[In addition to the letter, below, Tim also requested that I scan a form so that you could download it, print it, fill it out, and return it to to the prison. The form is to put yourself on a list of approved visitors, so that you can visit Tim in jail. The form is attached to this letter as a .jpg file.

- Mike Barskey]

Dear Family & Friends,

It's 1:00am on Wednesday 20 January 2010. I sent my last letter out to my twin brother last night during the last movement of the night (21:20-21:30). After dinner Tuesday evening, we got 2 new guys who moved into our pod from Concord R&D. The younger of the 2 had moved to 1 East a few days before I moved out. Now all 10 of the bunks in the dayroom are occupied again, so there is no room left in this block for more inmates until someone moves out. I played a few hands of rummy with the guys who moved in tonight and explained the important parts of the routine here (like when we have standing counts and what time breakfast is). This morning for breakfast I got oatmeal, chocolate muffins, pear slices, 16 oz. 1% milk & coffee. After breakfast I went to canteen. They still didn't have locks. I was finally able to get batteries for my radio. It can pick up 94.9 WHOM, WVMJ (Magic 104 at ninety-something), "93.7 & 94.1 Littleton," "the Outlaw" (although reception is spotty), 103.7 WPKQ (also kind of spotty), KISS 102.3 (also kind of spotty), NHPR, AM1230 ("KISS 102") (also kind of spotty & apparently the same station as "KISS 102.3") and a couple really weak stations that are mostly static. For lunch I got 2 slices of ham, 4 slices of wheat bread, pea soup (not nearly as good as mom's), a pastry & artificially flavored drink. Apparently someone moved out of one of the rooms because the guy who was in the bunk under mine moved into a room. The sores that were on my right foot appear to have healed. My right thumb has felt like it has a sliver in it for the last couple days but there is no visible evidence of one. For dinner I got mixed vegetables, mac & "cheese" with ham, an apple cinnamon pastry & artificially flavored drink. After dinner I went to the chapel to watch a video. When I got back to the pod I played Scrabble with one of the guys.

Thursday 21 January 2010

For breakfast I got oatmeal, pear slices, cinnamon raisin bagel, peanut butter, 16 oz. 1% milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. The library is closed today. Thursdays are the only days G-pod can browse in the library. This morning shortly before the noon standing count, a friend of mine came to the pod with notes from today's Inmate/Warden Council Meeting. Apparently if someone can find a pillow that meets California 133 Flammability Code, they will allow us to buy them through the canteen. They are also planning to allow us to buy mp5 players sometime this year. There is a rumor that they will allow email usage, but they would be censored and we would be charged for the privilege and it will probably be close to a year before it happens. For lunch I got "shepherds pie" (mashed potatoes, corn, something that looks like ground beef & ground pepper), 2 slices wheat bread, dessert & artificially flavored drink. I got an interview at the furniture shop this afternoon. After my paperwork goes through the system, I should start working in upholstery where I will re-upholster furniture. If someone wants their furniture refinished, they can call Prison Industries and contract us to do it. For dinner I got a white sub roll with a2 slices American cheese & ground turkey, pasta salad, a pumpkin filled pastry & artificially flavored drink. After dinner I played a game of Scrabble with 2 other guys. In one turn I scored 110 points, and won the game with 297 points.

Friday 22 January 2010

For breakfast I got oatmeal, 3 slices of toast, apple sauce, butter, jelly, 16 oz. 1% milk & coffee. For lunch I got spaghetti with sauce, peanut butter, jelly, 4 slices wheat bread and artificially flavored drink. I got mail from my mom. I also got a letter from "PG" through Mail-to-Jail and John Almand sent me a money order, paying off the remained of what he owed me. For dinner I got collared greens, mashed potatoes, a pocket type pastry filled with fish & something else (orange colored pastry & light greenish filling), bread pudding with raisins & walnuts and artificially flavored drink. After dinner I played Scrabble with a friend of mine. We're both getting better at it. Our scores are about twice what they were when we first played Scrabble together. In my last game I scored 478 points, which is now my high score for a 2-man game. Today a couple rooms got searched and one guy got searched in the pod. I'm not sure why, although the guy who got searched had been acting like he was trying to keep something hidden in a way that his body language gave him away. He then went to someone else's room then to his room. Those were the rooms that got searched. Shortly before the searches began, someone said they smelled smoke.

