Well, here we are again. Memorial Day weekend. The unofficial kickoff to summer—barbecue smoke in the air, lawn chairs unfolding like clockwork, and somewhere in the distance, the low hum of a box fan spinning its slow revolution in a screen porch.
Here in Perry, Florida, it’s warming up fast. We’re pushing past 90, and it’s not even June. Shade’s no match for this kind of heat. That kind of full-body, porch-sitting, too-hot-for-words heat where moving feels optional and thinking feels like work. The kind of weather where the smart folks aren’t packing up for the beach—they’re staying put, iced tea in hand, ceiling fan on high, and maybe… cracking open a puzzle book.
Yeah, you heard me. Crossword puzzles. Word searches. Quiet brain stuff. Paper-and-pen simplicity.
There’s something underrated about shutting out the digital noise for a while and working your way through a page of clues. Maybe it’s nostalgia. Maybe it’s the little dopamine hit when you finally get 17-Across after fifteen minutes of staring at it sideways. Or maybe it’s just the pure satisfaction of finishing something—no app needed, no logins, no buzzing notifications. Just you, a pencil, and some words.
Word searches are the gentler cousin. Less mental gymnastics, more slow-and-steady hunting. There’s a comfort in the repetition. The pattern. The moment of “Aha!” when you spot “cantaloupe” tucked diagonally between “banana” and “fig.” You can do it half-awake or fully caffeinated. Either way, it’s meditative.
Of course, Memorial Day isn’t just about hot dogs and hammocks. It’s a time to remember those who didn’t get the long weekend—men and women who gave up everything so we could. That kind of sacrifice deserves more than just sales ads and traffic jams. Even a quiet moment of reflection counts. Maybe while you’re searching for “liberty” in a word grid, you think a little on what it actually means.
These books aren’t just for grandma’s knitting basket anymore. They’ve come a long way. You can get themed ones—movies, history, gardening, dogs. Even the cryptic crosswords for the truly brave.
If that sounds like your speed, I’ve got a couple recommendations you might like. Good ones to keep on the coffee table, near the couch, or in that drawer next to the remote:
— 100 Word Search Puzzle Book for Adults
— Funster Crossword Puzzle Book for Adults: 101 Large-Print Easy Puzzles
So while the grills fire up and the sunscreen gets slathered, maybe give yourself permission to sit this one out. Let the heat do what it’s gonna do. Stay cool, stay inside, and work your way through a puzzle or two.
And maybe—just maybe—raise a glass, or a pencil, in quiet thanks.
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