When I was young our family, completed many jigsaw puzzles. Santa always left a new challenging one that would be spread over the dining table during the Christmas holidays. Mon's rule was that the border/frame HAD to be completed first before anyone started gathering pieces for the inside. Mom and Dad were involved as were all of us kids. A family tradition that I passed down to my daughter's. Your Grandma was doing 750-1000pc puzzles well into her late 80's until dementia made it difficult. I was sad to see the decline in her ability and often would sit with her in long term care, placing the correct piece in a 50 piece child's puzzle, directly in front of her to no avail. Often now, when a piece has avoided my search, it tends to show up directly in front of me. I take this as a sign that Mom appreciated the help.
I love the way you relate your life, hopes and dreams for the future to puzzling. You have the framework, now just to place the pieces in the correct spots. Maybe Grandma will assist by putting one or two directly in front of you!
"Grouping pieces by shape is borderline cheating, a last resort."
Ahem... I beg to differ. ;-) In fact, isn't that what you do for the border? BORDERline cheat? Or maybe not. ;-)
In any case, that's not my real comment - only a slight disagreement. ;-)
What I really want to say is that each one of your posts is more magical to me than the last. Mostly, I think, because you know how to write in a way that attracts me: you use specific, meaning-charged words and seductive metaphors to paint colourful images of the stories of your life! A life charged with meaning, seduction and colour!
I cannot read your words without feeling proud goosebumps, and also tears in the corners of my eyes.
When I was young our family, completed many jigsaw puzzles. Santa always left a new challenging one that would be spread over the dining table during the Christmas holidays. Mon's rule was that the border/frame HAD to be completed first before anyone started gathering pieces for the inside. Mom and Dad were involved as were all of us kids. A family tradition that I passed down to my daughter's. Your Grandma was doing 750-1000pc puzzles well into her late 80's until dementia made it difficult. I was sad to see the decline in her ability and often would sit with her in long term care, placing the correct piece in a 50 piece child's puzzle, directly in front of her to no avail. Often now, when a piece has avoided my search, it tends to show up directly in front of me. I take this as a sign that Mom appreciated the help.
I love the way you relate your life, hopes and dreams for the future to puzzling. You have the framework, now just to place the pieces in the correct spots. Maybe Grandma will assist by putting one or two directly in front of you!
"Grouping pieces by shape is borderline cheating, a last resort."
Ahem... I beg to differ. ;-) In fact, isn't that what you do for the border? BORDERline cheat? Or maybe not. ;-)
In any case, that's not my real comment - only a slight disagreement. ;-)
What I really want to say is that each one of your posts is more magical to me than the last. Mostly, I think, because you know how to write in a way that attracts me: you use specific, meaning-charged words and seductive metaphors to paint colourful images of the stories of your life! A life charged with meaning, seduction and colour!
I cannot read your words without feeling proud goosebumps, and also tears in the corners of my eyes.
Thank you for this gift.
xoxo