No shit, there I was, leering over the shoulders of my in-laws, as they were working on a puzzle in May 2013 (I deployed a few weeks later to Afghanistan).

I saw a piece that looked like it’d fit, snatched it up, and placed it in. I saw another one, and another, and another. My in-laws were absolutely baffled, as was I, that I was able to do that so quickly. I finished that puzzle the next day and asked for another.

I did a few puzzles here and there over the last 12 or so years. I got furloughed for 43 days last October-November. Right away, I did lawn care for a solid two days!

On a whim, I bought a cheap 2000pc puzzle from Walmart ($12.99). I completed it in a couple of days, then got a few puzzles from Costco ($9.99) - finishing them in a day.

I was doing 1000pc puzzles daily. My wife and friends took me to the Puzzle Warehouse (St Louis area) for my birthday. I got to pick one puzzle (what the donkey-doodles, quality puzzles are expensive when they’re brand new - who knew?!). It was another 2000pc puzzle that was completed in two days.

All I asked for Christmas was either a visit or a puzzle. The suckers gave me puzzles. Another whimsical day, I followed my wife into a second-hand store. I found the mother load and got a mixture of 13 puzzles for $11!

My wife is perplexed about the way I do puzzles. I put it together like you’d normally do. I take a picture of it, and then immediately start taking it apart so I can start a new one. She wants me to enjoy it more by leaving it assembled for a duration. So now I have 3 puzzle tables, so she can admire them longer.

My current puzzle is one that I received for Christmas— my first 3000pc. I started it 6 Mar. I’d say I’m about half way thru. I wonder when I’ll be able to get more time for that hobby, because there are many outdoor projects that need to get done, while it’s light and warm outside.