Puzzles, Pasta and Peace

 

Our newest pastime: jigsaw puzzles

Is it only Wednesday? It's been a mind-occupying few days for me and I feel like this should be Friday afternoon. I'll fill in some of the specifics as I respond to Joyce's Hodgepodge questions for this week. 

To put you at ease, I will say that even with the challenges of late, it's all good. So don't read thinking that I'm leading up to bad news, because I am not. 

👍🏻  👍🏻  👍🏻  👍🏻  👍🏻

Gary and I are really into jigsaw puzzles these last couple of months. Both of us enjoy them so much, assembling them out here on the brightly-lit lanai (only in daylight hours, that is). At times we work on a puzzle together, but sometimes that means one of us has to work the pieces upside down, and that's tricky, of course. I'll share some of our works both in finished and incomplete phases.

my friend Joline had a puzzle with a missing piece!!

I've been giving a lot of thought as to how these puzzles are similar to life with necessary problem-solving and how to handle as much as we can with calmness and good sense.

a particularly crazy design that was tucked
into Gary's cabinet when I moved into his house

Today I'm comparing puzzles (jigsaw puzzles, to be clear) with life, problem-solving, and handling that with calmness. 

Looking for a red head with a yellow shoulder scarf
(this is some of my personal puzzle-assembly strategy)

Much of life seems to be a puzzle. How well we separate the pieces, sorting them into groups, and then fitting them into a neat design tends to say something about how well we cope with the dilemmas of life. 

Here are my responses to Joyce's Hodgepodge questions for this week. If you want to connect with your blog, click on this link: http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2026/07/hodgepodge-questions-volume-664.html

1. What was the last thing you celebrated? 

While it was not a celebration with cake and party hats, I had plenty of reason to rejoice yesterday AFTER a techie-type problem with huge implications for disaster found me and I was able to not only get it resolved in about an hour's time, but I was CALM about it. 

Then today I had extensive follow-up work to complete repairs from the mess encountered yesterday. I can say with pretty good confidence that I believe all the i's have been dotted and all the t's are crossed. Of course, time will tell.

So to get back to Joyce's question about "celebration," I am just very thankful that the Lord is maturing me with confidence to handle adversity better than my past history has shown. For me, this is celebration.

2. July 29th is International Day of the Tiger. Besides the wild animal itself, when you hear the word tiger what's the first person-place-thing-whatever that comes to mind? 

Orange Tiger Lilies. In 1974 we moved into military housing at the Air Force base where my husband was stationed. It was a spacious 3-bedroom duplex with a single-car garage and a front flower bed filled with gorgeous Tiger Lilies planted by the previous occupants. 

3. The expression 'eye of the tiger' describes someone with intense focus, determination, and the drive to succeed. What area of your life are you currently bringing that kind of energy to?  

one of many peaceful scenes
in our +55 retirement community

In my current season of life as a retired senior citizen, I do my best to not get 'wrapped around the axle' nearly as much as I used to. This week's test with techie things was a "pop quiz", so to speak, but as indicated above, it's gone well.

4. What was the last meal you cooked? 

Gary does most of our cooking but from time to time I give him a break with things like quesadillas, egg salad sandwiches, grilled ham ’n cheese sandwiches, quiche, and Pasta Alfredo. 

The last time I prepared a meal for him was probably about 2 weeks ago. There are times when I need to refresh my culinary skills and let Gary just sit. 🥱😴💤

Speaking of pasta, I bought this refrigerator magnet when we were visiting Terri D in May. Carbs can provide a calming effect when we are stressed out.

I love to combine a pot of cooked pasta (any kind, any shape that's in the pantry) and smother it with a heated up jar of Alfredo or Marinara sauce, topped with shredded Parmesan cheese. I serve it in pasta bowls (the wide diameter and curved sides make chasing the noodles so much easier) and sometimes eat with a spoon instead of a fork.

5. Describe your July using exactly five words. 

Puzzles, food, contentment, peaceful sleep

Us enjoying lunch at
The Whistling Duck

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

In closing, I've done some research on the benefits of jigsaw puzzles.  

Sorting and connecting pieces forces us to mentally rotate shapes and assess how small parts fit into a larger image.

sorting puzzle pieces into categories

Assembling these puzzles strengthens working memory, helps with goal setting and systematic planning, and step-by-step problem-solving. (really???)

cheerful designs make it so much more fun

This hobby also builds long-term cognitive reserve, a protective factor against cognitive aging. (quoting Artificial Intelligence here) It aids in creating a “cushion” that helps the brain better compensate for age-related decline or symptoms of dementia. (!!!)

a car puzzle for Gary

Who knew such a pleasant activity could benefit us so much?!!

You make known to me

the path of life;

in Your presence there is

fullness of joy;

at your right hand there are

pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11

Until next time, grace and peace!

Barbara

Sweet and Sour

In case you are wondering, yes, you have arrived at my blog with its new header design as well as a different "selfie" in the sidebar. Terri at her blog, Your Friend From Florida, recently changed her header with the help of ChatGPT. It looks so good that I decided to give it a try. 

After a couple of what felt like bumbling efforts, I still don't know just exactly how I did it. But with that said, it was pretty easy and I was very surprised with what "they" (AI, I assume) came up with. I only tweaked one detail and decided it would work for me. 

My hope and assumption is that this was entirely free. There are opportunities to sign up for discounts and such, so that tells me one can get into paying for it. I have avoided all of that and plan to be satisfied with what I have. I definitely did not give them any $$ information, etc.

