Fast week as I hoped, thanks to the Memorial Day holiday.
Since federal holidays are visitation days, I was able to see my wife for four days over the holiday weekend. That was especially nice for 2 reasons: 1) I had not seen her in 3 weeks nor talked to her for 2 weeks (because I ran out of phone minutes) and 2) she will be in Europe with her parents the first 2 weeks in June, which encompasses 3 weekends. I won't see her for 4 weeks after this nor talk for 15 days.
Fortunately phone minutes renew on the 1st of the month so I was able to talk to her twice on Friday June 1 before she left. I also was able to talk to my oldest daughter who has left for summer session.
My wife and I were able to talk through some of the strains this has created, a topic I will write on later. Husbands and wives need to understand the distinctive stresses prison places on each spouse and anticipate and interpret changes in behavior appropriately in order to successfully survive.
Monday night was unique -- concert night in the base theatre. Three prison bands performed. I was impressed. One of the inmates was scheduled to leave prison immediately after the concert. Talk about a send-off performance.
Work was more of the same -- weed-eating, weed-eating, weed-eating. I am actually getting pretty good at this. Nice to know I have a fallback career!
I am continuing to work out and trying to figure out a way to get more protein in my diet, which is a little tricky in prison, especially if you can't quite stomach canned fish.
I have learned that a bag of trail mix (1400 calories!) and a quart of gatorade -- both can be purchased in the commissary -- give me all the energy and hydration I need at work. My weight is stable. Hopefully I'm adding some muscle.
As for medical care in prison, a scary topic I will write on later, the only thing I can suggest is DON'T GET SICK. I just developed a small chest cold, which is almost impossible to avoid in a room of 12 men. At the commissary, for cold or allergy-like symptoms, you can purchase: Claritin, allergy tabs, ibuprofen, nasal spray, cough syrup, aspirin.
I had not purchased any in advance as I rarely get sick so a friend gave me 6 aspirin to last the weekend. I'll just have to treat the symptoms and hope I beat the cold over the next week.
Less than 4 weeks to go. I feel like a runner who has just caught his second wind as he starts to sense the finish line ahead.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Week 8 Summary
Note from Bill's wife: sorry for the large gap in posting, I was on vacation with my parents for two weeks. It was nice to be away and it has helped the time go faster, for me, anyway, sorry Bill, but he'll be back at home next Thursday!
Wow, the week flew by.
It was wonderful to see my oldest daughter last weekend.
This weekend is Memorial Day so we get Monday off and it is also an extra visitation day so my wife and parents will be visiting Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. That should help next week to fly by, too.
My phone minutes ran out May 17 so I haven't been able to talk to anyone in 8 days. Not only is 3 weeks the longest I have not seen my wife but I don't think I have ever gone this long without communicating by phone.
My work detail was pretty consistent this week -- weed-eating, weed-eating, weed-eating, weed-eating. Weather has been nice -- the wind and clouds have softened the effect of the Florida sun. Twice this week I had my Harry Potter book seized while trying to take it to work. Sigh.
Had a few minor spats with other inmates but nothing major. It is really quite remarkable how "on edge" some guys are here -- they have hair-trigger tempers.
Also met the inmate who arrived May 17, having read this blog on the outside. His feedback has encouraged me to keep plugging on.
Oh, I also had a birthday on Monday but no cake from the prison :( 5 weeks to go.
Note from Bill's wife: I couldn't send a cake, but I did send him 14 funny birthday cards, one each day starting the Monday before his birthday)
Wow, the week flew by.
It was wonderful to see my oldest daughter last weekend.
This weekend is Memorial Day so we get Monday off and it is also an extra visitation day so my wife and parents will be visiting Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. That should help next week to fly by, too.
My phone minutes ran out May 17 so I haven't been able to talk to anyone in 8 days. Not only is 3 weeks the longest I have not seen my wife but I don't think I have ever gone this long without communicating by phone.
My work detail was pretty consistent this week -- weed-eating, weed-eating, weed-eating, weed-eating. Weather has been nice -- the wind and clouds have softened the effect of the Florida sun. Twice this week I had my Harry Potter book seized while trying to take it to work. Sigh.
Had a few minor spats with other inmates but nothing major. It is really quite remarkable how "on edge" some guys are here -- they have hair-trigger tempers.
Also met the inmate who arrived May 17, having read this blog on the outside. His feedback has encouraged me to keep plugging on.
Oh, I also had a birthday on Monday but no cake from the prison :( 5 weeks to go.