The other day when I smelled smoke, several officers came in shortly after it became noticeable, and searched some rooms. It makes me wonder if there are sensitive smoke detectors that alert the officers without making noise in the pod. I can see what appear to be 3 smoke detectors on the ceiling from my bunk. I can also see 32 sprinkler heads from my bunk, which appear to be spaced about 15' apart in one direction and about 10' apart in the other direction. A few days ago the fire alarm was tested. It's really loud and has strobe lights on the ceiling & walls.

Saturday 23 January 2010

For breakfast I got 3 pancakes with butter & apple cinnamon sauce, rice crispies, apple slices, 16 oz. 1% milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. Someone threw something at my back while I was eating. I got hit at least twice, and it hurt a little when something that was kind of hard & heavy struck my spine. There were 3 officers on the other end of the room by the exit, but none near the entrance or near where I was sitting. On my way back to my pod someone was harassing me. He went into F-pod. For lunch I got soup, French bread pizza & artificially flavored drink. After lunch I played some Scrabble. Afterwards I found out that the reason one of the guys on my pod won't play chess with me is that I take my time thinking through plays, but he only likes to play fast games. For dinner I got 2 hamburger patties, 4 slices wheat bread, ketchup, mustard, baked beans that were a little bit undercooked with bits of meat mixed in, dessert & lemonade. They called us to chow a little late, and by the time I finished dinner, we were locked in to allow for C-2 movement. Some of us went to the chapel directly from the chow hall, but were delayed by officers because we're only supposed to go during normal movement and it was 10-20 minutes after the normal hourly movement. They let us go after 2 officers discussed it and we got to the chapel during the singing part of the services. After the services I stayed for an hour and talked with the chaplain while he downloaded mp3 files from hbcdover.com. After I got back to my pod, I saw some guys having a food fight with peanut butter on crackers.

Sunday 24 January 2010

For breakfast I got 3 boiled eggs (gave 1 away), plain bagel with jelly & butter (didn't use butter), corn flakes, 16 oz. 1% milk, coffee with artificial sweetener and apple sauce. After breakfast I played Scrabble with 3 other guys, during which time the officers did an emergency standing count. For lunch I got 2 slices of balogna, 4 slices of wheat bread, mustard, may, corn chowder & lemonade. For dinner I got a ham slice (chopped & formed), mashed potatoes, peas, cake with frosting and lemonade.

Monday 25 January 2010

For breakfast I got toast with peanut butter, oatmeal, preserved apple slices, 16 oz. 1% milk, coffee (& butter, which I didn't use). For lunch I got corn chowder with peas in it, peanut butter, jelly, 4 slices wheat bread & artificially flavored drink. After lunch all of the bunks and drawers in the dayroom were searched by officers. I played Scrabble with a friend and won. So far I've won 9 games & lost 2 games. For dinner I got mixed veggies, macaroni & "cheese," a pumpkin filled pastry & lemonade. After dinner I finished a game of Scrabble, bringing my tally to 10 wins and 2 losses. On this last game I got 146 points from my first word, and my final score was 635. After finishing I tried to leave for the chess club meeting, but wasn't allowed to go. I was informed that the officers decided to change the scheduled movement from 18:20-18:30 to 18:10-18:20 without informing us beforehand or announcing movement. At the 19:20 movement I went to the chess club meeting and played chess for a couple hours. I lost the first couple games but won the last one. After I went back to my unit, I showered & played a game of Scrabble, which I won.

Tuesday 26 January 2010

For breakfast I got oatmeal, toast, peanut butter, apple sauce, 1% milk & coffee with artificial sweetener. After breakfast I went to sick call to get my decongestant prescription refilled. For lunch I got sloppy joe meat/sauce, rice, breaded veggies & artificially flavored drink. After lunch I won another game of Scrabble. For dinner I got breaded fish, mashed potatoes, tartar sauce, collared greens, an oatmeal cookie & artificially flavored drink. I then won another game of Scrabble, showered & did some reading. My knees have been bothering me more lately so I'm going to order fish oil and glucosamine tomorrow.

