in fact , i 'd puzzled out nearly all the spells in the book , some of them a lot more useful sounding . it struck him for the first time how much the ships were shaped like ticks , and once the image was in his head , he could n't get rid of it . what was it he said they stood for ... a symbol of love and patience ? when she returned wearing a pair of jeans and navy blue blouse there was a cup of coffee and a plate of buttered toast waiting on the table for her . 