jimmy will come home this Sunday!

YES, JIMMY WILL COME HOME THIS  COMING SUNDAY!.....IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT IT IS TRUE!

I SPOKE WITH HIS WONDERFUL COUNSELOR TODAY, WHO EXPLAINED THAT HE WILL BE HOME ON SUNDAY MORNING, AT 8:30 AM, AND WILL LEAVE AT 8:30  pm AT NIGHT.

ON ONE HAND, I AM EXCITED, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I FEEL VERY CALM AND RELAXED.  IT IS JUST NORMMAL FOR JIMMY TO COME HOME TO WHERE HE LIVES..........TIME STARTS COMPRESSING.  IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE A LONG TIME.  IT IS AS IF HE WENT OUT TO WORK, AND IS RETURNING HOME, ONCE AGAIN...IT IS A NATURAL PROCESS...............I FEEL VERY PEACEFUL AT THIS TIME.

AND SO, WE WILL MAINLY RELAX ON SUNDAY!......LAY AROUND, PLAY AROUND...KISS, LAUGH.,,,,WHATEVER!

I WILL HAVE POTROAST COOKED, AS JIMMY LOVES THE SPECIAL WAY I MAKE POTROAST IN THE WOK, WITH GARLIC AND GINGER..........I MIGHT MAKE HIM CORN MUFFINS, WHICH HE HAPPENS TO LOVE, AND I RECENTLY BOUGHT NEW MUFFIN TINS, THAT WILL MAKE VERY BIG MUFFINS!....I'LL MAKE MASHED POTATOES, WHICH HE LOVES........

WE MAY EVEN CALL OUT FOR CHINESE FOOD, TO BE DELIVERED...AS WE BOTH LOVE THAT........

WE WILL RELAX........

TALK, AND SIT WITH OTHER, AND GAZE IN EACH OTHER'S EYES........

I WILL SHOW HIM THE FLOWERS AND PLANTS I HAVE POTTED, ON THE BACK PATIO..........I PLANTED 2 GRAPE TOMATOE PLANTS, IN BIG PLANTERS.  ALSO, ROSEMARY AND PEPPER PLANTS..........ALSO, SEVERAL PLANTERS WITH PINK ,AND RED PANSIES........IN THE FRONT ARE THE DAISIS, WHICH ARE GROWING SO FAST...........

ON THE BACK PATIO, I HAVE A FAIRY STATUE, AND A LARGE STATUE OF  LITTLE GIRL AND BOY, IN A WAGON.  THEN I HAVE STICKS OF 3 BIRDS THAT ARE FLYING, FLAPPING THEIR WINGS...AND A STICK WITH A LATGE SUNFLOWER..........I BOUGHT A NEW DOORMAT, THAT HAS A CUP OF COFFEE ON IT, WITH THE WORDS, FRESHLY BREWED HOT COFFEE.

IN TH FRONT OF THE HOUSE, I HAVE 2 LARGE ANGEL STATUES, A BIG TORTOISE, AND A SMALL BALCK LAB STATUE...ALSO WHIRLY THINGS THAT BLOW IN THE BREEZE........

SO, THAT IS ABOUT IT!..........YES, LIFE DOES GO ON!

FRAN

WILL SOON COME HOME

I'M GETTING KIND OF EXCITED, NOW, AS JIMMY WILL SOON COME HOME FOR A 15 HOUR VISIT...MAYBE THIS WEEK, OR NEXT...WHENEVER IT IS APPROVED!

WELL, HE'S SO HAPPY IN HIS JOB, AND I'M HAPPY TOO!     :)

I'VE NEVER SEEN A MAN WHO LOVES HIS JOB SO MUCH!

I GUESS NOW HE WILL SMELL OF SALAMI AND PROVOLONE WHEN I SEE HIM!

HOLD THE MAYO, JUST MUSTARD, PLEASE!

EVERY MORNING AROUND 5:30 am, JIMMY CALLS ME AND SAYS HE IS LEAVING FOR WORK...:I'M OUT THE DOOR!" HE SAYS TO ME, AS I'M STILL SLEEPING.........WHEN I HEAR THE PHONE, I REACH OVER AND PRESS THE BUTTON FOR THE SPEAKER PHONE, AND WE TALK........I USE THE SPEAKER PHONE ALL THE TIME, THAT IT WOULD BE HARD TO USE A HAND RECEIVER ANYMORE...........

SO, HE IS DRESSED, AND ON HIS WAY TO THE BUS...........JIMMY IS BETTER THAN ANY MAN WHO ACTUALLY IS AT HOME WITH HIS WIFE............HE IS FOREVER KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH ME.

WELL, TODAY WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY...SUNNY AND WARM...I WENT TO WALMART, AND HAD TO GO IN AND OUT OF THE STORE TWICE...TO THE CAR, BECAUSE I NEEDED TO BUY SO MUCH!.....I WILL PROBABLY GO BACK AGAIN TOMORROW, BECAUSE I DIDN'T FINISH YET!

TODAY I BOUGHT 9 CASES OF 9 LIVES CAT FOOD, A 10 LB. BOX OF LARGE MILK-BONES FOR PRINCE, AND SOME PEPPERMINT PET SPRAY, FOR THEIR COAT............THEN, I WENT BACK AND BOUGHT SEVERAL CONTAINERS OF PETUNIAS...SOME RED, AND SOME PINK...ONE HAS 1 WHITE ONE MIXED IN!.........2 GRAPE TOMATO PLANTS....I ROSEMARY HERBAL PLANT, AND A PEPPER PLANT.  I BOUGHT BAGS OF SOIL, AND MORE POTS........TOMORROW I WILL DO THE PLANTING, AND PUT EVERYTHING OUT ON THE PATIO...........THIS MORNING, I PLANTED A FEW BASIL PLANTS, AND THEY ARE OUT ON THE PATIO.....JIMMY WAS HAPPY TO HEAR THAT, AS HE LOVES TO COOK ITALIAN TOMATO SAUSE WITH FRESH BASIL!

LAST YEAR, IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, I HAD PLANTED SOME DAISY SEEDS...........I MEAN, I REALLY JUST SPRINKLED THE SEEDS NTO THE SOIL...NOTHING FANCY..........THEY NEVER GREW LAST YEAR, BUT THIS YEAR, THEY HAVE SPRUNG UP. AND ARE AROUND 3 FEET TALL....I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT!....THERE MUST BE AROUND 30DAISIES, SOME ARE ALREADY IN BLOOM!

WELL, THAT'S IT FOR NOW!.....EVERYONE IS HAPPY, AND LIFE IS MOVING ALONG.....AND JIMMY AND I ARE MORE IN LOVE THAN EVER!..........................FRAN

GOOD NEWS!

HELLO!

WELL THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT JIMMY WAS ALLOWED TO GO TO WORK TODAY, ON HIS BIRTHDAY!............HE WAS NEVER SO HAPPY!............HE CALLED ME AROUND 5AM, TO TELL ME HE WOULD BE ON HIS WAY, AT I THINK AROUND 6AM.....TO START WORKING AROUND 8 AM, I BELIEVE......

YES, HE FINALLY GOT TO GO BACK TO HIS JOB AT THE SUPERMARKET!................HE JUST LOVES HIS WORK!...HE IS A MAN WHO LIKES TO BE OUT IN THE PUBLIC, WORKING.........THAT IS JUST HIM!

I'LL TELL YOU MORE, AS I TALK TO HIM...........

RIGHT NOW, I'LL TRY TO GO OVER TO MY OTHER JOURNAL, TO WRITE ANOTHER ENTRY, ABOUT MY PREVIOUS JOURNEYS................

FRAN

http://JOURNALS.AOL.COM/CRYSTALMOON222/MEMOIRSOFAWORLDTRAVELER/

 

 

 

Happy Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JIMMY!

TODAY, MAY 25,  IS JIMMY'S BIRTHDAY.......

YET ANOTHER YEAR GONE BY......

THIS MORNING AT 9:30 AM, I WAS SHOCKED OUT OF A DEEP SLEEP, BY SOMEONE BANGING ON THE FRONT DOOR OF MY HOUSE, WHICH IS NEXT TO MY BEDROOM WINDOW....

THERE IS NO DOORBELL THERE, SO HE MUST HAVE USED A ROCK, OR SOMETHING, AND I THINK HE BANGED ON THE WALL OF THE HOUSE, NEXT TO THE DOOR.........HE WAS THE MAINTENNANCE MAN, AND KNOWS THAT THE DOORBELLS ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

I AM REALLY FED UP OF ALL THESE HAPPENINGS, THAT TAKE PLACE IN THIS COMMUNITY...IT IS SUPPOSSED TO BE ONE OF THE BEST GATED COMMUNITIES IN THIS AREA, AND WE PAY CLOSE TO 1000 DOLLARS PER MONTH HERE.........

I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE HAD SUCH THINGS HAPPEN IN THE PLACE I LIVE.....I GIESS THIS IS WHY THEY CANNOT KEEP RESIDENTS, AND PEOPLE ARE MOVING IN AND OUT ON A CONTINUAL BASIS........

SO, I JUMPED OUT OF BED, STILL HALF ASLEEP, BUT SHAKING ALL OVER FROM BEING AWOKEN WITH THE BANGING .....I WAS EXPECTING A DELIVERY FROM FEDERAL EXPRESS, AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THEM, ALTHOUGH THEY GO TO THE OTHER DOOR, AND RING THE BELL.....IF ANYONE KNOCKS, IT IS ALWAYS A NORMAL KNOCK, NOT SUCH A BANGING.....

HERE I AM, STANDING THERE IN MY NIGHTGOWN, FACING THIS YOUNG FELLOW, WHO MUST BE IN HIS 20'S............WEARING A CAP AND SUNGLASSES, WITH AN ATTITUDE ABOUT HIM............."T'M THE MAINTENANCE MAN, AND I'M HERE TO PUT UP A NEW FRONT DOOR."...(this house is only around 5 years old, mind you.)........there was no notification from the management that new doors were being put up......

PRINCE, OF COURSE, WAS GOING WILD BARKING FURIOSLY THE WHOLE TIME.........PRINCE WILL ATTACK, AND HE WILL BITE, IF HE HAS TO..HE IS A VERY TERRITORIAL DOG, AND DOESN'T LIKE STRANGERS COMING TO THE DOOR.......AND PRINCE WILL NOT ONLY BITE, HE WILL ATTACK, AND GOES FOR THE NECK OF THE PERSON, AND WILL TRY TO TEAR THE ARM OFF............PRINCE IS THE BEST THING FOR ME SINCE JIMMY IS AWAY.....HE IS ACTUALLY A GUARD DOG...AND I, THE OWNER, MUST PROTECT PRINCE FROM ACTUALLY HARMING A STRANGER............PPRINCE IS THE CUTEST DOG YOU'VE EVER SEEN, BUT HE DOESN'T PLAY AROUND WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING ME.......

NOW, IF THIS YOUNG FELLOW THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO LET HIM IN MY HOUSE, AT 9:30 IN THE MORNING, HE MUST BE CRAZY..............FIRST OF ALL. I WAS SHAKING SO BADLY FROM THE SHOCK OF BEING WOKEN UP LIKE THAT, I FELT LIKE I COULDN'T CATCH MY BREATH, AND I MAY HAVE A HEART ATTACK..........

I TOLD HIM, I AM SLEEPING AND SICK........HE STOOD THERE, GLARING AT ME, WITH AN ATTITUDE, AND FINALLY HE SAID, HE'LL COME BACK ANOTHER DAY..........

MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO CALL THE OFFICE.......HOWEVER, WHAT I HAD TO TELL THEM, AND MOST LIKELY SCREAM TO THEM AT THIS POINT, WAS NOT FIT FOR A DOG, AND WHEN I WOULD BE DONE WITH THEM, BELIEVE ME, WITH THE LANGUAGE I WOULD USE, THEY WOULD WANT TO THROW ME OUT..........

SO, I TRIED TO CALM DOWN, AND LAID ON THE BED....I WAITED FOR JIMMY'S CALL. AROUND 11 AM HE CALLED.......I EXPLAINED EVERYTHING TO HIM..........SO, HE CALLED THE OFFICE.

SO, NOW I AM WAITING TO SEE IF HE RETURNS TOMORROW..........I HAVE PUT UP A SIGN THAT READS, "PLEASE DO NOT KNOCK ON THE DOOR.  SICK PERSON RESTING.  PLEASE RING BELL ON BACK DOOR......."

LET'S SEE IF HE PAYS ATTENTION......

WE ARE VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS PLACE, WHERE I LIVE........THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING HERE.....

THEY ARE SUPPOSSED TO SEND A 24 HOUR WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE RESIDENT TO INFORM US IF SOMEONE HAS TO BE LET IN THE HOUSE FOR MAINTENANCE...........WELL THEY NEVER DO, AND THE ARE FOREVER COMING TO YOUR DOOR...AND I AM A LATE SLEEPER, BECAUSE SOMETIMES I'M UP UNTIL 6 OR 7 AM, READING OR WATCHING TV, AND I FEEL A LITTLE NERVOUS AT NIGHT TO SLEEP, LIVING ALONE.

LAST WEEK THEY WANTED ACCESS TO CHECK THE SECURITY CODES ON APPLIANCES....AGAIN, THEY CAME WITH NO NOTICE AT 9AM.  THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR IS SICK, AND IS NOT HOME A LOT OF THE TIME...WELL, I HEARD THIS SECURITY MAN OPEN HER DOOR, AND GO IN......DOES HE NOT REALIZE , THAT ENTERING THE PREMISE OF SOMEONE IS AGAINST THE LAW, UNLESS IT IS A MAJOR EMERGENCY?...................I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND THES PLACE........

TWO WEEKS AGO, AT 8AM, THE ROOFING MEN CAME, UNANNOUNCED, WALKING ON THE ROOF...HAMMERING, STRIPPING IT...SOUNDING LIKE THEY WOULD COME THROUGH THE ROOF..........BANGING ON THE ROOF....

LAST YEAR, I HEARD SOMEONE KNOCK TWICE ON MY KITCHEN WINDOW....IT WAS DARK OUT.  SO, I CALLED SECURITY.....SECURITY CAME, AND SAID THEY DIDN'T SEE ANYONE.  NOW, THIS SECURITY MAN CALLED 911, AND THR POLICEMAN CAME TO MY DOOR, AND ASKED WHY I CALLED 911...I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T, THAT SECURITY MUST HAVE........I MEAN, I THINK THAT IS WRONG............IF SECURITY FELT IT WAS A CASE DOR 911, THEN HE SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN TO THE POLICEMAN.............I WOULD NOT CALL 911 UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY...I THOUGHT IT OS THE JOB OF SECURITY TO CHECK ON THINGS.............I THINK EVERYONE HERE IS NUTS!

ALSO, LAT SUMMER, I PARKED MY CAR ON AN ADJOINING PARKING LOT, WHICH I CAN SEE FROM MY LIVING ROOM WINDOW.........NOW, THIS IS NOT ASSIGNED PARKING.  SECURITY ACTUALLY CALLED THE COPS ON ME...........INSTEAD OF SECURITY EITHER COMING TO MY DOOR, OR CALLING ME, AND TELLING ME TO MOVE MY CAR, THEY ACTUALLY CALLED THE COPS FOR THIS!.........I WAS SHOCKED WHEN A COP WAS SENT TO MY DOOR BY SECURITY.................I HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT I HATE THIS PLACE...........I CANNOT MOVE UNTIL JIMMY CAN HELP ME TO FIND A NEW PLACE AND MOVE..........