Wednesday 27 January 2010

For breakfast I got oatmeal, breakfast cake, preserved apple slices, milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. After breakfast I went to canteen, but only got 4 of the items I ordered (vitamin C, Glucosamine, fish oil & antacid tablets). I suspect that the money order I got recently hadn't been deposited into my account yet. For lunch I got a bowl of soup, 2 slices of balogna, 4 slices of wheat bread, mayo, mustard & artificially flavored drink. I spent 2 or 3 hours at the chapel library today. For dinner I got 2 stale hard taco shells, chopped onions, ground beef, shredded cheese, rice, taco sauce, apple pie & lemonade. Today while I was at the chapel, the old man who was in the bunk under mine moved to a room next door in H-pod & another guy moved into the bunk. He said that he has 101 days left until he maxes out. It seems like a lot of men stay in prison until their maximum date. When he gets out, he'll have been in here for 15 years. Around 22:30 I was called to the sergeant's office. They wanted me to bring a broom & dust pan back to our pod. At 23:16 a couple officers came into our pod and one of them yelled "emergency count, lights on," so we had to stand for count. On the 17th I had submitted a Inmate Request Slip to the UNit Manager asking if my brother may send or bring me glasses to replace my broken ones. Today I got a response from UM R. Thyng that says "You will need to wait until your exam."

Thursday 28 January 2010

I didn't sleep very well last night. For breakfast I got oatmeal, plain bagel with peanut butter, a banana, milk, coffee with artificial sweetener and butter (which I didn't use). I spent most of the morning between the chapel & recreation libraries. Chaplain Hoyt transferred all of December's and part of January's sermons from HBCDover.com to the computers we are allowed to use in the chapel, and I listened to one of them. For lunch I got a mixture of rice, something that resembled ground beef & sauce that was pretty good, as well as 4 slices of wheat bread, peanut utter, jelly & artificially flavored drink. I ate lunch in the other chow hall, which is right next to the one I usually eat in. After lunch I went to my pod then back to the chapel for a couple hours and listened to some sermons from hbcdover.com. My favorite one was about demonstrating your love for God by demonstrating your love for one another. I found out that everything the chapel has is donated because they don't have a budget. After I got back to my pod I did some reading & walking. When mail arrived, I got mail from my twin brother, very nice letters from my mom & Mike Barskey, as well as a note saying that I'm on the waiting list for the Hobby Craft wood shop. An inmate had told me before that I had to wait months before I could request to be added to the waiting list for Hobby Craft, but that turned out to be untrue. For dinner I got fried chicken, corn, scalloped potatoes, chocolate flavored bread pudding & lemonade. It was a good meal IMHO. Today I learned from my brother what Fosters Daily Democrat had published about my hearing after I was sentenced. Since every article that I can remember that paper printing about me had incorrect information about me, I was not surprised that this one did too. I wonder who made up the claim about what I "admitted to." I wonder if it was the prosecutor, who I had never talked with directly, but who reneged on part of my plea agreement, or if it was one of the "social works" who is not a certified social worker and had given false and classified information to two of their prospective "witnesses" who knew me and had not seen me do anything illegal, but had spread gossip about me that morphed into 3rd hand accusations that were later proven false. Of course it could have been my step-father-in-law, who had written the initial affidavit against me (claiming to be written by my wife) which contained a lot of false & vague accusations, some of which my wife later contradicted in her statements to police then repeated to a judge in Dover, contradicting what she had told the police. The prosecutor's statement that followed can be proven false, but I knew that if I provided evidence showing that it could not possily be true, he would only change his claim so that it would not contradict the evidence. His statement was not even remotely true. The cash (not a check) that I gave to my wife's lawyer to give to my wife was significantly more than what I had been ordered to pay, and had come from the sale of most of my guns (which the police had held onto until days before my sentencing hearing) and some of my personal property. I had fallen behind on child support payments because my income was less than rent + child support, and the police were holding onto some of my most valuable property for over a year, some of which they refused to return even after they were given an order from the court to return it. The order told them to turn over all firearms and firearm related items, but they refused to return any pistol mags that held more than 10 rounds (most of which happened to fit their sidearms), any ammunition, brass, gun powder or chemicals that were used for making black powder. There were other false claims in the article, but I don't feel like going over them now. When I was asked why I took the plea deal, I wasn't expecting it and was caught off guard. There were actually several reasons why I took the plea deal. One was that I didn't believe that I would get a fair trial. Another was that my lawyer told me that the prosecutor had told him that he had coached my daughter on how to answer questions on the stand and would subject her to questioning that could have lasting negative effects on her if I didn't take the plea. The prosecutor also said that if I went to trial, he would try to prohibit me from ever having any kind of contact with my daughter so that if I did so much as write her a letter, I would be forced to spent the rest of my life in prison. Also I was informed that my wife wanted me to take the plea offer. If I had been told that she didn't want me to, I wouldn't have taken the plea. IOt was a very difficult decision to make. Also, after reading the statutes pertaining to my case, I came to the realization that the definitions are so broad and the burden of proof so skewed that any man who has so much as changed a diaper or bathed a child or wiped a bottom could be charged & found guilty based solely on a single person's testimony (which under the statute does not have to be corroborated). Under that statute, intent does not have to be proven. If I had gone to trial, to defend myself against some of the accusations, I would have had to provide evidence that would have proven that my wife and some of her co-conspirators had blatantly lied to judges, police and other and committed other crimes which could have resulted in my wife getting incarcerated. Despite what she has done. I don't hold a grudge against my wife and would not want my children to lose their mother to the same system that has put me away. I love my children more than anything in the world and still care for their mother.

