Prison Pete
Friday, September 21, 2007
Bi-Weekly Shopping List.
I just spent around two hours putting my bi-weekly shopping away.
I have not had freshly fried food since entering the NY state system. Yes they do sell the frozen fried chicken but that is certainly not the same and I have not brought that since the inmate that begged me to let him give me the stamps for half a box left our dorm. Yes, no fried foods is certainly one less unhealthy thing for me to eat and that is a good thing.
One of the things that I work on convincing myself when I see all the great junk food come in to other inmates through the package room is the calories that would add to my attempt to limit my caloric intake. It is a constant battle but one that is certainly a little easy to win now that I have hit the 220 mark.
I have not yet done anything to get my weight down under 210 from the current 220. And to think I was hoping to be under 200. I know I need to do some walking but the logistics of getting to the Rec yard are making that reality difficult for me.
I do not know if this was mentioned early on, but at one point Club Fed started opening the Rec yard at 6:00 AM, before they started serving breakfast. You got a good hour of exercise, in my case walking, in before they called the morning work call. I used to make a P.B. & J. sandwich, head out and put in four miles or so of walking and that was a great way to start the day.
While that is not possible here, I have started back to at least getting up at 6:00 AM and not lying in bed till the last minute before the 7:30 AM mandatory wake-up and beds made. I decided to jump in and get this letter out, even though my usual commissary day scheduled found my laying around reading a book after giving myself a sugar high.
I am typing this letter standing up. It is just 7:00 so I still have three more hours to type this letter to you. I do not want to stop conversing with you, and go to strictly blog post writing. Does that make any sense?
Yes, one can regret moments of laziness, but some times it has more benefits than being active. For example we had two days, (Thursday through Saturday evening) of miserable heat and humidity. The dorm was miserable even just trying to lie on the bunk. No cuddling up under the blankets.
The heat broke during the night Saturday. The wind changed from coming from the south to bring in the nice cooler air from the north. By early Sunday morning I was enjoying be under my two blankets, and ended up staying in bed, under the covers, till 1:30 PM when I jumped up and managed to quickly shower and dress for church at 2:00. I did not have anything to eat or drink till after I returned from Mass around 3:30 PM.
Bi-Weekly Shopping List
3 cans of Dr. Pepper 36¢ each $1.08
3 Cans Chunk Light Tuna in water 6 oz. 53¢ $1.59
5 cans octopus in soy oil 4 oz. 77¢ $3.85
2 Jars (plastic) Parmesan Cheese 3 oz. 82¢ $1.64
1 can Crushed Tomato 28 oz. $.80
1 bottle Strawberry Preserves 22 oz. $1.90
2 cans Mushrooms in water 4 oz. 47¢ $.94
4 cans Black Beans 15.5 oz 38¢ $1.52
1 carton Egg Beaters, whites only, 1 lb. $2.15
1 mustard 8 oz. $.40
1 Catsup 24 oz. $.94
1 Sweet Relish 12.7 oz. $1.29
1 Sugar 2 lb. $1.15
1 box Saltines 1 lb. $.81
1 Tub soft margarine 1 lb. $.81
1 Tea Bags 48 count $.84
1 Peanut Butter - Chunky 18 oz. $1.15
2 loaves Wheat Bread $1.15 $2.30
2 boxes Little Debbie Powdered Donuts 6/4 pks. $1.34 $2.68
4 Pks. English Muffins 6 muffins per $1.00 $4.00
2 pks. American Cheese 16 slices 12 oz. $1.73 $3.46
1 block Cheddar Cheese 8 oz. $1.55
2 pks Buddig Sliced Turkey 2.5 oz. 69¢ $1.38
1 bag onions 2 lb. $.69
1 Cream Cheese 8 oz. $1.09
1 bag shredded Mozzarella 8 oz. $2.05
1 bag Honey Roasted Peanuts 2 Oz. $.34
10 bags Plain M&M's 40¢ $4.00
15 bags of pretzels 1.5 oz. 15¢ $2.25
1 Green Mint Ice Cream Pint $1.28
10 Microwave Popcorn 23¢ $2.30
10 41¢ stamps $4.10
1 Microwave Popcorn $.23
4 pouches Roll your own tobacco Tops 70¢ $2.80
TOTAL $58.35
No, I do not smoke, the Tops is a random act of kindness for two other inmates who will pay me back when they go to the store.
I have not had freshly fried food since entering the NY state system. Yes they do sell the frozen fried chicken but that is certainly not the same and I have not brought that since the inmate that begged me to let him give me the stamps for half a box left our dorm. Yes, no fried foods is certainly one less unhealthy thing for me to eat and that is a good thing.
One of the things that I work on convincing myself when I see all the great junk food come in to other inmates through the package room is the calories that would add to my attempt to limit my caloric intake. It is a constant battle but one that is certainly a little easy to win now that I have hit the 220 mark.
