Category Writing

Was God testing me?

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Yesterday was an interesting day.

First, I found this Lucky Penny. It’s quite beat up, so I had to inspect it carefully, YES, it was a penny.

The penny put me in a good mood in spite of our cold weather.

I went to the grocery store. I got a basket and headed for the vegetables.

I was approached by a man (homeless?) asking for money.

I was caught off guard. What do I do?

MANY things went through my head. Do I help, but then he will do this regularly “in the store,” not acceptable.

Anyhow, did not offer help.

A few minutes later, this same man approached me again.

WHAT… I thought, “Is God testing me?”

I thought of those fables when the Prince is on the horse rushing somewhere. He sees an old looking peasant woman who asks for help, but really she is a witch who can cast spells. Does he help or not?

This was a dilemma. We do want to help people. I didn’t have any cash with me. Oh, I had my LUCKY PENNY!!

These are tricky situations! That’s why I keep thinking I was being tested…. What do you think?

American vs European candies!

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My girlfriend brought me to the Polish grocery store. I like it, because they have a lot of European products, breads, sausages, jams, red cabbage, etc.

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw these little candies. My grandmother always had these in Italy when I would visit her. While their size is small, they give good flavor for quite a while. It’s amazing really.

It made me think of the size of an American candy, See the peppermint one I had for comparison.

I wonder who came up with the idea for such a small candy and such cute wrapping too. How about the production process for wrapping each one. They really are the perfect size.

Let’s ponder that this weekend!

Puzzling… Is this CHEATING?

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I’ve been wanting to do this Disney puzzle for a long time, but 1,500 pieces seemed like a lot.

2026 – It’s the year. I was at a puzzle exchange and “there was the puzzle.” I immediately snapped it up.

Imagine my surprise, when I opened the box, and the person who donated it had left many sections intact. Sometimes this is done, when it is too hard to take the pieces apart.

I have to admit… I was excited versus annoyed.

I did think… Is this cheating?

I mean, we’re “supposed” to do a puzzle from start to finish. Then I thought, it’s winter, I’ll pretend I’m on a cruise. I’ve gone to the game room and the puzzle is sitting there and I just continue working on it.

As you can see, I need to improve my evening lighting. Hard to get clear photos, but you get the idea.

I was able to complete this puzzle in one evening. Disney puzzles are SO MUCH FUN!

We had a snow storm yesterday, so a lot of puzzling and book reading here.

I sure hope Spring comes soon, miss outdoor walking! Too icy to walk outside right now…

You’ve just won a MILLION bucks!

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Something funny happened to me the other day.

I was at the thrift store looking at puzzles. This young woman calls me the “Puzzle Lady,” because I only buy puzzles. Sometimes I only find one. Then she tells me to spend more, so I get rewards back.

I did find some beautiful puzzles, see below.

MY BEST LUCK though came when I was standing in line for check out. I happened to look to my left, it was the men’s section. On a shelf with some golfing stuff was this “1,000,000 dollar puzzle.

What… Was I seeing correctly? It was so amusing. What were the chances of seeing that type of puzzle?

I mean, we just started a NEW YEAR. I felt like I hit the jackpot!

The Universe was sending me a “Good Luck” sign. It was a brand new puzzle too. Of course, it will be FUN to put together, ALL those bills at my finger tips. Wow!

So, I bought my Good Luck charm for 2026!

Here are the others I found, really lovely, in great condition, based on authors.

2026 is off to a grand start!!

Advent Calendars – A Puzzle one!

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When my children were young, we always had a chocolate Advent calendar.

Well, this year, I learned that there are Advent Calendars in PUZZLE form. Yes, see photo. You do one puzzle a day and by Christmas Eve, you have the entire puzzle scene finished.

As you can see, I got a little excited and kept puzzling. Each day, in this particular puzzle, there are ~50 pieces a day. So, it’s fun and easy.

I really liked this stained glass Christmas scene. However, they have puzzles that are not religious in nature and where each puzzle stands alone. So, this can be for everyone who enjoys puzzling.

Anyone else out there doing an PUZZLE Advent Calendar?

Boston – A Sunflower STILL hanging on!

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I was recently in Boston. I went with my friends to Rockport, a beautiful coastal town. We enjoyed walking around, seeing the shops, the marina, the seagulls.

Suddenly, I heard, “Hey, look at that sunflower! Still hanging on.”

I went to take a closer look at it. It was so cold, I had to have gloves on, so this was a hardy sunflower.

Rockport was a pretty little town. A few more pictures for you.

It’s fun to explore new areas.

Can adults wear kids hats?

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So, this is kind of funny. When I was in Ireland a few years ago. I was looking at their woolen hats. They had all kinds, but the one I fell in love one was this pink one with the sheep.

I thought, “Is this a kids hat??

I mean, it fit me, but was it too childish for an older adult to wear?

Winter has started.

I went to put this hat on the other day. I love it, but I keep thinking, “Is this too youthful for an older adult?”

Keep in mind, I have an Italian mother. She would say, “We wear gym shoes to play tennis, NOT to go to town. We wear flip flops at the beach, NOT to dinner… On and on with fashion do’s and don’ts.”

If I wear it, maybe I could be Auntie Mame. LOL Remember that movie? Be a little eccentric about it.

I always loved Diane Keaton for having a quirky style, owning it and not caring what “others” thought!

So…Help me out. Should I, or shouldn’t I, wear this hat? Hint I’m older than 55.

When a FLIP goes wrong… Enter Puzzle Buddy!

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We’ve all been there. We decide to do something that is “tricky” too quickly to “get it done,” and we end up with a mess. That was me this morning.

I completed this beach puzzle. I wanted to frame it. I needed to flip it over, so I could tape it in place.

Well, this puzzle is HUGE, 24 X 30. I needed sturdy cardboard to lock it in place for the flip.

Instead, I had flimsy poster board. The flip did not go as planned.

As I was on the floor, trying to salvage pieces that were still connected…

I remembered seeing this PUZZLE BUDDY online. What a joke I thought!

However, now, I see the value of this product. For a “re-do,” I could definitely use this.

So, of course, I wonder… Why in the heck did I need to “re-do” half of the puzzle?

There must be a REASON, but WHAT?