Friday 29 January 2010

At the 7am count this morning, one of the guys in my pod fell out of his bunk, but AFAIK was not seriously hurt. For breakfast I got oatmeal, apple sauce, 3 slices toast with butter, milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. When I called my twin brother, he said that they were on their way up to visit me. For lunch I got pasta salad, 8 oz. 1% milk, 2 slices of pizza with pepperoni, onions, peppers & cheese on them and artificially flavored drink. After lunch I got myself cleaned up so that I would be fresh for my visit. While I was in the shower, there was some drama in our pod which involved a couple older guys yelling at each other, calling each other names and banging sounds. I don't know if they got in a physical fight, but a few minutes later 3 officers came into our pod and it sounded like they made peace. Yesterday I ran into the guy who asked me some legal questions several days ago. He told me that 3 of his charged were thrown out. I finally got called for my visit at 14:30ish so I got to spend an hour and a half with my twin brother & his family, during which time we played some cards and he bought me a can of Coke and a Reeses Klondike bar. After the visit i was strip searched then got sent back to my pod. For dinner I got whole grain spaghetti with sauce and chunks of ground beef, peas, jelly rolls & lemonade. At mail-call, I got my paperwork back that says I start working in the furniture shop on Monday. I also got a request slip back that I had sent in a week ago. I notified the medical office that I had an address where I could send my broken glasses to have them repaired. The response I got was that I will be scheduled for an appointment at the next eye clinic here at NCF when I will get an exam & eyeglasses. "This may take 1-3 months."

Saturday 30 January 2010

For breakfast I got 3 pancakes with butter & a cinnamon apple sauce, corn flakes, 16 oz. 1% milk, apple sauce, coffee & artificial sweetener. After breakfast I went to get some water so that I could take my fish oil & glucosamine. The bathroom was occupied so I went to the utility closet. Usually during the day it is open with the light on, but this time the light was off and the door was mostly closed. When I opened the door, mi amigo Carlos was in there praying so I shut the door and waited for him to finish. I was tired, so I took a nap. For lunch I got vegetable soup which was made from collared greens, scalloped potatoes, corn, peas & carrots, 3 boiled eggs (I gave away my yolks & mayo), a pumpkin creme roll and artificially flavored drink. This afternoon one of the pranksters on my pod (who I suspect may be homosexual) came over to me and got up against me and put his arm around me while I was chatting with a couple other guys. He then unbuttoned his shirt. He wasn't wearing an undershirt. A little while earlier he had been wrestling with his roommate. He asked for a hug, so I held out my arms. I don't think he expected me to do that. I think he was trying to make me feel uncomfortable, but he didn't really want a hug. After he buttoned his shirt back up, he picked me up and swung me around. Then I picked him up and swung him around. He got my ID off my shirt and ran with it. I was able to keep up with him, so a few seconds later he tossed it back to me. On our way to chow he grabbed my bum a few times, but I didn't do anything in response. For dinner I got 2 hot dogs with ketchup, mustard, sauerkraut & 2 slices of bread, baked beans with meat, a sugar cookie & lemonade. I was able to spend a few minutes chatting with a friend who I was in R&D with who has just moved to H-block yesterday. After chow I went to the chapel for services. After I got back to G-block, there was some drama in the pod. One younger man who spent a lot of time hanging out with younger gay men and sitting on the bunk of an older gay man got offended when he alleged that the older man touched him in a way that the didn't like, but the older man claimed that the younger man had initiated the contact. After that they decided to avoid each other. I've suspect for a while that the younger man may be bisexual. The older man had told me that he was gay when we first met. I politely informed him that I am straight. Later there was some bizarre drama that involved 3 men on one bunk then one of them running around in circles naked.

