Pure Joy II

On this evening in my lifetime our little band broke the four figure mark for one night's door. 

This means amazing things.

This means over one hundred people came to see us play.

They left happy.

We were left full of gratitude and wonder.

On this day I realized how rich in love I am and that no dollar amount or number could ever even touch the contented fullness in my heart.

It sure is nice to have had a paid vacation, though!

Fayetteville, Arkansas, here we come!!

Pure Joy

The Light of My Life

I am home in the bosom of my family and happier than a clam.

My mother has fed us to the gills and the guys have gone off to their hotel with their lovely ladies who came all the way from California to see them!!

I am loving the company of my best friend Jeremy (in from New York) and cannot believe what this night brought...

We had 60 people at our show this evening!!!

I sold a ton of cds, as did Matt and we are just reveling in the magic of it all, each in our own ways.

I got to have more than a five minute conversation with my Schmilly and for that I am extremely grateful: I see him in one week.

I feel like I have been away from my 'normal' life forever and it's disconcerting and amazing all at once: I have a different concept of time and distance than I have ever had before, born of long stretches of driving and several state signs per day.

Tonight I sleep in a familiar bed and hear familiar sounds, knowing that the two people who brought me into the world sleep one floor below me.

That is pure comfort.

Columbus and Confusion

So.

We arrive at Vic's in Columbus to a bartender who basically says, "Who the F are you?"

A Bar owner who pretty much says the same thing

And a booking agent unable to be reached.

 

We actually heard the phone conversation firsthand: "Some girl is here saying that she is supposed to play...."

Needless to say we were freaking out a bit and trying not to get belligerent - we are tired to the bone and need some tenderness, you know?

After a rough start the night really did improve by leaps and bounds and ended on a sweet note, hearing the boys downstairs talking and laughing with our hosts (friends of Phil) as I drifted off to sleep.

A high point? My friend Micah from college came from Kentucky with his lovely and pregnant wife and an amazing guitar player to pick a few tunes during our solo sets.

I love this boy.

I awoke this morning to a few challenges: I am sick with a cold and our lovely hosts' dog Frankie had eaten my contact case: there was a knife involved in getting it open: needless to say I was a wee worried, but my little blue globes of sight were safe.

Besides, can you be mad at a face like this?

I certainly hope not!!!

Beatrix

Forgiving Frankie 

One more week, y'all. I cannot believe things have gone this fast, but it feels like forever since I have seen my loving husband.... if you see him will you hug him for me?

He's the only thing missing from these amazing slices of life we have been eating.

Dear Chicago....

I adore you.

We spent an amazing day eating barbecue and talking to people we love: in my case, the people I met I had never seen before in a non-digital platform: James (and Dres!), Jessie, Siobhan, Kate: thank you dearest ladies (Dres is not a lady, but still thank you!!) for coming out and making my day in the most spectacular fashion.

You were all more beautiful than pixels could ever portray!

There was a lot of this during the day and night:

Love. 

There was so much love: seeing Phil with his fraternity brothers (all AMAZING men and their stunning and charming girls) was such a pleasure: apparently Phil was a superstar in college! I feel honored we have such a luminary traveling with us, and he's humble.

I am wearing my sister's scarf in the chilly moments and it makes me feel like she is right there with me on this amazing trip.

I am realizing through this experience that I have to do this more: the word must be spread: little tours everywhere: tours with friends.... nothing to lose but a few bucks, and that isn't what matters in life.

Chicago helped me see more than ever that it is the love that drives us...

Thank you, Windy City for invigorating my spirit!

Thank you, Dave!!

Greetings from the Best Western 22 miles outside of Madison!!

'Tis no mystery that yesterday was a day of blue, but that all changed upon our arrival at Dave Schipper's house, home of Bluff View Concerts.

His home was lovely and the people who came were amazing: we found ourselves having fantastic conversations and lots of laughter long after we'd finished playing.

When we tour again I can imagine going out of our way to make it back to Holmen, WI - it was that amazing.

My blues lifted and onward we go. Tonight in Chicago, and I get to meet some of my very favoritest Etsy chickadees... in fact I got a hot tip from my friend Nina to actually submit an article to The Storque (Etsy's blog) about meeting other sellers across the country.

Thanks, Nina!!

Silvie's Lounge, look out: we are going to soft rock you!

xoxoxoxoxo,

A

THAT Day

In the middle of everything epic you do there is THAT day where you feel confused and sad and a little lost...

I am having that day today.