This is Wednesday, so I'm responding to Joyce's Hodgepodge questions, which are all about lemons and yellow. If you want to link up your blog with this meme, click on this link:

http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2026/07/hodgepodge-questions-volume-663.html

1. Do your goals and dreams energize or exhaust you? Elaborate. 

Goals and dreams: at my age, the really important ones have been achieved. The Lord has given me so much that I wanted and also used some of life's "hard knocks" to change my desires.

There is a heartwarming TV commercial here in Florida for Publix grocery stores that includes the statement, "Mistakes . . . . were made." I like that. When we own up to our errors, we free ourselves to do better. 

As for current goals and dreams, I try to avoid the busyness and preoccupation with things that used to tie me up in knots. My last 5 years have been a very personal, intensive study of human psychology and relationships. My current "goal" or focus is learning how to relate better to people.

If you want to see the commercial, which is short and really cute, click here: Say It With Pie. (Click on the link, not the photo.)

2. July 23rd is national lemon day. Are you a fan of this flavor? What's a favorite dish or beverage you enjoy that calls for lemons? 

Lemon Meringue pie and lemon bars are favorites with me. (Hmm. I've not made Lemon Bars in a long time. I should do that!)

3. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"...is this something you're pretty good at managing? Have you had to do this recently? If so tell us about it. 

We do ourselves a service when we make a practice of transforming lemons into lemonade. It's a survival skill. When we come to the realization that life is NOT all about me, sweetness tends to flavor the sour.

While I've tried to have this attitude most of my adult years, the COVID pandemic and all that has transpired with me since then have taught me to be more flexible, more resilient, less critical, and to make the best of what's happened.

With tongue-in-cheek, if I were to claim a superhero for myself, Elasticgirl from the Disney The Incredibles movies would be my choice. Click here to see a brief portrayal of her flexibility and resilience.

4. Something you love that is lemon yellow in color? 

This is what we like to use at our bathroom and kitchen sinks. I took this snapshot because my preferred shade of yellow is not "lemon" but more of a "banana pudding", something more mild and mellow, like what's at the bottom of this bottle. 

5. How would you describe your attention to detail? 

It all depends on what the subject is. Some things just aren't that important and "artistic freedom" is allowed. But for what demands accuracy for a correct outcome, I do work hard to get the details right. Bookkeeping is what comes to my mind and that definitely needs attention to detail.

BTW [by the way], that particular task (finances) is not something that needed my close attention until a few years ago because others took care of that for me --- until they didn't. With that said, my attention to detail changed (a lot).

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We tend to handle or respond to life based on how we have been treated and taught. Some manage better than others and there is no doubt that with all of us, "mistakes were made" along the way. (thinking of question #3 above)

A lesson I am learning is that I need to forbear with those who are not navigating well. We are all in process. We need to give space to those who struggle, just as we want for ourselves. None of us get it right every time. But mercy and grace help.

Be ye kind to one another,

forgiving one another, 

even as God for Christ's sake

has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara

Now I think I'll go check my pantry to see if I have what is needed to make those lemon bars!

This Afternoon .....

Roseate Spoonbill (right) -- 
photo from my camera while on an airboat tour
in Central Florida.
The bird's beak is rounded, like a spoon!

Weather

Today my format is inspired by Linda at Just Simply Linda. She and I live in the same town, as well as Diane.  Other relatively close-by blogging friend, Pam is a little over an hour to the northeast, and Terri D is 2 hours due south. 

I know some of you follow their blogs. All of us are "glowing" (perspiring) in the heat. Please forgive us when we make comments on the weather. It is a little over the top with no relief in sight until --- October? 

Reading

If you are familiar with author Sarah Young and her book, Jesus Calling (which I read a portion of daily), I am reading (and enjoying) a biography written by her brother, Sarah Young's Journey to Jesus.

Eating

Yesterday I asked Gary what he wanted for supper, which is typically light, with lunch as our biggest meal of the day. I suggested beef quesadillas (we each get half of a tortilla, so it is, indeed, a less-heavy meal). He thought about it and then asked for a grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich. 

If I do say so myself, this was perfect: a hot meal but not too much.

The Past Few Days

In spite of the many times I've extolled the pleasures of afternoons on our lanai, this week we decided to donate the furniture and get new pieces that are more comfortable. Here is the old; I'll show you the new after it's delivered one day this next week.

Feeling

I have been feeling more upbeat as perplexities about [stuff] are either clearing in my mind and/or acceptance has grown stronger. I've learned that partnered with "acceptance" needs to be "adapt." When we decide to accept something, we often need to also determine how we will adapt (or live with) whatever it is we are accepting. 

Celebrating

In addition to the 250th anniversary of Independence Day, we have been in a season of family birthdays. We both have large families (11 grandchildren on my side, and Gary is expecting his 4th GREAT grandchild this summer). Since April there have been more birthdays than I have fingers and toes to count. 

Making Me Laugh

While I don't have a cartoon to share at this very moment, here is advice I take seriously:

Thankful

Right now the clouds have thickened up, the wind is blowing stronger through the pines outside our windows, the sound of thunder is like bowling balls in the sky, and the temperature has dropped to 88 degrees. Yes, I am thankful for this respite, brief, as it will probably be.

Beyond that, there is so very much for which to be thankful and I try to dwell on that when discouragement tries to steal my peace. It really is true that what we allow our thoughts to dwell on affects our mood and behavior. 

The really good news is that we can change what we are thinking about! The choice is up to us.

We are told in the Bible to not worry about anything and to pray about everything. (see Philippians 4:6-7)

Holy Scripture also tells us that when we trust (wholly rely upon) the Lord, He gives us perfect peace. 

(see Isaiah 26:3)

For I know whom I have believed

and am persuaded

that He is able

to keep what I have committed to Him

until that Day.

II Timothy 1:12

Until next time, grace and peace.

Barbara