I have not yet done anything to get my weight down under 210 from the current 220. And to think I was hoping to be under 200. I know I need to do some walking but the logistics of getting to the Rec yard are making that reality difficult for me.
I do not know if this was mentioned early on, but at one point Club Fed started opening the Rec yard at 6:00 AM, before they started serving breakfast. You got a good hour of exercise, in my case walking, in before they called the morning work call. I used to make a P.B. & J. sandwich, head out and put in four miles or so of walking and that was a great way to start the day.
While that is not possible here, I have started back to at least getting up at 6:00 AM and not lying in bed till the last minute before the 7:30 AM mandatory wake-up and beds made. I decided to jump in and get this letter out, even though my usual commissary day scheduled found my laying around reading a book after giving myself a sugar high.
I am typing this letter standing up. It is just 7:00 so I still have three more hours to type this letter to you. I do not want to stop conversing with you, and go to strictly blog post writing. Does that make any sense?
Yes, one can regret moments of laziness, but some times it has more benefits than being active. For example we had two days, (Thursday through Saturday evening) of miserable heat and humidity. The dorm was miserable even just trying to lie on the bunk. No cuddling up under the blankets.
The heat broke during the night Saturday. The wind changed from coming from the south to bring in the nice cooler air from the north. By early Sunday morning I was enjoying be under my two blankets, and ended up staying in bed, under the covers, till 1:30 PM when I jumped up and managed to quickly shower and dress for church at 2:00. I did not have anything to eat or drink till after I returned from Mass around 3:30 PM.
Bi-Weekly Shopping List
3 cans of Dr. Pepper 36¢ each $1.08
3 Cans Chunk Light Tuna in water 6 oz. 53¢ $1.59
5 cans octopus in soy oil 4 oz. 77¢ $3.85
2 Jars (plastic) Parmesan Cheese 3 oz. 82¢ $1.64
1 can Crushed Tomato 28 oz. $.80
1 bottle Strawberry Preserves 22 oz. $1.90
2 cans Mushrooms in water 4 oz. 47¢ $.94
4 cans Black Beans 15.5 oz 38¢ $1.52
1 carton Egg Beaters, whites only, 1 lb. $2.15
1 mustard 8 oz. $.40
1 Catsup 24 oz. $.94
1 Sweet Relish 12.7 oz. $1.29
1 Sugar 2 lb. $1.15
1 box Saltines 1 lb. $.81
1 Tub soft margarine 1 lb. $.81
1 Tea Bags 48 count $.84
1 Peanut Butter - Chunky 18 oz. $1.15
2 loaves Wheat Bread $1.15 $2.30
2 boxes Little Debbie Powdered Donuts 6/4 pks. $1.34 $2.68
4 Pks. English Muffins 6 muffins per $1.00 $4.00
2 pks. American Cheese 16 slices 12 oz. $1.73 $3.46
1 block Cheddar Cheese 8 oz. $1.55
2 pks Buddig Sliced Turkey 2.5 oz. 69¢ $1.38
1 bag onions 2 lb. $.69
1 Cream Cheese 8 oz. $1.09
1 bag shredded Mozzarella 8 oz. $2.05
1 bag Honey Roasted Peanuts 2 Oz. $.34
10 bags Plain M&M's 40¢ $4.00
15 bags of pretzels 1.5 oz. 15¢ $2.25
1 Green Mint Ice Cream Pint $1.28
10 Microwave Popcorn 23¢ $2.30
10 41¢ stamps $4.10
1 Microwave Popcorn $.23
4 pouches Roll your own tobacco Tops 70¢ $2.80
TOTAL $58.35
No, I do not smoke, the Tops is a random act of kindness for two other inmates who will pay me back when they go to the store.
Comments:
I like reading about Pete's shopping trips and cooking exploits. I would also like to hear about other prison goings-on, but these "mundane" messages are a unique insight into the daily life of a prisoner trying his best to cope with his situation. I suspect that most inmates just fall into the routine of eating what is handed out, and watching the tube all the time without much attention to keeping active minds and bodies.
Thanks for all you do, Editor.
Thanks for all you do, Editor.
Patrick, you've gotta be kidding me.
You find reading somebody's shopping list to be a worthwhile pursuit?!
No offense, but you need to get out more...
You find reading somebody's shopping list to be a worthwhile pursuit?!
No offense, but you need to get out more...
Ad,
You might find it interesting if you were about to go into prison yourself. I know a lot of people waiting for trial take comfort in these kind of blogs because they help prepare them for their future stay in prison.
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You might find it interesting if you were about to go into prison yourself. I know a lot of people waiting for trial take comfort in these kind of blogs because they help prepare them for their future stay in prison.
