Ode to Four Kitties

Moochie

 I went to Iowa this past week.  It was a lovely visit.  I got to spend 3 nights with my sister and 2 with my parents.  On Thursday we spent some time at the Amana Colonies.  My sister lives admist them or well near them in Marengo, Iowa.  

After that we went to an outlet mall were I found a couple of nice skirts at the Coldwater Creek store.  Of course the summer jacket that went perfect with one of the skirts was only available in one size, so I still have to find a top to match that skirt.  

On Friday we went to the bowling alley for lunch….the shoes were a little tough to chew on but the Pork Tenderloin was yummy.  And then we went to this really cool store in Iowa City, Iowa called the Home Ec Workshop.  It s a really neat store that has some sewing supplies, a nice knitting department with some really yummy yarn, and a coffee shop with really good treats.  You can also rent a machine for sewing there and they have tons of classes.

Schatzi

 

Its in the midst of the University of Iowa campus.  Fortunately for my budget the power was out from a really bad storm that passed through the area, so I couldn’t buy anything, but they let us hang out there and get the sense of the place.  I’ll look forward to a visit some other time. 

I gave my niece her graduation present which included a cooking reference book to indulge her passion of cooking and Tili silk yarn from Dream Weavers to make a sweater, also a sapphire ring.  She seemed to like her presents and cast on for her sweater while I was there.

Then I headed up to my parents house to visit my parents and my paternal grandmother.  She’s staying in an assisted living facility for the month to see how she likes it.  So far she really seems to enjoy it, has had very good meals, gotten her hair done, had something on her foot looked at by the podiatrist, and has even joined in on the exercise classes.  I really hope she stays there on a permanent basis, as its a small town and I think the care she will receive there opposed to a larger city facility will be subpoerb, but then that’s my opinion only based on my preference for small towns.

Tigger

I worked on knitting doilies.  Finished Doretta the one I was working on and started the Spanish Tablecloth by Herbert Niebling.  I’m only making the doily of the tablecloth first though to see if it’ll be something I can tackle in a larger size.  My mother picked out her tabecloth for her 50th anniversary present and picked one I hadn’t even considered so I’m glad I asked.

I forgot how nice kitties can be to have around, although don’t tell the dogs, and I’d never give up my dogs. The kitties here in this post are my sister’s cats Moochie and Schatzi and my mother’s cats Scruffy and Tigger.  Schatzi was rescued in the floods of the Cedar River in 2008 in Cedar Rapids.  She was a very teeny tiny kitten then, but somehow she survived.  

Scruffy

I have more pictures which I’ll share later this week of my trip, things I found interesting on my drive and more kitty pictures. 

Now I’m glad to be home back with Nick and the kids.  Django and Abner seemed pleased I have returned and insisted on many snuggles last night, despite the excessively hot weather.