THIS PLACE HAS MADE ME SO NERVOUS, I AM ABOUT TO LOSE MY MIND HERE..............

A HOME SHOULD BE A PLACE OF PEACE AND QUIET.....THAT IS HOW I LIKE IT................JIMMY WILL GET ME OUT OF HERE, THE FIRST CHANCE HE CAN.....TO MOVE TO ANOTHER HOME, MAYBE CLOSER TO HIS JOB.......

AND ABOUT THE PHONE LINES, I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THEY WERE CUT ON THE GROUND, WHERE THE LANDSCAPERS WORK...BUT, NO.  ALL 3 TIMES, THEY WERE CUT INSSIDE THE MAIN BOX, OUTSIDE OF THE GATE, OUT OF VIEW OF  THE ENTRANCE SECURITY CAMERA........SOME PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THAT IT IS THE GARDENER'S WHO ACCIDENTALLY CUT IT.............NO, CAN'T BE.........SOMEONE HAS TO KNOW HOW TO OPEN THE PHONE BOX, AND HAS TO BE SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW WHICH WIRE IS MINE......

WELL, I HAVE A NOTION WHO IS DOING IT.  HE WILL NOT HURT ME, BUT WILL GO TO ALL MEANS TO TRY AND MAKE MY LIFE MISERABLE...........AS HE HAS DONE IN THE PAST 3.2 YEARS.......YOU WOULD BE SHOCKED TO KNOW WHO WE THINK THIS WORK IS BEING DONE BY..........I AM SHOCKED MYSELF........

BUT, HE WON'T GET AWAY WITH IT.........I WILL GO THROUGH ALL MEANS TO HAVE THIS PERSON CAUGHT AND PUT IN PRISON.....

I'M WAITING FOR THE WIRES TO BE CUT THE NEXT TIME....I ESTIMATE IT WILL BE AROUND THE SAME TIME NEXT MONTH........IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE GETTING A NEW PHONE LINE PUT IN, THAT WILL BE JUST FOR JIMMY AND MYSELF TO COMMUNICATE.......

NOW, IT IS ONLY TO PROVE HE IS THE ONE....AND HE WILL HOPEFULLY BE PUT IN PRISON FOR IT......

<FONTCOLOR=#040080 size="4">THERE ARE A LOT OF EVIL PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD........UNFORTUNATELY.................

...........FRAN

 

PHONE LINES TO HOUSE CUT FOR THE THIRD TIME....

YESTERDAY, ON MONDAY, I WOKE UP TO FIND THE PHONE LINES WERE CUT, ONCE AGAIN........THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN 6 MONTHS.......JIMMY AND I WILL BE LAUNCHING A MAJOR INVESTIGATION, THROUGH THE PHONE COMPANY, AND I HOPE THE INDIVIDUAL IS AWARE THAT CUTTING PHONE LINES IS A FEDERAL CRIME, PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT.....

YOU SEE, WE LIVE IN A GATED COMMUNITY.  THE LINES ARE BEING CUT INSIDE THE MAIN PHONE BOX. WHICH IS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE GATES, ON THE CORNER, NEAR THE HIGHWAY.....THERE IS NO WAY CONSTRUCTION WORKERS CAN BE CUTTING MY WIRES, AS THE CUTS ARE INSIDE THE PHONE BOX...............IT HAS TO BE A VERY SMART INDIVIDUAL WHO IS DOING THIS, AS HE HAS TO KNOW WHICH LINES ARE MINE........NO OTHER NEIGHBORING HOUSES HAVE HAD THEIR PHONE LINES CUT.....ONLY MINE.........AND NOW, AFTER THE THIRD TIME, WE ARE SURE I AM BEING PURPOSELY TARGETED............IT WOULD BE TOO COINCEDENTAL.......THE FIRST TIME WAS LAST OCTOBER, THE SECOND TIME WAS LAST MONTH, AND NOW THIS MONTH AGAIN.........WE WILL BE GETTING A SECOND PHONE LINE,A PRIVATE LINE FOR JUST JIMMY AND MYSELF, AND KEEP THE OLD ONE...WE CALLED OUR CABLE TV COMPANY TODAY, AND THE SERVICE WHERE THE PHONE AND CABLE TV AND  COMPUTER ARE ONE, HAS NOT BEEN STARTED YET IN THIS AREA......

THIS WILL BE A VERY INTERESTING INVESTIGATION............AND I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.......

OTHER NEWS IS THAT JIMMY CAN'T GO TO WORK YET...NOW, THEY ARE SAYING HIS JOB IS TOO FAR AWAY.  AND UNLESS HE STARTS A JOB, HE CANCOT COME HOME ON PASSES.................

SO THAT IS IT...........WE ARE BACK TO SQUARE ONE ABOUT HIS JOB......HIS COUNSELORS AND PAROLE OFFICERS AT HOPE HALL ARE DOING EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO GET HIM BACK TO HIS JOB..........

I VENTURED OUT TO SHOP-RITE TODAY............I JUST STOPPED IN FOR A FEW CANS OF CAT-FOOD, AND WOUND UP WITH 20 BAGS, ONCE AGAIN!

OUR CATS ARE VERY FUSSY ABOUT THEIR FOOD.  THEY REALLY ONLY LOVE FRISKIES, CANNED FOOD, SHREDDED CHICKEN..................THEY  ARE NOT HAPPY IF THEY ARE NOT GIVEN THAT.............SO, FOR THE PAST  FEW DAYS, I WENT INTO OUR EXTRA SUPPLY, OF DIFFERENT FOODS, AND THEY JUST WEREN'T HAPPY ABOUT THAT!.....EVEN PRINCE IS PART OF THE WHOLE ROUTINE...........I FEEDEACH CAT THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL CAN...AND IT MUST BE IN THE CAN, AS THEY DON'T LIKE IT IN A DISH.  THEN, PRINCE COMES ALONG, AFTER MISTY HAS EATEN 1/2 THE CAN, AND STEALS THE CAN AWAY...HE BRINGS IT INTO THE BEDROOM, IN THE SPOT HE LIKES TO LAY, AND LAYS DOWN AND LICKS THE CAN..................THIS KIND OF ROUTINE GOES ON ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.  JIMBO GETS HIS CAN IN A SPECIAL SPOT, THAT PRINCE CANNOT STEAL IT FROM....LATER IN THE DAY, THEY GET 2 MORE CANS, AND THEY HAVE DRY FOOD OUT ALL DAY..........

IN ANSWER TO SOMEONE'S QUESTION, AS TO HOW I STAY ALONE, AND MUST BE LONELY.............WELL, I TRY TO OCCUPY MY MIND WITH DIFFERENT THINGS...ALSO, I SET SHORT GOALS EACH DAY, AS TO WHAT I WILL DO EACH DAY.....I HAVE A FAIRLY LARGE HOUSE TO TAKE CARE OF....WASHING CLOTHES, SWEEPING, MOPPING, VACUUMING...AS EVERYONE DOES...................I TAKE PRIDE IN MY HOME, AS IT IS THE HOME OF MY HUSBAND, WHOM I LOVE DEARLY, AND I ALWAYS KEEP THAT IN MY THOUGHTS.............JIMMY WANTS OUR HOUSE STOCKED WITH GOOD FOOD AT ALL TIMES..........SO, I KEEP BUSY SHOPPING, BUYING FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES........TODAY, I STOCKED UP ON SEVERAL BEAUTIFUL STEAKS, AND A LARGE POT ROAST, FOR WHEN JIMMY COMES HOME..........WHEN THE HOUSE IS STOCKED WITH FOOD, AND SUPPLIES, IT MAKES JIMMY HAPPY..........AND I ALWAYS SEND HIM THE CASH REGISTER RECEPTS, SO HE CAN SEE WHAT I BUY!

BESIDES THE HOUSE AND PETS, I READ VERY EXTENSIVELY.....NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, AND BOOKS......I AM INTERESTED IN SEVERAL TV SHOWS, AND OFTEN WATCH MOVIES.........I MAKE SURE I KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES, AS I DON'T WANT TO BECOME A BORING PERSON FOR MY HUSBAND!.....

I ALSO USE THE COMPUTER, ALOT, AS A LEARNING TOOL.......EVERY DAY I LOOK THINGS UP, FOR MY HUSBAND, AND MYSELF, THAT KEEPS US A BREAST OF THINGS......

THE DAYS ACTUALLY GO SO FAST, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH HOURS TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING!.........I AM NOT EXACTLY LONELY...I JUST MISS JIMMY...........BUT, HE LOVES TO FOLLOW ME AROUND ON THE PHONE!........LIKE TODAY, HE CALLED ME TWICE WHILE I WAS SHOPPING IN THE FOOD STORE!..........HE LOVES TO KEEP TRACK OF ME!

GOOD-NITE............FRAN

MY NEW JOURNAL

HI EVERYONE!

I'M INVITING YOU OVER TO MY NEW JOURNAL, WHICH IS CALLED "MEMOIRS OF A WORLD TRAVELER."

I STARTED THE JOURNAL LAST NIGHT, AFTER HAVING DISCUISSED IT WITH JIMMY, MY HUSBAND.  HE APPROVED OF IT, AND EVEN ENCOURAGED ME TO WRITE IT...........

IT IS ABOUT AN EARLIER TIME IN MY LIFE, WHEN I WAS TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD, EXTENSIVELY........I WANT TO WRITE IT DOWN NOW, BEFORE I FORGET TOO MANY OF THE FACTS, AS WE TEND TO FORGET THINGS AS TIME GOES ON...............SO, THE NEW JOURNAL IS REALLY MORE OF A "RECORD-KEEPING," ABOUT MY TRAVELS.......I AM HAPPY THAT JIMMY WILL NOW BE ABLE TO READ ABOUT WHERE I WENT, AND WHAT I DID DURING THOSE DAYS.......YOU MAY SAY, MY NEW JOURNAL IS SOMEWHAT OF A "GIFT" TO MY HUSBAND, AS IT IS ONLY FAIR THAT HE KNOW EVERY DETAIL OF WHERE I HAVE BEEN , AND WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN MY LIFE........

THE NEW JOURNAL MAY NOT BE FOR EVERYONE......MOST PEOPLE FIND IT BORING TO HEAR ABOUT THE TRAVELS OF OTHERS.........I HAVE TRIED TO MAKE IT MORE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, AS I WAS MEETING MANY LOCAL PEOPLE, AND HAD MANY UNUSUAL AND CULTUAL EXPERIENCES........REALLY DIFFERENT THEN THE AVERAGE PERSON.....I WAS NOT ONLY THE TOURIIST, WITH A CAMERA HANGING AROUND MY NECK..........I WAS PART OF THE CULTURE, AND LOCAL PEOPLE........

IN MY NEW JOURNAL, YOU WILL SEE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF ME............YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DIFFERENT SIDES TO ME..........MY WHOLE LIFE..........I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND LIFE TO BE A VERY, VERY INTERESTING JOURNEY....I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED LIFE, AND STILL DO TODAY, MORE THAN EVER, BEING MARRIED TO A WONDERFUL MAN!

AS I LOVE THIS JOURNAL, "REFLECTIONS OF A PRISON WIFE," IT REALLY ONLY PORTAYS ME, AND MY LIFE FROM ONE PERSPECTIVE............AS THE DAILY LIFE OF A WOMAN WHOSE HUSBAND IS IN PRISON......

THROUGH MY NEW JOURNAL, YOU WILL SEE THAT I AM A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PERSON.............IT IS MORE OF AN UP-LIFTING JOURNAL, AS MOST PEOPLE PICTURE ME AS A DEPRESSED, SAD , LONELY PERSON, WHO SITS AT HOME WAITING FOR HER CRIMINAL -HUSBAND'S RETURN HOME......

THERE ARE MANY PARTS TO ME, AND I FEEL NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO SHARE MY EARLIER ADVENTURES WITH YOU!...................FRAN

http://JOURNALS.AOL.COM/CRYSTALMOON222/MEMOIRSOFAWORLDTRAVELER/

answer to a comment

ANSWER TO A COMMENT IN LAST ENTRY........

JIMMY SHOULD HOPEFULLY BE HOME ON PAROLE, ON OR AROUND SEPT. 21, 2006......WHICH REALLY ISN'T THAT FAR AWAY, AT ALL..........AND YES. WE ARE VERY MUCH IN LOVE!.........FRAN

THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY EVENING....

HI EVERYBODY!

THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS!...I'M REALLY NOT EXACTLY LONELY, AS I SAID IN THE PREVIOUS ENTRY LAST NIGHT..........IT'S JUST THAT I MISS JIMMY SO MUCH, AND AT TIMES, LATE AT NIGHT IT SOMETIMES STRICKS ME..........IT'S JUST THAT I MISS HIS PRESENCE, MISS HIS TOUCH...HIS LAUGHTER.............USUALLY WHEN I FEEL LIKE THAT, I JUST PUT MYSELF TO BED, AND TRY TO DRIFT OFF TO SLEEP..........

YOU SEE, I'M IN A DIFFERENT STAGE, OF THIS "PRISON PROCESS."  THOSE OF YOU WHO READ THIS JOURNAL, AND HAVE A MAN IN PRIISON, MUST UNDERSTAND THAT...........ONE DAY, I WOULD LIKE TO WRITE ABOUT THIS SUBJECT, MORE IN DETAIL............I , MYSELF, FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, THROUGH ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH IT............

THE "PRISON PROCESS," IS LIKE A JOURNEY...........

THE WIFE/ GIRLFRIEND/CHILDREN...AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS GO THROUGH IT..............THE PRISNER GOES THROUGH IT, WITHIN THE CONFINES OF PRISON WALLS......

IN THE BEGINNING, THE WIFE ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS................IT MAY LAST MONTHS...EVEN YEARS.

OFTEN, THE GRIEVING PROCESS, TURNS INTO BEING IN A STATE OF DEPRESSION...........

SOME GET HELP AND THERAPY, WHICH IS A GOOD IDEA, BECAUSE IT IS NOT GOOD TO BE DEPRESSED FOR MONTHS ON END.............

AS FOR MYSELF, THE ENDLESS MONTHS, SLOWLY TURNED INTO YEARS, AND YES, NOW IT IS 3.2 YEARS. 

I AM IN A DIFFERENT STAGE OF THIS PRISON PROCESS.........I HELD ON, AND NOW, TODAY, I CAN SAY I AM ONCE AGAIN MY HAPPY, CHEERFUL SELF............

IT TAKES TIME FOR THIS TO HAPPEN........YES, IT IS A PROCESS............FOR THOSE AT HOME, AND THOSE CRIMINALS THAT ARE BEING REHABILATED IN A PRISON........