Sunday 31 January 2010

For breakfast this morning I got rice crispies, , 3 waffles (the yellowish rectangular kind you get from the freezer), apple cinnamon topping, 1/2 grapefruit, 16 oz. 1% milk, coffee, butter & artificial sweetener. 3 guys offered me their 1/2 grapefruits, but I only accepted one of them. I was the last inmate to finish chow, so it's probably good that I didn't accept more grapefruit. It was kind of bitter this time anyway. At 9:20 I went to the chapel for services. I was surprised to see some C-4 inmates there with us. I was given a NASB (reference edition) by the preacher. It was used and written in, but it will do. On our way back to our pods, everyone got patted down. For lunch I got pasta salad, turkey salad (chopped turkey ends e/mayo), wheat bread & artificial flavored drink. I saw some more bizarre behavior this afternoon involving nudity and lotion. For dinner I got buttered corn, chop suey, carrot cake & artificially flavored drink. while I was in the shower a couple elderly men had a little spat, but it ended quickly.

Monday 1 February 2010

For breakfast I got cinnamon raisin bagel, peanut butter, apple slices, "Cheerios," milk coffee & artificial sweetener. Breakfast was served on a styrofoam plate with the "Cheerios" in a styrofoam bowl. The drain for the dishwasher clogged. At 8:20 I went to work. I got safety training and a tour of the shop. Then I helped a co-worked remove staples from a couch that he was disassembling to reupholster until 11:20, when I got patted down and went through a metal detector before going back to my pod. For lunch I got spaghetti with sauce, 2 slices of balogna, 4 slices wheat bread, mustard, mayo & artificially flavored drink. I went back to work at 13:20. I worked on he Ethan Allen camelback sofa that I had been working on in the morning and helped with a 4-wheeler seat (getting the replacement foam cushion cut to fit). At 15:20 we went back to our pods after getting patted down. For dinner I got backed beans, 2 hamburger patties (maybe 1/4 lb. ea.), 4 slices wheat bread, 2 jelly rolls & artificially flavored drink. On my way back to my pod I was harassed (verbally) by a jerk who lives across the hall. I didn't respond to him or his loud gossip/claims.

Tuesday 2 February 2010

Shortly before midnight one of my neighbors was informed that he is scheduled to move to C-2 in the morning. He refused to move, opting to stay here and get a write-up instead. Due to significant overcrowding, C-2 is in a gym. There appear to be around 140 inmates crowded into that gym. C-2 is minimum security, but I've heard that it's crazy down there. My neighbor said that he'd rather go to a room here in C-3 (minimum security). I was told that since it is the second time he refused to move, his writeup could result in a double upgrade form C-2 to C-4. If he goes to C-4, he would be moved to another part of the building until he is returned to C-3 status. He had told me at one point that he's in here for driving without a license/habitual offender. He is planning to move out of NH after he gets out because parole & other restrictions in NH are ridiculously strict. I've heard of someone getting a parole violation for possessing a pocket knife even though their conviction was for a non-violent crime. Broad definitions, strict laws, high mandatory minimum sentences, strict & nonsensical parole rules, large prosecutorial & police budgets, long waiting lists for mandatory programs in prisons, $ Billion + Federal programs like VAWA and prison sentences for victimless "crimes" all contribute to overcrowding in New Hampshire's prisons. Apparently the drain is still clogged because breakfast was still being serviced on/in disposable foam plates, bowls & cups. For breakfast I got cinnamon raisin bagel, peanut butter, butter, cinnamon apple sauce, "cheerios," milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. At 8:20 I went to work. After I got there I was given a piece of foam that looked like a couch cushion and a roll of ugly brown fabric and told to make a cover for the foam. The foam was a large rectangle with a small rectangle glued to one corner like one of the side cushions on some types of couch. The fabric was easy to stretch, tore easily and had a sticky finish on the back side, so it was difficult to work with. I found that to get a smooth seam, I had to put masking tape along the back edges before sewing. I stayed at work until lunch and went straight to the chow hall. For lunch I got baked beans with bits of meat, 2 white rolls, 2 slices of ham, mustard, mayo & artificially flavored drink. The stairwell and downstairs hallway smelled like sewage. After lunch I went straight back to work. At 15:20 when I had to leave work, I was nearly finished making the cover for the cushion. For dinner I got fried fish (oily & not as good as usual), tartar sauce, cole slaw, a while bread roll, trail mix (raisins, "cheerios," oats, dried banana, walnuts) and artificially flavored drink. After dinner I went to a Bible study with some friends. My prescription refill that I requested a week ago finally arrived.

