🔵 By Michael Klevene. Photo by lauragrafie.
Michael’s Weekly Diary 20.12.21-27.12.21
Today’s Bible reading: Luke 2:8-14. Mon. Dec. 20. Another early start to work – half asleep with only 4 hours of sleep after terrible Buccaneers football loss last night – the mistakes, dropped balls, injuries and all were the main reasons for the loss. Won’t help their chances to get to the Super Bowl game… went to breakfast expecting biscuits, potatoes, grits but were served corn flakes instead- so made another Pop -Tart in my cube. „Grown man“ (Officer Williams) is on duty today so everything must be „inspection ready“ again. Still no TV’s today – the inmates are restless… Called to lunch – pizza, pasta, lettuce salad & corn. Rec move called for „C“ building at 12:30 so will be somewhat quiet for a few hours. Got a little nap to help recover from last night. Mail call after count had newspaper & 2 magazines – „Time“ and „Autabuy“- (the cars-for-sale magazine). Discovered I never got the last „Time“ due on Dec. 6 either. Dinner call is supposed to be chicken fried rice but they made hot dogs, baked potato, beans & corn instead – was a decent meal as I didn’t want the chicken fried rice anyway.
Today’s Bible reading- Psalm 119: 105-112. Tue. Dec. 21. Cooler, windy & rainy today for breakfast call – expected bran flakes so stayed in & made blueberry oatmeal instead. Still no TV’s on yet this morning – I’m missing my CNN & ESPN. Rec call for B building at 7am , education call, work call at 8am – cellie Tony went to work again. Slow morning – but TV’s are finally back on just before noon so everyone is really happy again! Called second to lunch – supposed to be chicken parmesan sandwich but served hamburgers, carrots & potato chips instead – (our regular Wednesday lunch). Every meal lately is a „mystery meal“ as they are substituting anything for the menu items. Can’t wait to see what dinner will be – (which, on the menu, is BBQ beef, rice, and collard greens). Mail call before the 4pm count brought me 3 magazines – one new one (which is „Cowboys & Indians“) – and the USA Today. At least it seems they’re trying to catch up getting our mags to us! Dinner in the chow hall – (another surprise) was Chef’s Salad, beets, shredded turkey & boiled egg. That’s not even on the menu for this week… Went to commissary directly from chow – only got a few things this week. Out list about the same as last week – still no ice cream or Pepsi. Windy, misty & cool tonight – tomorrow supposed to be colder. After 9pm count the wind is blowing in through the window – it is definitely colder so extra blanket in use tonight.
Today’s Bible reading – Colossians 2:1-5. Wed. Dec. 22. Sure is cold this morning- 47 deg.F. which is cold for Florida. Coat needed for breakfast – served pancakes, potatoes, cake & a banana. Best part was the banana – pancakes were hard, potatoes cold & overbaked. Rec called late at 7:45am – too cold to go out for me. Education, VT, work call at 8:15. TV’s are still back on so I could listen to CNN news again & finished reading the Monday USA Today. Another surprise for lunch today – breaded fish sandwich, green beans and really good French fries – (usually our Friday lunch). Apple pie to take back (sneak out) for later afternoon snack after nap. Lunch was supposed to be the hamburger we had yesterday! A bit quieter in the dorm with many in the TV rooms. Enjoyed my apple pie after napping. Slow afternoon – read paper & did crosswords – hoping for mail call after 4pm count but did not happen before dinner call at 6:15. Expecting pasta, meatballs, spinach, black beans – but – were served chili mac & collard greens. Can’t wait to see what surprises await us for tomorrow’s meals… Still no mail call by7:20pm. Finally – 8pm mail call – only a magazine bill and USA Today.
