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January 2026

Jumbo Joy

As I shuffle my slippery new deck of cards, I feel joy!  Chelsea bought me new cards… the ones with jumbo numbers and letters.  There are two decks in a pack, one red and one blue.  I chose the red ones to use first.  Red is my favorite color.  It’s the color of the Danish flag, Yule Nisse, the cherry on top, my favorite lipstick, my dad’s favorite cufflinks that fascinated me as a kid.

As I’m shuffling and dealing… BTW, I’m addicted to Solitaire… I realize how happy I can get over a new deck of cards.  Who else gets this happy over a deck of cards?  Melania Trump?  I doubt it!

My addiction to Solitaire is not just an idle sport.  It’s a meditative practice.  I use it to relax and take a break or to avoid doing something I don’t want to do.  It’s thinking time for me… and planning time, too.  Sadly, it’s also a barometer of my vision loss, as well.  I used to be able to see red vs. black and diamonds vs. spades.  Now, even with jumbo print, I have to be a bit more careful.  I make lots of mistakes but, whenever possible, I give myself grace… correct the mistake and keep playing.  Someday, I may not be able to play anymore so I don’t feel guilty about this.

Playing Solitaire with my jumbo deck affords me time to do some creative thinking about my art, my socializing, my work with Journey House, my family, and so on.  I spend time with thoughts of gratitude, as I play.  Sometimes I even keep pen and paper close by to make notes.

Jumbo joy comes to me at other times, too.  In my patio swing on a sunny day or my front porch bistro table or the backyard bench by the treehouse.  Jumbo joy is the feeling I get when I think about the small things in life that bring me so much joy… like friends, family, bird songs, parrot fly-overs, the sounds of people having fun at Farnsworth Park… and, of course, memories.  Even memories of old loves that ended badly… even they have good times to remember.  Maybe some of those old guys are still out there somewhere remembering those same times!  Who knows?  Maybe!

I can’t help but wonder what brings jumbo joy to Melania.  Is it the gold toilets, the ridiculously expensive clothes she wears, all those good times with the Donald, her son?  Maybe she enjoys bird songs, too!  And parrot fly-overs.  Maybe she plays Solitaire and enjoys it as much as I do!  I’m just sayin’… maybe.

Whatever jumbo joy is, it comes to me regularly.  It’s knowing I am loved and worthy and gifted.  It’s knowing that losing my vision is opening new doors.  It’s knowing my life is full.  It’s having friends who will listen to what I write!