Mary, Iowa City, Part Two.

Anne and I talked about where to eat lunch. Iowa City has MANY wonderful choices -- probably because of their sophisticated university population. Many of the restaurants are upscale and interesting. We chose Atlas, in the cute little downtown.

There is a pedestrian mall in Iowa City -- and if you park your car wrong -- you're likely to get a $25 parking ticket. Like most college towns, their budget seems to depend on ripping off out-of-town visitors...but, I digress...

The soup was a good indicator, eh? Pesto drizzled over tomato bisque...why didn't I think of that??

I'm glad I just had HALF a wrap!!

After we ate -- we moved on to the GIFT portion of the day. Mary was excited about seeing them again. When Anne and Sarah came to Beaver Dam for sewing weekend, Mary put a poncho over Sarah's head. She was the perfect young model...she didn't even yelp or scream when Mary tried to rip her ear off while trying to remove the poncho...

Mary was glad for a chance to make it up to her...

With some sewing gifts, of course!

Anne brought gifts, too!! Using a t-shirt bag to put them in.  SO CLEVER, EH?

Then, a little Sew and Tell at the table...

One of my Top Ten Thrift stores is Housewares in Iowa City.  A true consignment store - they get tons of merchandise every week, price it low, and keep it moving.  On this day, these empty fruit boxes were nearly stacked to the ceiling...See the green sign??

I love it when a business has a sense of humor...

In a glass case -- I took this crappy picture of a Singer Featherweight. $300, but without a case. And I own two of them now...so does just about everybody I know...lol...

So we did NOT buy a sewing machine on that day. But, never fear -- THE CAR WAS FULL OF TREASURE...and we did get some great ideas for our all new Midwest Ya Ya Sister show!!