I FEEL HAPPY TO GREET THE DAY, AND BE PRODUCTIVE....WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT JIMMY AND I STAYED CONNECTED, THROUGHOUT THE 3.2 YEARS..HE IS STRONG, AND I AM , TOO.........TOGETHER, WE BOTH PULLED EACH OTHER ALONG................

AT ONE POINT, IN THESE PAST 3.2 YEARS, I BEGAN TO ACCEPT, THAT I WAS SIMPLY A WOMAN WHOWAS MARRIED, AND HER HUSBAND WAS IN PRISON...........I NO LONGER WAS ASHAMED OF IT..........I DID NOT HIDE FROM IT........

AND JIMMY AND I SET UP OUR DAILY "FAMILY" RELATIONSHIP.....WE FOCUSED ON PHONE CALLS, AND MAIL........I MADE LISTS OF THINGS TO DISCUSS WITH JIMMY IN THOSE 15 MINUTE COLLECT CALLS.........I MADE SURE HE KNEW EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THIS HOUSEHOLD......

AND SO, OUR RELATIONSHIP GREW ONLY STRONGER, AND MORE CEMENTED THROUGH THE YEARS........

I DON'T SIT HERE ALONE AND CRYING, AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING..............AND EVEN IN THOSE BEGINNING DAYS, WHEN I WOULD CRY ON THE PHONE TO JIMMY, HE SUPPORTED ME............I WOULD CRY TO HIM, "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME....HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME ALONE."..............JIMMY IS A VERY CARING PERSON, AND HIS ANSWER TO ME, WOULD ALWAYS BE THE SAME...........HE LET ME CRY, AND THEN, HE WOULD SAY, "IT'S OK, FRAN, FOR YOU TO FEEL THIS WAY.  PRISON IS A HORRIBLE THING.  YOU WOULD BE ABNORMAL TO GO OUT AND PARTY EVERY NIGHT.  BUT YOU LOVE ME, AND CRY, SO YOU ARE Normal.".............AND THAT WAS WAY IN THE BEGINNING, OVER 3 YEARS AGO.

BUT WE WERE STRONG, AND NOW, BOTH OF US ARE IN A VERY DIFFERENT PHASE OF THIS PRISON PROCESS........

I LIVE EVERY DAY FOR MY HUSBAND, AND FIND PLEASURE AND ENJOYMENT IN MAINTAINING THE HOUSEHOLD FOR HIM WHILE HE IS GONE..........

BOTH OF US HAVE BECOME VERY PRODUCTIVE IN THESE PAST 3.2 YEARS...............JIMMY BECAME A PUBLISHED WRITER, WITH A FULL STORY PUBLISHED IN "ANGELS ON EARTH MAGAZINE.".....AND I ALSO BECAME A PUBLISHED WRITER, WITH 12 PUBLISHED SHORT STORIES, AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES...........MY 13TH STORY WILL BE OUT IN JULY, 2006.....AND SO, WE ARE HAPPY ABOUT THIS........

I MAY SAY I'M LONELY, BUT WHAT I MEAN IS I MISS MY HUSBAND..............I AM A VERY HAPPY PERSON, BECAUSE I AM FORTUNATE TO BE MARRIED TO A VERY WONDERFUL MAN...........A LOVING MAN....

AND SO, I'LL SAY GOOD-NIGHT, AS THE 2 HOUR FINALE IS ON TV FOR "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES."

SO, WHATEVER PHASE YOU ARE IN, IN THIS "PRISON PROCEES," JUST HANG IN THERE, AS DIFFICULT AS IT MAY BE, BECAUSE IN LIFE, THINGS AUTOMATICALLY CHANGE..........THE WHEELS OF LIFE AUTOMATICALLY TURN.........WHAT WAS ONCE YESTERDAY, MAY NOT BE TODAY..........AND TOMORROW, IF YOU SO CHOOSE, YOU CAN BE DIFFERENT...........

AND, I GUESS......LOL...."ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE!"

GOOD-NIGHT!

FRAN

FEELING LONELY

HI EVERYONE!

WELL, I'M JUST HERE TONIGHT...FEELING LONELY...MISSING JIMMY.............MISSING THE FEELING OF BEING PART OF A "FAMILY, " AND TOGETHERNESS...WISHING HE WERE HERE..........MISSING THE FEELING OF "HAVING A PURPOSE."..........WELL. I HAVE A PURPOSE, BUT I STILL SIMPLY MISS THE PRESENCE OF MY HUSBAND IN THE HOUSEHOLD...............PRINCE IS HERE AT MY FEET SLEEPING...JIMBO AND MISTY ARE FINALLY ASLEEP, AFTER HARESSING ME ALL DAY FOR FOOD.......TRUTHFULLY. I'VE NEVER SEEN 3 ANIMALS SO OBCESSED BY FOOD...THEY WANT TO EAT ALL THE TIME!

IT'S COLD AND DAMP TONIGHT, AND I MAY PUT ON THE HEAT LATER, EVEN THOUGH IT WILL SOON BE JUNE.......

TONIGHT I WATCHED "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED," ON TV, AND RIGHT NOW, 'QVC" IS ON..............IT IS THEIR YEARLY SHOW, FILMED IN NORTH ITALY, THE VINCENZA AREA OF ITALY, WITH ITALIAN GOLD JEWELRY.........I ENJOYED WATCHING THE SHOW, AS ITALIAN GOLD IS SO PRETTY.....IT IS A HEAVIER GOLD AND DESIGN, WHICH I LIKE..........IT IS FILMED ON THE OUTSIDE OF A FAMOUS VILLA,  WITH THE BIRDS CHIRPING...IT IS 5 OR 6 HOURS AHEAD OF OUR TIME, (EST), SO IT WAS PRETTY TO WATCH MORNING DAWN, IN ITALY........(YES, I AM BORED HERE, TONIGHT)

EARLIER SATURDAY EVENING, I ORDERED A COUPLE OF PIZZAS FOR JIMMY AND 2 OTHER GUYS, ON THE PHONE, FROM A NEAR-BY PIZZARIA, IN CAMDEN........IT WAS FUN TO DO!..........HOPE THEY GOT IT, AND ENJOYED IT...........YOU SEE, THE WAY JIMMY'S PHONE CALLS ARE SET UP, IS THAT HE CALLS ME FOR 1/2 HOUR AT 1PM, AND THEN AGAIN AT 3:30pm................THEN , SOMETIMES HE CAN BORROW TIME FROM ANOTHER GUY, AND CALL ME AT 6 PM, FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES............THEN, THERE ARE NO MORE CALLS UNTIL 6 AM..............YES, JIMMY CALLS ME AT 6 AM, EVERY MORNING...........AND YOU KNOW, I AM STILL SLEEPING........SOMETIMES I JUST GRUNT WHEN I ANSWER THE PHONE..........BUT I LOVE TO HEAR HIS VOICE, EVEN IN MY SLEEP...........JIMMY IS UP BEFORE 6 AM, SHOWERED, SHAVED, READY FOR BREAKFAST..........YES, HE IS VERY MUCH A MORNING PERSON...........THAT IS ABOUT THE ONLY PLACE WE DIFFERENTIATE IN OUR MARRIAGE....AND WE EVEN WORK AROUND THAT, SO IT'S NOT AN ISSUE....

A FEW DAYS AGO, THE GUYS AT VOA, WERE PUTTING FISHING RODS OUT THE WINDOW, AND THEIR WIVES AND GIRLFRIENDS WERE DOWN BELOW ON THE LAWN, BRINGING THEM DRUGS......CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

THE ADMINISTRATOR CLEARED THE WHOLE THING UP, AND I GUESS GUYS WENT BACK TO PRISON FOR THIS.............

WHAT I AM AMAZED AT,IS THAT ANY WIFE OR WOMAN WOULD BRING HER HUSBAND DRUGS............DRUGS TO A HALF-WAY HOUSE?..............HOW COULD THEY?....WELL, I GUESS THOSE WOMEN MUST BE DRUG ADDICTS THEMSELVES.................HERE, THOSE MEN HAVE GONE THROUGH YEARS IN PRISON, ARE NOW IN A HALF-WAY HOUSE, GETTING READY TO COME HOME, AND THE WOMEN ARE "FEEDING" THEIR MEN DRUGS...........I JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE MENTALITY AND STUPIDITY OF PEOPLE......THEY NEVER CHANGE THEIR WAY OF THINKING....ALTHOUGH I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARGUE WITH ME ON THAT THOUGHT..............

JIMMY SAYS THESE MEN ARE "COWARDS."  THEY JUST CANNOT FACE THE REALITY OF LIFE, SO THEY TURN TO LIVES OF ADDICTION............

YES, THE REALITY OF IT IS ,FOR THESE PEOPLE, THAT IT IS EASIER TO GET HIGH, AND LEAD A LIFE OF BEING ADDICTED, THEN TO GET A JOB, AND FACE THE REALITIES OF LIFE...........AS FOR MYSELF, I DID NOT GROW UP EXACTLY IN A BED OF ROSES.......I HAD A VERY DIS-JOINTED CHILDHOOD.............TO SAY THE LEAST...........BUT I WAS DETERMINED TO MAKE IT ON MY OWN, AND I DID.......

I READ IN THE PAPER THAT THERE IS A BAD BATCH OF HEROIN, IN THAT AREA OF JERSEY..............MANY ARE DYING FROM IT.............A GIRLFRIEND OF A RESIDENT AT HOPE HALL DIED FROM IT LAST WEEK..............

I JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT...........HOW CAN PEOPLE LIVE, AND NEVER KNOW THE JOY OF LIVING...........TO GET UP IN THE MORNING, AND TO "FEEL LIFE," IN AND AROUND YOU........BUT ALL THESE PEOPLE KNOW IS DRUGS, AND IT IS A SAD SITUATION............

I WORKED IN A LARGE HOSPITAL IN NEW YORK,  IN THE 70'S AND 80'S, ON THE BORDER OF HARLEM...........All I TOOK CARE OF, AS AN R.N., WERE HEROIN ADDICTS....................A  BLACK WOMAN I WORKED WITH FOR YEARS, USED TO ALWAYS SAY, "WHY DON'T THEY JUST PUT ALL THE DRUG ADDICTS IN ONE BIG ROOM, AND GIVE THEM ALL THE DRUGS THEY WANT..... AS MUCH AS THEY WANT.  AND LET THEM ALL OVERDOSE ON IT.....BECAUSE , THAT IS JUST WHAT THEY WANT...MORE AND MORE DRUGS"

WELL, I HOPE SOME, ALONG THIS PATHOF LIFE, ARE BEING REFORMED.............

I'LL SAY GOOD-NITE NOW, BECAUSE THIS A DEPRESSING SUBJECT TO THINK ABOUT.............

FRAN

PS.....THE GOOD NEWS, IS THAT JIMMY WILL FINALLY BE RETURNING TO HIS JOB AT IGA FOODSTORE MONDAY MORNING..........

A GOOD DAY

TODAY WAS A VERY GOOD DAY!.........

I CALLED THE FUNERAL PARLOR, THIS AFTERNOON, AND THE FLOWERS THAT I SENT ARRIVED...THE MAN ANSWERING THE PHONE, TOLD ME THEY WERE A VERY LARGE, BEAUTIFUL STANDING SPREAD, WITH AT LEAST 6 VARIETIES OF FLOWERS...........AND SO, JIMMY AND I ARE PLEASED ABOUT THAT!

ALSO, TODAY, JIMMY'S COUNSELOR AT HOPE HALL CALLED ME...SHE WAS VERY PLEASANT, AND PROFESSIONAL...SHE INTERVIEWED ME, ASKING SEVERAL QUSRTIONS ABOUT JIMMY AND MYSELF...ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP, MARRIAGE, ETC..........WHAT COULD I SAY?.........AS YOU ALL HAVE HEARD IT MILLIONS OF TIMES HERE, I'M IN LOVE WITH MY HUSBAND, AND SPEND EVERY LIVING MOMENT WAITING FOR HIM TO RETURN HOME.  I CANNOT SAY IT ENOUGH TIMES, THAT JIMMY IS A WONDERFUL, INTELLIGENT, LOVING MAN....HE IS SORRY FOR HIS CRIMES, AND I HAVE FAITH AND TRUST IN HIM THAT HE WILL DO NO FURTHER CRIMES..............AS FAR AS OUR HOUSEHOLD IS CONCERNED, IT IS A VERY HAPPY, LOVING HOUSEHOLD, FILLED WITH JOY AD HAPPINESS........WHEN JIMMY IS HOME, HE IS FOREVER COOKING, AND I AM BAKING...AND SO OUR HOME IS FILLED WITH THE SIGHTS AND SMELLS OF A HAPPY HOME...WE DECORATE AND CELEBRATE  EVERY HOLIDAY...........OUR DOG, PRINCE, AND 2 CATS, MISTY AND JIMBO, ROAM AROUND THE HOUSE, AND CAN BE SEEN PLAYING, EATING, OR DOZING AT ANY GIVEN TIME........AND, SO, THAT IS HOW IT IS...WE JUST ARE A HAPPY FAMILY.............WE ALSO LIKE TO GO OUT TO RESTAURANTS, SHOWS, MOVIES, SHOPPING.THE BOARDWALK......WHATEVER!...AND OUR QUIET TIME AT HOME TOGETHER IS THE BEST...TALKING, SITTING SIDE BY SIDE...GAZING INTO EACH OTHER'S EYES............

IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE JUST WHO AND WHAT WE ARE.........I REGARD MYSELF AS A MATURE WOMAN, WHO HAS EXPERIENCED A LOT IN LIFE, AND NOW, DESPITE SOME ADVERCITIES, OF HAVING A HUSBAND IN PRISON, AND SOME MEDICAL ISSUES, I AM COMFORTABLE IN LIFE, AND IN MY SITUATION..........I AM COMFORTABLE MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY...I LIKE TODAY, FOR THE HERE AND NOW...........WOULD NOT REALLY WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PAST............AND OUR FUTURE HAS GREAT EXPECTATIONS!.............

I'LL GO OUT WITH PRINCE, NOW, AND WATCH AMERICAN IDOL, LATER.............BY THE WAY, HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING THE HISTORY CHANNEL, THIS WEEK, ON CABLE TV...........IT HAS MANY PROGRAMS ABOUT THE HISTORY BEHIND THE DAVINCI CODE, THAT YOU MAY FIND INTERESTING, AS I DO...............

......................FRAN

JIMMY'S AUNT MATILDA DIED

JIMMY'S AUNT MATILDA DIED, ON SUNDAY, WHICH WAS MOTHER'S DAY.  SHE WAS 64 YEARS OLD, AND HAD BEEN SUFFERING FROM CANCER FOR A FEW YEARS...HOWEVER IT WASN'T EXPECTED TO HAPPEN SO SUDDENLY........AUNT MATILDA IS JIMMY'S FATHERS SISTER..........SHE LEAVES BEHIND 4 DAUGHTERS, AND A HUSBAND....SHE HAD WORKED AS AN ACCOUNTANT IN HE LIFE.......SHE DIED IN HER SLEEP, AT HOME, AROUND 12 MIDNIGHT.....

I ACCIDENTALLY FOUND THIS OUT ON SUNDAY.......BY AN IM ON THE COMPUTER, FROM A VERY DISTANT FRIEND..................

