Getting jiggy at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Levin Library

Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-po Levin Library is planning a speed jigsaw puzzle event.

By Jennifer Walton, library engagement team lead

When my nose isn’t firmly planted in a good book, you’ll often find me in front of a good jigsaw puzzle. I wish it were more often, but it seems the rest of my family think enjoying meals at a clear dining table is more appropriate than balancing plates on top of the haphazard cardboard I’ve placed protectively over the latest 1000-piece work in progress.

Alas, I have resigned myself to mastering sudoku, something that takes up a lot less room but is far more frustrating.

I have fond memories of many a jigsaw partly completed on the old green card table at home. As a child, I treasured the moments of candid conversation shared with my mum or sister while working on the edge bits to form a frame for the body. Does everyone do the edge bits first? Any other way would be ludicrous, surely. These days, my dad always has a puzzle on the go on that very same card table, and I still love to pop in a few bits over a chat when I visit.

I find jigsaw puzzles have the wonderful ability to be extremely relaxing and calming, despite requiring concentration and focus. It’s that focus that helps us reach a state of mindfulness, taking our minds off our worries for a moment or two. I guess sudoku, too, can have that effect, although the end result is far less beautiful.

Recently, a colleague enlightened me about the sport of speed puzzling. This doesn’t sound relaxing at all, but it certainly piqued the competitive side of me. Apparently, the fastest time to complete a 500-piece puzzle at last year’s world championships (yes, that’s a real thing) was 32 minutes and 41 seconds. That sounds like a challenge, doesn’t it? Get your stopwatches ready.

We love puzzles so much at the library that we are bringing a challenge to you. Our first speed puzzling event is planned for Saturday, July 13, and you can register a team of four now. I’m positively bouncing off the walls about this event, so please check out our website or pop in to the library to find out more.

In the meantime, have you checked out our jigsaw collection? It’s quite large, and all the puzzles are free to borrow with your library card. I just hope, for the sake of your families, that your dining table is bigger than mine.

Top 10 books

What’s new in Fun Reads

Call Me Mrs. Brown by Brendon O’Carroll (Bio)

Wandering Through Life: A Memoir by Donna Leon (Bio)

Why Am I Like This?: The Science Behind Your Weirdest Thoughts and Habits by Dr Jen Martin (Self-help)

Big Beacon by Alan Partridge (Bio)

The Joy of Bridge by Paul Mendelson (Games)

Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan (General fiction)

Pigcasso: The painting pig that saved a sanctuary by Joanne Lefson (Non-fiction)

The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski (General fiction)

Would You Ask My Husband That? By Kathleen Whyman (Humorous fiction)

A Thousand Wasted Sundays by Victoria Vanstone (Bio)

Exhibitions

Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Gallery presents Ko Au Te Awa – I Am the River by Manu Bennett – June 21 to July 31.

Manu Bennett is a teacher and professional artist with over 30 years of experience. Specialising in contemporary Māori art, Manu blends traditional methods with modern perspectives using paint and wood. This exhibition highlights the different natural elements where you can source food during the winter season. There are works themed around the bush, the water and the air.

What’s On

Heritage room:

Volunteers staff the Heritage rooms at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Tuesday to Friday at the following times:

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 10am-12.30pm

Thursday, 12.30pm-3pm

Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom Heritage Room has the research librarian available all day every Friday.

Friday, July 5:

Friday Live Concert, Matariki — Konohete, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, noon–1pm

Jim Redmond Crib Club, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 1pm-3pm

SeniorNet, get help with your tablets, phones and laptops

Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 10am-noon

Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 2pm-3pm

Code Club, Shannon Library, 3.30-4.30pm

Saturday, July 6:

Taitoko Night Market, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 4pm-8pm

Monday, July 8:

Winter Book Sale, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 9am-5.30pm

School Holiday Programme, Under the Night Sky Activities,

Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-noon

Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 10am-noon

Shannon Library, 10am-noonm

Justice of the Peace, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 9am-2pm

Meet Street, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-11am Volunteer Central, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-noon

H.U.G Horowhenua Ukulele Group, Main Space, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 11am-noon

Simply Meditation, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, noon-1pm, koha

Tuesday, July 9:

Winter Book Sale, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 9am-5.30pm

School Holiday Programme, Under the Night Sky Activities

Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-noon

Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 10am-noon

Shannon Library, 10am-noon

Justice of the Peace, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 9am-2pm

Storytime With Kirsty Wadsworth, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10.30am-11.30am

Justice of the Peace, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 11.30am-1.30pm

500 Card Group, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 1pm-3pm, $2

Lego Hour, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 3.30pm-4.30pm

Wednesday, July 10:

Winter Book Sale, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-9pm

School Holiday Programme, Under the Night Sky Activities

Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-noon

Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 10am-noonm

Shannon Library, 10am-noon

Justice of the Peace, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 9am-2pm

Volunteer Central, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-noon, Crochet & Coffee Club, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10.30am

Storytime With Kirsty Wadsworth, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 10.30am-11.30am

Really Alive Poets, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, noon-1pm

Storytime With Kirsty Wadsworth, Shannon Library, 3pm-4pm

Pop Up Eats Horowhenua, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō carpark, 5pm-8pm

Thursday, July 11:

Winter Book Sale, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 9am-5.30pm

School Holiday Programme, Under the Night Sky Activities

Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10am-noon

Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 10am-noon

Shannon Library, 10am-noon

Justice of the Peace, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 9am-2pm

Digital Drop-ins, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 10am-noon

500 Card Group, Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 1pm-3pm, $2

Digital Learning — MyMSD, RealMe & SuperGold, Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 1.30pm-3.30pm