Monday, April 20, 2009

Puzzles


In my mother's home a puzzle is always laid out on a board in the den. This is no ordinary puzzle, though, it's a Springbok puzzle. The consensus of the family is they are the best because they're well made and truly interlocking. Hallmark stores are the only place we've ever found this brand and believe me, we've looked for them everywhere.
Daddy made identical boards for Mama and me years ago that would each hold all the pieces of a 1000 piece puzzle when it's laid out so that we wouldn't have to set up card tables. Our boards have picture frame moulding on all four sides so the pieces will stay on the board and we can slide it under the sofa when we have company over and it won't be in the way.
In my family putting a puzzle together is truly a competitive sport. If any of us, and there are about 17, walk into the den and Mama's chair is empty and the puzzle is out, get out of the way because we will sit down and take over the puzzle. We were raised putting puzzles together and over the years it has been hundreds of them. We used to have to help lay it out in order to help put it together, then put all of the edge together first, but Mama has become a little slack on these issues over the years. Now, we just lay it all out and begin in any area we choose. It's addictive and we love it.
We have so much fun while we are putting the puzzle together. We're always smiling, talking and reminiscing about the good times and everyone gets a chance to sit in Gran's chair, unless Toney or Ryan is around! We've even had puzzle marathons where we watched 3 movies and put a 1000 piece puzzle together at the same time.
Sometimes I think about families who don't spend special time together and it makes me sad. Now, more than ever we need to spend more time as a family unit laughing, talking, playing and yes, doing something corny like putting a puzzle together. The love we share and memories we make together as a family are important and truly unique. It really doesn't matter what the subject is, we may put together a Christmas scene in July or a Spring scene in December. What matters is that we are together laughing, telling stories and creating memories.