Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri finally gave up and gave Bob and "Al" some scotch tape for his large 12 piece Alzheimer puzzle. Well, it was really for  "Al" preservation, because Bob wanted to find a knife to trim the pieces to fit. :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Well, Bob gave up on trying to cut the 36 piece Alzheimer puzzle pieces to make them fit, "Al" has moved on to soaking them in water.
Heavy sigh...

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri was washing dishes this weekend and was letting Bob help. "Al" was pleased to be drying the dishes the best he could. When they finished the dishes Sheri mentioned to Bob that he could sit down, rest his back and keep working on the puzzle he had been putzing with all weekend. "Al" sat down, looked at the puzzle pieces and said to Sheri "these look like they have all been dried already," "yes" he repeated to himself with confidence as he inspecting one of the pieces "these are all dried up already. so I guess I am done"   :)
heavy sigh...

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri needs to put her thinking cap back on. The 36 giant piece Alzheimer puzzles  (although "Al" was still willing to try to work on them) are now being permanently damaged because "Al" is bending, folding, tearing and cutting them to try to get them to fit together. She needs to find a new activity for the cold and blustery days in the frozen tundra.
Heavy sigh.

Living with Bob and "Al"

"Al" is a very resourceful fellow. Bob causally mentioned needing to cut the puzzle pieces to make them fit again yesterday. Then "Al" nonchalantly held two pieces down in Bob's lap and Sheri saw the too familiar gritting of Bob's teeth, jaw clenched to one side. "Al" was tearing the puzzle piece to make it fit, very resourceful indeed.
Time to redirect:)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob can no longer do his 36 piece Alzheimer puzzles. "Al" is frustrated and impatient. Sheri tries to encourage him but to no avail. She will say "you are the puzzle maker, I am the picture taker" Bob used to smile when Sheri said that, with pride written all over his face.
Such subtle and not so subtle changes.

Matthew 6:25
"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

Living with Bob and "Al"

Rainy weather yesterday left Sheri struggling for something for Bob and "Al" to do again. She brought out his train puzzle. The 36 piece Alzheimer puzzle Bob likes. he worked on it for a good 3 hours and was so very close to finishing it, but "Al's" lack of ability to conceptualize left  him and convinced it must be complete just the way it was. :)

All "Al" had to do was move that whole bottom row of pieces to the top

He was headed in the right direction, even Zoey the cat was rooting for him

Oh, "Al" you were so close, back down to bottom he went :(

Living with Bob and "Al"

Because the kitties have taken over Bob's puzzle box, "Al" thinks he has all the proof he needs to defend his theory that the reason the (36 piece) puzzles are so hard for him... is because the cats are eating his puzzle pieces :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob keeps asking Sheri if she wants to help with his puzzles. ( The 36 piece Alzheimer puzzles) in order to make him feel good about doing them, and to make sure she can use his puzzle time to get other things done Sheri has developed a standard answer. Sheri says "Who me? No... I am not good at puzzles. I am the picture taker, YOU are the puzzle maker." "Al" smiles from ear to ear. Some times she just has to get creative :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Still to cold in the frozen tundra to do much of anything. Bob wanted to do a puzzle, Sheri thought that was a great idea too.  :) 3 hours later still working on the 36 piece puzzle "Al" says "There is no way in hell all the pieces are here, it is just not gonna happen" Sheri chuckled to herself, but at least it gave her time to do some indoor photography. ( But she really should have been cleaning house)
Oh but Bob, please to talk to "Al" about his language :)

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Living with Bob and "Al"

Poor Bob, "Al" got this far in the 36 piece puzzle, then "Al" scratching Bob's head said " I just don't understand why this isn't working... there are still big gaps but I have used all the pieces."

Gotta love him :)