Puzzling

One way to slow time is to change things up from the routine and do something different, to help keep the days from blurring one into the other. A bit of a challenge when you are stuck at home in a lockdown.

Alex gave me a beautiful wooden puzzle for Christmas this year, the perfect antidote. 

I hadn't done a puzzle in decades, but if jigsaws were part of my regular routine this one would still have been a delight. A work of art. Wooden. Colourful. Each piece a unique shape of animals or flowers or butterflies. And when the puzzle was finally done, an equally beautiful design etched on the back.

As engaging as it was, it also frustrating. I quickly discovered things that wouldn't work, like  telling myself I should give up and that there was a good reason I hadn't done a puzzle in so long; assembling random portions; staring at the one piece only, or just at the big picture only; working in bad light; puzzling past tired.

Funny how these pastimes can hold bigger life lessons.

Alex gave me the fox puzzle first, and Rob and I had so much fun with it we asked to try the Mysterious Lion... a bit more difficult as it had more pieces but also symmetrical colours and patterns. Some of the shapes seemed diabolically designed to almost fit.

When things were especially slow going Rob and I took to ringing a little dinner bell when we found a fit.... which the cat found somewhat puzzling.

Lots of fun on a winter's day.