The Past Six Months

Patty here. It’s been almost six months since I shared pieces of my life with you, and that’s just wrong, I know. But honestly, I just haven’t found the time for more than 140 characters lately. Rehearsing almost every night in addition to working 50- hour weeks will do that. If you tweet, let’s follow each other! (Follow @Patricia_Lynn_ on Twitter!)

I’ve been so busy, I missed my deferred disposition due date. I’m currently in the middle of a take-home driver’s safety course being hosted by cartoon impressions of a hula dashboard doll, a bobble-head and a personified tree car freshener. That’s right, it’s playing in the background. I’m attempting to pick out key words, general facts and out-dated percentages while I type. The first question in the first mini exam was a fill in the blank that read: “Your eyesight diminishes as you get ___.” with options A. younger, B. older or C. wiser. And only 44 seconds to answer! I’m not so sure paying close attention to this video is a productive use of my time.

The Soldier Thread had a really successful CD release party at The Parish downtown on July 30^th. I would have to say that it was my best show to date. I love it when that happens. The entire night was so full of energy and love. Since then, we’ve been in the rehearsal space most evenings working on some exciting things. I would share them with you, but the details are still coming together. All I can say is mark October 23 on your calendar, and if you’re not already on our email list, visit www.thesoldierthread.com and sign up to receive exclusive updates. Also, we just had a photo shoot with Christian Devoe. I can’t wait until we start using his new promo shots because they’re awesome! Until then, check out some of his other work on his website!

(© Christian DeVoe devoephoto.com)

I’ve never been a health nut or gym rat, and I’ve never been able to run more than a half-mile due to exercise-induced asthma and mere laziness, but that’s all changed. As of late, my mind has been excessively preoccupied with healthier food options and exercise opportunities. I started by hanging out on the stair-master, and lifting weights back in January. More recently, I've started running. Yes, running. Today was actually my personal best time; 4 miles in 41:34. It’s not a jaw-dropping record by any means, but it’s better than I ever thought I’d accomplish. You really can surprise yourself when you put your mind to it, or over it. Mind over body, that is. That’s something I’m reminded of every time I go to sweaty yoga. If you’re in Austin and you like yoga, you MUST check out Black Swan Yoga. They offer several classes throughout the week by donation only! Perfect for someone who can't afford or commit to a monthly membership. My two favorite instructors are Hillary Flora and Tyler McCoy.

In terms of my new health and fitness craze, I am going to give a lot of credit to Jillian Michaels. The rest of the credit goes to the bull. See, I was having this reoccurring dream which basically had a giant bull chase me across a red desert until I was out of breath, and then it chased me some more. After researching possible dream meanings and trying to relate this to my life, I began to notice words and images of or relating to the bull on a regular basis. This led me to believe that the bull was my power animal. Whether or not power animals or guardian angel type figures actually exist, the simple belief in one has really changed the way I perceive myself, and the world around me. I’m in the best shape of my life, and happier for it. Okay, must continue with these exams. These questions are really insulting my intelligence.

...Oh yea! Did I mention I'm about to become an aunt?

The past few months I've had a lot of visitors. I should have written after each visit, but alas, here they are all in one.

My first visit was from Lindsay in March. My big sis from Chicago came back to the Lone Star State. It was 33° in Chicago and 75° in Austin so she was pretty excited to spend her spring break here. She got in on Sunday night and we decided to grab some drinks at Red's Porch. We really only made it through one beer before we got tired. So we decided to save or energy for the next day. Monday, after a little sleeping in, we had lunch at the Torchy's Tacos in The Trailer Park Eatery. It was Lindsay's first time eating Torchy's and I think it's safe to say she enjoyed it thoroughly. I mean, who doesn't? Her good friend from high school, Kevin, met us there. Architect student at UT and all around nice guy. From there, the three of us went to Spider House. You really can never pass up Spider House on a day with such perfect weather. We sat outside and had a few drinks. Have you had the Sangria there? Well you should. It's fantastic. The next few hours were full of catching up and reminiscing. I like listening to Lindsay speak. She says things like "Yeehaw" and practices her southern draaaaawl, and has her own little mannerisms and phrases that crack me up. She really doesn't understand why I think she's so hilarious. Which I think is even more funny.