I said goodbye to my sister this morning after an amazing Cuban Breakfast and haven't been able to stop crying since then. Two of my best girlfriends are going through some of the most challenging things in life and sometimes when you cry you start to cry for everything in the world, you know that feeling?

It starts with your own grief and then extends to those you love and what they're feeling and pretty soon you feel like you're crying for all the people in the world who feel pain....

Do you know what I mean?

It's nearly the middle of the tour and I miss my husband more than I could have ever anticipated... I know I will wake up tomorrow and want to erase this entry because it'll seem foolish by then, but I think it's important to write things out.

Matt and Phil are amazing and I feel so lucky to be with them on this wild journey: I think of my girlfriend Terra who toured across the country several times on her own for something like 6 weeks at a time.... how many of these days did she have?

Soon we'll be on the road again and my sister's house will be a happy memory. She gave me the blouse I have always wanted to own and a scarf today since it was chilly.

It aches to love people as much as I love my people, and yet I cannot imagine it any other way.

I just forgot how deep it goes when it comes down to saying goodbye.

Harumph...

Butter!!

Would you look at this wall?

A veritable wonderland of decals and painting and we got to play in front of it, at Butter in Minneapolis.

We surprised Julie by playing 'The Ballad of Love and Hate' by the Avett Brothers, which is one of her favorite songs.

It was a lovely crowd and we made some gas money and had delicious caramel apple cupcakes!

Yummmmm....

My sister did my hair (I am human againnnn!) and I wore a plaid strapless party dress. We shook off some of our road weariness today and had lots of good food and caught up on emails and phone calls and simple things like shaving...

It's amazing how small comforts add up to big luxuries when you're traveling and living out of bags. 

Luxuries are big bottles of Redken shampoo and conditioner and a full, solid night's sleep...

I love my sister. Have I mentioned that?

Seeing her refills a well that is too often empty...

Tomorrow we go get a big breakfast and then the road beckons on to Holmen, Wisconsin.

Seeeester, if you're reading this, I miss you already.

You

are

my 

Heart.

Home Away From Home

I am with my sister and her B. Rose in Minneapolis....

Today we drove forever, but not as forever as the day before. Yesterday was so long and sleep came with such a fierceness - tonight there isn't so much sleepiness: there is too much excitement over being with my sweet sister.

Matt and Phil have had beer and we ate like kings and queens after our trip through Iowa and Minnesota.

Tomorrow we play Butter in the evening and enjoy the day in the best ways. I am with family...

Pinch us :)

Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota

Driving Driving Driving......

Yellowstone...

Wyoming and Montana:

South Dakota:

In SD's defense, we've only seen her after dark :)

My biggest sadness was knowing we were in the same state as  Shreve and not being able to bend our route. We drove 18 hours today.

We are tired beyond anything I've felt in some time: the boys are much more well-versed at late nights and pushing it to the limit... I am getting an education in endurance!!

Day Two - Plume Gables and Pocatello

Today was unreal.

I felt so lucky to have spent the day with not only two of my favorite dudes (I miss you, Schmilly!) but a woman to whom so much affection is drawn: my dear friend Jillian.

This woman grows goodness all around her: poppies

Though there was one poppy that seemed a little.... different...can't put my finger on it.

Puppies

Pinkerton Kitten (who by the way is going to look just like beach kitteh in a few years)

She grows love, passionate dedication and all things strong and sturdy and gave us food, laughter and immense joy. We created great memories here in Pocatello.

Tonight we played our first show at Portneuf Brewery and sold some cds and met some amazing folks.

Solid.

We got to hear thunder, too...

I had a few moments where I wanted to hold my breath, so moving and precious was this day in our journey.... 

We are deeply, deeply blessed.

This might as well be a picture of the inside of our happy hearts :)

Sleepy and Accomplished

Day 1.

11 hours of driving.

1 Bizarre and amazingly huge and overly-rich dinner at a Basque restaurant in Elko, NV.

3 excited people happy to jabber on with each other and catch up on all things missed living so far from each other.

Tons of stretching at rest stops.

Many, many mountains (we climbed every one)

Some Flicks

This sleepy face.... my brother!!!

Lastly, one eeeek scary motel room, which we find ourselves in now. If I wasn't with two tall strapping and completely kick-ass men I would be upgrading to Motel 6.

I could even take a picture to capture the decrepitude that is this place... just do yourself this favor: if you ever travel through Twin Falls, ID do your best to avoid the Branding Iron Motel.

Yikes!!!!!

Tomorrow I see Jillian and meet all manner of furry beasts... I feel better already!

G'night, friends!!!

zzzzzz,

Allison