Brian and Ruth Christine Newsletter: Edition 15

December 2003 Newsletter 

Top of the morning to you!  Wow, it's mid-December already.  Even in prison time flies.  I guess that's a good thing, huh?  Well, I'm writing this edition because Ruth can't write at all at the moment.  Around the 10th of Dec. she chopped off part of her right index finger, which was removed and reattached in the hospital by a plastic surgeon.  I'm praying for good nerve and blood vessel connection since it's her primary finger as she's right-handed.  She is in good spirits and has been treated well at the prison from what I can gather.  When I went through intake at her prison in Wilsonville, I was very impressed with the professional level of medical provision.  I thank God she's there and not at where I am.

In other news, we were both blessed in November by a visit from my mom and our youngest daughter, Abbey-Rose.  I will try to post some pictures from the visit when we get them in hand.  She is an adorable child and very shy at first.  It took a long time for her to warm up to me.  The same was true for Ruth at her visit.  It was also a great time for catching up with mom and all that's been happening the their lives.  Abbey-Rose squealed with delight when I made her into an Abbey-Rose-Rocket and launched and flew her all around the play room.

There is no news back yet on our 1st direct appeal hearings.  It could be a matter of months before the court renders a decision.  Since I am not yet working again, I have been devoting a little time to legal research, something I've avoided so far in prison due to it's depressing and angering effects.  I believe I've discovered some serious flaws in my sentencing, but I can't raise the issues until after our direct appeals are finished.  We'll keep you posted on any legal developments.

I was ill for most of the latter half of November and I'm just now in mid-December feeling almost normal.  With so many humans in such small confines, you can imagine how sickness spreads.  Poor nutrition doesn't help much either.  Actually, it's kind of humorous because in the last few newsletters, they've notified us that they plan on cutting eggs and beef our our our diet.  I rarely touch the beef anyway, it's so processed and fatty, but the eggs I will miss as a precious source of protein, etc.  But what's funny is their reasoning that "the price of beef has skyrocketed and the price of eggs has quadrupled".  And in local grocery store newspaper ads we're seeing 2 for 1 deals for a dozen eggs at the same old prices!  They stack lies upon lies and I actually get a kick out of it.  The truth is, they know budget cuts are imminent and rather than cut from their own benefits or programs or ludicrous laws that lock people up and throw away the key, they want to cut our food and our drug and alcohol programs and anything else that isn't theirs.  But Oregonians remain steadfast in their opinion that "If you can't be responsible with what we do give you, why should we expect you to not waste more".  So yet another tax bill is expected to be voted down in Feb.

At this moment, the whole world is focused on the capture of Saddam.  As I saw the video footage of them administering a medical examination and DNA swab on him, I thought how fitting it is that America remove the very man they helped establish so many years ago.  I won't go into the politics of it all.  It just made me sad we I say him, and I'm praying for his salvation.  If he's put on public trial in Iraq, he and everyone in the court building will be lucky to survive the proceedings, knowing how things go in Iraq.  But maybe that's all part of the plan?

Another piece of humor.. someone bought a couple bags of sunflower seeds here at canteen the other day.  He gave them to me, claiming "they didn't taste right".  I took one bite and more than agreed.  But my stomach didn't agree at all, not for the next 12 hours!  I gave them to several other guys to taste and my neighbor complained for the next 2 days about the taste in his mouth.  Someone, upon closer examination of the bag found the Sell by date was 1983.  I didn't believe it until I saw it myself.  I'm sending the bag with a few seeds still in it to Leonard, just for laughs.  Hey, they're also selling us mackerel fish for Christmas.  Isn't that normally used for fishing bait?

Well, Christmas time here is sometimes difficult, but at least we get movies, special canteen items and a few other allowances like being able to share our food (normally strictly prohibited).  I'm praying to be allowed a Christmas call to our children and welcome your prayers for the same.  The most depressing time of the year for me is after Jan 1st, just cloudy and dark, blech!

I hate being trapped in Oregon for winters.  Summers are great, lots of sun and fair weather.  Oh well, praise God!=)

Take care out there and God Bless!

Love, Brian and Ruth