I CALLED JIMMY'S FATHER, RIGHT AWAY, TO WISH HIM OUR CONDOLANCES......JIMMY'S FATHER, PRECISELY FITTING HIS PERSONALITY, SAID HE DID NOT HAVE MY PHONE NUMBER (3 OF HIS FRIENDS HAVE MY PHONE NUMBER, BUT THEY ALL SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE IT.........I KNOW THEY PLAY GAMES AND HAVE A CONSPIRACY AGAINST ME). SO HE SAID HE COULD NOT NOTIFY ME, ALTHOUGH HE ALSO LIVES 5 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE....HIS FATHER WILL NOT ACCEPT JIMMY'S CALLS SINCE HE HAS BEEN IN PRISON.  I TOLD HIM I WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THE VIEWING, AND FUNERAL, WHICH IS 5 MINUTES FROM MY HOME, BUT BECAUSE I AM DISABLED, WOULD NEED HELP IN GOING...........HIS FATHER DID NOT OFFER...SO THAT IS THAT.....(just as a sidenote, his father did not ask where jimmy was....he doesn't care, and that's the way it is...and it is no wonder my husband is in prison today, as he has a very cruel, cold-hearted father, who likes to play games with people)

SO, I WAS THE ONE WHO CALLED JIMMY AT 8 PM, AT HOPE HALL...IT WAS A SPECIAL CALL, AND HE CALLED ME BACK IN THE OFFICE, AS IT WAS NOTIFICATION OF A DEATH IN THE FAMILY...........

AND SO, JIMMY WAS VERY SHAKEN UP, AND OF COURSE UPSET............HE HAS ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT "AUNT MATILDA WAS HIS FAVORITE AUNT," AND HAS MANY PLEASANT CHILDHOOD MEMORIES WITH HER.........

...AND SO, WE TALKED ABOUT AUNT MATILDA, WHEN HE CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY........AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT HIS CHILDHOOD MEMORIES...........

THEN, I ORDERED A BEAUTIFUL LARGE SPRAY OF BEAUTIFUL , COLORFUL FLOWERS, TO BE DELIVERED TO THE FUNERAL PARLOR...........IT WILL BE ON A STAND...........I ORDERED IT THROUGH 1-800-FLOWERS.COM............I FOUND IT A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE ALL THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS AND PLANTS, AND FRUIT BASKETS...........IT IS SO MUCH MORE PLEASANT THAT WAY, TO ORDER FLOWERS AND GIFTS..........IT IS NOT LIKE THE "OLDEN DAYS"  :)    WHEN YOU ORDERED FLOWERS ON THE PHONE, AND NEVER GOT TO SEE THEM.

I ALSO WROTE CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY, VIA E-MAIL, TO THE FUNERAL PARLOR.............I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION WE ARE IN, AND UNABLE TO COME TO THE FUNERAL..............

AND SO, THIS IS ANOTHER DAY IN LIFE, I GUESS............

PLEASE SAY A PRAYER FOR AUNT MATILDA, THAT SHE MAY REST IN PEACE, AND HAS FOUND HAPPINESS THROUGH DEPARTING THIS WORLD, AND REIGNING IN HEAVEN WITH GOD.........

AND ALSO , PLEASE SAY A PRAYER FOR JIMMY.........HE IS A VERY STRONG MAN, BUT IT IS A LITTLE TOUGHER IN LIFE, WHEN YOU ARE STUCK IN A PRIISON............

THANK YOU..............FRAN

AN ANSWER

IN ANSWER TO MANDY MEME'S COMMENT, SEVERAL ENTRIES BACK............I ASKED JIMMY ABOUT THE "DVD DISTRIBUTER."......HE SAID, JUST LOOK IT UP ON THE COMPUTER...GOOGLE IT, AND YOU SHOULD FIND PLENTY THERE!.........fran   :)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

HI EVERYONE AND HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

......ESPECIALLY TO ALL THOSE WOMEN OUT THERE, WHO SPEND YET ANOTHER MOTHER'S DAY ALONE, WITHOUT THEIR HUSBAND.........

IT IS A BRIGHT AND CHEERFUL , SUNNY DAY HERE.........JIMMY FELL ASLEEP LAST NIGHT, AND SLEPT THROUGH HIS 2 AM CALL TO ME...........SO, THEN, HE CALLED ME AT 8 AM, AND AT 10 AM, AND JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO, AT 2PM...HE WILL CALL AGAIN AT 3 PM...........JIMMY IS CHEERFUL, AS HE ALWAYS IS. EXCEPT THAT HE MISSES ME!

HE WROTE ME THIS LOVE LETTER, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU!

 

TO MY LITTLE WIFE...AND MOTHER,

YOU ARE THE QUEEN OF MY HOME, MY HEART, MY WORLD....AND THE MOTHER OF MY FAMILY.

MOMMY, YOU LOVE US, PROTECT US...YOU GIVE YOUR VERY SELF TO US.....

LOVE,

DADDY, YOUR HUSBAND...........PRINCE, MISTY AND JIMBO  (OUR DOG AND 2 CATS).........(and he drew a little paw print for each)

 

quests and answers to comments:

ABOUT THE PAROLE OFFICER IN LOGAN HALL, PAROLE WILL NOT NORMA.LLY CALL YOU OR SEE YOUR HUSBAND, UNLESS THERE IS A REASON.  SO, IF YOU NEED TO, CALL THE MAIN NUMBER, AND ASK TO SPEAK TO HIS PAROLE OFFICER.......(THIS ANSWER IS FROM MY HUSBAND, WHOM I ASKED)

MANDY MEME.......JIMMY'S ADVICE IS TO STAY AWAY FROM ANY BUSINESS WITH MEXICO...THAT IS HOW HE GOT 10 YEARS IN PRISON, TODAY.........  :)   (JUST A LITTLE JOKE)

WELL, TIME TO SAY GOOD-BYE......

FRAN

 

THINGS ARE GOING WELL!

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP!.........JIMMY IS GETTING SETTLED AT HOPE HALL...........WE  CAN TALK ON THE PHONE MORE OFTEN , NOW, WHICH MAKES ME HAPPY!

WHEN I WOKE UP THIS MORNING, I FELT A LITTLE SAD,,,,,,,JIMMY CALLED ME AT 4 AM, AND AT 8:30 AM.  "JIMMY," I SAID, "I'M SAD BECAUSE WE CAN'T TALK AS MUCH ON THE PHONE."....."FRAN,' HE REPLIED, "YOU ALWAYS WANT THINGS  TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY. THINGS TAKE TIME. I JUST GOT HERE."

IT'S FUNNY, BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS MAN IN MY LIFE WOULD ALWAYS TELL ME THE SAME THING.  "ROME IS NOT BUILT IN A DAY,"  HE WOULD TELL ME.

I GUESS, UNKNOWINGLY, I'M A LITTLE IMPATIENT IN LIFE!

AND SO, JIMMY CONTINUED TO CALL ME THROUGHOUT THE DAY.  HE EXPLAINED TO ME HE IS NOW ON A BETTER SCHEDULE, AND CAN TALK TO ME A LOT, THROUGHOUT THE DAY.......ONE RESIDENT EVEN WAS NICE ENOUGH TO GIVE UP HIS PHONE TIME TO HIM, AS HE CALLED HIS MOTHER IN THE EVENING ONCE A DAY......

I DID GET TO GO OUT FOOD SHOPPING, AND JIMMY CALLED ME ALL ALONG THE WAY!...........HE CALLED ME JUST AS I ARRIVED IN THE PARKING LOT, ON MY CELL PHONE.........HE CALLED ME AS I WAS BUYING SOME FRESH JUMBO SHRIMP AT THE FISH COUNTER.........I WALKE D THROUGH THE STORE TALKING TO HIM.........HE WANTED ME TO WALK TO THE MEAT DEPT. AND I DID, TO SEE IF THERE WAS LIVER FOR PRINCE...........AND IT WAS THERE, AND JIMMY WAS HAPPY!

THEN HE CALLED ME AGAIN, AT THE CHECK-OUT COUNTER.......THE PRETTY, YOUNG CASHIER ASKED ME WHO I WAS TALKING TO....."MY BOYFRIEND," I SMILED........"NO, JUST KIDDING...MY HUSBAND....BUT HE IS ALMOST LIKE MY BOYFRIEND, BECAUSE WE CARRY ON A LOVE AFFAIR, EVEN THOUGH MARRIED!"...I JOKED.

JIMMY WAS SO HAPPY BECAUSE HE LIKES TO FOLLOW ME AROUND ALL DAY ON THE PHONE...........AND I LIKE IT THAT WAY TOO.........HE IS A MAN WHO LIKES TO BE IN CONTROL OF HIS HOUSEHOLD, EVEN THOUGH AWAY IN A PRISON..........HE LIKES TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AT HOME, AT ALL TIMES...........AND I TELL HIM EVERYTHING........I HAPPEN TO LIKE IT THAT WAY, TOO.....SO, IT WORKS..............

HE TELLS ME HE WORRIES ABOUT ME, EVERY SECOND, THAT SOMETHING MAY HAPPEN TO ME WHEN I GO OUT ALONE.........BUT I'M ALWAYS OK, AND PROTECTED, SOMEHOW........

AND SO, NOW I AM HAPPY...........I HAVE A HOUSEHOLD STOCKED UP WITH NICE, WHOLESOME FOOD..........FRUITS AND VEGTABLES AND FRESH THINGS......AND THE ABIMALS ARE HAPPY AND CONTENT , TOO, BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE GOOD FOOD TO EAT........AND I CAN TALK TO JIMMY ON THE PHONE ALOT.  HE WILL CALL ME AGAIN , IN 20 MINUTES, AT 2 AM........

HOPE HALL IS "THE ROLLS ROYCE" OF HALF-WAY HOUSES.......MEN WALK AROUND , OPENLY WITH CELL PHONES........NO ONE DOES ANYTHING TO THEM.  MEN HAVE TV'S , RADIOS............YESTERDAY, THE GOOD HUMOR MAN PULLED UP OUTSIDE , IN FRONT OF HOPE HALL, AND ALL THE MEN RAN OUTSIDE TO GET ICE CREAM!

TONIGHT THE MEN WERE ORDERING CHINESE FOOD....JIMMY DIDN'T WANT TO ORDER ANY...I INSISTED HE DID............HE FELT THAT OUR MEMORIES WERE IN CHINESE RESTAURANTS, AS OUR ROMANTIC SPOT.....BUT I TOLD HIM I WOULDN'T BE HAPPY UNLESS HE ORDERED A LITTLE SOMETHING.......

TWICE TODAY, HE EVEN PUT ON THE PHONE ANOTHER RESIDENT ...EVERYONE SOUNDS CHEERFUL, AND TONIGHT THEY WERE LAUGHING AND JOKING AROUND.........

SO, THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG....

I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!"

EVERY YEAR, I ALWAYS SAY "I'M NOT A MOTHER, AND I NO LONGER HAVE A MOTHER."...........I KNOW I AM WRONG TO SAY THAT, BUT I GUESS WHEN YOUR MOTHER PASSES TO THE OTHER SIDE, YOUR HEART FREEZES OVER, AND YOU NO LONGER FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU.

HOWEVER, I PREFER TO THINK OF SOMETHING A PRIEST SAID IN HIS HOMILY, MANY YEARS AGO, ON MOTHER'S DAY......I WAS IN MY TEENS WHEN I HEARD IT..........HE SAID, "EVERY WOMAN IS IMPORTANT ON MOTHER'S DAY, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH SHE DOES NOT ACTUALLY HAVE CHILDREN, EVERY WOMAN IS "POTENTIALLY" A MOTHER."  (IN OTHER WORDS, SHE HAS THE HARDWARE TO HAVE A CHILD)...........................

SO, EVERY MOTHER'S DAY, I REMEMBER THOSE WORDS........

TODAY, JIMMY SENT ME A HOME-MADE MOTHER'S DAY CARD, FROM HIM, AND PRINCE, MISTY, AND JIMBO.  ALSO, HE ASKED ME TO GO OUT AND BUY MYSELF A PRETTY BARBIE DOLL, FOR MOTHER'S DAY, AS I COLLECT BARBIE DOLLS.........

WELL, I'LL SAY GOOD-NIGHT FOR NOW!........FRAN

PS.....IN ANSWER TO SOME QUESTS  (in the comments).......I WOULD CALL HIS PAROLE OFFICER AT LOGAN HALL....BE PERSISTENT....I WAS CALLING VERY OFTEN, ALTHOUGH THE VOICE MAILBOX PICKS UP...........ALSO, I CAN'T TELL YOU ANY RULES FOR LOGAN HALL, AS THEY ARE ALWAYS CHANGING, ACCORDING TO WHO YOU SPEAK WITH..........JUST KEEP CALLING, AND BE PERSISITANT.....KEEP TRYING TO GET THE PROPER INFO...I HAD A VERY HARD TIME WITH LOGAN HALL.............ALSO, ASK TO SPEAK WITH HIS COUNSELOR......

 

HOPE HALL

HI EVERYONE!

I'VE BEEN ON THE PHONE ALMOST THE ENTIRE DAY, STRAIGHTENING THINGS OUT...AND I FEEL A BIT EXHAUSTED RIGHT NOW.....

AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M SURE, BUSINESS PHONE CALLS , IN OUR DAY AND AGE, ENTAIL TALKING INTO VOICE MAILBOXES, ANSWERING MACHINES, AND STAYING ON THE LINE FOR ENDLESS MINUTES, WHILE MUSIC PLAYS!

THE FIRST FEW DAYS WHEN JIMMY MOVES TO A NEW FACILITY, ARE EXHAUSTING TO ME, BECAUSE I'M THE ONE WHO HAS TO GET EVERYTHING STRAIGHTENED OUT.......

IF YOU ARE A PRIISON WIFE, YOU WILL KNOW WHAT I MEAN.....A "GOOD" PRISON WIFE, WILL BE PERSISTENT, AS I AM, AND HELP YOUR HUSBAND OUT...............SOME WOMEN DON'T CARE, AS JIMMY TELLS ME, AND THE INMATES GO AROUND COMPLAINING, AND FEELING UNLOVED, AND WITH THEIR HANDS TIED, AS THEY HAVE NO ONE TO DO THINGS FOR THEM .

I SPOKE TO JIMMY'S COUSELOR TWICE.  ALSO, TO THE PAROLE OFFICER............AT FIRST THERE WAS A MIX UP, ABOUT HIS RETURNING TO WORK...BUT IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF.  I EXPLAINED THAT IT IS "MANDATED" BY THE STATE PAROLE BOARD OF NEW JERSEY, THAT JIMMY RETURN TO WORK NEXT WEEK.  MY HUSBAND IS ACTUALLY A SPECIAL CASE, AS HIS JOB AT IGA FOODSTORE HAS BEEN HELD FOR HIM SINCE DEC. 2005...I BELIEVE IT WAS THE PAROLE OFFICER AT LOGAN HALL, THAT SPOKE WITH THE PAROLE OFFICER AT HOPE HALL............ANYHOW, HE WILL BE RETURNING TO WORK ON TUESDAY, NOT MONDAY...........NOW, I HAVE TO EMBARASSINGLY CALL THE OWNER OF IGA, AND TELL HIM THE CHANGE OF DAY........(JIMMY, MY HUSBAND SAID HE WILL CALL, AS I FEEL TOO EMBARRESSED TO DO THIS)..................BUT ANYHOW, THINGS ARE MORE SETTLED NOW.

