feeling lazy....

 First, here's a picture of our latest accomplishment puzzle wise.  It has been a very rainy day with nowhere to go so we puzzled more than we usually do.

I'm sorry that it's side ways but that's how we looked at it much of the time we were working on it.  It's a 500 piece puzzle, so fun to work on. 

Before you judge me too harshly for spending this warm rainy day in frivolous pursuits I did manage to put together an agenda for an upcoming meeting this morning before the laziness totally overtook me.  

Further in my defense, I am convinced (although no doctor has diagnosed me) that I am suffering from EOSF.  Have you ever noticed how most of the TV commercials touting remedies for various ailments refer to the diseases by their acronyms? I seldom know what illness they are "curing" but, by the time they finish telling about all the possible side effects of the medication they are touting, I'm pretty sure I would rather have the disease. 

This is certainly the case with EOSF, the symptoms of which include sleepiness, laziness, and general lack of ambition.  

If you haven't figured it out by now, EOSF is Early Onset Spring Fever.  I know it's only February, I know it will get cold again, but for now I will enjoy my malady.

it's puzzling...

 Since my wonder spouse and I are retired we do have an ample amount of discretionary time.  Some of that time we spend doing volunteer work and other worthwhile things.

However, when all of the important and semi-important things are done, we sometimes indulge in our greatest weakness (no, not drinking).  We enjoy putting together jigsaw puzzles.  We have a large table and excellent lighting in our basement rec room, and can take many days if necessary to finish a puzzle.

When you think about it logically, putting together a jigsaw puzzle is a huge waste of time.  First we sort through all the pieces to find the edge pieces, then assemble them into the frame of the picture, then piece by piece fit all of the other pieces together.  

Finally, finally it's finished.  We can look at it with a great sense of accomplishment.  We have completed 500, 750, 1000 and 2000 piece puzzles over the years.  Then we break it all apart, put the puzzle back in its box, being very careful not to lose any pieces, and set it aside to donate somewhere, sometime. 

Recently we discovered a way to keep our hard work.  If a puzzle was particularly challenging or we just like the picture, we can save it by putting specially made backing material on the puzzle, then framing it in a poster frame and hanging it on the wall for all to see and admire.  But only if they come down to our basement rec room.  We have not yet resorted to hanging preserved puzzles in our living room.  Give us credit for a little couth.

a childhood scam...

 Writing about my ironing chore yesterday reminded me of another, much less pleasant chore that my oldest brother (two years younger than me) and I were expected to do during the summer months.

I should explain here that my mom was a loving, kind, wonderful mother, but she was also a teacher, and used to working with a schedule, so during our summer breaks she liked to keep us on something of a schedule.  The schedule did include delightful things like a 10am break to eat sugar glazed donuts on Wednesdays after the bakery truck came by, TV time while we all watched Captain Kangaroo with my baby brother, and, my favorite, a half hour, or longer, break after lunch to relax in our bedrooms and read or nap.  This was supposedly so my baby brother could nap.  I didn't appreciate, until I was a mom myself, that it was also my mother's chance to rest.  

The schedule also included her expectation that we would get up in "the cool of the morning" to weed the strawberry patch.  Usually this chore was only for 30 minutes after which we went in and had breakfast.  One particular morning my brother kept running inside and looking at the clock.  Finally he announced that it was 8:00am and time for breakfast.

Everything was fine until my father came home from work that evening  and didn't understand why his TV news show didn't come on until fifteen minutes past the hour.  Very mysterious.  He finally checked the clock on the wall in the kitchen against his pocket watch and realized that the kitchen clock was fifteen minutes fast.  

I honestly don't remember what my brother's punishment was but I think it involved more weeding for him and less for me and mom.  My parents were not spankers but they did believe in letting the punishment fit the crime.  They also, happily, were blessed with good senses of humor.

a childhood chore..

 As was true of many children of my generation, there were chores I was expected to do.  While the oldest of my two brothers mowed grass and did other outside chores, I washed and dried dishes and set the table for meals. My mother, meanwhile, was being kept pretty busy with my baby brother. 

The other chore I did regularly was to iron.  These days, thanks to synthetic fabrics, I seldom iron at all but I was reminded of the ironing of my childhood when my wonder spouse informed me today that he was going to iron the top edge of our top bed sheet.  The sheets had just come out of the dryer and I thought they were just fine but he wanted to do it, so who am I to argue?  I like things smooth.

