Sentimental Journey

I was tickled with all the responses to yesterday's post. I don't get a lot of comments right here on the blog....so I'm pleasantly surprised when something strikes a chord. Thank you for all the feedback and interesting ideas! I AM going to gift the puzzle....and include the story and maybe a little "filler" piece...or something.

I'm still very much in Margie mode. Maybe I'm being overly sentimental....but in many ways we are still in the middle of emotional things as we tie up end of life things....prepare for the holidays and her Dec 7th Zoom memorial service. 

So sentimental is what you're going to get. And this seemed like the perfect follow-up post....about another puzzle with issues.

A year ago I gave Margie this advent puzzle. One tiny fifty piece puzzle to do every day as a countdown to Christmas. And when they were all assembled it would create this sweet Christmas Through The Window scene.

The pieces were a little small for her arthritic hands and 92 years eyes....but she gladly took it on and kept up beautifully.

I enjoyed watching the progress last December...

and I would often find Margie just like this when I popped in....all cozy in her little nest....the tiny puzzle done for the day.

And it was all fine.........until it wasn't. 

I took this photo below on Christmas day....AFTER the clean-up.  I can't remember if she had actually finished it...or if it got dumped before it was quite done. Either way....she was devastated. Margie had worked so hard....and really wanted show off her completed project.

There were a few squares still intact...and we separated out as many chunks as we could of the others and put them back in the separate envelopes. We searched her chair....and everywhere all around the floor and her table for any stray pieces.

Did we find them all? Who knows! And there would be no way to know until someone tacked it. 

So I saved it. 

I didn't think I had it in me to tackle it...so I offered it to Liz...Paul's sister who is also a puzzle lover. But she turned it down. I thought about offering it to my friend Patsy who loves puzzles and a good a challenge and I'm sure would have taken it on.

But in the end....I decided it might be just the right sentimental journey for me this holiday season. I've started sorting the pieces into my record boxes...and I'll get started. I'll keep you posted!