THE PHONE SYSTEM IS NOT ALL THAT GREAT AT HOPE HALL....EACH MAN HAS A SCHEDULE TO FOLLOW.  EACH CALL IS 1/2 HOUR.....JIMMY'S SCHEDULE IS 3PM, 4:45 PM, AND 2AM.....HE ALSO WAS ABLE TO CALL ME AT 6AM, BECAUSE HE SAID ALL THE GUYS WERE ASLEEP.........OF COURSE, THEY ARE UP ALL NIGHT ON THE PHONES............YOU SEE, PHONE CALLS ARE CHEAP, USING EITHER PHONE CARDS, OR DIRECT COLLECT CALLS (NOT PRISON CALLS)...............................(I told jimmy i may be asleep at 2 am.......just kidding!)

THERE ARE ONLY AROUND 4 PHONES......THERE ARE ONLY AROUND 11 MEN IN THE HALF-WAY BACK PROGRAM,AS JIMMY IS...THEY ARE ALL ON PAROLE.....THERE ARE DIFFERENT SECTIONS, AND THERE IS AT LEAST 100 OTHER MEN, WHO ARE NOT ON PAROLE...........

VISITIBG HOURS ARE 6 DAYS /WEEK, WHICH IS VERY LENIENT.  YOU CAN BRING FOOD, AND MAKE A PICNIC OF IT!.....JIMMY SAW A SIGN FOR KARAOKE NIGHT, TOO.

BESIDES THE FACT THAT OUR CALLS ARE SO RESTRICTED , EVERYTHING IS OK.....I FEEL BETTER NOW, THAT EVERYTHING IS DONE, AND SETTLED..........I WILL GO FOOD SHOPPING TOMORROW.......JIMMY WILL BE ABLE TO CALL ME ON MY CELL PHONE AT 3PM.....

WELL. I'LL GO SIT OUTSIDE FOR A WHILE, ON THE PATIO, AS THE WEATHER IS BRIGHT AND SUNNY!..............Fran

"HOPE HALL"

JIMMY ARRIVED AT "HOPE HALL" TODAY!........HE CALLED ME AT 3PM, TO SAY HE HAD ARRIVED, AND WAS FILLING OUT PAPERWORK..........HE WAS VERY HAPPY, AND EVERYTHING WAS MOVING ALONG SMOOTHLY. 

HIS PAROLE OFFICER DROVE HIM, AND ALL WENT WELL!  THEY STOPPED AT DUNKIN DONUTS, AND JIMMY BOUGHT 2 BAGELS, AND COFFEE.  JIMMY WILL HOPEFULLY START BACK TO HIS JOB, AT IGA FOODSTORE, NEXT MONDAY.......

JIMMY THEN CALLED ME A SECOND TIME, AND SAID HE WAS  GOING TO TAKE A SHOWER, AND GET SETTLED.......

THE GOOD PART IS THAT HE CAN NOW MAKE EITHER A REGULAR COLLECT PHONE CALL, OR USE A PHONE CARD.......I GAVE HIM THE NUMBERS ON A PHONE CARD I HAVE HERE, AND TOMORROW I WILL GO AND BUY AT LEAST 4 MORE PHONE CARDS..........A $5.00 PHONE CARD IS MUCH CHEAPER THAN THE $1000.00 OR MORE per month,  I WAS SPENDING AT LOGAN HALL..............

CALLS, CALLS, AND MORE CALLS!..........SUCH IS THE DUTY OF THE PRISONER'S WIFE!.......AND SO, I ALREADY CALLED THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, TO CHANGE HIS DELIVERY ADDRESS TO HOPE HALL.  THEN , I CALLED THE OWNER OF IGA FOODSTORES,  TWICE, AND THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO JIMMY COMING BACK TO HIS JOB ON MONDAY.......TOMORROW I WILL CALL JIMMY'S COUNSELOR......AND TOMORROW I WILL CALL HIS ATTORNEY TO NOTIFY HIM WHERE JIMMY IS...........AFTER 3.1 YEARS, I AM GETTING USED TO ALL THIS........FINALLY!  JIMMY HAS MOVED WITHIN THE PRISON SYSTEM, 9 TIMES, YES 9 TIMES IN THE PAST 3.1 YEARS......

EVERY TIME THAT JIMMY IS MOVED, IT IS A VERY QUIET DAY FOR ME............I SIT AT HOME, KEEP THE HOUSE QUIET.....NO RADIO OR TV...........I JUST SIT AND WAIT QUIETLY FOR HIS CALLS TO COME IN............I LIKE IT THAT WAY.............I THINK I TAKE AFTER MY ITALIAN GRANDMOTHER WHO DID THE SAME THING WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.......SOME DAYS WERE JUST SPECIAL ONES, AND THE HOUSE WOULD BE KEPT QUIET.....NO ACTIVITY, UNTIL THINGS SETTLED DOWN..........

AND SO, NOW I FEEL MUCH BETTER.  EVERYTHING ONCE AGAIN FEELS MORE BALANCED , MORE PEACEFUL, AND MORE IN HARMONY............

OUR LIVES FEEL MORE IN BALANCE....MORE PEACEFUL.....

SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A BOAT, AND HAVE TO KEEP IT BALANCED.....................I THINK THAT HAS BEEN MY ROLE IN THESE PAST 3.1 YEARS....TO KEEP EVERYTHING IN HARMONY...WELL, JIMMY AND I COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER TO KEEP IT IN BALANCE..........

WELL, IT IS NOW 6 PM, AND I JUST MADE THE FIRST POT OF COFFEE....IN A LITTLE WHILE I'LL COOK SOMETHING........NOW, I'LL TAKE PRINCE OUT, ON THIS COOL AND CLOUDY DAY........

THINGS ARE ONCE AGAIN MOVING ALONG.........THAT IS HOW IT IS IN LIFE!

ps....I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL COMMENTS, AND CARING SO MUCH...AS YOU CAN ALL CLEARLY SEE, THERE ARE "A LOT OF US WOMEN OUT THERE".......WIVES/GIRLFRIENDS OF PRISONERS, THAT IS....AND WE KEEP MOVING ALONG THROUGH LIFE!

APOLOGY ACCEPTED

YOUR APOLOGY IS ACCEPTED, SOBXY....ALSO, MAY I APOLOGIZE TO YOU, TOO, FOR HAVING SPOKEN OUT OF LINE.........THANKS FOR BEING SO HONEST ABOUT YOUR LIFE, AND LOVE....(YOU CAN READ SOBXY'S COMMENTS IN THE LAST ENTRY)

I AM SORRY TO HEAR YOU ARE GOING THROUGH SO MANY ROUGH TIMES RIGHT NOW, BESIDES YOUR BOYFRIEND'S INCARCERATION......

IT IS THE SAME WAY FOR ME....LIFE IS AN ENDLESS STRING OF PHONE CALLS ALL DAY, LETTER WRITING, AND CALLS TO LAWYERS..........THE DAY JIMMY LEFT HERE, FOR PRISON, WAS WHEN IT ALL STARTED FOR ME......CALLS, WRITING, RECORD KEEPING...KEEPING THINGS ORGANIZED....COUNTING DAYS AND MINUTES ON CALENDERS.......

I HAVE NOTEBOOKS, UPON NOTEBOOKS WHERE I WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN..........ALONG WITH ENDLESS STRINGS OF NAMES AND PHONE NUMBERS.......

I GET THAT FEELING IN MY STOMACH, TOO....LIKE A BOWLING BOWL.  I THINK MINE IS MORE LIKE BUTTERFLYS FLYING AROUND...........

I READ SOMEWHERE THAT HEADACHES ARE NOT ONLY IN THE PERSON'S HEAD, BUT STOMACHS HAVE EVEN WORSE HEADACHES   ....IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.

AND THE PROBLEM ALWAYS IS, THAT WE AS PRISONER'S WIVES, HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE, EXCEPT THE SITUATION WE ARE IN......

WE TRY TO DIVERT OUR MINDS....BUT IT IS ONLY TEMPORARY........

WE TRY TO FIND OTHER INTERESTS, BUT WE ALWAYS GO BACK TO WHO WE ARE.......

I THINK OUR THOUGHT PROCESSES ARE DIFFERENT THAN MOST ....

FOR ME, IT CHANGED VERY SUBTLY, THROUGH THE YEARS......THAT IS, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, I ACCEPTED BEING A PRISONER'S WIFE, AND LIVING THIS UNUSUAL LIFE-STYLE.  BUT THAT TAKES TIME, AND ONLY COMES ABOUT NATURALLY, THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF TIME..........YES, I THINK THE BEST TIME IN THESE 3.1 YEARS, WAS WHEN I COULD TELL THE WORLD, I AM THE WIFE OF A PRISONER.................AND I FREED MYSELF, OF LIVING IN A PRISON AT HOME.......OF KEEPING MYSELF PRISONER IN MY BODY AND SOUL.

THE FIRST WEEK THAT JIMMY WENT TO PRISON, I DID SOMETHING VERY STTANGE AND ODD.......I TOOK OUT ALL MY NURSING DEGREES, AND CERTIFICATES, AND COLLEGE DEGREES.........ALL MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN MY LIFE.  I FRAMED THEM, AND HUNG THEM ON THE LIVING ROOM WALL, SO I COULD SEE THEM EVERYDAY.............BEFORE THAT TIME, I NEVER CARED THAT I HAD ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH IN LIFE.....  BUT NOW, AS A PRISONER'S WIFE, I HAD TO SEE FOR MYSELF, JUST WHO I WAS, AND WHAT I DID IN LIFE................I DID NOT LIKE THE WORLD OF CRIMINALS AND PRISONS AND EVIL PEOPLE.........BUT I SUDDENLY HAD NO CHOICE, BECAUSE I WAS PART OF IT......

JIMMY AND I HAVE AN UNUSUAL LIFE, BECAUSE WE CHOOSE TO STILL LIVE THE LIFE AS HUSBAND AND WIFE, ALTHOUGH WE LIVE MILES APART, SEPERATED BY PRISON WALLS...............AND WHEN ONE FINDS THE SECRET OF HOW TO DO THAT..........YOU ARE FREE!

THAT IS HOW I FEEL...VERY FREE!.........FREE FROM MOST TENSIONS AND PRESSURES, BECAUSE I CHOOSE TO VIEW OUR LIFE AS A DIFFERENT LIFE THAN MOST.........BUT IT IS A STRONG MARRIAGE....STRONGER THAN MOST, WHO ARE IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD........

SOMETIMES I VIEW OUR LIFE IN A WHIMSICAL, FANTASY WAY.........JUST TO ESCAPE THE REALITY OF IT ALL..........AND IF I HAVE MADE IT THROUGH 3.1 YEARS, ANYONE CAN!

JIMMY'S LAST CALL LAST NIGHT WAS AT 9PM....WE SPOKE FOR AN HOUR....THE 6TH CALL OF THE DAY!........WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS JOURNAL, AND I WAS READING HIM SOME OF THE COMMENTS..............

JIMMY TOLD ME SOMETIMES IT MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR A PERSON TO UNDERSTAND MY JOURNAL...HARD TO FOLLOW MY THOUGHTS, UNLESS YOU ARE CONSTANTLY READING IT.  HE IS RIGHT, AS I JUST SIT HERE AND WRITE WHATEVER COMES OUT OF MY HEAD!......I NEVER PLAN WHAT TO SAY....IT IS ONE OF MY FAULTS.  HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN TOLD I WRITE "IN THE FLOW" OF THOUGHT.........SOMETHING LIKE AN ESSAY.  IT IS WHAT I AM THINKING AT THE MOMENT....I OFTEN SCATTER MY THOUGHTS....BUT THAT IS HOW I AM IN REAL LIFE, ANYHOW.....I MAY NOT MAKE SENSE ...AND OFTEN GO FROM TOPIC TO TOPIC.............I WILL HAVE TO TRY HARDER TO "STAY FOCUSED."

I LIKE TO VIEW MYSELF AS A PERSON LOST IN THOUGHT......I FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE THERE......

.....AND SO, I'D LIKE TO ONCE AGAIN SAY GOOD-NITE!

...................FRAN

HAPPY THOUGHTS

JUST A FAST NOTE, BEFORE I COOK DINNER FOR PRINCE...HE'S HAVING HAMBURGERS TONITE     :)

JIMMY HAS BEEN CALLING ME EVERY HOUR TODAY.......WE JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF EACH OTHER, AND WE LOVE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER!

HE IS EXCITED TO BE GOING TO THE NEW HALF-WAY HOUSE...HIS BAGS ARE ALL PACKED AND READY TO GO!......THE PLACE WHERE HE IS GOING IS LOCATED ON THE CAMPUS OF RUTGERS UNIVERSITY....IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA...........THERE ARE ONLY AROUND 100 OR SO GUYS THERE.......MANY HAVE PRIVATE ROOMS, WITH TV'S.....AND SOME CAN EVEN HAVE A CAR..............SO, I AM HAPPY ABOUT THIS!............SOME OF HIS FELLOW INMATES WENT THERE, WHO WERE ATTORNEYS AND FINANCIAL LOAN OFFICERS........EVERYONE SEEMS TO LIKE IT THERE!

TODAY I SAT OYTSIDE WITH PRINCE, IN OUR RESIDENTIAL , GATED COMMUNITY.  I GAZED AT THE BLUE SKY, AND THE TREES, AND LISTENED TO THE BIRDS SINGING..........IT IS VERY PEACEFUL HERE, EXCEPT FOR THE OCCASIONAL CONSRUCTION WORKERS, WHO ARE WORKING ON NEAR-BY HOMES.............NEXT WEEK, I WILL GET SOME BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS TO PUT OUT ON THE PATIO!   :)

FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS, JIMMY HAS BEEN HELPING AT LOGAN HALL TO FIX THE COMPUTERS....HE IS WORKING ALONG WITH THE STAFF TO FIX THEM, AS MY HUSBAND IS VERY PROFICIENT IN COMPUTERS..........HOWEVER, HE TELLS ME THAT THE INMATES HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE COMPUTERS, SOMEHOW, WITHOUR KNOWING THE PASSWORD...........AND THEY ARE THE ONES MESSING THE COMPUTER SYSTEM UP.....I SAID, " JIMMY, HOW DO THEY KNOW HOW TO GET INTO A COMPITER, WITHOUT THE PASSWORD?"         HE SAID..."THAT IS WHY THEY ARE HERE, FRAN...THEY  ARE CRIMINALS, AND KNOW HOW TO DO STUFF LIKE THAT."

WELL, IN ANSWER TO MY NASTY "COMMENTER"...........I LOVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU...WITH BITTER, NASTY TONGUES.......YOU ARE IN ACTUALITY WHAT MAKES MY JOURNAL FAMOUS, BECAISE YOU KEEP READING IT...........

