Little Park Ranger is a 500-piece puzzle from Mudpuppy. This is such a cute puzzle! It was a redo because I needed a waterfall for a Facebook challenge.
I was surprised when I opened the box that the pieces were loose because I usually put them in a ziplock bag. As I finished the puzzle, I realized sadly that I was missing three pieces and had an extra piece from another puzzle. I looked back through my photos and was able to reunite the extra piece with the proper puzzle, but I didn’t find any of the missing pieces from this one.
I still think it is adorable, even with the missing pieces. It’s hard to pick a favorite square because they all have interesting elements, but I especially like Olympic and Sequoia.
Rainbow Stationery is a 750-piece puzzle from Ceaco, and the artist is Martha Roberts. This is part of their ColorStory line. It was a very satisfying rainbow puzzle. The fit was pretty loose, but I really enjoyed the process of working through each color. There is something pleasing about seeing the items all lined up like that!
Cosmic Lights is a 500-piece puzzle from Galison. I needed to do a puzzle with Northern Lights for a Facebook challenge, and this one spoke to me!
I appreciated that there were no false fits even though the pieces are all two-in, two-out. Overall, the quality was good, but a couple of the pieces did have a rough, gritty texture, which was unpleasant.
This week was fairly busy for me. On Monday evening, the committee members from the autism mothers luncheon met at a restaurant for a debrief of the event and some socializing. We had a very nice time and shared some good ideas for next year.
On Tuesday, Michael had some dental work done. His dentist prescribed some medication to relax him, which he took the night before and the morning of. Everything went very well, which was a relief for both of us. He has to go back in a couple of weeks to get some work done on the other side, but he has the meds for that so I think it will be fine.
Michael’s case manager came over on Wednesday for a quick check-in. He is on the list for the state autism waiver, which would entitle him to some helpful services, but there is no way to say when he will be approved. It does by need rather than in order, so it can take a while.
Friday evening my friend Suzanne came over, and we ordered Chinese takeout and did a puzzle. This week, I had also seen a post on Facebook for a puzzle group that meets at a local library, and the next meeting was Saturday afternoon. I was a bit nervous because I have had trouble handling social events for the last few months, but I figured this would be pretty low key and not too loud.
I’m not going to go into the details of the afternoon right now because I am still processing my feelings about it. It was positive overall, but there were some awkward moments on my part that I was really embarrassed about later and even when I woke up this morning. I ended up spending some time reading posts on a Facebook group I am in for women with autism, and that made me feel better. Hearing what people similar to me are going through makes me feel less alone in my different-ness.
Today, I did some more puzzling and also some personal admin stuff that needed to get done. It has turned out to be a pretty good weekend, and I am looking forward to the upcoming week.
Lies and Other Love Languages by Sonali Dev – I have enjoyed several books by this author. This one is pretty good so far. It does have a dual timeline, and I am still trying to put together how the story from the past fits in with the present events. I have a vague idea but it hasn’t been revealed yet.
Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman (Alex Delaware #41) – I really like this series. When my turn came for it on Libby, I was in a bit of a reading slump and I only got to 80% before it got automatically returned. Now I am back on the waiting list to get it again so I can finish it. Update: I am still on the waiting list for this one!
What I Recently Finished
Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld
Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra (The March Sisters #1)
Beth and Amy by Virginia Kantra (The March Sisters #2)
Revenge Prey by John Sandford (Lucas Davenport #36)
Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams (When in Rome #3)
Lessons at the School by the Sea by Jenny Colgan (School by the Sea #3)
Studies at the School by the Sea by Jenny Colgan (School by the Sea #4)
Everybody’s Favorite Guy by Katherine Center (short story)
What I Added to my TBR
Allegiant by Veronica Roth (Divergent #3)
The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth (The Sixth Faction #1)
Start at the End by Emmy Grey
The Last Love Note by Emma Grey
Pictures of You by Emma Grey
TBR Stats/Goal Updates
I currently have 184 books on my TBR. Of these, 8 are nonfiction and 176 are fiction.
