France is so far away

It's been three days. Three LONG days, and I'm really quite tired of myself for being such a little twerp. But can I just say that France is a mighty long way to travel without your best friend. I'm a smidge bitter, but most of all I miss my friend.

Jim left on Sunday for a 12-day jaunt across practically all of France. I am so excited for him and cannot wait to hear all about his trip, but I am seriously counting down the days until he returns.

It's times like these that I realize how much I rely on him and thus get irritated at myself for being such a little girl. He's practically my brother - God knows he puts up with enough without disowning me, so he deserves mad props.

At the airport I managed to hold it together until it was time to say goodbye - when I burst into a grand display of tears - complete with mascara-running black streams down my face. Oh, it was classic ... but at that moment I decided that next time I'm going with him. And just as soon as I decided, he said it ... "Next time you're coming with me."

So, that settles it. Next year I'm going, too. But until then, I'll be counting down the days to Oct. 11.