Shoemaker's Puzzle

 

I love books, probably more than is good for me. But even I know I can’t keep them all. I haven’t the space, and even if I did, I’d never live long enough to finish everything I find interesting. Unlike most book hoarders, I’ve actually read nearly everything in my collection – some of them many times. Now and then I go through my collection and weed out the ones I’m unlikely to read again; books that deserve a chance to be enjoyed by someone else. I used to donate these to a good will shop, but this past year has made that so complicated. This week I discovered UtahBookPickup.com, who’ll actually come to your house (or business or storage unit) to haul away unwanted books. They’ll then be sold online or donated to thrift shops, book stores, or libraries. I win more shelf space without adding to the landfill. And, of course, I can buy more books!

Thirty Churn Dash Blocks

 

The strings were tied, it was freshly washed, and maybe even pressed.

For Grandma, it was everyday to choose one when she dressed.

The simple apron that it was, you’d never think about;

the things she used it for, that made it look worn out.

She may have used it to hold some wildflowers that she’d found.

Or to hide a crying child’s face when a stranger came around.

Imagine all the little tears that were wiped with just that cloth.

Or it became a potholder to serve some chicken broth.

When canning all her vegetables, it was used to wipe her brow.

You never know, she might have used it to shoo flies from the cow.

She might have carried eggs in from the chicken coop outside.

Whatever chore she used it for, she did them all with pride.

When Grandma went to heaven, God said she now could rest.

I’m sure the apron that she chose was her Sunday best. 

 - Tina Trivett

Shotgun Cottage

 

The Alhambra Court Hotel is a short walk from York’s Museum Gardens. We might have stayed there if we didn’t live half an hour away. It’s a quaint family-run, family-friendly affair, and they provide a full English breakfast: fried eggs, fried toast, sausage, bacon, the works. All that frying means their kitchen uses an extractor fan. The hotel’s owner noticed odd noises coming from the fan last week. The noises turned out to be a very unhappy trapped owl. RSPCA were called, and the owl was extracted from the extractor fan. "The fan was sticky and covered in grease which made it harder for the bird to free herself," said the owl’s rescuer. The bird was taken to Ryedale Rehab and given a Green Fairy (dish soap) bath. “She wasn’t impressed by the bath, but she looks and feels much better.” She’ll stay at Ryedale until a vet clears her to be released. Hopefully the fan’s been thoroughly cleaned, too.

Twenty-five Churn Dash Blocks

 

A distraught blonde calls her boyfriend and says, "Baby, I need you to come over right away to help me with a jigsaw puzzle. It's really hard and I don't even know where to start." He asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?" She replies, "The picture on the box says it's supposed to be a rooster." Once he gets to her house, she leads him to the kitchen where she has the puzzle scattered all over the table. He looks at the pieces, studies the box and says, "First of all, we're never going to be able to put these pieces together to look like a rooster." He takes her hand and with a deep sigh continues, "Second, I want you to relax, have a drink and then we can start putting the cornflakes back in the box."

Yankee Puzzle

 

“Be the person who breaks the cycle. If you were judged, choose understanding. If you were rejected, choose acceptance. If you were shamed, choose compassion. Be the person you needed when you were hurting, not the person who hurt you. Vow to be better than what broke you—to heal instead of becoming bitter so you can act from your heart, not your pain.”

“We can’t fully appreciate a picturesque sunset if we’re wishing it would never rain again. We can’t fully enjoy a moment of true connection if we’re wishing we’d never feel alone again. We can’t fully savor a relaxing day if we’re wishing we’d never be busy again. The key to happiness is to focus less on making moments last and more on making the moments count.” – Lori Deschene, author of the Tiny Buddha series

One Dozen Houses

 

“I invite you to learn about and apply the Savior’s teachings about interactions and episodes that can be construed as offensive.

‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.’

‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’

Interestingly, the admonition to ‘be ye therefore perfect’ is immediately preceded by counsel about how we should act in response to wrongdoing and offense. If a person says or does something that we consider offensive, our first obligation is to refuse to take offense and then to communicate privately, honestly and directly with that individual. Such an approach invites inspiration from the Holy Ghost and permits misperceptions to be clarified and true intent to be understood.” – David A Bednar

Another Carriage House

 

"What time is it? What day is it? I haven’t got a clue. I don’t know where I’m s’posed to be or what I’m s’posed to do. I’ve had long talks with both my dogs. We’ve argued and debated. I bought a whole month’s worth of food, but then I went and ate it. What day is it? What month is it? Does anybody care? I put on my pajamas once and now that’s all I wear. The walls are thin. They’re moving in. I’m sick and tired of Zoom. It turns out if I had more time, I still won’t clean that room. What month is it? What year is it? I’m asking for a friend. I don’t know if you’re showering, but I sure haven’t been. This quarantine feels like a dream but sadly it’s all true. And so, I’m staying locked inside and you had better, too!" – Billy Simmons, from Earth is Not a Planet