Downward Spiral. My life of late has been little more than a downward spiral. As I was taught way back when, "Cheer up I says things could be worse." Sure enough I cheered up and they got worse!

You last letter started off with a complaint of lack of letters on my side. I sent two letters in a few days time, and then silence. Okay I know from your Christmas card, you were fighting some bronchitis (why did you wait to go to doctor!) and it was the busy Christmas season so I thought I might hear from you by now. Alas, the old wait for tomorrow trick has now seen twelve days pass. So I am writing now.

I am wondering if I put too many requests in my last letters and you are pissed off? I thought I had told you if you ever feel the requests are too much, skip them. There was the question posed by the person about having me write more about the inside perspective of prison.

I think I have also sent you a copy of the letter I finally sent back to my brother. So I thought there should have been something there to write back to me about. If not, then hopefully something in this missal will tickle your fancy. I hope so; certainly my life has not had many tickles in it.

About the only ray of sunshine in my life has been Abby, and she surprised me with a bunch of books that arrived here at the end of last month! Boy do I remember the frequent, numerous and much awaited book drops you used to make. I no sooner get back from the package room and three or four inmates are already at my bunk wanting to see what titles I got in.

One reason I am writing now, 8.15 PM on Tuesday, is I received my bi-weekly commissary sheet today upon my return from the chapel. For the first time in many years I only have $55.20 in my account. My pay for my no-show job has been adjusted downward to $13.30 per week. My last three commissary buys were for $76.57, $73.85 and $64.37. So with only $13.30 coming in, things are looking really depressing.  ¶ 9:26 AM