those three decades. I often became aware that I was biting my…
September 13th, 2017 at 6:13 AM
I introduced this old fashioned fun way to pass time to my grandies this past 2016-17 winter, Erik. It was a truly fun, good way to talk while looking at the puzzle and it had “aha!” moments. Smiles, Robin 🐦 🏵
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September 13th, 2017 at 9:46 AM
So happy to hear it, Robin. Yes, puzzles allow togetherness without the pressure to be talking the whole time, which is perfect for fostering lots of actual engagement over time.
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September 14th, 2017 at 7:46 PM
I think it was a way for each of my parents at different times, to actually “touch base” with each of us. My two brothers and I were all 3 born within 4 years so individual time was found in bits and pieces. . . I liked the way you expressed this, by the way. (“Puzzles are perfect for fostering lots of actual engagement over time.”) You could sell puzzles with this tagline, Erik.
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September 17th, 2017 at 11:40 PM
Hmmm … now you’ve got me thinking …
So glad to know your family found connection through puzzles!
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September 18th, 2017 at 11:48 PM
Brett, the Verizon store says my cellphone is using so much data on photos, takes my space up so “I cannot synch up” with other blogs unless I take away “cookies” restrictions, while on WordPress.
I posted a photo or two of puzzle with Venice canal with long boats (not gondolas). My two granddaughters were helping me with one with shells on the puzzle.
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September 18th, 2017 at 11:50 PM
Oops, Erik. I know another dark haired man who blogs, sorry. I knew it was you! 😊
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September 19th, 2017 at 2:07 AM
No worries!
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September 20th, 2017 at 6:23 AM
Oh, thank goodness! 😀
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September 11th, 2017 at 5:09 AM
Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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September 13th, 2017 at 9:53 AM
Thanks so much for sharing, Jaye!
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