back in working order

 I have been having some problems with my pictures loading onto the Blogger page so I couldn't get these posted 2 days ago when I tried.  The situation improved after I shut down and restarted my computer, not sure if that was coincidence or the actual solution!  Then I had trouble with my camera, and turns out I had accidentally changed a setting that caused the viewfinder window to go blank, so now I am back on track with that.  In the meantime, I started fantasizing about getting a new and nicer camera, so I will be saving up for that!  Third in the line of malfunctions was my car key.  Twice it refused to work in the ignition, both times I got the spare key and went on about my business.  Yesterday I took a closer look, and was amazed at the difference I saw!  The old key is pictured below the spare key, and it is about half the thickness that it should be!  And the side view shows that a lot of the little lumps and bumps are seriously eroded.  Who would think that I would wear out a key like that!

Well, the odometer reads 276,000 mile now, so that's plenty o' wear on that key!  For Mother's Day I told Bob that all I wanted from him was to clean the interior and get new floor mats, which are wonderful!  Last summer I really needed new floor mats, but was sure that if I bought them that the car would die soon after that.  But the thing just keeps on tickin' and now I am equipped for another 100,000 miles at least!

So with my blog, my camera and my car key all back on track, it's a good day!

Mother's Day also included some fun with family.  Brita and Ian and I went on the Susan G. Komen 5K Walk for the Cure at the Mall of America on a crispy morning, about 35 degrees at the start but warmed up with a good bright sun.  Ian was plenty bundled up in his stroller, but eventually got to do a little reading while cruising along!

He loves to stick out his tongue!

In the afternoon I had time for a little random sewing time up in my room, and I sorted and straightened up stuff that needed to be addressed.  I wanted a little mindless sewing, so worked on some blocks following the directions on the Quiltville website.  Here are 4 blocks arranged in a square---

And 4 similar blocks arranged in a strip---

Two other very important things have happened here in Minnesota this week, not counting the 90 degree day that maybe has ended out winter!

Our state has become the 12th in the nation to allow legal marriages for same sex couples!  This is so controversial and so right!

I honestly didn't know if this would happen during my lifetime, I feel very lucky to have experienced this historical event.  If my brother-in-law, Rick, were alive we would be celebrating and maybe even dancing at his wedding!  He stood up with us at our wedding 38 years ago today, and now I feel that I had a chance to finally stand up for him.

The second great moment for MN was the arrival of our new Shop Hop fabric at the store!  These are 2 of the panel prints:

the rest of the fabric is on display at Bear Patch, and I am scheming up some ideas of what to make with it!  I should be able to get plenty of inspiration in the next few days at International Quilt Market in Portland, OR.  I will be sharing all of the latest and greatest over on the Bear Patch Blog, so visit there!

Portland, here we come!