Note from Bill's wife: I couldn't send a cake, but I did send him 14 funny birthday cards, one each day starting the Monday before his birthday)
Friday, June 1, 2007
Week 7 Summary
Monday was my half-way point (day 46 out of 91) but who's counting. It was a good week.
Last weekend my parents visited along with my brother from St. Pete. This weekend my oldest daughter, 20, who just finished her sophomore year in college, is here. I'm excited. We will spend all day Saturday together.
My work detail involved clearing out an "outfall" area outside the base fence. This is a 20' concrete ditch that drains storm water out to the bay. There is a grassy easement on both sides that needed mowing and trees trimmed back. We had a crew of about 10.
Monday and Tuesday I weed-eated a 5' buffer along the edge of the ditch that was too sloped for the large mower to get to. It was hot and dirty and the horse flies were biting but I got it done.
Wednesday and Thursday we trimmed back the trees and fed them into a medium-sized wood chipper. A litte easier work. Wednesday afternoon, a thunder shower cancelled the work detail which was a nice respite.
Friday was equipment maintenance day and the weather was near perfect, almost fall-like. Cool breezes and clear skies. Since I only had two small pieces of equipment to clean, I had several hours to relax in the shade and finish Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azhaban (Year 3). Hopefully I will finish all 6 before I get out, just in time for the final book due to be released on July 21.
Last Saturday, I saw The Queen at the base theatre, a little slow for most imate's tastes. It's hard to believe it has been 10 years since Diana died and Tony Blair became Prime Minister.
Monday night I watched 24 in the base theatre. Only one 2-hour episode left.
Tuesday and Wednesday night I watched American Idol in the visiting room. We missed the first 20 minutes due to problems with the satellite. I thought all contestants had a good night and was, of course, shocked when Melinda was sent home. I was almost as shocked as when Daughtry finished 4th last year. Go figure. I now predict Jordin wins it all.
[Interruption. I'll be right back. I just got called to visitation. My daughter is here...Told you I'd be right back. Nice visit from 8:30a-2p. It's amazing we can talk that long - 5 1/2 hours.]
Thursday night just hung out, did some reading and writing, worked out.
Unfortunately, I also ran out of minutes on the phone for the rest of the month -- only 17 days in, with 14 to go! Yikes.
Note: Inmates are limited to 300 minutes per month. Individual calls are limited to 15 minutes. You must wait 15 minutes between calls. See earlier post on Crack House.
Last weekend my parents visited along with my brother from St. Pete. This weekend my oldest daughter, 20, who just finished her sophomore year in college, is here. I'm excited. We will spend all day Saturday together.
My work detail involved clearing out an "outfall" area outside the base fence. This is a 20' concrete ditch that drains storm water out to the bay. There is a grassy easement on both sides that needed mowing and trees trimmed back. We had a crew of about 10.
Monday and Tuesday I weed-eated a 5' buffer along the edge of the ditch that was too sloped for the large mower to get to. It was hot and dirty and the horse flies were biting but I got it done.
Wednesday and Thursday we trimmed back the trees and fed them into a medium-sized wood chipper. A litte easier work. Wednesday afternoon, a thunder shower cancelled the work detail which was a nice respite.
Friday was equipment maintenance day and the weather was near perfect, almost fall-like. Cool breezes and clear skies. Since I only had two small pieces of equipment to clean, I had several hours to relax in the shade and finish Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azhaban (Year 3). Hopefully I will finish all 6 before I get out, just in time for the final book due to be released on July 21.
Last Saturday, I saw The Queen at the base theatre, a little slow for most imate's tastes. It's hard to believe it has been 10 years since Diana died and Tony Blair became Prime Minister.
Monday night I watched 24 in the base theatre. Only one 2-hour episode left.
Tuesday and Wednesday night I watched American Idol in the visiting room. We missed the first 20 minutes due to problems with the satellite. I thought all contestants had a good night and was, of course, shocked when Melinda was sent home. I was almost as shocked as when Daughtry finished 4th last year. Go figure. I now predict Jordin wins it all.
[Interruption. I'll be right back. I just got called to visitation. My daughter is here...Told you I'd be right back. Nice visit from 8:30a-2p. It's amazing we can talk that long - 5 1/2 hours.]
Thursday night just hung out, did some reading and writing, worked out.
Unfortunately, I also ran out of minutes on the phone for the rest of the month -- only 17 days in, with 14 to go! Yikes.
Note: Inmates are limited to 300 minutes per month. Individual calls are limited to 15 minutes. You must wait 15 minutes between calls. See earlier post on Crack House.
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