Ribbon Rules. You had mentioned sending me a magnifying glass a while back. Obviously it can not be glass. It can be either 2" x 3" rectangular or 3" round. I would prefer the rectangle. If you are able to send me one, please put in a separate envelope and mark it to the attention of the package room, magnifying plastic enclosed.

It is funny how the rules work around here. I was at the package room a few weeks ago to pick up my next supply of six ribbons. The woman officer working in the package room asked me for my six used ribbons before I could receive the six new ones. This was news to me. I had already received one shipment of ribbons here at the new location and did not hand back the old ones then.

I explained that I was never asked for the old ones and simply tossed out the old ones as they were of no use. When I checked the approved property list, I noticed it did say that we were supposed to have only one print wheel, "on an exchange basis" and the correction ribbon says "replacement only" but next to the ribbons it only says "max. of 6."

When I pointed this out to the officer as she was busily denying other inmates various items with the explanation that they should read the approved package items list, she told me simply, well that is the way it always is. I think I gave you the web site address for the DOC where you can see the rules for yourself.

Just the point that the rules are whatever they say, and you are not going to get anywhere fighting with them.

I will promise to continue this letter tomorrow and will be sure to answer all the items you so generously wrote about.

I have finished off all my sodas and chocolate so I will be treat-less till I go to the store on Tuesday.

One of the reasons for the lack of letters has been the heat. It is so warm in the dorm, that any movement leaves you sweating like a pig. Even now, with the sun down and the temperature down in the 80's, I am sticky sweaty, as opposed to dripping wet, typing this letter. I know you had to rough it for a day or so with out your electric. I guess we were sort of equal for a time there.

Actually I was a little ahead, I did not have to go out to get ice for my "cooler" and I could still read at night with my 25 watt personal lamp. Plus I do have a 6" personal fan.

I am glad you got your power back. What about the phone? I think you mentioned you had some sort of battery for you fiber optic connection? Hmm. This does not sound all that safe. Is the phone company responsible for getting the "light" to your house, so that if you did have a generator you would have phone service, provided the lines were still up?

One would think it would be a marketable product to have an emergency phone that is kept constantly charged, but if power goes out, you would only use the battery power to make calls. It would plug directly into the fiber optic connection, or do you need to have the multiplexer fully powered to split the signals etc. POTS may have been the PITS sometimes but it was certainly more reliable.

Another thing we have in common, clowns for bosses. Although our clowns do not really make me laugh too much. Hope things begin to look up one way or the other on the job front for you.

I have had my CAT SCAN and blood test, still waiting for the colonoscopy, but have not seen a doctor yet to get the results of the first two tests. Will keep you advised.

It is almost count time, so that is all the time I have to type for now.

I apologize again for not writing sooner but will continue this letter tomorrow.  ¶ 7:29 AM