AND TO REPLY TO YOU, "MY HUSBAND DID NOT START THE DRUG PROBLEM IN OUR COUNTRY, OR WORLD.."  ALSO, IT WAS MARIJUANA, NOT HARD-CORE DRUGS THAT HE TRANSPORTED..........YES, NOT THE HARD-CORE DRUGS, THAT YOU ALL LET YOUR CHILDREN TAKE............"  "ALSO, YOU ARE REPEATING COMMON, PUBLIC  KNOWLEDGE, THAT MY HUSBAND HAS COMMITTED CRIMES IN THE PAST, AND YES HE IS KNOWN AS A "CAREER CRIMINAL.".......HE'S PAYING FOR IT, ISN'T HE?......"YOUR TONGUE MAY SPEAK BITTER WORDS TOWARDS ME, BUT YOU, MY DEAR ONE, CAN NEVER STOP THE FLOW OF LOVE."

A SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READS MY JOURNAL, AND HAS SUPPORTED ME WITH KIND, LOVING WORDS, FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS.................FRAN

 

TUESDAY....

JIMMY WENT TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE'S TODAY, TO GET HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE RENEWED.  HE DID NOT HAVE TO BE DRIVEN, BUT WAS ALLOWED TO WALK THERE, WHICH WAS FINE, AS THE MVA IS ONLY 4 BLOCKS AWAY.  THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE HAS BEEN OTSIDE SINCE THE FIRST WEEK IN DECEMBER 2005,...SINCE BEING LOCKED UP AGAIN...AND THAT WAS 5 MONTHS AGO............HE GOT HIS LICENSE RENEWAL, AND HE SAID IT FELT GOOD TO BE OUTSIDE IN THE FRESH AIR.....

HOWEVER, UPON RETURNING TO LOGAN HALL, JIMMY CALLED ME RIGHT AWAY, A LITTLE SHAKEN UP...WELL, ACTUALLY BY THAT TIME, HE HAD CALMED DOWN A LITTLE.

HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED...AS HE STEPPED OUTSIDE FROM THE MVA, HE HEARD 3 "POPS."....THEN HE SAW A MAN FALL OUT OF A VAN AS IT WAS RIDING BY IN THE STREET.THIS WAS APPARTENLY A DRIVE BY SHOOTING, JUST AS JIMMY LEFT MVA.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE!

I ASKED JIMMY WHAT DID HE DO.....HE SAID HE WAS AT FIRST STUNNED TO BE SEEING THIS, AND THEN AROUND 10 COPS CARS PULLED UP WITHIN A MINUTE OR 2.....

I GUESS I WAS MORE SHAKEN UP THAN JIMMY ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING HAPPENING....

A LOT OF WOMAN HAVE WRITTEN TO ME TO ASK ME HOW IS THE BEIGHBORHOOD WHERE LOGAN HALL IS LOCATED, AS I WENT TO SEE JIMMY A FEW WEEKS AGO.......MY ANSWER IS ALWAYS THE SAME.......I FEEL IT IS IN A VERY BAD LOCATION.  IT IS NEAR THE RAILROAD TRACKS, UNDER THE NJ TURNPIKE, IN AN AREA OF BARREN WAREHOUSES.  THIS IS A PART OF TOWN THAT NICE PEOPLE WOULD NOT WALK AROUND...AND I WONDER JUST WHAT TAKES PLACE IN THOSE STREETS, BEHIND THOSE WAREHOUSE DOORS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT............SO, I HAVE ALWAYS ASKED JIMMY TO PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL............CALL ME INTUITIVE, OR CALL ME WHAT YOU MAY...BUT I MUST PROTECT MY MAN..............

MY QUESTION IS, WHY DO THEY PUT THESE KIND OF PLACES...HALFWAY BACK HOUSES, IN BAD AREAS OF TOWN.........?

I EXPECT MY HUSBAND TO BE SAFE, ALTHOUGH HE MAY BE A PRISONER....I, AS A WIFE, EXPECT THE PENAL SYSTEM IN OUR COUNTRY, TO PROTECET MY HUSBAND WHEN HE IS AWAY.........

I NEVER FORGET THAT MY HUSBAND TURNED HIMSELF INTO PRISON, OVER 3 YEARS AGO, BECAUSE HE WANTED TO CLEAR THE SLATE....IF WE WANTED, BOTH OF US COULD HAVE BEEN SITTING ON SOME EXOTIC BEACH, IN SOME FARAWAY COUNTRY FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS............AND SO, SINCE WE DID THE RIGHT THING, I EXPECT THAT MY HUSBAND WILL NOT BE HURT, IN ANY WAY, WHILE HE IS AWAY IN PRISON...........

AND SO, AS I ALWAYS SAY, WE LIVE IN A VERY RESIDENTIAL AREA, IN A PARK-LIKE SETTING, WITH ONLY THE SOUND OF THE BIRDS SINGING, IN A TOWN WHICH IS KNOWN FOR ONE OF THE LOWEST CRIME RATES IN NEW JERSY........AND THERE, MY HUSBAND WHO IS ON PAROLE, IS IN AN AREA THAT APPARENTLY IS UNSAFE.........

JIMMY IS LEAVING TO GO TO VOA, BUT I WRITE HIS FOR THE OTHERS THAT ARE STILL THERE, TO MAKE THEIR FAMILIES AWARE.............

AND SO, THAT BRINGS ME TO THE GOOD NEWS....JIMMY WILL BE LEAVING ON THURSDAY, FOR VOA...NOT FRIDAY.  HE TOLD ME TONIGHT HE IS SO EXCITED...AND I AM TOO!....WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ON THE PHONE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT, THESE PAST FEW DAYS.......

I'LL SAY GOOD-NITE FOR NOW............I HAVE 2 MORE EPISODES OF "BIG LOVE" TO WATCH, AND A LITTLE MORE READING TO DO!

                            FRAN

quiet day

IT WAS A QUIET DAY....RAINEY AND GLOOMY AND CLOUDY, I THINK....NOT REALLY SURE, AS I SLEPT THROUGH MOST OF THE DAY.  YES, THAT IS HOW IT IS FOR A PRISONER'S WIFE.....

I LAID IN BED ALL DAY, THINKING OF MY HUSBAND, AND WISHING HE WERE HERE.........I THOUGHT ABOUT THE PAST TIMES WE HAD, AND IMAGINED IT WAS TAKING PLACE NOW..

.....HE CALLED ME ALL DAY, AS USUAL.  AND I DID MY WIFELY PHONE DUTIES FOR HIM.......THAT IS, I MADE A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT PHONE CALLS FOR JIMMY..FOR INSTANCE ONE WAS TO HIS ATTORNEY.......SEE WHAT A GOOD WIFE I AM?!..........EVEN IN MY SPORADIC SLEEP, I WILL DO THINGS FOR JIMMY.......

WHEN I FINALLY PUT MY FEET OVER THE EDGE OF THE BED, AT 7PM, JIMMY CALLS ME ONCE GAIN, FOR AROUND THE 3RD OR 4H TIME TODAY.......I YELLED AT HIM, STILL HALF ASLEEP..........WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT, JIMMY?"  I SAID......I AM JUST A LONELY PRISONER'S WIFE, WHO LIVES HERE ALONE......AND I DON'T CARE IF I SLEEP ALL DAY.........I CAN DO WHAT I WANT......AND JIMMY IS ALWAYS VERY CALM WITH ME, AND SAID THAT ALL HE WANTS IS TO HEAR MY VOICE.....WELL, I TOLD HIM I WAS IN BED ALL DAY, THINKING OF HIM, WHICH WAS THE TRUTH..........

JIMMY TOLD ME IT'S OK, AS I WENT TO SLEEP AT 7 AM IN THE MORNING........I TOLD HIM I WAS UP ALL NIGHT WATCHING TV....I WATCHED ON-DEMAND LAST NIGHT....I CAUGHT UP ON "BIG LOVE," AND WATCHED 4 EPISODES LAST NIGHT...THAT WAS AROUND 4 HOURS OF TV WATCHING..........I'VE REALLY GOTTEN INTO BIG LOVE, AND LIKE IT A LOT...YOU GET ATTACHED TO IT, AND TO THE CHARACTERS........THE MORMON HUSBAND HAS 3 WIVES.......THE SHOW IS A LITTLE TOO FOCUSED ON HIS HAVING SEX WITH THE 3 WIVES....IT IS A LITTLE TOO MODERN-AGE, I FEEL.  HAVING LIVED IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, I KNEW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE MORMON FAITH, AS THERE IS A LARGE COMMUNITY OF MORMONS THERE........THEY WERE MAINLY LDS, MOFERN DAY MORMONS....I WORKED WITH A LOT OF MORMON WOMEN, AND WE HAD A LOT OF MORMON FRIENDS.....OF COURSE NOW, ON TOP OF IT ALL, OUR COUNTRY IS CLAMPING DOWN ON POLIGAMY, AND THE LEADER IS ON THE MOT WANTED, ON THE FBI LIST....ALL THIS IS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME THAT "BIG LOVE" CAME OUT.............I DON'T GET IT..........POLOGAMY HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A REAL LONG TIME, AND WAS ALWAYS ILLEGAL IN THIS COUNTRY......AND IT IS JUST NOW, THAT OUR COUNTRY IS CLAMPING DOWN ON IT, AND EXPOSING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE POLYGAMIST COMMUNITIES OUT THERE........IT IS A VERY STRANGE WORLD WE LIVE IN.............IT IS LIKE ILLEGAL ALIENS...THEY ARE CRIMINALS IN OUR COUNTRY, AS THEY ARE ILLEGAL........AND OUR COUNTRY NEVER CLAMPED DOWN ON THEM.....IN FACT, THEY ENCOURAGE THEM TO WORK HERE.................YES, BUT THEY DO SEND THIER OWN AMERICAN CITIZENS TO PRISON...THEY HAVE NO TROUBLE WITH THAT.......

AND SO, IN ANOTHER LIGHT, JIMMY IS REAL EXCITED BECAUSE ON FRIDAY HE WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO HOPE HALL, VOA, IN CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.  HE WILL BE TAKEN THERE AS A FREE-MAN, BY HIS PAROLE OFFICER........NO HAND-CUFFS...NOTHING.........I THINK HE WILL BE DRIVEN THRERE WITH HIS CLOTHES, IN A CAR, IN THE AFTERNOON.....HE IS SO HAPPY AND EXCITED..........THEN, ON MONDAY, HE WILL GO TO IGA, AND START WORKING IN THE FOODSTORE.  TOMORROW JIMMY IS BEING DRIVEN ALONG WITH A GROUP OF GUYS, TO THE MVA, TO RE-NEW HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE.................

AND ALL THIS MEANS THAT I WILL SEE HIM SOON............

YES, I COULD HAVE STAYED IN BED EVEN LONGER, JUST DAY-DREANING ABOUT JIMMY.....TO BE HELD AND KISSED AGAIN BY HIM...........BUT I HAD TO GET UP, AND DO A FEW HOUSEHOLD THINGS.........OH WELL, SUCH IS LIFE!

AND NOW, IT'S REALLY TIME TO GO TO BED AGAIN.......HOWEVER, I'LL STAY UP A LITTLE LONGER, AND READ, AND CATCH UP ON A FEW MORE EPISODES OF "BIG LOVE."

GOOD-NIGHT!.............FRAN

LOGAN HALL, NEWARK, NJ...RESIDENTS ARE HUNGRY

THIS AFTERNOON I HAD SOME UPSETTING NEWS ABOUT LOGAN HALL.

TODAY, SUNDAY, LOGAN HALL ACTUALLY RAN OUT OF FOOD FOR LUNCH, FOR THE RESIDENTS .  THERE WERE AROUND 50 MEALS SHORT, FOR 50 BIG, HUNGRY MEN......

FORTUNATELY, ONE OF THE WOMEN WORKING THERE, WENT OUT TO BUY PIZZA FOR ALL OF THOSE MEN.....THAT IS A LOT OF PIZZA, I MUST SAY...FOR MEN WHO ARE LOCKED UP, AND VERY HUNGRY.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE ADMINISTRATOR IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM OF SHORTAGE OF FOOD...HOWEVER, TODAY, AS I SAID, THEY ACTUALLY RAN OUT OF FOOD COMPLETELY AT LUNCHTIME.

I HOPE HE WILL DO SOMETHING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE......

NOW, WHY IS THERE A SHORTAGE, YOU MAY BE WONDERING?

I'LL EXPLAIN...........

THE MEN ARE GIVEN A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF FOOD AT LOGAN HALL, AND ARE ALWAYS HUNGRY...........AS FOR MY HUSBAND, I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF HIM COMPLAIN OF BEING HUNGRY, IN OVER 3 YEARS IN PRISON.  I MEAN, THE PRISON FOOD IS NOT GOURMET, BUT HE WAS NEVER HUNGRY.........BUT JIMMY IS VERY HUNGRY AT LOGAN HALL....AND MY HUSBAND IS A BIG MAN, AND IS A DIABETIC, WHO IS ON DIABETIC PILLS, AND HIS SUGAR OFTEN RUNS TOO LOW........NOW, THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM...

WHAT IS HAPPENING, IS THAT THE RESIDENTS HAVE TAKEN IT INTO THEIR OWN HANDS, TO SOLVE THE ISSUE OF HUNGER...................

THE MEN WHO ARE WORKING IN THE KITCHEN, ARE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES...THEY ARE FORMER CONVICTS......AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY SELLING THE FOOD TO THE MEN, TO MAKE THE MEN HAPPY, AND TO EARN A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY FOR THEMSELVES...........THESE MEN MAKE DELICIOUS BIG SANDWICHES FOR THE MEN...AND THINGS LIKE THAT.........THEN THEY CHARGE EACH RESIDENT, A DOLLAR OR SO, SO THEY CAN MAKE A PROFIT. 

.....AND TODAY IT ALL BACK-FIRED......

...AS I SAID EARLIER, THE KITCHEN ACTUALLY RAN OUT OF FOOD FOR LUNCH-TIME.......

AS THE ADMINISTRATOR IS ALREADY AWARE OF THIS, I THINK HE SHOULD DO SOMETHING QUICK ABOUT IT......I CANNOT STAND TO SEE ANYONE HUNGRY...NO LESS LOCKED UP MEN, WHO ARE BIG AND MUSCULAR.......

I UNDERSTAND MY HUSBAND GETS 2000 CALORIES /DAY AT LOGAN HALL...I THINK ALL THE MEN GET THAT..........WELL, LET ME TELL YOU, THAT IS NOT ENOUGH...........AND I DON'T CARE WHAT ALL THE NUTRITION BOOKS IN THE WORLD SAY!...............TRY IT YOURSELF, AND SEE.......AND IT IS WORSE WHEN YOU ARE LOCKED UP IN AN INSTITUTION, AND CAN'T MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS ABOUT FOOD, BUT MUST EAT WHAT IS PUT ON A PLATE IN FRONT OF YOU.

