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Puzzling


I love putting jigsaw puzzles together.  It is my favorite way to relax.  I lose myself in examining shapes and colors and matching them.  I forget about any problems of the day, worries at the back of my mind, and my 'to do' list.  It is wonderful. 

I especially love puzzles that have lots of different things on the picture.  Instead of one big flower, I like a bunch of smaller things and many different colors.  Some of the puzzles I have had the most fun doing have been the ones with a variety of objects within the picture. 

For years I belonged to a jigsaw puzzle exchange group in Victoria.  It was great because for every 3 puzzles I bought, I got to do 15 or 20.  I could take them in once a month and exchange.  I got to do all sorts of puzzles that I would not have otherwise. 

Puzzles are pretty expensive.  They range from four or five dollars to 20 or 30.  They take anywhere from two to 8 hours to complete.  When I could exchange them it was so much easier to justify spending the money because if there was a puzzle that wasn't enjoyable, I could quit and trade it.  Since I have not found an exchange group in Austin, I have become much more particular about the puzzles I choose to buy. 

I recently got a puzzle that is my favorite of all time.  It shows the covers of famous books.  I love books and words, so it is nice to be able to have them to help me put it together.  Also, each cover is a small picture in itself.  I am having the best time putting it together.  My only regret, it is going to be done soon. 

My regret before the fact says more about my emotional issues than it does about puzzles.  And that is a story for another day.   Today, I will work on my puzzle with joy and gratitude that I have such a great tool for relaxing.



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