Friday 25 January 2013

The Senior Cat likes to make

wooden puzzles, not jigsaw puzzles but three dimensional puzzles that require considerable manipulative skills as well as cunning to put together. They come in all sorts of shapes, forms and sizes.
The people who designed them (not the Senior Cat) were devilishly clever. Some of them look almost impossible to do.
Someone is coming to visit the Senior Cat this afternoon. They have forgotten how to do some of the puzzles the Senior Cat made for them some years ago. This person wants to use them as a preliminary activity for teens on a summer school.
She phoned two days ago to ask for help. I could see the Senior Cat hesitate and I knew why.
Some years ago he made another puzzle for a cousin. At the time he made it he could do it. He taught the cousin how to do it - after hours of frustration on the part of the cousin. Then he forgot about it. So did the cousin - until the cousin's grandchildren wanted to do it. There was a yell for help to the Senior Cat. Ooops...he had forgotten too!
It took him just half an hour to "remember" the trick to doing it but he felt mildly embarrassed. This time he is determined he will not be in the same position...although he has told the impending visitor this story.
I have given him books on making and designing these puzzles. The family has found him other puzzles over the years. They are some of the most irritating and pointless of challenges and yet people find them fascinating. I am not sure why. The psychology interests me.
I am quite sure he will remember how to do these puzzles - but I am absolutely hopeless at them.

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