And an Ice Box Too? Well not really a box, more like an ice pail. I finally received a five gallon bucket which we are allowed to keep under our beds (which is a good thing because it would never fit in my locker). Each cube should have its own ice bucket and milk crate (I am still waiting on that).

Like most things that are not nailed down in prison, the buckets have a habit of disappearing when inmates are moved around. For one reason or another the buckets end up property of another cube.

Several inmates have taken a second bucket, poked some holes in it, and placed it inside another bucket. This way the water from the melting ice drips down and the items in the bucket do not sit in water. Since I am lucky to have one bucket at this point, I brought a plastic colander this week thinking that it would make a good thing to have at the bottom of the bucket.

Unfortunately, the diameter of the colander is larger than the bottom of the bucket. Instead I have it wedged in the bottom at an angle. It is doing the job of stopping the few items I have placed on ice from sitting in the water.

I have the extra pasta from tonight's meal sitting on the ice now. In addition I have the package of mozzarella cheese chilling since that does not hold up too well at room temperature. It will be interesting to see how well the ice machine can keep up with all the ice buckets once the warm weather hits.

I have only been icing my food for the last thirty-six hours. I drain and refill the pail every four to six hours. Provided the ice machine can keep up in the summer, which will be great; if not, I will refrain from buying those items that need to be kept on ice.

Wait a minute, what about the chocolate? No air conditioning. Never mind, I will have to fight for my fair share of ice to save my chocolate this summer. I have already given up my trusty Diet Cokes but I will not give up my chocolate too. What’s that about never saying never?

They do not sell Coke products here. I do not care for Pepsi. The other problem is that unlike at my last location, I actually have to walk down the hill to go to the commissary. It would be almost impossible for me to carry my eight six-packs of soda along with my other food items.

The downside of no Diet Coke is that I have spent some of the money I previously allocated to the soda on other treats. And they are not the zero calorie type as the Diet Coke was.

It seems so unfair. The .75 ounce bag of Cheez Doodles® has 110 calories and 50 of them are the dreaded fat calories. Urgh. I fear that I am going be in dire need of a massive walking regime in the very near future. I have yet to start the walking. I did read three papers this morning, and two yesterday morning.

It is now almost 9:00 PM, time to proof and print. I have done three posts tonight. Getting back on track. Stay tuned for lots more writing to come.  ¶ 8:38 AM