The Tie that Binds

Madie came to stay with me for a few hours on Saturday morning while Mommy worked and she waited for Daddy to pick her up to go to Chipman for the night. I thought we should do something constructive with our time (not that our normal activities aren't quality time together), but maybe it was time to learn to tie her shoes. I had gotten her a pair of laced sneakers to wear at my place but she seldom does, probably because they do have to be tied.

So I pulled those out and we sat down. Now I have to say that my co-worker and fellow grandmother Cathy Madott showed me a different way to tie shoes, not the way I learned and I thought it was so much easier (cross the laces under as normal and make a loop in each hand, cross them and put one under... I always made one loop crossed the other lace and pushed it under). So I demonstrated Cathy's way a couple of times and she was very anxious to try it herself. It only took a couple of tries and a few hints from me ("you TOLD me Grammie" - so I stopped counselling and let her go to it). She was very proud of herself of course when she pulled those loops and the sneaker was tied! Practise makes perfect I told her, so she did it a few more times. Then she tried it with the shoe on her foot... a little more tricky but she got it in the end.

Not sure whether Nanny Whalen spent her night watching ties being made over and over. But I have to say that I enjoyed my time doing it with her. And I hope she'll always remember that Grammie Susan taught her to tie.

I'll never forget my great grandmother teaching me to knit. Those are the ties that bind.