This year, 2024, my puzzling has been a bit different than my super fun and busy puzzle year of 2023. I went back to work full-time as a medical coder early in the year. I knew I wouldn’t be able to puzzle full time forever (yet) since we do have a house payment and a high schooler who has some pretty high college aspirations! I will say though, 2023 was a magical break from reading emergency room medical records all day. So, my puzzling went from 20,000 pieces a month to maybe 3000-4000 pieces a month! My oh my, what a slow down! Lol! This summer I moved my puzzle area to a different room (and it looks great!) so I have more space to work in (job work, not puzzles), since I was working in my closet! That was a bit cramped! Haha! I have a blog post on the evolution of my puzzle area and you can read that here on my blog when you get the chance.

So, this year, my days are full with work and taking care of my two basset hounds, Eeyore and Maggie, who just turned 11 this month. Maggie has had some medical issues which started in March and it was right before I was going to go to the USA Speed Puzzing competition in San Diego. I wasn’t able to go anyway since I had to cancel due to my husband having to travel for work. I do plan to go one day, maybe in 2026! With my dogs being a bit up there in age, I just stay close by when they need me. When I am working, they lay in my office next to my chair. When I am puzzling they whine and bark, because I am ignoring them. They just don’t approve of my puzzle life, unless I am on the couch! Lol! I have worked from home on the computer their whole lives so they know that schedule, they just don’t understand the puzzle schedule! I will say though, after the hustle and bustle of 2023, I have enjoyed the slow down in 2024 a bit. I have thought of so many new ideas that I can bring to life when my real puzzle time comes back in the future. So, please, stay tuned!

And you might be wondering why I started a blog instead of just saying all of this in YouTube videos! I have done a lot of reflection this year and have realized that I am definitley more comfortable with writing than talking on video. I will still be doing time lapses, puzzle hauls and maybe a collection of “what I puzzled this month” type videos, but for puzzle and brand reviews, cool puzzle store reviews, life updates and more things like that, I quite prefer to blog. I can fully reflect on my experiences rather than stumble over my own words in a video. I often think of things I should have said after I make a video and for me, it isn’t easy to go back and add things into a video. With blogging, I can get my thoughts fully out and then think of what I want to add when I re-read and edit my post. I can do this any time, 5am or midnight, on my lunchbreak or in my car, without needing to make sure people aren’t making distracting noises that may come through in a video. So, I really hope you all enjoy my blog! I plan to do at least one post a week, mostly puzzle related, but I wil also be getting into more personal things in the ‘Just Life’ section of my blog as well. My first real post will be a puzzle store review, so be on the lookout for it! I will also be diving into a disorder called Misophonia, which is something I have had since I was young and now it has a name! And I will be donig a dedicated post for BOTYP and speed puzzling! That is it for now! Happy Puzzling!