Fini

Here it is in all of its glory, the puzzle from hell, and if you do not believe me, ask daughter Pat who came over and helped put it together as she swore it should be swept into a garbage pail. The puzzle is really beautiful finished and should be glued and framed but it now resides in its box all taped and ready for the next puzzle addict who loves a challenge.

It took a good month to finish and I had to laugh at the five or six pieces that were taped back together because someone tried hard to put a piece where it did not belong. I could identify with their frustrations. It basically was a camouflage puzzle as the colors didn't vary much, nor the pieces themselves and I think we took as many out as we placed in at times. Once you got the right piece in the right place it was pure joy. Believe it or not, the shortest bird tail was the hardest to put together. Pat had one piece left and wished me luck finding a place for it. She no sooner went out the door when I spotted a piece that looked strange and sure enough it was put in wrong. I exchanged it for the last one in hand and the puzzle was finished. My friend, Pauline, asked what I did with the puzzles when I finished them. I admire the finished piece long enough to take a picture of it then sweep it off the table, making sure I do not leave a piece behind, and box it up and tape it with a note that all pieces are there. I put them in a yard sale if someone does not claim them . . . then out comes the vacuum and I can finally clean the dining area unafraid to vacuum up a piece or two.

Pat gives me two weeks before I start another, but I think I will wait until after the holidays as I might have to use the dining room table. I am thinking of putting up one of the outside tables that we use for yard sales and a better lamp and use John's office space then I can close the door and leave it when frustration sets in and patience goes out the door. Doing jig saw puzzles is really like life. We have to form a frame to put in the pieces of our woes, hunt for the easy part first, you know the every day nit picks we can sweep away quickly, and then we use all of our capabilities to overcome all of the improbabilities that seem insurmountable; it is then that we search for the answers and once found and resolved we sit back and thank God for patience and perseverance.

So today, is it Friday already?, where did this week go? A weekend coming up to do with as you please. If you have a problem or two, solve them quickly and don't waste a second of your time crying 'over spilled milk', mop up your tears and pull up your boot straps and ride off into the sunset with smile on your face and a wink in your eye, and as daughter Christine would say, "Get Over It". If I liken it to politics . . . we won . . . the American people have stood up and said out loud "Enough is Enough" so let us pay attention and stay strong and not let the few overcome the many. God Bless America! Hugs to all.