On Sundays during the school year it helps to be around and visible to my family. Besides, it’s laundry day. “Around” can mean stationed at the kitchen counter doing the weekly Wapo Magazine crossword in between loads, folding laundry in front of a baseball game on MASN, or puttering outside in the garden. Since baseball season is not quite here, and I’m caught up for the moment outside, today I’m tackling the crossword before I go for a walk with my daughter and the neighbor’s dogs.
Clues on my phone are off limits except for a celebrity or a brand. I don’t hold myself accountable for those. If I’m having trouble with one section of the puzzle, I switch to a different section for awhile. In general, over time, I have found that Down clues are often easier for me than Across clues. I have no idea why, but I will often bolster my game with the down clues first. The puzzle from two weeks ago was easier than most. Last week’s still haunts me, but I’m sticking with it before going on to this week’s. Every now and then I have to pass a puzzle over to my better-read spouse with his gargantuan vocabulary. (He’s been known to do them in one sitting.)
What I mainly love about Sundays, besides sticking close to home, puttering in my yard, putting laundry behind me for another week or challenging my brain, is that feeling just before another work week begins. Standing on the precipice before jumping. Looking around to admire the view. Taking a moment to slow down, take deep breaths, and reminding myself to enjoy the here and now.
I once read an interview with WIll Shortz, the NYTimes puzzle editor, and he said doing the downs first was an excellent strategy. So you happened on to that one by yourself and through experience, which is always the best teacher.
ReplyDeleteCool! I wonder why that is.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you focus on the postive of a Sunday - I have a tendency to dread them. Thanks for the "re-frame".
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this post so much. I usually dread my Sunday jobs of laundry and cooking, and whatever else I have put off til Sunday. I usually have the Sunday blues. But, you've reminded me to find joy in the day, even if it is a Sunday!
ReplyDeleteMy Sundays are usually for cooking meals and getting ready for the school week. However, I am addicted to a game on my phone called Wordscapes. Have you ever played it? It is so much fun and they have tournaments on the weekends. I ended up in 2nd place this week! Have a good Monday!
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