New Year’s Puzzle

Every year, since I became self-employed, I have taken January off. I, rather pompously, call it my sabbatical. I also tell people I will be holidaying in the Caribbean for the duration. At least there is some truth in my first statement. 

Every year I have list of tasks that I promise myself to complete before I return to work in February; clean and sharpen tools, archive photographs, sort my outdoor clothing. Some I achieve, others, to my shame, remain unticked. One job already undertaken (and it is still December!) is the emptying of my work bag, sorting the detritus from the useful, washing the bag and starting all over again. 

Looking at the diverse, and sometimes puzzling contents I found within my bag, reminded me of the game we played as children, the wildly exciting Objects on a Tray game. And I thought, what better gift to you than something to amuse you at this party time of the year. Later, at your black tie Tizer and Hobnobs New Year event, there might well be a lull in proceedings. An inappropriate remark by the Archbishop might invoke an awkward silence or perhaps George Clooney will once again attempt the Worm Dance. Everyone will be examining their feet and wishing they had slippers on. You are desperate to get out of a tricky spot. “Let’s play Off The Edge Tray Game!” you cry. “What! You’ve never heard of it? It’s all the rage in fashionable society.” Disaster averted!

The rules are simple. All you have to do is study the tray for 30 seconds then look away and list all the items without peeping. To help I’ve given a list with a short attempt at an explanation.

Some, although not all, of the contents are listed below, when they appeared in multiples I’ve shown only one, the tray was getting very full!:
1. Two sets of keys, not mine – I can identify one set as Max’s but the other I have no idea.
2. An assortment of pens, pencils and markers – this bag eats pens, hides them when you need them and then spits them out when you don’t.
3. Two knives – a gardener should always have a sharp knife and a back-up with a corkscrew.
4. Various Packets of seeds – no surprise there.
5. Gonk – lucky and portable
6. Business Cards – now stored in a tin that once contained mini-mints that I gave to Peggy from our recent trip to Manchester Art Gallery.
7. One plaster, 4 lip balms, one handcream – extensive first aid kit.
8. Piece of used soft-tie – it will definitely come in useful one day.
9. Hairband, hair clip, hair tie – unruly hair can make or break a day. The hairband is useless as it continually pings off my head. The soft-tie could, at a push, join this group.
10. Four Ventolin inhalers – although I rarely need one, I am paranoid about having an inhaler with me. Which is obvious here!
11. A syringe – given to me by The Prof to remove water from my echeveria. Strange but true.
12. A hand lens – or loupe as I believe it is called. Used at college and seldom since, which I shall rectify forthwith.
13. A plastic spoon – in case of emergency chocolate mousse situation.
14. Anti-histamine, paracetamol, cough sweets – I am a sickly child
15. A mini-stationary set – mini-stapler, mini-staples, mini-sellotape, mini-pencil, mini-sharpener, maxi-joy.

Now go!

How did you get on? Brilliantly, I’m sure. Hopefully you will all be having so much fun you won’t need to fall back on this frippery. Wishing you all a wonderful 2024, full of love and laughter and happy ever afters. Keep the faith my friends xxxx