Grove Life | Spring 2021

Member Milestones &Memories By Annie Sanchez O n a Wednesday afternoon, I hopped into a golf cart and drove to meet George and Roxanne Miller at their Puzzle House. While Valerie Roca, our Membership Sales and Marketing Director, told me about their extensive puzzle collection, I was not prepared to see puzzles of all shapes and sizes displayed everywhere. I felt like a child in a museum, marvelling at artwork that I never knew existed. At the front entrance, there were two glass displays showcasing puzzle sculptures created by Miguel Berrocal, an award-winning abstract sculptor. Among these intricate bronze, silver, nickel, and gold puzzle sculptures were Omaggio Ad Arcimboldo (a 3D effect head), Loreli (masked bronze head), and Caballo Casinaide (bronze horse). The Millers have collected 103 Berrocal puzzle sculptures, more than the Berrocal Foundation in Spain has!

Over the next hour, the Millers gave me a detailed tour around their Puzzle House. Their puzzle collection ranged from Rubik cubes, wooden mechanical models, chess sets, colored plastic sculptures, and pewter maps of the continents. During the tour, the Millers brought me to a solid wooden door that was a puzzle itself. The knob did not turn so the test was to figure out how to open the door. After a few unsuccessful attempts, I figured out the door’s secret and it opened to reveal a huge attic filled with even more puzzles and an 3D puzzle printer. It was like entering Narnia! I was even more delighted when Mrs. Miller informed me that I was the first guest to solve their puzzle door.

Altogether, my afternoon with the Millers was enlightening and I was touched by their hospitality to invite me into their home and share their passion for puzzles and their collection with me. Before departing, they brought me to their treasure chest, which was filled with a bounty of puzzles. After carefully selecting a wooden puzzle, I drove back to the clubhouse with a wide smile on my face, touched by their kindness.

Even their wedding rings are puzzles

Vision Inspire and enable members to enjoy every day of their lives.

10 | www.bocagrove.org