I have read 24 books so far in 2026. My goal is 100, so I am 8 books behind. It’s okay if I don’t meet my goal, though. My reading ebbs and flows depending on my mood and circumstances.
I have not finished any nonfiction books so far in 2026. My goal is 6.
I ended my Kindle Unlimited subscription. I read 15 books and had 1 DNF during the time I had KU.
Emerald Bookstore is a 1000-piece puzzle from Villager, and the artist is Tara Younggren. This was a splurge from their spring collection, and I am so happy I got it!
I love this image so much. I am a lifelong bookworm, so combining puzzles and books is always a big hit for me. Villager is also such a great brand. I love the quality of their puzzles.
This one was definitely a challenge but in a very satisfying way. I had to sort by shape to get through the last third of the puzzle, but I never felt truly stuck or frustrated.
I also just hear they are coming out with some 250-piece puzzles soon, and I am excited to see them.
Seashells is a 1000-piece puzzle from Elena Essex, and the artist is Katherine Herrell. I just love rainbow/gradient puzzles. It is so enjoyable to pick out the colors one by one and work on each section. I also love the quality of this brand. The pieces are a nice shape and weight, and they fit together well.
I love how each of the seashells has a slightly different pattern; they are so beautiful. There were also very few pieces that had just the background color on them, which was very nice.
Purrfect Life is a 1000-piece puzzle from Elewhite, and the artists are Juan & Yuan. Earlier this year, I splurged on a few puzzles from higher-end brands, and this was one of them. This was my first Elewhite puzzle, and I was blown away by how much I loved it! The colors are so vibrant, and the image is super adorable.
This puzzle is panoramic, and the box mimics that in the design. The pieces are packaged in a reusable silky storage bag, and there is a poster that is about the size of the image on the box. I loved the feel of the pieces, both the weight and the finish. They fit together perfectly with no false fits.
I usually do puzzles sitting on my couch using my rotating puzzle board, but this puzzle was too wide to fit it, so I had to use the dining room table. I had forgotten how uncomfortable hard wooden chairs can be after a few hours. Thankfully I was able to finish it in two sessions!
There are so many cute details in this puzzle. Here are a few closeups of some of them:
I have read many adaptations and retellings of books by Jane Austen, but it’s not that often that I come across books based on 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 by Louisa May Alcott. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 is a two-book series that was published in 2019 and 2020. The first book focuses on Meg & Jo, while the second book focuses on Beth & Amy. We also get a glimpse into their parents’ relationship.
I thoroughly enjoyed this modern take on a beloved classic. Each sister faces different challenges in her life and in her relationships, and I appreciated the way Kantra shows how their childhood experiences mix with their personalities to contribute to their current issues.
This picture is from the 2026 Autism Mother to Mother Luncheon held in Harrisburg, PA last weekend. The luncheon was started several years ago, and the main location is currently in Chambersburg, PA. The idea is to provide a special day for mothers and female caregivers of children with autism. It includes a catered lunch and a program with music and an inspirational speaker. This is the second year it has been livestreamed to other locations, and I have been part of the planning committee for the Harrisburg location both times.
My contribution to the event was to oversee registration. This involved keeping track of the online registrations as they come in as well as preparing the items we hand out at registration such as the name tags and programs. It was nice to be able to use my strengths to help out in this way.
The event went really well. We had 73 women in attendance and also provided childcare for 15 kids. There were a couple of hiccups that we can address for next time, but no major issues that I am aware of. I did have to personally step out of the after-lunch program because I was overstimulated after two days of in person preparations and then all the noise and bustle of the event. I hung out in the office for a while and did a few cleanup tasks before heading home. I didn’t have that level of difficulty last year, I was just exhausted, but I have been experiencing what many call autistic burnout for a few months, so that likely explains it.
I am hopeful that I will be able to do it again next year, but I will have to see how I feel when the time to start planning comes around. Perhaps there are changes I can make to how I participate so that I can still contribute.
Here are a couple of pics from the registration area:
In So Many Words 