2 June 2000

The power behind the words "I Miss You" is something that was driven home to me earlier when I talked to Callie. When there is a strong emotional attachment to someone, those words are three of the most powerful words in the English language. They both denote and connote meaning.

They drove home for me the fact that I have not been away from Callie for a single night since my trip to London in January. I missed her then, but it was different, because over the five months since then our relationship has deepened and I’ve grown to love her very intensely, to the point I envision spending my future with her. So yesterday was a little rough in that regard.

It was also bad because she told me Kiwi seems somewhat lost without me around. I love that dog to death. When I’m home, I play with her. I talk to her. I walk her. We have a great time. And she’s finally getting past that last, abusive home she was in where she was beaten. And then I pack up and leave town for a week. Of course she seems somewhat lost. At least with people, one can explain a business trip. All Kiwi knows is that this person who took her in and who feeds her and walks her and talks to her and makes her tail wag is gone. Sometime I’d like to bring her to Calgary! They have many "off-leash" parks for dogs.

* * * *

Today, we went to visit the office, but there was no work to be done today. So I visited several outdoors stores. Goods that are produced in Canada tend to be priced the same in Canadian dollars as they are priced in the states. Thus, an Arc’Teryx Bora 30 pack that sells for US$110 was marked CAN$109. A backpacking camera tripod was similarly priced. Since I’ve been wanting these items, I snatched them up, because the favorable exchange rate means they were basically on sale! Yes, I’m a backpacking gear addict. . . .

I also spent several hours in a coffeeshop reading and people watching. It was actually a pretty quiet night. Then Hallmark and I tried to take in dinner at a place that advertised itself as a tapas restaurant but wasn’t -- we left and went to a more familiar pub for dinner, and enjoyed ourselves immensely. We came back here and watched the Lakers get beaten, and called it a night. I’ve enjoyed the time with Hallmark immensely. Sadly, we’ve both been petering out fairly early. But that’s okay.