THE NEW YEAR AT KINTOCK

LIFE GOES ON AS US USUAL AT KINTOCK, THE HALF-WAY HOUSE, DESPITE THE NEW YEAR!..........ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, THERE WAS A 2 HOUR STANDING LINE TO GET TO A PAYPHONE.....ALL THE GUYS WERE CALLING HOME ON THAT NIGHT.  JIMMY FINALLY GOT TO CALL ME AT 1 AM, RIGHT BEFORE THEY SHUT THE PHONES OFF.  JIMMY SAID, "FRAN, IT IS SAD.  A LOT OF THESE GUYS NEVER GET TO CALL HOME.  IT IS JUST TOO EXPENSIVE.  SO THEY SAVE THEIR CALLS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE.  WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE TALK EVERYDAY, SEVERAL TIMES A DAY."

JIMMY HOPES THAT NOW THAT THE HOLIDAY IS OVER, HE WILL START HIS JOB.  THE JOB HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE COUNSELORS.  I REALLY WISH THEY WOULD HURRY UP/  WE ARE NOW INTO JANUARY.  JIMMY CANNOT START HIS WEEK-END FURLOUGHS HOME UNTIL HE STARTS A JOB.  MEANWHILE, HE CONTINUES TO COOK FOR THE MEN AT KINTOCK.  LASTNIGHT DINNER WAS PIZZA AND FRENCH FRIES.....BREAKFAST WAS DONUTS AND COFFEE.....VERY NUTRITIOUS I MUST SAY!  THE MEALS ARE PLANNED BY A NUTRITIONIST, AND JIMMY SIMPLY COOKS THEM.  I AM PROUD OF HIM, AS IT IS A VERY EXHAUSTING JOB....HIS ARM MUSCLES HAVE INCREASED FROM THE HEAVY LIFTING.  HE SAYS HE DOESN'T MIND THE WORK...HE PREFERS IT THAT WAY, SO THE TIME GOES BY FAST.  ANYHOW, I SUGGESTED HE PUT SOME SPINACH ON TOP OF THE PIZZA, TO MAKE IT MORE NUTRITOUS....HE LAUGHED.  THE GUYS WOULDN'T LIKE THAT.  THEY ACTUALLY LIKE THE PIZZA AND FRENCH FRIES.............

  JIMMY'S BED IS RIGHT NEXT TO HIS LOCKER.  HE KEEPS HIS LOCKER DOOR OPEN, WITH ALL MY PICTURES HANGING THERE.  THAT WAY HE STARES AT ME WHILE HE LAYS IN BED........THE GUYS STOP BY AND LOOK AT THE PIX.....JIMMY LOVES HIS PIX...OF ME, US TOGETHER, THE PETS, OUR HOME IN LAS VEGAS, OUR JAQUAR........

  AS FOR ME, I COOKED THE SECOND FREE TURKEY I GOT FROM THE FOODSTORE , TODAY.  THE HOUSE HAS A NICE AROMA TO IT.  THE ANIMALS ARE HAPPY.  JIMBO, THE CAT, IS SITTING IN THE KITCHEN, EYEING THE OVEN, READY TO  POUNCE ON THAT BIG BIRD WHEN IT IS DONE COOKING.  AND PRINCE JUST LOVES TURKEY, TOO....LITTLE MISTY, WELL SHE TRIES TO KEEP HER CUTE CAT FIGURE!....THAT IS REALLY WHY I COOK IT....FOR THE ANIMALS TO ENJOY.

  JIMMY HAS ENCOURAGED ME TO WRITE A STORY FOR A MAJOR MAGAZINE.  I WROTE IT LAST NIGHT, AND I'M IN THE PROCESS OF REVISING IT....I READ PARTS OF IT TO JIMMY ON THE PHONE............SO THAT IS MY PROJECT RIGHT NOW, AND I'M BUSY WORKING ON IT............THE POETRY BOOK IN WHICH I HAVE A POEM PUBLISHED CALLED "THE ROSEBUD," SHOULD BE OUT NOW, AND THEY WILL SEND ME A COPY IN THE MAIL............ALSO, I SANG EARLIER, AND TRY TO SING A LITTLE EVERYDAY.  I SENT JIMMY CASSETTES OF MY SINGING, AND HE SAYS MY VOICE HAS IMPROVED, GOTTEN RICHER SINCE HE LEFT HOME 2 1 MONTHS AGO.  THAT IS ENCOURAGING!....HE PLAYS MY CASSETTES AT KINTOCK FOR THE GUYS AND THEY LIKE THEM....THEY SET IT UP ON THEIR SPEAKERS SO EVERYONE CAN HEAR IT....HOW EXCITING!...........................HAVE A GOOD NIGHT!,

                                                     FRAN