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Friday, August 11, 2017

From Yard Sales to Rink Rats to Farmers Market!

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From left to right, in the back seat of my Auntie Joy's car with Auntie Kathryn, and my mom in the middle.  The shortest one ALWAYS gets the hump for their feet.  That's the rule.

"We're going to be late!"  She said.  "We can't be late - everyone will be there by 10am."

It's okay, mama - we'll get there.  We are on our way.  It only STARTS at 10am, and not everyone will be there just waiting for you to walk in the door at 10am!

We were on our way to Caribou Coffee, a chosen destination for the 2017 reunion of the Bloomington Rink Rats - a group of roller skating kids who banded together in the 1950s for Friday and Saturday nights of safe fun, skating competition (all in good sport!) and exercise - but most of all, life-long friendship building.

I'm sure at 15 years old (some younger, some older) they weren't aware of how much their friendships would mean to them over the coming decades, and I as a daughter had no real clue about how deep these devotions to each other ran, but I was soon to find out.

But first - some YARD SALES!  It's a Mach-Girls tradition any time we are together.  Oh, the laugher and fun and thrill of the hunt.

"Look!  There's a sign!  Let's stop!"

"Anyone catch the address?"  (Car full of the Mach 5 pulling a "U-ey" and doubling back to find out)

"Got it!"  And off we went.

Evidently the Rink Rats can wait if there is a yard sale to stop at.  "Just 5 minutes -- we'll make it a quick one!"  (Yeah, right!)
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Nice hat, mama!!

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These women "LIGHT" up my life!

Light -- get it?  Lamp!  HA!

Auntie Gail and Auntie Joy.

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5 minutes are up, girls!

We ended up hitting a couple of good sales on our way - Thursday is a BIG Yard Sale day in this area, as 3 day sales go Thursday, Friday, Saturday.  There are a couple of milk glass pieces that are coming to the cabin with me the next time I go.  Luckily I was able to rein it in due to luggage limits.

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The Rink Rats!

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My mom in 1957 at her Coronation.

More photo album time.  These folks have been getting together as often as possible over the past 60 years since this photo was taken.  My mom was Skate Queen 60 years ago, and I am so grateful for this glimpse into her life with her friends long before I came onto the scene in 1962.

I made this little video for mom to share with her friends to remember this day:


I loved meeting these friends that are so near and dear to my mom's heart!

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Visiting the Maple Grove Farmer's Market!

Later in the early evening we stopped by the Maple Grove Farmer's Market - a feast for the eyes!

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Oh, the colors!

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Quilt color inspiration, anyone?

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Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Purple Peppers!

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So much fun!

We picked up a bunch of yummy produce and will be bringing it to my Uncle Steve's house in Spicer, Minnesota today -- our Mach 5 fun will become Mach 6 as we spend the next couple of days playing along the lake up there.  Steve and Kathryn moved to Spicer about 4 years ago and I've not seen their new spread, so this is going to be a fun road trip.

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This sweet peanut - Mach in training!

Casey is my Aunt Kathryn's granddaughter and we enjoyed having her with us for Mach Girls Night Out!

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Making memories is always better with full bellies!

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Oh, Waffles!  That includes you, too!

Waffles is my cousin Bethany's dog and she comes to Joy's house for "doggy day care" being dropped off in the morning, and picked up in the evening when Bethany gets off of work.  If  there was ever a face that could make you smile - it's this one!  I just love her!

Could it be that we really have a post with ZERO quilt content?  Yes.  We do.

I have all of the show & share photos from both Iowa and Minnesota groups to share AFTER I get home from this trip, and I just wanted to concentrate on family things over the next couple of days.  Thanks for indulging me.

You do get ONE quilt photo for today:

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Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Spider web quilt shared during our Iowa workshops last week.

Strength isn't always loud and intimidating. Strength can speak softly, with calmness and consideration for others.

And together we are stronger than we ever are alone.

Much love on a Friday -


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12 comments:

  1. Lol, had to stop for the Yard Sales. You're keeping the tradition alive. Any Sewing machines rescued or freed-from their cabinets?

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  2. I am glad you are having wonderful family time! Great choice of quilt photo and I am excited to make my second spiderweb!! I was startled to see my quilt in my Facebook feed this morning. I had so much fun in Oelwein, it was great to meet you.

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  3. This post struck home with me. My Mom and I used to yard sale every Saturday morning, often taking my two little girls along. Such fun!
    And I grew up with the roller rink as my second home. Every year we performed in the "Roller Rhapsodies". Seeing your Mom in her beautiful dress was such a flashback to those times.
    You are getting lots of extended family time this summer. That is wonderful!

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  4. Love to hear about your family time! You deserve it! As soon as I saw your quote today I thought "That's Sherry's spider web!", makes me want to get to work on mine!
    Enjoyed your workshops in Iowa so much!

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  5. Great post! I love seeing you out having fun with your family! Hugs

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  6. Oh, Bonnie, you are in Spicer today? I wish I could meet up with you; we built a new house on our farm in 1992 and our old farmhouse was moved to its "new" home near Spicer. (I am near Albany!) I hope you are enjoying this beautiful MN day. Have a great weekend.

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  7. What a great time!! And you know I love Waffles cause I'm a Frenchie Mama too!!

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  8. Ooo, you guys have coats on! Yikes! Looks like you guys are doing lots of fun stuff!

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  9. Farmers market looks like our En Provence mystery quilt

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  10. Such fun to read about your happy family times,and I so enjoy all your pictures! Thank you for sharing with us. I look forward to your posts every evening. The farmers market veggies look so wonderfully fresh and colorful. Oh, and what a blast out of the past! Your dear Mom's Skate Queen formal looks exactly like my Junior-Senior Prom formal. The year was 1954.....

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  11. Loved the Roller buddies stories. I was such a tom-boy that I was geared to skate like a boy, off to the races at every turn. I liked to have never learned to stand up straight, square my shoulders & stick those pinkies out for dance competition. Was at the rink every Saturday. Race class @ 9:00 am, open skate 10 - 12pm, lunch, Dance class at 1:00 pm, Open skate from 2 -4 pm, supper close to rink, evening skate 6-8pm & on holidays there was usually a late skate from 10-12am. My favorite thing was "Shoot the Duck" at every session. My poor mom sitting on those hard benches all that time every Saturday. I was 13 when I started and the last time I tried to skate was in my 50's. I still have my skates, they are museum quality now. So many happy hours. No pictures sad to say. All our extra money went for lessons & skate gear & apparel. My Mom made all my clothes & pom poms for my white skate boots to match. Such happy times.

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  12. Bonnie, what a wonderful time you have had. You need to kick back and chill out sometimes recharge the batteries. Enjoy your precious family time. xx

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