Hoping my letter finds you well, hi, it's me, Miss Kitty, one of Roger and Vicki's house cats. I say “one of” because we have a new family member, a young feral male cat, who showed up this summer with a broken leg. Well, he is now a three-legged house cat, named Sam. It took me awhile to get used to having a roommate, but I've adjusted, and we are now pals.
It's been a busy year for Mom and the “old guy.” Dad's one-man exhibition, “Celebrating My Danish Heritage,” at the Museum of Danish America was well received, and is now packed up in storage, awaiting a new or different venue to be shown again. He also participated in area art fairs and continues to exhibit in a few local galleries. This summer he took home several county fair ribbons for his submitted paintings and drawings. In addition to his website (www.rogerhnielsen.com) and Facebook posts, his newest communications are a monthly online newsletter (Let him know if you’d like to receive it.) and an Instagram account.
Aside from two trips to southwest Iowa to set up and take down Dad's museum show, they have had a couple of road trips to visit family, as well as a Mediterranean cruise with stops in Spain, France and Italy. Dad particularly enjoyed the magnificent art at the Vatican. Aside from supporting Dad in his art adventures, Mom was active with the local Master Gardeners and managed an active social life.
In July, one of Dad's second-cousins, Lena, came over from Denmark to meet the US-side of the family. She spent a few days at our home-in-the-woods, giving me special attention, then off to Chicago for a Nielsen reunion. With a warm welcome from 70-plus family members, Lena was so overwhelmed and impressed that she is planning to host a 2023 reunion in Denmark. Of course, Mom and Dad are planning on flying across the pond to participate. Mom hasn't been to the land of Hans Christian Andersen, and is looking forward to experiencing it!
Mom and Dad no longer deer hunt, but still enjoy the camaraderie of deer camp. Across the road, Dad's nephew, Mike, hosted the camp’s traditional Thanksgiving dinner for 31 attendees.
Speaking of Thanksgiving, as Dad approaches his 83rd birthday and ponders the inevitable, he's begun writing his memoirs. With these reflections, he's become more and more aware of how fortunate he is to have been born in a free, affluent country, to a loving and supportive family, and ultimately to be in a healthy relationship with Mom, who he refers to as the woman he spent most of his life looking for. He is also thankful for a fun and rewarding career; Dad adds, “Not everyone has a job that they get up and can hardly wait to get to each morning, I have.”
Happy holidays from Kitty & Sam, outdoor cats Heidi & Zola, and last, but not least, Dad & Mom!
