The Tale of Two Shawls

Ivy finally got her wish. I am writing a story that has nothing to do with me or construction. Yep, even though I am the writer of these stories I will not be included in this story in any way. Gosh, that makes me sad.

This is a story about Ivy. Ivy was born in the era of the participation ribbon. You know the time. When we gave every kid on the team a ribbon for just being on the team. We didn’t want one kid to feel bad because some other kid/s actually did better. Everyone got identical ribbons..(Oh-Oh, I just got semi-political and lost some readers.) Well, some stopped reading when they found out it wasn’t about me.

As a child, Ivy liked the interaction, the competition, not so much. As a parent, that was OK. Ivy’s brother would compete in everything. From playing baseball, to video games and eating salsa, Alex wanted to be the best.

Ivy played youth sports. She played because friends played them. She enjoyed playing, it was the winning that wasn’t important. She spent some time on a competitive swim team. She enjoyed going to practice and being with the kids. She actually competed in a competitive race. And then at age nine, she retired. She had accomplished her goal.

She continued swimming, just not in races. Ivy enjoyed the kind of swimming that when a group of kids dropped their oars in the middle of a lake, Ivy swam out and towed the boat full of kids back to shore. (Yep, she actually did that.)

That’s what Ivy is about, helping people. Unless it involves something medical, then she passes out; just like her dad. (Does it feel like I am drifting here? I really have a hard time not involving me.)

A few years back, Ivy took a job at a dude ranch a few miles up the road from our house. Her first year at the ranch she was employed as a waitress/housekeeper. She shared that position with three other girls. The four girls have remained friends. Some more than others.

A couple years ago, Ivy knitted a wedding shawl for one of the girls. That’s what Ivy does, she knits beautiful wedding shawls. This past summer Ivy was asked to do the bridesmaid thing. Which means another wedding shawl, or in this instance, two.

Two? Ivy was about 25% of the way into the second girls Lace Wedding shawl with 3000 beads, when Ivy realized her friend did not know the difference between white and ivory. Oops, Ivy needed to start over. Let’s not talk about the time and yarn involved in the first shawl, I find to too depressing. (Monner, this is not about you.) Ivy started over.

I’m not sure whose idea it was, but Ivy decided to finish both shawls and display one in the store. Twice the money, twice the time and 6000 beads. (Stop it Monner, this doesn’t concern you.) Ivy finished both shawls, and each one has a story of it’s own.

Lets talk about the Wedding Shawl first. The one that the color was changed and went to the wedding.

Her “friend” didn’t wear the other shawl at her wedding. The shawl spent the wedding lying on a table. (I feel like a Little League parent about to go to jail.) (Monner, this is not about you.)

Now for the Store sample second shawl. A couple weeks ago, Ivy decided to enter the shawl in the county fair. Of course, Ivy had already missed the entry deadline when she decided to enter the shawl. I told her, “You need to try to get it in anyway. They might let you in.” The fair officials let her enter the shawl.

Keep in mind Ivy doesn’t like that winning or the coming in second thing. When the judging was complete, Ivy was curious if the judges appreciated her shawl. Elaine and Ivy took a trip to the fair to check the results.

I guess the judges liked her shawl. Ivy called me from the fair grounds.

Ivy: Hey Monner, I got a blue ribbon for my shawl. Me: That’s great, honey. Good job! Ivy: Mom thinks I won Grand Champion in hand knitting. Me: Fantastic! Ivy: Mom thinks I also won Best of Show in all needle arts. Me: Wow, you should be very proud! Ivy: Yeah, Mom’s crying. Me: Aren’t you happy? Ivy: Yeah, it’s great. I’ve never won anything before.

That’s simply not true, remember those participation ribbons?

Ivy, you will always be a champion in my eyes. One more thing, Ivy can help you knit your own shawl. She has that, “I need to help someone-thing.”

Our crazy lives!

Monner