Let's get this party started!

My three-and-a-half week long vacation has started! This time tomorrow, we'll be just about ready to head to the airport. God, this has been a long time coming and I can't freakin' wait!

The longest day EVER

Today is my last full day of work before going on vacation. I have to come in first thing tomorrow morning to host a library program (I'm kicking myself for that as well. The last thing I want to do is entertain a bunch of 6-year-olds, regardless of how much I love them. It just takes way more effort than I want to exert right now), but I get to leave at noon, so you can be damn sure that I'll be peeling wheels out of the parking lot. Today, however, is already dragging. I've only been here for 45 minutes? Seriously??

Heaven on earth

Because I feel like rubbing it in ;-)

Didn't want you forgetting about the glorious hotel in which we'll be staying whilst in London. ;-)

This time, 11 days from now...

...we'll be arriving at Dulles for our flight to London! You can't possibly begin to understand how excited I am. We've been planning this trip for, what, four years now, and it's such an understatement to say that I'm READY. Every time I think about seeing those familiar sights, and possibly visiting Kingston-upon-Thames, the town in which I lived for a year, I actually start to get choked up. My stay there wasn't always easy, but the bad memories have definitely faded into the background as time has passed, and all I remember is what a wonderful, emancipating experience it was. Here are some pics of my old uni town:


Kingston Bridge, with the John Lewis department store in the background. This pic was taken not too far from the dorm where I lived.


Kingston-upon-Thames, a shopper's haven. A lot of the central part of town was pedestrianised.

The lovely, traditional English market.

The Penrhyn Road campus of Kingston University, where most of my classes were.

One more dress update, then I promise to not talk about clothes again for a while

I managed to snag the green one in a smaller size and it fit perfectly! I'm SO EXCITED to wear it. Keep your eyes peeled for pics!

Oh well...

The blue dress didn't work out - despite the fact that it fit perfectly otherwise, the hem was a tad too low (what I wouldn't give to be a statuesque 5'10") and the ruffles were kind of overwhelming on little ole me - but I still have hope for the green one. Of all things, the bust is a little loose (not a place I normally have trouble filling out), but somehow, I'm going to make it work...I just can't bear the thought of sending it back!