Next, it was off to visit her other friend Craig. First, I'm totally jealous of Craig's house. Second, Craig is pretty cool with an even cooler beard. We toured his house and then went to Vivos for Lindsay's Mexican food fix. More drinks and conversation followed. And then it was home, and then the next day she left. Short but definitely sweet.

May brought my next visitor, Jeramey. I've been trying to think of ways to describe him to you. There are too many but here goes: witty, intelligent, creative, talented, entertainer, superhero, soulmate. Eh, that doesn't really even do him justice. Have you ever had a friend that just knows you? Yeah, he's like that. So he came down to Austin to go to some weddings. The night he got in we kind of just went out for the sake of going out. We met some of my friends at Gibson Bar and then went across the street to The Highball. The Alamo Draft House's event planners The Action Pack was throwing another event, of course, and it couldn't have been more fitting for Jeramey. A Superhero Costume Dance Party. Let's just say there was a dance off between Mighty Mouse and Iron Man, and there was the best Dr. Strange costume the world has ever seen. It wasn't the best DJ to ever grace The Highball but we tried to dance nonetheless. We also got forced into a photo booth. Below is the most appropriate photo.

The next day, we drove to Houston for the wedding of our college friends' Jeff and Aly. Of course it wouldn't be a Jeramey and Ashley road trip without Sonic, a good mix cd, and yelling "Wooooo! Watch out Tuscon, here we come!" We made it to the hotel just in time to shower and go straight to the wedding. A very sweet wedding at a nice venue with a great bar and buffet. Who could ask for more? It was really nice to see some of our other friends from college too, like Kyle and Rachel. I think they are the next wedding date in the books, and I'm looking forward to it. A little catching up, a fair amount of dancing, a good amount of drinking. Oh, and another photo booth. Good times had by all. The next day Jeramey and I slept in. Probably the best sleep I've had in months. I think it was knowing that I didn't have any obligations that day for the first time in a long time. Just a leisurely drive back to Austin. On the way back we stopped in Bastrop to get some BBQ. It was delicious. We were back before we knew it, and then Jeramey was gone. I'm already planning a trip up to Fort Worth.

Just a few days ago, my Dad and his wife Chris came to visit me. I hadn't seen them since I went up to Pittsburgh in September. (See blog post "da 'Burgh") Unfortunately, the couldn't stay very long but we jam packed a lot into a little bit of time. I picked them up from the airport on Friday night and drove them to their hotel in The Arboretum. Dad and I went for a drink at a Mexican restaurant nearby. I had a mango margarita, and Dad was reminded that an extremely dry, very little Vermouth, Bombay Sapphire martini, straight up with blue cheese stuffed olives, isn't exactly a Mexican food chain's forte. There's a reason they call him Dr. Bombay.

On Saturday we got up early and I picked them up to go to Kerby Lane Cafe. There we caught up and they met my boyfriend, Josh. Dad and Chris, having been deprived of good Mexican food, really enjoyed their migas. Everything else was great too. After filling our bellies, we went to the mall so they can see one of the places I work. There, my dad unexpectedly bought a certain, really cool, electronic device. Then we drove past my other place of work and drove around downtown Austin. We ended up on South Congress where we walked and ducked into a few of the shops there. Since we were still full from breakfast, the four of us went to Chuy's just for some drinks and chips and salsa. Then it was back for a tour of my apartment and some setting up, learning, and playing with my dad's new purchase. A little while later we drove back up to the hotel and got ready for dinner. We decided to go to The Oasis on Lake Travis. The sunset capital of Texas. What a good choice. Although it was a little warm we opted for sitting outside on the balcony so we could get the full experience. The food and environment was great, and of course the sunset was too. It was back to the hotel where we decided we were too tired to do anything else. We said goodbye, and they were gone by 7 the next morning on Sunday. Again, short but sweet. See you guys at Christmas?

So lots of visits here lately. But hey, you can't have too much of a good thing. This has been Ashley, and it's all happening with friends and family.

Selling Myself

Have you heard of Etsy?

If yes, skip to the second paragraph.

If no, where on Earth have you been? Read on and educate yourself.

