Tiny letters

I got another tiny letter from Johnboy yesterday. Not a short letter as it was 2 1/2 pages long but 2 1/2 pages of teeny tiny words. Honestly his handwriting is so small that I need to get the magnifying glass because my new contacts, which are very fine indeed, can't make out the sometimes minuscule words. Even cheaters don't help much.

I had written him a very long letter last week. I'm a little behind as we had the Christmas crazies here, went to see his momma and sister after Christmas, my father was paralyzed (but is feeling much better now) and then try to catch up with work and end of year stuff. I'd come home stripped of every resemblance of energy and have a bowl of cereal for dinner if there was milk or eggs and toast if there was eggs and bread. So I had to share all that stuff and answer a bunch of questions that my dad has been neglecting to answer. I apologized for not writing sooner and I felt really bad about it. He's getting a little stir crazy in there and these letters mean more to him than I can ever imagine.

Back to his letter, this new one, where he mentions how he agonized about not hearing from me. (guilt, guilt, guilt) And he says in the cutest way how he decided to wait just one more day before writing to me and then ho ho, there's my letter! He tells me he's making a boat. A boat!!! He's making a boat? He says he's trying to build a wooden ship for gpa's birthday coming up. He's never made one before and has been scouring the library for a book where he can see a picture of a top deck of ship so he can figure out where the sails go. They don't make things easy for him in there he says, he was denied hobby craft because he refused to take a manditory class that he never new about. (so he says, lets face it, he's a kid, a typical kid) So he has to buy popsicle sticks from an innie that is approved.

He gets a small amount of popsicle sticks and then cuts with fingernail clipers He's made the bottom of the boat so far and has stained it with coffee and nicely finished with semi gloss floor wax. 'Looks damb good if you ask me.' (just like that! damb! isn't that cute?) He then explains how lucky he got last week as rumers of searches quickly circulate. He stashed his boat and all supplies in an approved inmates locker just in time. The next day his locker got tossed and he would have lost all his supplies and the boat. It's about this time that I'm thinking why is he writing me this. All his mail is gone through and read, isn't it? Wont they read this and figure out what he's doing?

Maybe they don't read all his mail. And maybe that explains the teeny tiny writing. It may just be to much trouble to decipher those bitty letters.

Christmas on the inside

In the midst of the newest family disaster I get a letter from my nephew. He is currently serving time in an AZ prison facility.

I'd never really seen his his handwriting before. The letters are tiny and neat. His spelling? It's bad. But not so bad that you can't read it easily.

It's a long letter, two pages. Lots of content. Pleads for photos from the recent anniversary party. I'd promised to send them and in all the Christmas busyness I haven't gotten around to it yet. Some photos are still waiting for me at Costco. I hope to get them out soon. I've sent the Christmas picture of his cousins. I've sent two Christmas cards and I plan on sending a third. I don't think he'll receive many cards this year.

There are questions about a recent event. Concerns because from where he is it looks odd. 'Is Gpa ok?' Gpa didn't mention it in his letters and he begs me for an explanation. He worries about their health. He worries because he can't see them or talk to them. I'll jot him some quick answers in my next letter and hustle it off to the mail. It's important that he not wait too long for some of those answers. You see, Johnboy was raised by my parents from about six months of age. My parents are his parents. My sons are more like brothers than cousins. Emotionally that is how our family operates.

My father has initiated a letter writing campaign. It's important that he not feel abandoned by his family, Gpa says. Money Orders are being sent on a regular schedule. He is organizing that so Johnboy has regular money for the things he'll need or want. Phone calls are very very expensive and money will be sent to pay for those. So we can hear his voice during the holidays. Communication though, with have to be primarily thorugh letters. You cannot imagine how hard this is for my dad. English is his second language and spelling and syntax are diffecult for him. His letters are short because of this but also because my dad doesn't wish to worry him. Johnboy is burdend enough, no need to add to it.

So far it's just me and dad. His own mother struggles with so many things. Drugs, poor health, poverty. She may never write him. His father, my brother, will never write him. And though he lives just minutes from the facility, may never visit. There are some reasons for that, none of them very good.

It's five days till Christmas.

What exactly is Christmas spirit?