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My Nanny Jean was superstitious. Not crazy superstitious but she taught us things like;
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If you stirred with a knife you stirred up trouble and strife.
If two bad things happen you need to break a matchstick or another bad thing will come. Bad things happen in 3s.
Don’t sing before 7 or you’ll cry before 11
Songs out of season bring tears without reason
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She was also lucky.
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She raised a lucky daughter too…my Auntie Jaci (carly’s mom if you are keeping track of our family tree).
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Anyway, Jaci can find 4 leaf clovers wherever she goes. She just looks down and finds one. It is crazy. I can look in a patch of clover forever and not find anything and she’ll come over, look down and within minutes pick out a 4 leaf clover.
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I asked her once how she does it and she said “they just look different Aimee, they have 4 leaves”. Funny girl.
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So, I have always wanted to find my 4 leaf clover. My Nanny knew this and would say “you’ll find yours Aimee”.
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Cut to freshman year of college in Madison. I was writing a speech for my speech 101 class about my Nanny and how she immigrated to America. I was deep in the stacks in a library looking for a book on the American Red Cross; they helped my Nanny when she got to America. So anyway, I picked out a book and opened it up and there, in the middle of the book, was a 4 leaf clover…tucked inside. This book hadn’t been checked out FOREVER.
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I checked it out and ran back to my dorm to call Nan. (I couldn’t call her immediately because I had to find a phone…remember that…not being able to find a phone. I also had to call long distance with a calling card…remember that…entering 16 digits before you could talk long distance…anyway) I told her I had found my 4 leaf clover but that it was in the middle of a book that obviously hadn’t been checked out in my lifetime. Was it good luck or bad luck to take it out of the book. I knew she’d have the answer.
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Nanny said without pausing. “Oh Aimee…finders keepers, you take that thing out and laminate it!”
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So I did.
This laminated 4 leaf clover has been in my wallet ever since. Gulp…over 20 years.
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She was right. I found mine.
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What a treasure for you to have your Nan in your life! We are so lucky when we can be blessed with great family and can delight in what they have given us as we live our lives. Thank you for sharing this great story.
Ohhh my dear what a lovely story, I can not Thank You enough for such a Heartwarming story my dear. You made my day, truly gave my heart what I needed. You see I have Lung masses and Diabetes and also Thyroid Cancer now, but yarn has become my life as now I’m basically home bound. Your story has given me hope my husband hope, I thank you n your Nanny that I will find my 4 Clover one day. I will try harder this year to get outside too sit and knit ( I don’t have much but I use my yarn to help others ) and one day I may find my clover too, no matter where it may be. Thank You so very Much this has warmed my soul… Sincerely, Anissa Valente.
This is a marvelous story. I just love your Nan’s response.
What a lovely story! My grandpa could find four leaf clovers all the time, too. I guess I’ve never looked very hard, but I’m now on a mission to find one! 🙂
I love that story! Thanks for sharing.
I will be wearing the green tam she made me on Sunday as I eat a big Reuben!! What a grand lady..you kids have so many memories of her, her humor and her knitting.
Oh Aimee…love this story. Thanks for sharing, it made me smile. Hope you have a happy day!! 🙂
That’s such a beautiful story you shared with us . Thank you I hope I can make a beautiful story like that for my Granddaughter.
Oh what a wonderful story. My Mom and my oldest brother could find four leaf clovers so easy! I have looked for hours upon end but never found one,,,,, at least not until my Mom passed away. Being the only girl in the family, I took a couple of her handbags that I could recall seeing her carry. There in one of her wallets, stuck in one of the slots to put pictures, was one of her four leaf clovers. I guess I found mine too!!