Five hours until takeoff

After two years in the works, today is finally here. I'll be leaving for the airport in a couple of hours, and my flight to Chicago-O'Hare leaves in just under five hours. I'm counting on finding a currency exchange when I get there. My flight plan is St. Louis-Chicago-O'Hare-Frankfurt-Vienna. I leave this afternoon and I'll arrive in Vienna tomorrow afternoon. I'm really hoping I get a window seat somewhere along the way and that it'll be clear and bright enough for me to see what I'm flying over. Hey, I haven't flown since I was three. I know you're thinking, 'Lucy, you're just on a plane, it's not that exciting, chill out.' This is big to me. Let me get giddy about it.

I had a fantastic last weekend in the States. My boyfriend Neil came home from Truman Saturday evening. We got a pancake snack at Uncle Bill's and then went to Sam's farewell party. Yesterday we got lunch at Thai Pizza Co. (I'm eating the leftovers right now. Yum.) ran around for a bit, and hung out at Dad's while I did my laundry and packed. He won a game of Battleship, but I won at Candy Land. Last night we met up with some other friends for Beau's 21st birthday, which was actually in February, but better to celebrate late than never. We smoked hookah, sipped fruity drinks, ate cake, and Margaret took a shot of whiskey like a champ. I'll have some pictures up of our destroyed cake in a little bit.

EDIT: Pictures!

Beau and deelishus caeks and frooty drink


We plowed through Thomas the Train

Well, I need to go finish packing. Double-checking that I have everything important. The next you'll be hearing of me will be from Vienna. I miss you all already!

Love, Lucy

Friday Hey Hallelujah

It was a gorgeous morning today, clear and breezy and warm. As the afternoon went on, it got up into the low 80's, which is hot by my standards. Now it's warm and humid and looking like it's going to rain. I hope there won't be many cold snaps while I'm travelling. I'm sick and tired of the weather being cold and miserable.

Between today and yesterday, I've gone on two lovely dates with two lovely ladies. Krystal and I hit up Coffee Cartel for frappes and cinnamon ice cream last night. Cate and I went to The Cupcakery earlier today. I got a vanilla-almond cupcake, definitely one of my favorites. We went for a stroll around the Central West End and popped in at Bissinger's on the way back to the car because Cate had never been before. Let's hear it for chocolate rum truffles. I'm going to miss living so close to that neighborhood. If you ever find yourself down there, be sure to stop in at any one of those places. Other favorites: Left Bank Books, Rasoi, and Koppermann's.

My jury performance went well yesterday, I'm pleased with it. Everyone on the recital performed very well. I got my philosophy paper finished and we had our last class over pizza and some light discussion. I can't wait to take more philosophy classes next year. I'm excited because class schedules for the fall semester are up and I can start planning what I'm going to take. I'll let you all know what'll be on my plate as soon as everything gets settled. I wish we could have taken our theory midterm outside today. That would have been superb.

Tonight I'm going to another student gig. I'm going to need to arrive at the recital hall early because I hear that the place is going to be pretty packed for Liz's junior recital. Rightly so.

Three days until I leave?!?! I can't tell you how stoked I am. I'm very stoked. Indescribably stoked.

Love, Lucy