WHEN I WAS HOSPITALIZED IN 2004, I WAS PUT ON AN 1800 CALORIE DIET........I WAS ALSO ON LOTS AND LOTS OF INSULIN, AND DIABETIC PILLS...............AND I WAS LITERALLY STARVING ALL THE TIME..........MOST DAYS MY BLOOD SUGAR WOULD PLUNGE TO DANGEROUS LOW LEVELS OF 50............I WOULD SIT AND WAIT FROM ONE MEAL TO THE NEXT..........JUST THINKING OF FOOD..........BEING ON INSTITUTIONAL FOOD IS THE WORST...AND THE PORTIONS ARE VERY, VERY SMALL....1800 CALORIES IS IN REALITY, NOTHING...ESPECIALLY FOR A BIG MAN......AND WHEN YOU ARE LOCKED UP, AND UNABLE TO DIVERT YOUR MIND, IT IS EVEN WORSE....

MY HUSBAND, ALTHOUGH A BIG MAN, HAS LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT, AND CAN FEEL IT IN HIS CLOTHES, AND I SAW IT WHEN I VISITED HIM..........HE USES THE TREADMILL ON AN UPWARD ANGLE, AND WALKS 5 MILES /DAY...WITHOUT A SWEAT.......HE IS IN GOOD SHAPE, SO IT IS EASY FOR HIM........THE OTHER YOUNG GUYS STAND AROUND HIM, IN DISBELIEF, THAT HE DOES SO WELL....

SO, WHEN JIMMY TELLS ME HE IS HUNGRY........I BEGIN TO WORRY, BECAUSE HE NEVER COMPLAINS ABOUT THAT......

I AM ALSO WORRIED ABOUT ALL THE REST OF THE GUYS AT LOGAN HALL..........THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE....AND NEEDS TO QUICKLY BE RESOLVED.......

GOOD-NITE!               FRAN

SOME GOOD NEWS

WELL, I FINALLY HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS.......

JIMMY WILL BE MOVED TO VOA, A HALF-WAY HOUSE, IN CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, NEXT FRIDAY.  IT IS ALL ARRANGED....THEN, HE WILL START BACK ON HIS JOB AT THE FOODSTORE, ON MAY 15, 2006.  THE FOODSTORE WILL BE IN THE TOWN OF LITTLE EGG HARBOR, SINCE ATLANTIC CITY IS NO LONGER AN OPTION....

I SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE OWNER'S OF IGA TODAY...HE IS SO NICE, AND WE ARE REALLY THANKFUL THAT THEY KEPT JIMMY'S JOB FOR HIM SINCE THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER....THEN THE OWNER CALLED JIMMY'S PAROLE OFFICER AND SPOKE WITH HIM, SO NOW, EVERYTHING IS SET!......................

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD WHO ARE EXTREMELY NICE.  THE OWNER'S OF IGA FOODSTORE ARE LIKE THAT, AND WE ARE REALLY BLESSED TO HAVE MET THEM IN LIFE............

SO NOW...JIMMY IS EXCITED, AND SO AM I.......

ANOTHER THING THAT MADE ME HAPPY TODAY, IS THAT JIMMY TOLD ME HE HAS BECOME SO GOOD AT LATIN, THAT HE CAN READ THE STORIES IN THE CLASSICAL READER I SENT HIM IN LATIN...THE BOOK HAS ONE PAGE OF ENGLISH, AND ANOTHER OF LATIN AND GREEK....HE SAYS IT IS SO MUCH BETTER WHEN HE READS IT IN LATIN...........I AM REALLY PROUD OF HIM, TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS IN PRISON....WHATEVER ANYONE MAY SAY, I HAVE MARRIED THE MOST WONDERFUL MAN !

I AM A LITLE TIRED...IT IS 4 AM...SHOULD I SAY GOOD MORNING OR GOOD NIGHT....WELL, FOR ME IT IS GOOD NIGHT, AS I HAVEN'T SLEPT YET!

FRAN

THE FLOW OF THOUGHT

TODAY I ONCE AGAIN WENT TO THE POST OFFICE, AND MAILED JIMMY 4 ENVELOPES.  HE NEEDS TO RECEIVE THE DOCUMENTS I SENT HIM BY TOMORROW, SO GOING DIRECTLY TO THE POST OFFICE IS THE FASTEST....HE WILL BE GOING TO RENEW HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE , HOPEFULLY ON FRIDAY...SO, I SENT HIM ALL THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS.  BEING THE WIFE OF A PRISONER, IS A VERY IMPORTANT JOB...SHE DDDOES THINGS TO KEEP HER MARRIAGE INTACT, ALTHOUGH IT IS FROM A DISTANCE.....I LOVE MY HUSBAND SO MUCH, THAT I LOVE DOING ANYTHING FOR HIM.  "QUICK AND EFFECIENT," IS WHAT HE CALLS ME!

JIMMY IS HALF-WAY THROUGH "THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THR UNIVERSE."  I'M ONLY ON PAGE 30, SO I'D BETTER CATCH UP TO HIM, SO WE CAN DISCUSS IT ON THE PHONE!

TWO NIGHTS AGO, LARRY KING HAD ON HIS SHOW, THE FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, JAMES BAKER AND HIS DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.  HIS GRAND CHILD , WHO WAS 7 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME, HAD DROWNED IN A SWIMMING POOL. DURING A PARTY AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE, AND IT WAS DUE TO "ENTRAPMENT."  MOST PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE OF ENTRAPMENT, AND THAT IS WHY I'VE CHOSEN TO WRITE ABOUT IT HERE...TO HELP IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC, AND MAYBE HELP TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER TRAGEDIES FROM HAPPENING.....

I WAS AWARE OF THIS, A LONG TIME AGO, HAVING LIVED IN PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, AND LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, WHERE JUST ABOUT EVERYONE HAS A SWIMMING POOL AND JACUZZI.  ,,,ON THE BOTTOM OF POOLS, AND SPAS, ARE DRAINS, WHICH HAVE A TREMENDOUS SUCTION...A SUCTION THAT WOULD TAKE HUNDREDS OF LBS. OF WEIGHT TO TRY AND REMOVE THE PERSON WHO IS CAUGHT THERE......SO, A PERSON'S BODY PART, SUCH AS ARM, OR HAIR, OR JEWELRY...OR IN THE CASE OF JAMES BAKER'S GRAND CHILD , HER BUTTOCKS...GETS STUCK THERE, DUE TO THE SUCTION, AND THEY DROWN, UNABLE TO ESCAPE. 

IT WAS TERRIBLE TO SEE THE FOOTAGE AND PICTURES  OF THIS SWEET, INNOCENT CHILD...JUST A LITTLE ANGEL, AS HER GRAND-FATHER SAID..SO ALIVE ONE MINUTE, AND GONE THE NEXT......SHE WAS ONE OF A SET OF TWINS, AND ONE OF 5 CHILDREN....IT WAS DISTRESSING FOR ME TO SEE THE MOTHER'S FACE, EXPLAINING EVERYTHING ON TV......THE MOTHER DID A FINE JOB, BUT NOTHING CAN TAKE AWAY THE LOOK OF DEPRESSION IN THAT WOMAN'S FACE.

AND SO...I WRITE THIS, BECAUSE THIS DRWNINGS OF CHILDREN CAN BE PREVENTED...THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE MADE AWARE, THAT CHILDREN AND SWIMMING POOLS JUST DON'T MIX

JAMES BAKER IS TRYING TO GET LEGISLATION PASSED ABOUT THIS.......THAT CAPS FOR THE DRAINS BE MANDATORY IN ALL STATES...THE PROTECTIVE CAPS ONLY COST AROUND $65.00, (which of course is nothing when it comes to the cost of a child's life)

HE SAID THAT LAWS ABOUT THIS WILL TAKE A LONG TIME TO BE PASSED.

SO, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO, TO HELP PROTECT OUR CHILDREN IN AMERICA, AND PREVENT FURTHER UNNECESSARY DROWNINGS?

HE SAYS 3 THINGS........1.. IF YOU HAVE A POOL OR JACUZZI, OR HAVING ONE BUILT, MAKE SURE IT HAS A PROTECTIVE CAP ON THE DRAINS.  2.MAKE SURE ALL SWIMMING POOLS AND SPAS ARE ENCLOSED WITH LOCKED, CHILD-PROOF GATES (FENCES), AND 3...MAKE SURE YOUR SWIMMING POOL HAS AN EMERGENCY SHUT OFF VALVE, IN CASE SOME ONE GETS CAUGHT IN ENTRAPMENT.

IF YOU HAVE A SWIMMING POOL/SPA, PLEASE ACT RESPONSIBLY, AND DO THE RIGHT THING...PLEASE PREVENT ONE MORE TRAGEDY FROM HAPPENING............AND OF COURS, SUPERVISE AND WATCH YOUR CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES..............IN OR OUT OF THE POOL.

AND SO, THIS LEADS ME TO A VERY SAD STORY...A FEW NIGHTS AGO, HERE IN JERSEY, 2 CHILDREN DROWNED...THEY WERE TWINS, IN THEIR BACKYARD POOL....THEY WERE 4 YEARS OLD..........IT HAS BEEN IN THE NEWSPAPERS, AND ON THE NEWS........IT IS A VERY, VERY TERRIBLE THING.

THE FATHER OF THOSE CHILDREN WHO DROWNED , WAS A RESIDENT IN LOGAN HALL ...A FEW DOORS DOWN FROM JIMMY'S ROOM.

AND NOW, I WILL ASK YOU TO PLEASE SAY A PRAYER FOR THE 2 CHILDREN, THE MOTHER AND FATHER...AND THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS..........IT IS A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY........PLEASE PRAY FOR THESE PEOPLE, WHO NEED AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF PRAYER AT THIS TIME........THEY NEED AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT, AND STRENGTH, WHICH ONLY GOD ABOVE CAN PROVIDE AT THIS TIME..........

I'VE ASKED YOU ALL IN THE PAST TO SAY SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR PRISONER'S WHO ARE GOING THROUGH AN ESPECIALLY TOUGH TIME...SO, ONCE AGAIN, I'M ASKING YOU.......HOW MANY MORE BURDENS CAN THIS FAMILY TAKE?.....A HUSBAND IN PRISON, AND NOW THE LOSS OF THEIR 2 SMALL CHILDREN............

 

DEAR GOD/ALLAH,............."DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE BLESS THIS FAMILY, AND GUIDE THEM AT THIS TIME....TO GIVE THEM PEACE OF MIND DURING THIS MOST DIFFICULT TIME...TO GIVE THEM STRENGTH AND HELP EASE THEIR BURDEN.......TO SHED SOME GLIMMER OF HOPE, AND TO KNOW THAT THEIR LITTLE 4 YEAR OLD TWINS ARE IN HEAVEN WITH YOU...TO KNOW THAT THEIR LITTLE ANGELIC CHILDREN, ARE NEXT TO YOU, WITH HAPPY, SMILING FACES....PLEASE HELP THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS ...WE REMAIN IN PRAYER TO YOU, AND HOPE THAT ONE DAY WE WILL ALL BE TOGETHER WITH YOU, IN YOUR GLORIOUS KINGDOM"....

FRAN AND JIMMY

love story

I SPOKE TO JIMMY AT 10PM TONIGHT...HIS LAST CALL FOR THE NIGHT....OH, I'M SO IN LOVE WITH HIM!....HE IS A WONDERFUL MAN.....IT IS AMAZING WHEN 2 PEOPLE WHO ARE SO IN LOVE TALK TO ONE ANOTHER......EVEN DISTANCE DOESN'T MATTER.....YOU CAN FEEL OUR ENERGY THROUGH THE AIRWAVES..........WE WERE TALKING, JOKING, AND LAUGHING........HE PROFESSES HIS LOVE FOR ME, AND I PROFESS MY LOVE TO HIM.  OUR HOPE IS THAT EVERYONE IN THE WORLD WILL HAVE THE SAME KIND OF LOVE THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN US............IN THE BIBLE, IT IS KNOWN AS "AGUAPE LOVE." THE HIGHEST FORM OF LOVE BETWEEN 2 PEOPLE.........

WHEN THAT KIND OF LOVE COMES TO YOU, YOU WILL BOTH KNOW IT.....AND THEN, YOU WILL NEVER AGAIN BE UNHAPPY, OR SAD........YOU WILL NEVER BE AFRAID....BECAUSE IT IS "ULTIMATE LOVE," ATTAINED BY FEW, BUT ABLE TO BE ATTAINED.........

A FEW WEEKS BEFORE I EVER MET JIMMY...BEFORE WE EVER KNEW THE OTHER EVEN EXISTED, I STOOD IN MY KITCHEN IN LAS VEGAS...I REMEMBER LOOKING UP, AND ASKING GOD TO SEND ME THE MAN OF MY DREAMS...I KNEW MY RELATIONSHIP OF 28 YEARS WAS GOING BAD WITH THE MAN I WAS LIVING WITH.........STILL, I WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH HIM, IF HE (THE FIRST MAN IN MY LIFE), WOULD HAVE STRAIGHTNED HIMSELF OUT, AND GOTTEN THERAPY...HE WOULD NOT, AMD DID NOT, WHILE HE WAS WITH ME.........SO, I ASKED GOD, TO PLEASE SEND ME SOMEONE, LIKE JIMMY...FUNNY THING, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR AN ITALIAN MAN, WITH THE SAME SIMILAR FAMILY BACKGROUND...SOMEONE MY AGE  (as the other man was 15 years older than me),  SOMEONE INTELLIGENT, EDUCATED, WITH A SENSE IF HUMOR...SOMEONE WITH GOOD MORALS AND VALUES........SOMEONE WHO WOULD TELL ME HE LOVED ME A MILLION TIMES A DAY.....SOMEONE WHO WANTED MARRIAGE, AND NOT JUST LIVING TOGETHER.....SAME SPIRITUAL BELIEFS, AND SAME BELIEF SYSTEM AS MYSELF.

WELL, AROUND 2 WEEKS LATER, THE OTHER MAN LEFT, AND JIMMY STEPPED RIGHT IN.....I MEAN, THERE HE WAS!...RIGHT DOWN TO THE SPECIFICATIONS THAT I HAD THROWN OUT TO THE UNIVERSE...........

I MEAN, GOD IS SOMETHING ELSE...ISN'T HE!....HE DOES AMAZING THINGS..........

UNFORTUNATELY, I DID NOT ASK FOR A CRIMINAL TO BE SENT MY WAY...ON THE OTHER HAND, I DID NOT SAY SPECIFICALLY, "DON'T SEND ME A CRIMINAL"..........

SO, GOD PUT US TOGETHER....AND SO TOGETHER WE LEARN, IN THIS LIFE, JUST WHAT GOD WANTS TO TEACH US.....

AND WE HOPE SO VERY MUCH, THAT THE WORLD WOULD BE SO IN LOVE, AS WE ARE WITH EACH OTHER!..............WHAT A BEAUTIFUL LIFE AND WORLD IT WOULD BE, BASED ON TOTAL LOVE..................ALMOST UNIMAGINABLE...............BUT IT IS EXISTANT AND IT IS POSSIBLE IN OUR LIFE.........THE LIFE OF JIMMY AND FRAN!

