Thursday, or Thereabouts - January 2, 2014

Baby, it's cold outside!




2014's opening gambit suggests that hibernation is the best strategy for life in these parts. At high noon, it's a blistering -22C (-8F) outside my door with only the briefest of hints of sunshine. Not even our faithful canine, whose one blue eye and spitz twist tail attest to her Alaskan Malamute roots, shows any inclination to venture outside. One brief sniff of winter's cold through a narrowly opened door and she promptly turned tail and trotted back to bed. What a clever girl!

I'm going to follow her lead I think, and though I'm not going back to bed, I am going to curl up in blankies with hot tea in the living room and watch a movie or three, or maybe even some Dr. Who episodes from long ago - the Tom Baker years and the Daleks! Ooohhhh that will get the circulation going! And there is also a warm invitation from a jigsaw puzzle to re-visit Venice...

There are such wonderful Christmas gifties to support me in my hibernation: liquor filled chocolates, candies, cookies, books to explore, and when I need a break from all the activity, luxurious lotions and potions for deliciously hot baths or showers.

I may be stuck in here for a while...

©2014 April Hoeller

Monday Moanings - October 28, 2013

The Tower of Doom

I knew it was dangerous. It knew I was placing my entire weekend with all its plans and chores in jeopardy, but temptation had me by the throat. Well, what harm could there possibly be in just looking?

My feet easily ignored all the feeble admonitions to turn the other way and I watched my outstretched hands park the over-sized grocery cart then felt my body turn and move toward an irresistible panorama. Pupils dilated, heart racing, fingers twitching I stood before a tower of Dowdle jigsaw puzzles in Costco.

250, 500, 1000 pieces - what's your pleasure?

A panoply of folk art skylines - Paris, Chicago, Old Montreal, Toronto, Quebec, and more - called out to me, and tucked in here and there a Santa Claus grinned from the front of a sleigh full of toys. I swayed before the luminous tower of doom and two boxes jumped into my hands. "Christmas presents for others," I vowed.

I turned away from the tower of temptation, but alas I cast a glance back over my shoulder. Only for a moment, I swear! Long enough to see the bright orange jack-o-lantern wink at me. I was instantly bewitched by 'All Hallow's Eve'. The box levitated into my cart.

And so here I am on this Monday morning face to face with an over flowing ToDo list. Ah, but there's a twinkle in my eye and a finished puzzle on the dining room table. There is nothing quite so satisfying as the soft click as a puzzle piece finds its place in the whole. There is nothing like bringing order and beauty out of a jumble of cardboard. And the feeling as I press that final piece into place is as close to perfection as it gets.

"All Hallow's Eve" Dowdle Puzzles

It's time to kick off into a new week - I've got some catching up to do.
Enjoy!

text ©2013 April Hoeller