Wednesday 3 February 2010

This morning after the 7:00 count it was announced that the gym and upper industries are closed for the day. The furniture shop is in upper industries. For breakfast I got 1.5 English muffins, peanut butter, apple slices, "cheerios," milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. At the 8:20 movement it was announced that the furniture shop is open. I stopped at the sergeant's office to ask what my account balance is. A corporal asked if I shaved this morning. I told him that I shaved last night and touched it up this morning. He told me to go back to my pod and shave again. I dry shaved quickly and went back to ask again about my balance, but the sergeant and the corporal said "no." I went to work from there. Soon after getting to work I finished sewing the cushion cover and put it over the foam. The guy who was training me told me that it wasn't bad, but there was room for improvement. He explained how I could make it better and told me to make another one. I started cutting fabric and measured some material for the boss (Tim). I also steamed some wrinkles out of some fabric and swept the floor. FOr lunch I got vegetable stew, 4 slices of wheat bread, peanut butter, apple jelly and artificially flavored drink. Before linch my boss (Tim) looked up my balance for me. Apparently my money order was deposited last Wednesday after I had already gotten canteen. After lunch I got my canteen order, which finally included a lock. I think my account is below $5 now. After I put my canteen order away I went to work for an hour. My boss told me that in about a week or two he'll have me disassemble a donated chair and reupholster it. If it comes out good he'll send it to the prison store to sell. If you have a potentially nice chair or couch with damaged cloth that you'd like to get rid of, you can donate it to the prison. The same goes for wood chairs, tables & other furniture. After I got back to G-block, mail was delivered. I got a nice card form Anton Lee." Unfortunately the adhesive from the envelope stuck to the beautiful photo on the front of the card. Today my friend Carlos moved from the dayroom into one of the 2-man rooms after another of my friends (Gary) moved downstairs, I think to D-block. Late this afternoon another guy moved to G-block and onto the bunk next to mine where Carlos had slept before this afternoon. At 18:20 I went to the Chapel with some friends for movie night. We watched "Facing the Giants," which I thought was a pretty good movie. Next to the sewing machine I've been using at work is a window. From it I can see a softball field, 2 basketball courts, a volleyball net, some picnic tables, some benches and a guard tower. At the 20:30 standing count, one of the inmates called a corrections officer "a rent-a-cop." The officer appeared to be offended. A few minutes later 4 officers came into the pod and searched the room of the guy who was alleged to have made fun of an officer. After a while, 2 of the officers came out and looked through some more rooms and bunks. Several items, including one guy's headphones, were taken from rooms. The guy whose room was most thoroughly searched said that he didn't care, but after the officers left the pod, he was visibly upset as he was in his room. A little later both guys whole live in that room were brought out of the pod for a while. After lockdown a room was searched because the door wasn't shut and someone who didn't live there came out when the officers arrived. This evening my arms were sore near the elbows. At first I thought it was my nerves, but then I remember that I worked out my arms yesterday.

Thursday 4 February 2010

This morning count was done by an officer I don't remember seeing before. She was a short, chubby (though not obese) woman, probably in her fifties with a pleasant demeanor. When I passed her in the chow hall, I realized that she appeared to be less than 5' tall. One thing that differentiated her from the other officers is her cheerful greetings as she stopped at many of the rooms, saying things like "good morning men" and "it's a beautiful morning" and "how are you doing?" Her personality was that of a kind grandmother or kindergarten teacher. For breakfast I got oatmeal with slices of apple or pear in it, 3 slices of toast, peanut butter, butter or margarine, apple sauce, milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. After breakfast I went to work. I finished cutting the pieces for a cushion and sewed some together, then one of the guys came over and suggested that I should make something different. After we talked with the boss, he decided to have me make a square throw pillow. I cut out the pieces from some black fabric, sewed the welt and sewed the welt to one of the panels. After I sewed the panels together I switched from the zipper foot to the welt foot and went over it again. At 12:55 I went to lunch, where I got 2 slices of bologna, 4 slices or wheat bread, mustard, mayo, soup that I think was made from last night's spaghetti, mixed veggies & water, and artificially flavored drink. After lunch I went straight to work. I discovered that for some reason the thread from my last run (after I switched feet) was too tight on the bottom & too loose on the top, so I took out my stitch ripper and removed all the stitches between the 2 panels. After removing all the threads I wanted to, I started pinning the 2 panels together with some pins I found in the supply cupboard. The shop was closed early and I went back to my pod. One my back to the pod I saw a friend of mine from H at the office with a lot of canteen food. Apparently he got busted for running an unauthorized store from his room. The officers confiscated over $100 worth of canteen food and moved him to G-block. To make room for him they moved my friend Wendell Ford to H-block. For dinner I got 2 hard taco shells, rice, 2 slices of American cheese, chopped onion, what appeared to be ground beef, taco sauce, a dessert bar and artificially flavored drink. At mail call I got mail from my twin brother. I found out yesterday that since my neighbor refused to move to the C-2 gym the officers bumped him to the bottom of the list to get into a room, which means that now I'm at the top of the list. I could get moved into a room any day now.