It's a social commerce website where people like me can open a storefront to sell handmade and vintage items. I really can't even

begin to tell you everything that exists on Etsy. Here's a start: art, photography, clothing, jewelry, edibles, bath & beauty products, quilts, nick-knacks, toys, craft supplies, etc. I'm finding it hard to even pick examples to link. Just think of it as stumbling upon an amazingly unique item in a vintage store, craft fair, or like, your grandma's den.

A true nerd's delight.

After thinking about opening a shop for a few years, I finally got around to doing it. You can see my shop here. You'll find a series of my illustrations, examples of custom pet portraits, and posters. I'm hoping to add a lot more work in the near future. There is literally a list in my cludio (closet/studio) of ideas waiting to be materialized. But for now, happy viewing. Or happy buying? This has been TweedleG, and it's all happening.

The Baby Blog

Patty here, bringing you babies galore. When I first got to Austin last May, I was fortunate enough to snag an internship that allowed me to continue fully pursuing music. That job has since ended, and for the past six months or so I’ve been supplementing my music career by nanny-ing and babysitting. I’ve found some pretty cool families to work with, solely based on personal recommendations. They’re full of musicians, artists, graphic designers and people with good taste in music. And all of their kids are adorable. Don’t ask me if I have a favorite because it would be impossible to choose. And if I ever did choose, I’d never tell you.

My very first baby was Emerson, an outgoing energetic infant. Emy for short. He stole my heart at first burp. Though, nothing about him today resembles an infant. He’s walking everywhere and getting into everything. I have to say, it’s kind of crazy watching a human growing up in front of you. Emy loves busses. Every time a bus drives down their street, he will look for it in the window before it arrives. Cheese and beans are a few of his favorite things on the menu, and apparently he’s ordering a lot of it. See, Emy isn’t what you’d call petite. He’s not small and thin like his parents either. No, Emy, the husky and extremely mobile one year-old is quite the handful…..of cheer of course. One look at his bright blue eyes, and blonde curls and you’d fall in love too.

But he isn’t the only bright-eyed heartthrob. This is Zoe, the extremely photogenic one, as you can plainly see. I think she poses for every picture I take. She’s not far behind Emy in the mobility department. Just the other day I saw her take a few steps when she thought I wasn’t looking. Whenever I try to coax her into walking, she plops down on the floor, gorgeous AND humble. She makes the cutest faces and funniest noises you’ve ever heard. She absolutely loves being outside and she’s got a slew of little talents up her sleeve. Waving, clapping, lip smacking; She even says “ahhh” after taking a sip from her sippy cup. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s snapping and whistling by the age of three. Below is a video that her dad made of pictures from her first year of life. Everyone should make a video like this! In case you want to know, the song is “Dream Awake” by The Mosquitoes.

Haaaaaaave you met Kai? I haven’t seen this guy in a while, but the last time I was at their house he was cruising on all fours. I couldn’t take my eyes off him for three seconds or he was half way through the doggie-door. And he was pulling up on everything, preferably the trashcan, or the bookshelf, where he would proceed to fling every book to the floor. He’s probably walking by now. I can’t wait to see what he’s getting into these days.

Meet Lydia, the bottomless pit. I don’t think she ever gets full. Pre-made baby food is not in her diet. She’s spoiled with delicious homemade meals prepared by Daddy. Her laugh is infectious, and she’s mastered the pointing finger. When most kids fight bedtime like it’s the end of the world, she will quite literally point to the crib when she’s ready to go down. That blew me away. What can I say, she’s a girl who knows what she wants. Daddy, before you know it she’ll be pointing to a Mercedes Benz. Watch out!

Then there’s Ada, the wide-eyed dark-haired angel. With a nickname like “Scoots,” you better believe she lives up to it. She just started waving too! She loves taking walks and playing peek-a-boo, but what baby doesn’t? Her favorite thing to eat might be grass, but we try to limit that intake as best we can. She lives just down the road from Emy and we like to get them together whenever we can.

