h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When I was little we used to do jigsaws all the time. The same ones came out time after time until we knew some of them well enough to do with the non-picture side up, just from the shape of the pieces. Then there were the dinner table size mega-jigsaws that came out over Christmas and Bank Holiday weekends. And the one that came in a set of smaller jigsaws that my sister & I used to race against each other for fastest completion.

My mother's favourite bit was sorting out edges and skies with all their shades of blue. So when I went to visit her at the Care Home this week and found her wheelchair drawn up to a table covered in jigsaw pieces I thought, how nice that they're trying to involve her in an activity she used to enjoy. Then I saw the little pile of pieces she'd gathered in front of her and was surprised she could remember how jigsaws work. Then I saw she had her mouth full and was chewing hard. Then I saw the little bits of blue paper around her mouth...

Once alerted the carers removed the mass of soggy cardboard from her mouth and replaced the pile of jigsaw pieces with a pile of biscuit pieces and a glass of squash. Far more tasty I'd have thought and definitely better for her. The carers were apologetic saying "we only left her alone for a few minutes". I know they can't be with all the residents all the time, but I guess when they've regressed to the state of toddlers who try to chew everything within reach, it doesn't take long for them to get into trouble.

I put the remaining jigsaw pieces back in the box. No more multi coloured cardboard sweeties for my mother this week!

[Amy P]