Eightieth Visit to Taft

Sunday was my last visit to Taft, and my only Sunday visit in over 18 months. I decided early on that I wanted to see Ron every week, and Friday was the only visiting day that would allow me to do that. I missed last Friday because of Carmegeddon, so I went Sunday, just a few days before his release.

Ron looked great, sun tanned and smiling, with a nice short haircut. I was so happy to see him. Sunday visits at Taft are very different than Fridays. There are a lot of families, lots of kids, lots of noise. I much prefer Fridays, and am glad I don't have to go anymore on ANY day. Extra chairs were brought in to accomodate everyone, so we were all close together. I did not like it. Neither did Ron, and I ended up only staying a little over 3 hours. Just enough time for us to talk about what we need to do when he gets home. First, I'm turning over the bill paying to him, so I brought him up to date on what I've done while he's been gone. Then we will talk about our future. Work, where we'll live, etc. So much to think about.
Ron said he was a little on edge. He's so excited about coming home, but he has some people at Taft that he cares a great deal about that he's leaving behind, more than likely most he will never see again. In the visiting room there were lots of good byes (by me) to the men who I will not see again. Ron shares something with these men that we cannot understand. I share something with their wives or mothers or daughters that no one else can understand.

I've told you again and again that one of the things Ron took comfort in at Taft was that there was no violence or fear of violence. I spoke too soon. Just a week before his release came the first physical fight in all the time he's been at Taft. It was a knock down, drag out fight, with both fighters getting hurt. The punishment: 5 years added to each of their sentences, 6 months in the hole (isolation), and transfer to a medium prison. What was the fight about? What TV show they should watch!!

Ron has learned how to cook a few items with the limited ingredients available at Taft, but other more creative types have concocted cheese cake, pizza and Chinese stir fry. Last week Ron had the Taft version of mango ice cream, which he absolutely loved. It's a mixture of coffee creamer, Kool Aid powder, ice cubes and dried mango which is reconstituted and pureed. The mixture is combined and frozen (kitchen workers have access to a freezer). Ron said it was just delicious.

Well, that's all folks. This journey, although one I happily would have missed, has enriched my life in so many ways. I feel I have deeper empathy for people in general, especially for prisoners and their families. I have a greater belief in myself and what I can accomplish. I have a greater love for my husband, knowing what he has gone through and his strength. Finally, I have no fear of the future and what challenges we will face. I truly believe we can tackle anything. I know that none of us really know our limitations until we are faced with them. Challenges await us both, but we'll be able to tackle them together. I'm planning to continue to make my Monday blogs related to our Taft experience. Ron will write some, I'll write others. He has much to say, most of which he could not talk about while incarcerated. It should be interesting.