:::luck:::

it happens every now and then
i hear the words i need to hear
coming from the tiny speakers
that i shove into my ears


our trip is here. our Ireland trip. we're leaving tomorrow, Monday. our flight is at 7pm from Boston.

we're heading to Boston today, sunday, to stay at Kate's house. she is a friend from Hampshire. we're meeting up with some of Aliya's friends on monday morning and will probably have a hip, hang-out day until our trek to the airport.

we've been packing and watching wedding movies all night. first was 27 Dresses. then was Mamma Mia. both were great and gave us some awesome tips for weddings!!!! now we know what is happening.

i made all my wedding jewelery today. earrings, bracelet, anklet. i ended up making the anklet in fear that there wouldn't be enough red accessories. aliya assured me i had enough. so, i'll bring the anket, but i might not wear it. i'm not that crazy about it.

i bought a backpack. from LL Bean. one of those backpacks. i don't know that i've ever owned anything from LL Bean before. i was going in hoping for a cheap, sale backpack that was teal. and i went there and asked the lady working,

JULIE: Hi! So, I'm looking for a backpack. Not like a super backpack, just a normal one.
LL BEAN WORKER: So, just a bookpack?
JULIE: ...Yeah.
LL BEAN WORKER: Ok, they are over by the kids shoes towards the back.
JULIE: And, do you have a clearance section?
LL BEAN WORKER: We actually don't. That's pretty much all we have because we're getting in all our summer stock. We'll have more sales towards the fall.
JULIE: Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Great, thanks!

so, i left this conversation and headed back to the backpack section. now i was totally thinking that i wouldn't buy one because it wouldn't be on sale. and they were $40! yime that's a lot of money. so, i was like, "ah well, no backpack tonight."

but then, i saw them. and i was looking through it. and looking at all the different pocket options. and it did seem really useful. and i decided it would definitely be a good trip bag. so, i purchased. navy blue.

and immediately i was like, "how can i make this prettier?!" (more later)

ALSO: the LL Bean store is in The Powerhouse Mall. now, before tonight, i had never been into this mall. but, i assumed that they didn't reall mean it was a mall, it was just the area that they called the LL Bean. BUT NO! it's a mall!!!

and so, i walk in the doors expecting to walk into the LL Bean, but no - i was walking into the mall! what a surprise! there are other stores ON THE INSIDE! there was a candy store! i stood there for a minute trying to figure out where i was, since i was not in the LL Bean. unexpected, and i will have to explore this more later.

so then, i also had to run into JoAnn's and buy some necklace clasps. did that. also found some pretty buttons with birds on them to sew onto my new backpack. everything was on sale because of Memorial Day, and then i had a 10% off coupon. perf.

and then i decided i needed a notebook. and some socks. and gum. so, i tripped to wal-mart. found some Sasquatch notebooks. i like them a lot. bought some socks. gum. pens. and a 5$ watch.

we're not bringing cell phones, so the question was, 'how are we going to know what time it is??' and so i wandered into the kids jewelery section for a watch. found a sparkly teal one for five bucks. nice.

headed home. organized. packed slightly. turned the watch into a necklace. aliya trimmed my hair. consolidated my bobby pins. cleaned out my purse and wallet.

ended up sewing three things onto my backpack:

1. bird button purchased tonight
2. CITIZEN pin from aliya's div 3
3. lucky turtle charm from my mom

i did all my laundry. washed and dryed. tomorrow i will sort and pack.

OK. i guess this might be the last update before i leave.....before i get back? i'll try hard to update from Ireland, but i'm not promising anything. i will keep a journal, duh, to update you as much as possible when i return.

i'll take pictures for you to see. i'm actually pretty excited about my backpack.

alright, friends. i'll miss you.

tonight marks my THE END OF MY THREE MONTH WORKING STRAIGHT MARATHON. words cannot express how happy i am about this. i was starting to go crazy in this house.

and now, i feel like i have to bring things back for the girls. because i live with them.

whatever, i won't get into that because i have lots of feeling and opinions about it which i am too tired to express.

man, i'll really miss you. will we seriously not be talking for over two weeks?!??! no, i'll have to make time. for you? definitely.


love you.


j.ulie