chicagoland adventuretime.

At this time tomorrow, I'm expecting to be chatting, laughing, and inhaling lots of wine and chocolate. The best part, though? My soulmate in the form of a sweet but feisty redhead is coming into town! Victoria is my best friend from when I studied abroad in Galway, Ireland in Fall 2011, and I haven't seen her since we parted ways in Dublin last December, so I've been anticipating her arrival ever since she booked her flight.

I feel so old now that I have someone visiting ALL THE WAY FROM New Jersey, but I'm even more impressed that we've kept in touch as well as we have. I tend to get wrapped up in the life I'm living where I'm living it and have a hard time keeping in touch with people, but Victoria and I made it--and in a throwback to my letter-writing post, I will let you all know that sending letters and cards definitely made keeping in touch all the more fun.

So tomorrow night, I'll be laughing, but not too hard because my tummy will be stuffed with Chicago-style pizza. I'll be warm and fuzzy--and to be nice and cheesy here, I'll throw in a line about how it will be the friendship, in addition to the wine that will make me feel that way. It's so wonderful to have a friend whose visits are all the more special because she's coming from far away. I'm looking forward to a wonderful weekend.



Victoria and me in County, Sligo Ireland--before our 3-hour walk around the bottom of the mountain we climbed