If the next two knew I included them in ‘The Baby Blog’ I’m sure they’d correct me. So, let the record show that Jackson and Evan are big boys. Not long ago, the three of us had a little weekend of fun while Dad was working and Mom was partying in Vegas. On one of the days, we went to the Austin Children's Museum and explored until we were too hungry to go on. I’m not sure how nourishing McDonald’s lunch was, but they inhaled those nuggets and we were on to the next activity. The weather was beautiful that day, so I let the boys run around Zilker Park. Kids were lining up in front of a creepy clown with dollar bills in their pockets, and outrageous balloon wishes in their heads. Jackson got a hammer, which I popper before we even got to the car. Evan got a Spiderman, only because the clown couldn't make Superman. Psh! What kind of creepy balloon clown can't make a Superman? Anyway, they opted out of the kiddy train because it was too hot. So to cool off, we grabbed some shaved ice on South Congress. On our way to the Big Top candy shop, we passed by the fire station. An actual firefighter invited the boys into the truck! That was pretty cool. At Big Top, I could tell the boys were getting tired, so I decided that this would be our last stop before heading home. It was an exhausting day, but I'm sure the boys slept well that night.

Mia is the youngest of the bunch. She’s about 5 months now, and the happiest little munchkin ever. Seriously, she’s always smiling. I took this picture just seconds after she opened her eyes from a mid-afternoon nap. She just started rolling over from her belly to her back, and eating rice cereal. Her new highchair makes her look like she’s about to take off in a space ship. I spend two full days a week with her so we’ve become good friends. I can’t wait until summer is here so I can put her in a bathing suit with ruffles and bows.

I realize this entire entry sounds corny, but it’s hard not to be when you’re talking about babies. It's been pretty cool watching these little personalities develop into big ones. I have learned so much from this experience that whenever it is time for me to become a parent, I’ll know what to expect. If you think having just one child is any less than a full-time job, you're really kidding yourself. I love all of these kids so much, but I love just as much being able to hand them off and say, “see you next week!" There are no signs of settling down anytime soon because it's still, well...all happening.

A Much Needed Girl's Night

I don’t know if you know this, but the two of us have been running around like energizer bunnies lately. Ash is working at 2 part-time jobs, as well as doing some freelance design on the side. I am nanny-ing full time these days, as well as heavily preparing for SXSW with The Soldier Thread. (I’ll get to both of those things in my next entries.) This entry is dedicated to last Friday evening.

Because of all the nonstop working, we decided it was time to get the girls together for some estrogen therapy. On account of just receiving a blender from my aunt, we decided to do a Mexican night and make some frozen margaritas. Ash and I like to title all of our events. First, it was declared the ‘Female Fiesta.’ But I came up with ‘Sexi Mexi Night,’ which I am still proud of. That day I took 3 hours to cook up some homemade borracho beans with love. After work, Ashley swung by Specs to pick up some Tequila, and stopped at Michael’s to gather various needed crafting materials. Yes, sometimes girls craft when they’re tipsy.

Meghan came over and made her famous fresh guacamole. I also whipped up some green tomatillo sauce. It’s my mother’s recipe and it uses an entire bunch of cilantro. Yum!

The sweet sounds of the Selena soundtrack filled the apartment as we sat around the living room sipping our margaritas and reaching across the coffee table to dip our chips. When the beans were good n’ hot, I served everyone a bowl. From the looks of it, I’d say they were a hit.

This is when the crafts began. That’s right, tissue paper flowers. Oh the things girls do when they’re good and boozed. We laughed thinking about how very uninterested any guy would be at the thought of crafting on a Friday night. Ashley’s fellow designer, Katie was a natural! Meghan’s first flower looked like a snowflake. Rilo was just having a ball plopped on top of all the paper.

At some point, I think we all got bored of folding and fanning. The girls got to take their flowers home, and we were left with some delicious leftovers. By the looks of our living room, we might as well have destroyed a piñata in there, but it was well worth it.

(Left to right: Katie, Patty, Meghan, Lacey, Nikki, Ashley)

Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday

My sister and I got a car on our 16th birthday. We named it Ruby. I secretly called her Ruby Tuesday.

Ruby lasted a pretty long time. One-hundred-eighteen-thousand-eight-hundred-twenty-four gorgeous miles.

As I was driving to sell Ruby I actually got a tear in my eye. Sometimes I think I’m overly nostalgic about things, but as I thought about it more I realized that I’m okay with it. I think it’s okay to look back fondly about the things that got me where I am today. It’s the journey, right? Ruby was my first car. She took me to the events that shaped my life.

