Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri gave Bob one of his 36 piece puzzles the other day to work on. He has not been able to complete them any more, but will still work on it for a while. As Bob's frustration grew not being able to connect the pieces, "Al" turned to Sheri with his thumb in Bob's belt loop stretching out his back in his usual way, and said "I really just need a razor or scissors so I can get these pieces to fit." Sheri replied "Well lets see if we can move them around a bit." She worked with him on a few pieces  and went back to what she was doing. A few minutes later Bob repeated his request and asked Sheri for some scissors. Sheri made the mistake of saying that he did not need scissors. "Al" in a very angry and uncharacteristic way shoved the card table forward stood up with his jaw clenched tight to one side, raised his voice and said "then I might as well find something else to do, I need a knife to finish this it is an old puzzle it does not work anymore!" Sheri was not prepared for this outburst. Redirect she thought to herself, redirect. While she was trying to regroup Bob and "Al" took off to the bedroom. Sheri paused and thought "okay just give him a minute to cool down." Sheri waited and within a minute or two she hears the very familiar sound of Bob's whistling in the hallway. Bob returns to the living room calmly sits down at the puzzle. Sheri is thinking "Oh good he has forgotten his frustration". Well, Sheri's assurance that the situation had resolved itself ended quickly as Sheri glanced over just in time to see that "Al" ( determined fellow that he is ) was quite pleased with himself as he placed the exacto knife he lifted from the craft shelf in the hallway...  down by the puzzle. :)
No wonder he was whistling, no more puzzles for "Al".

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob woke up this morning and saw the puzzle he had been working on the evening before. "Al" scratching Bob's head said " I see someone has been been working on a puzzle." Sheri replied "Yup". Bob turned to Sheri with a question in his voice "Al" said "Who"?    :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob would like Sheri to notify the puzzle company that the 36 piece puzzle he is working on is missing some of the pieces. Unfortunately, it's not the puzzle that is missing pieces "Al" is having trouble seeing the bigger picture. :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob was having a not so good day. Sheri sat him down in his chair and set up a folding table for him to work on one of his 36 piece puzzles designed for people with Alzheimer or Dementia. After three hours of working diligently on the puzzle and growing frustrated, "Al" decided to ask Zoey the cat for her opinion since she had been sitting patiently watching him the entire time.  :)

  

Living with Bob and "Al"

It was still a bit to chilly in the frozen tundra yesterday for Bob's arthritis, so Sheri gave him another 36 piece puzzle to do. This time she decided to not guide or help so she could see his processes. Oh my... 4 and 1/2 hours later he is done. Sheri heard all of the following in those 4 1/2 hours.
1. Some of the pieces must be missing
2. I need a tape measure to measure the circumference ( that is the not so handyman talking, because the puzzle is square )
3. I need to write to the makers of this and complain it doesn't work
4. Where are the intructions?
5. The only way this is going to fit is if I cut the piece down
6. Something is just not right here
8. I think the cat took some pieces
9. This looked so easy, I don't understand why this is so hard
10. This is a trick puzzle, I think you should try it.
Sheri wanting to show confidence that he could do it said " well if you can't do it then I know I can't do it" "Al" replied "Yes, that is true, because I won spelling bees all over the world."
"Well then" Sheri thought... there you have it!

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob managed a hardware in his last career. He was a "I can build anything fix anything" type of a guy. Sheri bought some puzzles designed for Alzheimer and Dementia victims. A 36 piece puzzle with huge pieces. When Bob started it he said "well with the size of these pieces this should be easy." An hour into the puzzle Bob said "well this is a little trickier than it looks." Bob has no self awareness of his disease, hence no understanding of why a 36 piece puzzle is difficult for him. It took "Al" 2 1/2 hours...Sheri watched and guided him struggling to build the frame of the puzzle first (something Bob had always encouraged the kids to do) but "they" got the 36 piece puzzle of a train together with great pride.
Sheri was pleased, and it got "Al's the handy is gone out of the man" stamp of approval  :)
http://www.springbok-puzzles.com/category/alzheimers-puzzles