Jigsaw Puzzles
When my mother died I inherited her collection of puzzles. The problem was I had no way of knowing if they were complete or not! I had no intention of counting thousands of pieces or putting them together only to find holes in the picture. I thought of just giving them to an old peoples home, someone there would occupy themselves for hours, weeks, months even, depending on their degree of dementia..
But what if there was pieces missing! I didn't want to cause a frustration attack leading to a coronary.
So what happened, I packed them up brought them back to Germany and after letting them ripe like old wine in the cellar for a few years I eventually disposed of them. I did keep a 3D puzzle in the form of a pyramid, but I think there is little chance of getting round to doing it again.
I remember as a kid my Mum always had a 1000 to 1500 piece puzzle at some level of construction, and for this size space was needed. This meant the dining room table was permanently under siege. For meals she would carefully lay a table cloth over her masterpiece. The table surface was more or less uneven depending on the puzzles stage of construction.
With a fully laid table it reminded one of a crazy house, everything at different angles. Not really that much, just enough to give you an unsettling feeling while looking at the plates, bowels, bottles and glasses on it. As if something is not quite right but you can't put your finger on it. The Big Ben on the HP sauce bottle would stand at an angle similar to the tower of Pisa. The gravy would start to slowly migrate to different sides of the plate depending on where it was placed.
It was interesting to watch her when we were finished and the table was cleared to the kitchen. She took off the tablecloth in slow motion, trying not to disturb the pieces or have them stick to the underside. If something went wrong it was better to scarper as quick as possible out of her way. Especially if the maneuver put her back a couple of hours..
Thinking it would be saver away from the table and to reduce mishaps and Mum's wroth, Dad and I would suggested that we eat in the front room so as not have to cover 'the masterpiece(s)'. And before Mum could protest we would grab our plates and head for the sofa in front of the TV. Well this was our excuse as we switched on the box.
Thinking about it I only remember eating this way. I watched magic roundabout and later Dr. Who and Saturday wrestling with Mick McManus. That was when wrestling looked 'real' and not the obvious farce presented today.
But what if there was pieces missing! I didn't want to cause a frustration attack leading to a coronary.So what happened, I packed them up brought them back to Germany and after letting them ripe like old wine in the cellar for a few years I eventually disposed of them. I did keep a 3D puzzle in the form of a pyramid, but I think there is little chance of getting round to doing it again.
I remember as a kid my Mum always had a 1000 to 1500 piece puzzle at some level of construction, and for this size space was needed. This meant the dining room table was permanently under siege. For meals she would carefully lay a table cloth over her masterpiece. The table surface was more or less uneven depending on the puzzles stage of construction.
With a fully laid table it reminded one of a crazy house, everything at different angles. Not really that much, just enough to give you an unsettling feeling while looking at the plates, bowels, bottles and glasses on it. As if something is not quite right but you can't put your finger on it. The Big Ben on the HP sauce bottle would stand at an angle similar to the tower of Pisa. The gravy would start to slowly migrate to different sides of the plate depending on where it was placed.
It was interesting to watch her when we were finished and the table was cleared to the kitchen. She took off the tablecloth in slow motion, trying not to disturb the pieces or have them stick to the underside. If something went wrong it was better to scarper as quick as possible out of her way. Especially if the maneuver put her back a couple of hours..
Thinking it would be saver away from the table and to reduce mishaps and Mum's wroth, Dad and I would suggested that we eat in the front room so as not have to cover 'the masterpiece(s)'. And before Mum could protest we would grab our plates and head for the sofa in front of the TV. Well this was our excuse as we switched on the box.
Thinking about it I only remember eating this way. I watched magic roundabout and later Dr. Who and Saturday wrestling with Mick McManus. That was when wrestling looked 'real' and not the obvious farce presented today.
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