Friday 5 February 2010

For breakfast I got oatmeal, toast, peanut butter, milk, coffee, apple slices & artificial sweetener. After breakfast I went to sick call. My VA medical records finally arrived. At 9:20 I went to work. I spent most of the morning working on the pillow I was making. It took a few tries to get it right, but I learned how to make a nice looking throw pillow. When sewing the second panel to the one that has the welt sewn into it, it's best to use a zipper foot on the machine to sew them together, then use a welt foot to tighten it up with a really close stitch. For lunch I got rice, mixed veggies, ½ baked chicken & artificially flavored drink. I went straight back to work after lunch. I spent some time helping my friend Pete by feeding foam mattresses as he sewed the ends of the covers closed. After I finished sewing what I could on a Singer Professional sewing machine, I got a curved needle and a seam stretcher and blind stitched the pillow closed (after I filled it with scrap Dacron padding). Since I couldn't bring the pillow back to the block, I gave it to my boss. He said I did a really good job on it. After I got back tot he block I was chatting with a couple older guys. Apparently some of the older guys have gotten upset at the public displays of affection by some of the homosexual men in our pod. Then 5 officers walked in, arrested one of the homosexual men, "Red," searched his room, searched a couple bunks and patted a couple guys down. They took some stuff from his cell and locked the door. They also searched the bathroom and some other parts of the dayroom. after the 17:00 count 3 officers came in and packed up the belongings of the guy who was on the top bunk next to mine. I was told that guy who is living in a room on my block will be moving out on Wednesday, and I should be moving into that room then. Just before dinner "Red" was moved out of his room by some officers. For dinner I got mac & "cheese," mixed with vegetables, "trail mix" & artificially flavored drink. Apparently, based on a couple reports, "Red" pressured the guy who was on the top bunk next to mine into moving out so he gave a statement to the officers, which resulted in him getting labeled as a "rat." He then got moved to H-block. "Red" is probably in "the tank." From what I've heard a lot of people dislike the guy who was living next to me but I don't know why. I think his name is "Miles." Some people said that I might be moving into what was Red's bunk, but others have said it'll go to someone with a bottom bunk pass. One of my friends warned me that the guy who was living with "Red" is a thief.

Saturday 6 February 2010

On my way to chow the sergeant called me over. She asked me if I'd like to move into a room today, to which I responded "that would be nice." She told me that I would be moving into 11, the room that "Red" lived in until yesterday. She also said that my new roommate would be leaving soon. For breakfast I got 3 pancakes, "syrup," butter or margarine, corn flakes, apple sauce, milk, coffee, and artificial sweetener. Someone told me that my new roommate would be getting out in 2 weeks. I also heard that Miles would be moving back today but a number of people don't want him to live on our block. After I got back tot he block, I started moving into my room when a couple officers came in & searched the room. A friend of mine told me that Miles is "the biggest rat" and that it would be in my best interest to not have anything to do with him. After the officers left the room, I moved in and my roommate confirmed that he's getting out soon. If I have at least $175 in my canteen account by the 25th of this month, I should be able to get a 13" TV around the 3rd week of next month. Miles moved back to G-block. For lunch I got a slice of French bread pizza, soup (rice, mixed veggies, ground beef, etc.) and artificially flavored drink. For dinner I got 2 hot dogs, 2 slices white bread, mustard, ketchup, undercooked navy beans with stewed onion & bits of meat, gelatin and artificially flavored drink.