If Ruby could talk she'd probably tell you about that time we were at our secret meeting spot. Or that time we made out in front of our parents’ house. Or that time we made an inside joke. Or that time that burn got on the back seat. Or that time the radio turned up when it was turned down. Or that time with the nurf gun. Or that time the spider crawled out of the air conditioning. Or that time you killed it with an ice pick. Or that time I cried. Or that time that guy said that thing. Or that time I was speeding. Or that time there were more spiders. Or that time the visor broke. Or that time the emblem fell off the back. Or that time it smelled really really bad. Or that time I went to soccer practice. Or that time I went to a soccer game. Or that time I drove to Garland, Plano, Dallas, Fort Worth, Tulsa, and Austin. Or that time we got in a fight. Or that time I sang off key. Or that time I confessed. Or that time I laughed. Or that time I made a friend. Or that time I lost one. Or that time that dent got there. Or that time it rained. Or that time I realized I loved you.

I'm definitely going to miss Ruby, and no one will ever be quite like her. But I have a new friend, and her name is Elenor. I know we're going to get along famously.

This is Ray. I couldn't have gotten this car without him. He rocks pretty hard.

This has been Ashley, and still I'm going to miss you.

A Happy New Year

A Note from the Authors

We realize we haven't written in a while. We found ourselves to be quite busy as 2009 came to a close. We have given ourselves a resolution to commit to this blog more fully in hopes that it will keep us on track with our other resolutions.

Enjoy our new masthead. A fresh new look for a fresh new year.

Chapter One: The Snowball Effect

Thanksgiving was the the first flake of snow that began our snowball into busy times. We both went to our respective homes for Thanksgiving and spent time with our families.

Patty was thankful for green bean casserole and a brave sister who hit the doorbuster sales for the $10 Hamilton Beach coffee maker.

Ashley was thankful for Cherry Pie and seeing her grandparents.

Chapter Two: The Trimming

We found ourselves itching for Christmas to arrive. With holiday party thoughts dancing in our heads, we began to trim our little home with a little Christmas cheer. We made holiday music mixes, drank hot chocolate, lit Warm Apple Pie and Hazelnut Cream candles, put up the tree, and sat in front of classic holiday movies while we stringing popcorn for trimming.

Chapter Three: The Shindig

Convinced that it had been too long since we had a gathering at our place, we started planning something we called Holiday Shindig. Festive drinks and baked goods for everyone! Our spread included Peppermint & Chocolate Cover Pretzels, Ginger Snaps, Rum Cake, Puppy Chow, Candy Canes, Egg Nog, Dark Rum, and various other delicious things.

The White Elephant was possibly the highlight of the night. Some of our favorite gifts included a box of Qtips, a dirty romance novel (live reading included thanks to Drew), a really large pair of women's underwear, and a giant Hillshire Farm sausage. Go Meat! We were glad to see that everyone walked out a little more festive than when they walked in.

Chapter Four: The Trips Home

Patty left for San Antonio, excited to spend 5 straight days almost entirely in her pajamas. The highlights of this year's 'gifts received' included cold hard cash, a transmission flush, and an array of kitchen appliances.

Ashley was only able to go home for two and a half days but found that it was a much needed break. Both her sisters were in town and she thought that was neat. She also celebrated her 24th birthday and was happy that a lot of her friends were able to celebrate it with her. She came back to Austin a little bit richer and a lot bit fuller.

Chapter Five: The New Year

We think that maybe our 2009 New Year's Eve was eventful enough to last a whole year. So this year we had a more low key celebration, and went to one of our favorite bars with a few close friends. We were en route to home at 12:05 am.

For both girls, 2009 was a year of transition. Patty graduated, and moved into her first apartment. She is very much looking forward to what 2010 has in store for The Soldier Thread. Last year was not particularly awesome for Ashley, but necessary nonetheless. She's happy to start the year in Austin, and has some plans and goals she's excited about. However, if any one hears of any jobs like Professional Day Dreamer or Full Time Gypsy, be sure to let her know.

This has been Patty and Ashley, and it's all happening again in 2010.