Don't Leave Your Jigsaw Home Alone
Once
in a while I like doing a large jigsaw puzzle. I don't particularly
like the smaller ones. It seems as if you've hardly got the pieces
sorted and turned over when the puzzle is done, and ready to scramble
up and put back in the box.
aving
said that, I find that I hardly ever get time to do a large puzzle
at home. There are too many distractions, lawns to mow, people to
talk to, and things to fix. It seems that the best time for me to
relax is when I'm travelling in the RV. At the end of a long drive
it's often nice to set out the puzzle somewhere outside where the
view is good, and the sun is nice.
To make this work, it's necessary to have the puzzle easily accessible
and easily storable. You can achieve this by rolling up your work.
There are skeptics who will tell you that it's impossible to roll
up a jigsaw… sorry guys… it's very possible.
 All
you need is a piece of green felt to work on, and a cardboard tube
to roll the felt on. You can purchase a kit, or you can buy the
pieces separately. Start by going to Home Depot and asking the fellow
in the rug department if you could have a piece of the centre roll
from a roll of carpet material. Cut this about 38 inches long. Shop
for some nice green felt and cut this so it's about 34 inches wide
and long enough to hang down over the table you wish to use. Use
clothes pins to fasten it down to the table, in case of wind.
Most
fold-up tables are about 24 inches wide, and that's good for most
large puzzles. For 2500 piece puzzles I had to add a temporary two
inches to the table. Select a table that has legs that telescope.
That way you can lower the side of the table nearest your chair
and make it a comfortable reach when working on the puzzle.
I
also made little trays of cardboard,
and covered them with felt as well. On these I organize the pieces,
and then store them in a small box when it's time to travel.
Now,
you can set up your puzzle, and do your puzzle, knowing all the
while you are giving those little brain cells some badly needed
exercise… at least in my case. And, your puzzle doesn't have
to stay at home, alone.
 Happy RVing!
For more than four decades James Stoness has travelled
the roads of North America, photographing and writing about what he has
seen. His travel articles and beautiful pictures have been published in
several magazines and newspapers. He is also the author of five western
novels.
In the “Touring North America” scenic tour series, James brings a new
concept in Scenic Travel Books. The premise that several Minitours can
be created so they interlink, makes it possible for the potential traveller
to chain several Minitours together to make a longer trip. The maps, coloured
photographs, and descriptions help you plan your trip, and enjoy your
progress along the route.
Visit James at www.stonesstravelguides.com.
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