Puzzling

It must be fun and not a passing fad.  People have been creating, selling, buying, and solving jigsaw puzzles since around 1760, according to Wikipedia.  I was surprised to learn that a jigsaw was never used — a fact that puzzled me.

It seems many young people have fun solving them.  Good for the brain at most any age, I believe.  Senior independent living fosters mental activity.  Here and in my community last year, some women have a passion for puzzling, spending maybe 20 hours every week doing jigsaw puzzles in social rooms.  (A man in Bountiful was interested, but none here in Ogden that I’m aware of.)  One day last year, I walked to the social fridge, and the puzzle lady said without looking up, “Ned, you’re too quiet.”  “Trying not to distract you,” said I.

So, it’s puzzling — why am I missing the fun of sitting quietly for hours assembling 500 pieces ... instead of watching it done in 150-second time-lapse videos?  What would take me three weeks, I see (noted at the end) enthusiasts complete in three hours or less.  Reminder for seniors: never too late to start. 

or 620 pieces for more fun

Long Story Short

As a man of few words, I prefer to skip extraneous details and get to the point.  For example, to make a long story short, our favorite vacation retreat was Cannon Beach, Oregon Coast.  My wife Kay & I walked the expanse of sand to Haystack Rock in quiet solitude.  The sight and sound of ocean surf were heavenly, healing.  Glorious sunsets were another gift from God.  No question about returning again.

We are still one ... in love. 

our idea of a getaway

Fast Food at 4:44

A routine got me going at four forty-four every morning in East Mill Creek for years of work.  My alarm in the kitchen woke me (too far to wake my wife Kay, of course) at the magic hour.  A tempting snack at hand in the fridge was my instant reward.  The living room floor by a heater vent was cozy for prayer, reading, journaling, and planning; (added warmth for winter comfort).  By the way, for years I’ve been urged to write my personal history, and I’m still putting it off.  Too many memories to fit into a book ... until I lose some.

Family history: our five children were content to sleep through two hours of early morning, the best part of the day.  “You can wake up now,” I liked to softly say to little Angie and Katie for school and adventures.  ( I forget — did it make the girls smile?)

Some neighbors lined up at our 7-Eleven to get their charge.  I always passed it on the way to work, often riding the UTA bus after running to catch it.  I was primed for racing up and down stairs in downtown SLC, where a sack-lunch snack kept me going til family dinner.

An alarm, fast food, and the floor at 4:44 — a fun formula for success.  So, what was or is your winning routine — 6:00 AM at the gym or court?  Make it historical, if not hysterical.

That being said

A phrase frequently used by one of our young directors made me want a description of its meaning and usage.  (Always fun to learn about language.)

“That being said, that said, having said that all act as segues to a statement which reverses the spin, so to speak, on what has just been said.  [For example:]

We should treat all students with tolerance and understanding. That being said, a student who engages in threatening or violent behavior should be expelled from the school. We cannot tolerate such aggression.”

— Stack Exchange, English Language Learners

That being said, you may draw your own conclusion about how to use the phrase.

Mrs. Cannon, retired from 

teaching English at NHS

Welcome, summer!