Monday Musings

Doing a jigsaw puzzle engages both sides of the brain, which improves cognitive function, problem-solving, number skills, and memory. Puzzles have existed for centuries, beginning with labyrinth drawing puzzles in Ancient Egypt. In 1767, mapmaker John Spilsbury created the first jigsaw puzzle as a tool to teach geography. There was a full-blown puzzle mania in the US in 1908. Later, during the Great Depression, puzzles reached peak popularity, with 10 million sold per week. People made puzzles to sell; libraries and drugstores would rent puzzles by the day. Another entertaining idea was the “Jig of the Week” sold on Wednesdays at newsstands: friends would challenge each other over who could solve the week’s puzzle first. A second jigsaw puzzle boom occurred in 2020 during the COVID-19 epidemic as a solo pastime during long periods of solitude. Do you enjoy putting together jigsaw puzzles? Do you assemble the pieces alone or as a group project? You can follow the Author on her  Website

In the past few years, I’ve had a trifecta of bionic replacement parts implanted: both cataracts removed and replaced with corrective lenses (#1 and #2) and a total left hip replacement (#3). Bionic as in definition number two above. No, I am not becoming superhuman, as suggested by the third description.  On Tuesday, I’ll be undergoing operation #4, a total right hip replacement. Plus, a bonus Abductor Tendon repair for a Gluteus Medius tear-OUCH!  The combined procedure will require a more prolonged rehabilitation, at least six weeks of walker support. I’m grateful to have the surgery during the winter season, so I will be ready to garden in the upcoming spring. All of this is likely TMI (too much information). Have you had any restorative operations? I hope you have been as satisfied and delighted with your results as I am. You can follow the Author on her  Website  or  X  (formerly Twitter).

Rain, snow, and subzero temperatures are plaguing the U.S. In the NE, coastal Maine is experiencing historic flooding. Here in our Blue Ridge, NC, mountain community, torrential rains caused our local waterfall to become a muddy raging force. In the valley below, our access road nearly became impassable due to the rising creek. Extreme cold weather in the nation’s midwest has caused power outages in entire counties during the deadly subzero temperatures. Even professional football has felt the effects. KC Quarterback Mahomes suffered an unexpected helmet crack during the Chiefs vs. Dolphins game, played in record-breaking chilling temperatures: at kickoff it was minus-4 degrees F with a wind chill of minus-27. Monday afternoon, even after a one-day snow delay, the Bills vs. Steelers game will still be plagued by drifts in parking lots and snow-filled seating. Paid locals have been shoveling the seats and bleachers for 24 hours, and many fans will still have to stand in knee-deep snow.

Today, we think about the Earth’s movement:  rotation  means to turn, and  revolution  to go around. It wasn't always evident that these motions occurred. Ptolemy postulated that the Earth was the center of the Universe and that the Sun revolved around our planet. Copernicus performed experiments that showed the opposite was true and published his results in 1543, months before his death. The printer added disclosures regarding the validity of the statements and suggested the information only aided astronomers. His book was banned by the Catholic church as heresy in 1616. In 1632, Galileo agreed with the Heliocentric Model aided by the use of his telescope. He, too, was accused of heresy and placed under house arrest for the remainder of his life. It was not until 1758 that the Catholic Church decided it was not heretical to say the Earth rotates around the Sun. Leon Foucault proved the theory of rotation with his famous pendulum experiment. You can view the Pendulum in the Paris P

I wish you a happy, healthy, productive, and prosperous New Year. You can follow the Author on her  Website  or  X .