GOOD-NITE!.................FRAN

 

hello

I THOUGHT I'D WRITE ANOTHER ENTRY TONIGHT. I JUST SPOKE TO JIMMY A LITTLE WHILE AGO...HIS LAST CALL TO ME IS 10 PM, THEN HE GOES TO SLEEP.....HE RECEIVED THE 2 MANILLA ENVELOPES I SENT HIM, WHICH ARE FILLED WITH COMPUTER PRINT-OUTS OF SUBJECTS OF INTEREST TO HIM (and me), AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, THAT HE MAY LIKE TO READ...........HE LIKES ME TO DO THAT, AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A WAY OF COMMUNICATING BETWEEN US........WE NORMALLY SPEND HOURS, ALL DAY, WHEN HE IS HOME, DISCUSSING DIFFERENT TOPICS, SO THIS IS A WAY WE CAN DO IT, AS WE HAVE LIMITED TIME TO TALK............SPEAKING OF THAT, MY PHONE BILLS HAVE ONCE AGAIN REACHED AN AVERAGE OF $1000.00/month. ..........IN LOGAN HALL, WE HAVE TO PAY THROUGH A PRE-PAY ACCOUNT.  WHEN JIMMY WAS AT KINTOCK, HAlF-WAY HOUSE, HE COULD USE A PHONE CARD, SO IT WAS MUCH CHEAPER THAT WAY..............WELL, I DON'T REALLY MIND, BECAUSE I LOVE MY HUSBAND, AND WE NEED TO HEAR EACH OTHER'S VOICE, ALL THE TIME.  HOWEVER, ANYONE WOULD ADMIT, IT IS A LARGE AMOUNT  OF MONEY TO PAY THE PHONE COMPANIES.......I'VE BEEN BASICALLY PAYING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $700 TO $1200.00 EVERY MONTH FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS.  (EXCEPT DURING THE TIME HE WAS IN KIntock).

WE JOKED ON THE PHONE  ....."WHEN I DON'T HAVE TO PAY THESE PHONE BILLS ANYMORE, I'LL GO OUT AND SPEND THAT $1000.00 ON A NEW WARDROBE," I SAID.  "I GET THE FIRST MONTH, AND YOU GET THE SECOND MONTH (FOR A NEW WARDROBE," I JOKED.

ACTUALLY, JIMMY ENJOYS TAKING ME SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES, SHOES AND JEWELRY........HE PROMISES ME A NEW DESIGNER HANDBAG, WHEN HE COMES HOME...........HE KNOWS I ALWAYS LOVE GOOD DESIGNER HANDBAGS.........MAYBE DOONEY AND BURKE, OR GUCCI.......HE  LOVES TO TAKE ME TO THE SHOPPING MALL, AND HE WALKS WITH ME INTO THE WOMAN'S SECTION, AND STARTS PULLING THINGS OFF THE RACK, TELLING ME WHAT WILL LOOK GOOD ON ME............SO, I HAVE TONS OF CLOTHES JIMMY BOUGHT FOR ME..........HE ENJOYS DOING IT, AND I ENJOY HIM DOING IT..........AND, HE LOVES TO BUY ME LINGERIE, AND BEAUTIFUL, SEXY NIGHTGOWNS!................HE LOVES TO BUY ME GOOD SHOES, AND YES, OF COURSE, JEWELRY!........DIAMOND HEART PENDAMTS, GOLD CHARM BRACELETS...HE ESPECIALLY PICKS OUT EACH CHARM ( HE BOUGHT ME A MEDICAL CADUSIS, AS I AM A NURSE, A CRESENT MOON WITH A WOMAN SITTING ON IT, A HEART, AND ONE THAT SAYS, "BRAT," AS THAT WAS WHAT I WAS CALLED AS A CHILD.........AND OH YES, "CUTE ASS."......  :)

ONE OF HIS FIRST WEDDING GIFTS TO ME WERE PEARL EARRINGS, AND A PEARL NECKLACE

ALL OF THAT IS FINE, BUT SINCE JIMMY HAS BEEN IN PRISON I NEVER BOUGHT MYSELF AN ARTICLE OF CLOTHING FOR THE PAST 37 MONTHS.........WELL, JIMMY DID BRING ME TO BUY THE SPECIAL SHOES I WEAR ON MY FEET, WHEN HE CAME HOME ON A FURLOUGH...AND I BOUGHT 1 NEW BLOUSE, AND 2 SWEATER-JACKETS...BUT THAT'S REALLY ABOUT IT..........WELL, I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT CLOTHES, AND I DON'T GO ANYWHERE, ANYMORE, AND FOR ME, WELL, LIFE HAS NOT BEEN A CELEBRATION THESE PAST 37 MONTHS..........

JIMMY ATTENDED A CLASS TODAY, AND THE LECTURER ASKED THE CLASS OF AROUND 50 MEN, WHO AMONGST YOU HAS A JOINT BANK ACCOUNT?  JIMMY AND ONE OTHER GUY RAISED THEIR HANDS...THE OTHER GUY HAS A JOINT ACCOUNT WITH HIS MOTHER.  THIS IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE TO ME...........WE TALKED ABOUT IT.  "JIMMY," I SAID, 'HAVING JOINT ACCOUNTS, MEANS YOU HAVE TO HAVE FAITH AND TRUST IN EACH OTHER.  IT ALSO MEANS THAT ONE MUST BE ORGANIZED, IN KEEPING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT."  ...........I AM VERY PROUD TO HAVE A WONDERFUL HUSBAND LIKE JIMMY......HAVING JOINT ACCCOUNTS WAS NEVER A PROBLEM FOR US.  I READ RECENTLY THAT FINANCES ARE HIGH ON THE SCALE, AS FAR AS PROBLEMS IN A MARRIAGE...EVEN HIGHER THAN SEXUAL PROBLEMS.  WELL, FOR JIMMY AND I, FINANCES HAVE NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM BETWEEN US, BUT INSTEAD, WE ENJOY HANDLING OUR FINANCES TOGETHER..........AND SEX...WELL YOU GOT IT!.....NEVER A PROBLEM IN THAT AREA........IN FACT, JIMMY AND I HAVE NO PROBLEMS IN OUR MARRIAGE....NO OBSTACLES.  GOING TO PRISON, AND BEING SEPERATED PHYSICALLY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, HAS BEEN THE ONLY DIFFICULTY...AND EVEN THAT, WE RISE ABOVE IT, AND GET THROUGH IT TOGETHER, ON A DAY BY DAY BASIS........

JIMMY IS EXCITED ABOUT THE BOOK OF CLASSIC STORIES I SENT HIM...THEY ARE SHORT STORIES WRITTEN BY ANCIENT ROMANS AND GREEKS.  HE LIKES IT SO MUCH, THAT HE PROMISED TO BRING THE BOOK TO THE PHONE TOMORROW, AND READ ME AN EXCET FROM IT OVER THE PHONE.  I LIKE BOOKS LIKE THAT, AND I ESPECIALLY LIKE MY HUSBAND TO READ TO ME, AS HE DOES THIS A LOT AT HOME....DURING OUR LAST CHRISTMAS TOGETHER, HE READ ME THE WHOLE NOVEL, OF "A LITTLE PRINCESS."  IT WAS A BOOK I HAD READ AS A CHILD...WE WERE FORTUNATE TOFIND IT , AND EACH NIGHT I WOULD LAY ON THE COUCH, OR IN BED, AND BY THE GLOW OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE, JIMMY WOULD READ ME A CHAPTER.  WE BOTH LOVE THAT BOOK, ALTHOUGH IT IS A CLASSIC CHILDREN'S BOOK...IT IS ON OUR BOOKSHELF, AND I GAZE AT IT OFTEN.

WELL, I HAVE "MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA,"  THAT JIMMY PROMISES TO READ TO ME WHEN HE COMES HOME...THE BOOK IS HERE, WAITING FOR HIM!  JIMMY HAS ALSO ASKED ME TO TRY AND FIND A CHILD'S BOOK, OR FAIRY-TALE THAT HE CAN READ TO ME WHEN HE COMES HOME..........I HAVE YET TO FIND THE RIGHT BOOK, YET!

AS YOU CAN WELL SEE, JIMMY AND I ARE SIMILAR, IN THAT OUR INTERESTS IN LIFE ARE VERY ECLEPTIC............THAT IS, WE ARE INTERESTED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SUBJECTS...............

I NEVER KNEW THAT ABOUT MYSELF, UNTIL I MET JIMMY, AND HE POINTED THAT OUT TO ME.  I GET BORED EASILY, AND TEND TO MOVE FROM ONE INTEREST TO ANOTHER.........I CANNOT "CATEGORIZE" MYSELF.....I LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS, ON A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS...............JIMMY IS THE SAME WAY....AND THEN AGAIN, HE IS  A GEMINI!

I COULD NEVER PiN POINT iT ABOUT MYSELF...WHO I AM EXACTLY.  YOU SEE, TO ME, I WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT INTERESTS.  BUT JIMMY EXPLAINED IT TO ME....YES, HE FOUND ME, WHO I AM, DEEP WITHIN MY PERSONALITY, AND EXPLAINED IT TO ME...........NOW, I UNDERSTAND MYSELF, AND I"M HAPPY, AND I HAVE A HUSBAND THAT IS ON THE SAME WAVE-LENGTH!..........AND IT'S OK TO BE ME...ECLIPTIC!......AND JIMMY IS THE SAME WAY...THAT IS WHY WE LOVE EACH OTHER, AND HE HAD NEVER FOUND A WOMAN LIKE ME, BECAUSE THERE AREN'T TOO MANY OF US OUT THERE!

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.  I FEEL BETTER NOW.  WHEN I SPOKE TO JIMMY AT 10 PM, I LET HIM KNOW I WAS OK, BUT SOMEHOW FEELING OUT OF SORTS....KIND OF LIKE, NOT REALLY FEELING TO DO ANYTHING....NOT PART OF ANYTHING.........I DIDN'T EVEN MAKE THE CHICKEN CURRY I HAD PLANNED TO, TODAY.............WATCHING TV, AND SO MUCH UNREST IN OUR COUNTRY, TODAY.  SO JIMMY SAID, "I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN, FRAN."  "SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THAT, TOO."  HE DESCRIBED IT AS "BEING ONE BEAT OFF, IN LIFE."...................SO WE TALKED IT OUT, AND WE STAYED ON THE PHONE FOR LONGER THAN USUAL.  THEN, WE FELT BETTER.  JIMMY TALKINGABOUT THE DAY WE WILL BE TOGETHER, AND HOW HE'LL TAKE ME OUT...............YOU SEE, THESE FEELINGS ARE HARD TO EXPLAIN, UNLESS YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THEM....A LOT HAS TO BEING LOCKED UP IN A PRISON, AND ME BEING LOCKED UP IN A HOUSE............

AND SO, NOW THAT I WROTE MY THOUGHTS HERE, AND SET THEM FREE, I FEEL MUCH BETTER.  I WILL NOW TAKE A SHOWER, THEN READ A LITTLE, AND LOOK FOR ANOTHER GOOD MOVIE ON TV!

THANK YOU FOR READING MY JOURNAL......AND MAY THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH....................FRAN

 

thoughts for Monday...

WELL, I GOT UP TODAY, AND AS USUAL, PUT ON MY COFFEE MAKER, FOR THAT DELICIOUS CUP OF COFFEE, FIRST THING, UPON ARISING......THEN, WHAT I LIKE TO EAT IN THE MORNING, OR IS IT 12 NOON, IS EGG WHITES IN A PAN I SPRAY WITH MAZOLA SPRAY.  HOWVER, TODAY I FRIED SOME ONIONS AND GREEN PEPPER , IN OLIVE OIL, AND MADE AN OMELOT WITH SHREDDED CHEESE AND A PINCH OF TUMERIC......IT WAS VERY YUMMY......LATER, FOR DINNER, I WILL MAKE CHICKEN CURRY, IN MY WOK, WITH ALL REAL SPICES, (NOT THE STORE-BROUGHT CURRY POWDER)...I MAKE MY OWN CURRY, AND USE PLENTY OF FRESH GARLIC AND GINGER...........THEN, I'LL ALSO HAVE BROWN RICE, AND SALAD.........ALSO, IN THE CURRY, I'LL PUT A FEW FRESH VEGTABLES, AS I'M REALLY BIG ON FRESH VEGETABLES.......

LAST NIGHT I SAW A FANTASTIC MOVIE ON TV, AND WOULD RECOMMEND IT FOR EVERYBODY...IT WAS IN 2 PARTS, AND IS CURRENTLY ON HBO, BUT I WATCHED IT ON "ON-DEMAND."

THE MOVIE WAS "QUEEN ELIZABETH I.".....IT WAS GREAT!  NOT ONLY WAS IT HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL, BUT IT WAS THE GREATEST LOVE STORY.............QUEEN ELIZABETH I, WAS THE DAUGHTER OF KING HENRY.  SHE RULED THE MONARCH FOR, I BELIEVE 60 YEARS........SHE WAS A POWERFUL, AND STRONG WOMAN.  THE MOVIE SHOWED THE POLITICS INVOLVED AT THAT TIME, BUT IT ALSO SHOWED THE QUEEN, AND HER ROMANCES WITH SEVERAL MEN...........SHE WAS NEVER MARRIED, AND NEVER BORE A CHILD, WHICH SHE NEEDED, TO INHERIT THE THRONE.

SHE HAD HER SISTER, MARY QUEEN OF SCOTTS BEHEADED.  SHE ALSO HAD ONE OF HER LOVER'S BEHEADED.

WHEN JIMMY CALLED ME, FIRST THING THIS MORNING, I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE MOVIE, AND HOW GREAT IT IS.  HE SAID HE READ ABOUT IT IN THE NEWSPAPER, THAT IT IS A REALLY GOOD MOVIE.  THEN HE STARTED TELLING ME THE WHOLE HISTORY OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE........HE GAVE ME NAMES AND DATES....ALL THE STUFF I STUDIED IN HIGH SCHOOL, A LONG TIME AGO, BUT FORGOT...............JIMMY HAS SOME BRAIN!....HE FORGETS NOTHING, HE ABSOLUTELY LOVES HISTORY, AND CAN RECITE DATES AND THINGS, THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO......MY HUSBAND ALWAYS IMPRESSES ME!  HE TALKS ABOUT HISTORY, AS IF HE WAS THERE, OBSERVING IT IN PERSON.....I JUST LOVE THAT....HE MAKES HISTORY COME ALIVE FOR ME, AND I FIND THAT EXCITING!

SO, FOR ALL YOU WOMEN LOOKING FOR A GOOD ROMANTIC LOVE STORY, TRY WATCHING THIS MOVIE...YOU WOULDN'T REGRET IT!.................WHAT AMAZED ME, WAS HOW THIS MOST POWERFUL WOMAN, HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT MEN, AND SOME VERY MUCH YOUNGER THAN HER...LET'S SAY AROUND 40 YEARS YOUNGER..........AMAZING, I MUST SAY.  IN OUR CULTURE TODAY, MANY YOUNG MEN ARE ATTRACTED TO OLDER WOMAN, AND THROUGH THIS MOVIE, WE CAN SEE IT WAS HAPPENING  EVEN WAY BACK THEN, IN THE 1500'S......

WELL, IT'S A NICE DAY, SO I'LL GO OUTSIDE ON THE PATIO WITH PRINCE FOR A WHILE!............FRAN