Today’s Bible reading – Acts 11: 19-26. Thursday Dec. 23. Was still shaving after shower when breakfast was called early – at 6am – we are supposed to be called last today instead of first, so I missed going. Probably just bran flakes anyway – made a Pop-Tart & coffee and ate in. Several officers (teachers) are out for the rest of the week for the Christmas Holiday so not many called out to VT or Education today. Our rec move is tonight so everyone is still in so far. Slow morning – waiting for lunch call – don’t know what is being served yet. Surprise – we had what the menu said – fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans. Usually the chicken for the week is kept back to be served for the „special“ Holiday meal on Saturday but we got it today anyway. No dessert though – hoping for another pie. Maybe this weekend. Missed mail call but Zman brought my USA Today – but that’s all. Dinner calls for hot dogs, coleslaw & carrots – but we had that Monday, so I don’t know what’s going to be served. At 6pm we went to the chow hall and found chili & rice- which is supposed to be Saturday’s dinner. I wasn’t really hungry for chili so threw it away, came back & made a Pop-Tart instead. Still don’t know when our „special“ Holiday meal will be – either tomorrow or Saturday – so time will tell.
Today’s Bible reading – Isaiah 9: 1-7. Friday Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve Day. Went to get breakfast expecting Friday French toast but were served bran flakes instead – drank a milk, came back & made maple & brown sugar oatmeal instead. Nothing happening today – Holiday schedule so no lights on or getting inspection ready this morning. Rumor has it we will be getting our Holiday meal today at lunch, and it was – „Cornish hen“ (actually „young chicken“), dressing, gravy, green beans & pecan pie. Turned out to be pretty good. I’ll have the pie later tonight as I had eaten too much already. Went out to rec at noon as it’s only 74 deg. outside & sunny – walked 6 laps (3 miles) on the track & sat inside out of the sun to watch some TV for over an hour. After 4pm count, dinner was delivered to us in the dorm – it was sloppy Joes, carrots, green beans & rice – this meal also not on the menu this week. All the meals this week have been „Chef’s Surprise“. No idea what meals we’ll be having tomorrow …
Today’s Bible reading – Philippians 2: 6-11. Sat. Dec. 25 – Christmas Day. Merry Christmas to all! We should be having a special Christmas breakfast – but had bran flakes served to us – I had a Pop-Tart in my cube instead. Slow quiet morning – Christmas service in the chapel – movie of the birth of the Christ Child. Slow morning – went to lunch – supposed to be scrambled eggs, tater tots and flour tortilla – instead were given tuna salad & lettuce salad with ranch dressing. Dinner tonight will be the lunch bag we were given on the way out – 4 bread, peanut butter & jelly, little bag of chips & pecan pie. I had leftover sloppy joes from yesterday for dinner instead. Otherwise not a very exciting day.
Today’s Bible reading – Matthew 5: 21-26. Sun. Dec. 26. Just another typical (Holiday) Sunday – another slow easy morning. Listened to NPR radio Weekend Edition waiting for something to happen – only the 10am count so far. Called to lunch – supposed to be boiled eggs, potatoes & French toast – had a surprise of scrambled eggs instead of boiled, along with the rest of the regular menu. I greatly prefer the scrambled eggs. Rec called at noon but stayed in to nap until the 1pm kickoff of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football game against the Carolina Panthers. If the Bucs win they will be the NFC South Conference champions – for the first time since 2007. YEA – the Bucs win! 32-6! They are the champions! Lots of injuries to key players – hope they can overcome those & go on to the Super Bowl again. Dinner call late at 6:30pm – supposed to be beef tacos (I’m going but not eating those). Another surprise – we are served hot dogs, coleslaw and beans – usually get 2 hot dogs but eating last, we were given 5-7! Lots of slaw & beans too – extra buns & condiments. Sometimes it pays to eat last! Al (friend) has a seizure, falls on his face, breaks his nose & gets a big knot on his head. Nose is bleeding a lot – it won’t stop all night but Medical won’t do anything now – guess he’ll have to wait until he passes out from lack of blood. Stay tuned for Monday’s message to find out what happens…