The reason this situation reminded me of my youth was because ironing was one of my chores and the first things I learned to iron were pillow cases.  I don't think my mother ever ironed sheets, unless we had out of town company coming, but she did like smooth pillow cases.

I don't mean to brag but I must have been quite precocious, because I quickly 'graduated' to ironing my father's and brother's dress shirts.  As chores went, ironing was the best because I could watch TV as I ironed.  The better the show, the slower I ironed.

answers and a memory

 First the answers to yesterday's Valentines quiz:

1. most popular flower - rose

2. Cupid's father - Mars

3. Cupid's mother -Venus

4. amount spent on Valentine's day in 2023.  None of the choices given were actually correct so I decided to give an up to date answer.  27.5 billion dollars were spent on Valentines Day gifts, etc. in 2025.

5. most popular Valentines Day activity - going out to dinner

6. classic Valentine's Day gift - chocolate

7. the USA produces the most chocolate for Valentine's Day

8. the meaning of XOXO - hugs and kisses

9. Valentine's Day originated in Italy.

10.  Teachers receive the most Valentine gifts

And that is quite enough about Valentine's Day, except to share one of my most embarrassing moments.  When I was in 8th grade, already 5'9" tall and less than graceful, my teacher, at our little parochial school, brought a sheet cake pan of bright red anise candy to school as a special treat for all of us students in the class.  He had the candy sitting on the corner of his desk and had promised to share it with us after lunch.  During a study time, I walked up to his desk to ask a question and bumped that pan of candy which fell to the floor and shattered into at least a million little pieces.  I really don't know how it happened.  At that point my face was as red as the candy.  I was mortified (and obviously not very popular with my classmates).  My dear long-suffering teacher, who I did like very much, just sadly shook his head and said "Get a broom and sweep it up."

He did not act at all surprised.  He had, after all, been teaching 8th graders for a long, long time.  

hearts and flowers

 Happy Valentines Day everyone.  Just for fun, here's a trivia game to keep you occupied when you're trying to resist eating more candy.  Your children may score better than you on this.

Valentine's Day Trivia Game

1. What is the most popular flower to give on Valentine's Day?

        a. lily   b. daisy   c. rose   d. tulip

2. Who is Cupid's father?

        a. Jupiter    b. Mars     c. Neptune     d. Apollo

3. Who is Cupid's mother?

        a. Minerva    b. Ceres     c. Venus     d. Diana

4. How much did Americans spend on Valentine's Day in 2023?

        a. 30.2 million   b. 27.5 billion  c. 29.1 billion  d. 75.5 million

5. What is the most popular Valentine's Day activity?

        a. watching a movie    b. taking a walk    c. going out to dinner              d. taking a trip

6. What item is the classic Valentine's Day gift?

        a. cards    b. wine    c. jewelry    d. chocolate

7. Which country produces the most chocolate for Valentine's Day?

        a. USA    b. Germany     c. Switzerland     d. Belgium

8. What is the meaning of XOXO?

        a. joy and happiness   b. love and peace   c. hugs and kisses                 d. hope and faith

9. In which country did Valentine's Day originate?

        a. France    b. UK    c. Italy    d. Spain

10. Who receives the most Valentines gifts?

        a. children    b. mothers     c. teachers     d. girlfriends

Answers tomorrow.

the answers

 Hi everyone, I hope you enjoyed yesterday's quiz.  Here are the answers:

!. Turkey, dressing, potatoes and peas

2. William A. Mitchell also invented Pop Rocks and Cool Whip.

3. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins

4. Tom and Jerry

5. Gilligan, the Skipper, Ginger, the Professor, Mary Ann, Thurston         Howell III and Eunice "Lovey" Howell

6. "Let It Be" though "Abbey Road" was the last they recorded                 together.

7. The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964

8. The Hula Hoop

9. Bobby Riggs

10. Theodore Geisel

If that wasn't enough for you, here are three questions to pose to a family member or friend:

Would you rather be Abraham and told to sacrifice your son OR      be Isaac knowing that your father was willing to do it?

Would you rather face Goliath with only a slingshot and stone OR wander in the wilderness for 40 years?

Would you rather see Lot's wife turned to salt OR hear Balaam's donkey talk?