40 4 40 #11 Puzzle

This is the latest in a series of blogs about my adventure in trying 40 new things before I turn 40 in March. You can read the entire series under the label 40 4 40.

I have always enjoyed a good puzzle. This is likely why I also like geometry. Over the years I have puzzled rather sporadically. George wasn't exactly the best helper. It took me about 7 years to put together one puzzle because I took off years at a time. I've gotten back into the puzzle thing though. This is largely due to my good friend Sarah who puzzles all the time. I have several other friends who also are avid puzzlers. I've figured out a way to do it so that Slugger doesn't hinder the process and I can do it while watching tv and such.

Sarah recommended that for one of my "new things", I try a 2000 piece puzzle. When I got home from CA, I finished the 10 year puzzle (really more like 7 but 10 sounds good). I tried a few 500 piecers to make sure I enjoyed the process. I did! I then went out and bought my first 2000. That was early September.

It was HARD. I swear most of the pieces looked exactly alike! I did the easy stuff, then it seemed like I did about a piece a week for awhile. Then, it just started flowing. I got quite a bit done last weekend and then worked on it during the week to keep up the positive flow. I knew I'd be able to finish this weekend which spurred me on. And I did!

I should point out that I assemble puzzles on a bulletin board. This puzzle was too big so I did it in pieces. Top left, boat and sunrise(set?), bottom from left to right, then up the right of the tree (oh I did the tree separate at some point in there), then all the holes I'd given up on because seriously all the pieces looked the same!! I had loose pieces on a smaller bulletin board, in both halves of the box and for a long time also in plastic bowls. Also, there was one piece that was a deer's head. You can't see the deer in the picture - he's over on the shore on the far left. I had not noticed the deer in the picture on the box but, man, did I notice those eyes staring at me from inside the box!!

This new thing may have been hard, but I'd do it again. If I found a puzzle that was cheap or I liked the picture. But for now, I think I'll try a 1000 again.