Sunday 7 February 2010

During the night at least one officer shined a flashlight into my room after lock-in, which is at 22:00. I woke up with a backache. For breakfast I got 3 slices of French toast, butter or margarine, apple cinnamon topping, apple slices, milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. For lunch I got chop sue, beet slices, 8 oz. 1% milk, a chocolate chip cookie and artificially flavored drink. We were called down early for dinner, but instead of eating in the chow hall, we were given bagged dinner to bring back to our pod. For dinner I got 3 chicken patties with American cheese in a sub roll, mustard, mayo, ½ oz. potato chips, a brownie with nuts and artificially flavored drink mix. I also got an ice cream popsicle, but in my attempt to keep it frozen, I accidentally lost it out my window. I was glad to be able to sleep in a room where I could turn the lights off, but my back hurt all night.

Monday February 8 2010

I love the dreams I get when I take a decongestant (Chlor-trimeton) before bed. Last night I dreamed that I was cycling around the coastal area of NH and visiting friends. When I got up this morning I discovered that my ID was missing. I had clipped it to my bunk last night before taking a shower. Someone must have taken it while I was in the shower. I asked my roommate if he had seen my ID. He said he hadn't. I kept searching out room as he left. A few minutes later he came in with my ID. As he handed it to me he said "someone thought it was theirs." When I left my room a friend of mine said "if you lose your ID they charge you $20 and give you an A ticket." For breakfast I got oatmeal, 3 slices of wheat toast, peanut butter, apple sauce, milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. At work I dismantled a chair that will be reupholstered for SNHU. For lunch I got 2 slices of ham, 4 slices of wheat bread, mustard, mayo, soup (with navy beans, rice & bits of meat in it) and artificially flavored drink. When I got back to G-block, I noticed that someone had moved onto the bunk I had previously occupied. For dinner I got 2 hamburger patties, 4 slices wheat bread, ketchup, mustard, mashed potatoes, a peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookie and lemonade. When I called my twin brother, he told me that he is planning to spend a few days camping at Roger's campground this summer, since it is not too far from the prison. While I was at work I noticed that a ski jump is visible from the windows near the bathroom. Two guys got moved from their room, apparently after getting into trouble. One got moved to H-block and the other went to the dayroom bunks. Two guys from the bunks were then moved to that room.

Tuesday 9 February 2010

For breakfast I got cinnamon raisin bagel with peanut butter, apple cinnamon oatmeal, apple slices, milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. After breakfast I went to laundry to pick up my whites, thermal underwear, jacket, etc. They didn't have a hat for me and nothing was labeled with my name like they're supposed to be. The blankets I got were dingy looking and one was frayed with holes in it. I borrowed a marker and put my name on some of my things. I went to work for a couple hours and cut out some pieces for the chair I'm reupholstering. For lunch I got a mixture of sausage, peas, carrots, potatoes and some liquid over rice, a biscuit & artificially flavored drink. After lunch I went back to work for a few hours, where I did more cutting and some sewing. For dinner I got 2 slices of bologna, 4 slices wheat bread, tomato soup, a pumpkin filled pastry & lemonade.

Wednesday 10 February 2010

My room was chilly during the night because my roommate opened the window about an inch before going to bed. The window is about 8" wide by 32" tall. For breakfast I got 2 chocolate muffins, oatmeal with nuts, raisins & apple slices in it, apple sauce, milk, coffee & artificial sweetener. After chow I gave a book to the recreation library and 3 books to the chapel library because a CPL had given me a hard time for having too many books. He said that we're only allowed to have up to 10 personally owned books and/or magazines at one time. I went to work at 9:20 because the opening of the upper industries was delayed because everyone in F-block was sent down there while officers searched their block (or so I was told). I was told that they were primarily looking for shanks, but that a tattoo gun was gowned, as well as multiple trash bags full of other stuff ("trash" and/or contraband). At work I did some more cutting & sewing, and working until 12:20. For lunch I got 2 hot dogs, 2 slices of bread, mustard, ketchup, macaroni with tomato based meat sauce (beef) and lemonade. I got back to work at 12:46 and worked until 15:20. Id id some more cutting & sewing, stapled the finished cover over the right arm of the chair, which one my my co-workers said came out pretty good. A little later I got the finished seat back in place and started pulling it tight and stapling it in place. My boss looked at it and said it looked really good. He brought me some felt with adhesive backing and told me that he needed a 10" square, but it needed to be perfectly square because it's going inside a nice box. When I was done I brought it to him and said "It's within 1/16" of 10" square." He checked it and said "I'd saw it's within 1/32"." For dinner I got wheat spaghetti w/meat sauce, bread pudding & lemonade.

- Tim Logsdon