Birds chirping. Ocean waves crashing. Children laughing. Kitty purring. Stars twinkling. Lying barefoot in the green grass staring up at the blue sky. Dinner by candlelight. Roller skating. Sand inbetween your toes and waves lapping at your feet while searching for seashells. Snow angels. Fine dining. Fireplace crackling. Roasting marshmallows. Puppies. Flowers blooming everywhere and the first signs of Spring. Gardening. Windchimes. Majestic fountains. Cobblestone streets. Castles. Family gatherings and group hugs. Sailboats. Mountains. Goldfish. Chinese take-out. Hair salon. Day spa. Bubble bath. Friends' weddings. Your wedding. Being a wife. Being a mother. Camping. Hiking. Taking a leisurely walk down a winding country road. Riding a bike and coasting all the way down the hill. Sloppy dog kisses. Balloons and confetti. Decorating your Christmas tree. Waking up Christmas morning to presents under the tree. Christmas shopping for everyone on the list. Raging rivers and babbling brooks. Open space. Fields. Forests. Deserts. Admiring sculpture, paintings, art, and history in museums. Monuments. Restaurants. Motorcycles. Minigolf. Horses. Sledding. Packing lunch for your children and giving them a quick kiss as you send them off to school. Shopping for a new outfit. Farmers market. Champagne. Cinnabon. Strawberry frappucino. Lace. Aromatherapy. Smartphone. New car. Road trip. Disneyland. Eiffel tower. Cruiseship. Cancun. Fireworks. Going to the State fair. Rollercoasters. Kissing your sweetheart while trapped at the top of the ferris wheel. Lightning bugs. Symphony. Picnics. Surprise parties. Butterflies. Waterfalls. Hot new boots. Sexy strappy summer sandals. Bed and breakfast. College education. Ceiling fan. Hardwood floors. Pretty necklace. Camera. Rainbow. Snowman. Amphitheatre concert under the moonlight. Telescope. Trains. Skinny dipping. Food truck rodeo. Seagulls and sanderlings. Church. Choir singing. Babies. Backyard barbeque. Cheese fondu. Fishnet stockings. Snorkeling. King size bed. Travelling. Trick or treating. Seeing all the neighborhood kids dressed up for Halloween. Tailgating with friends at a football game. Oyster roasts. Dinner parties. Thanksgiving surrounded by family and loved ones. Riding the subway and dropping some cash in the violin case because wow she could play that was beautiful. Hanging out with your brother because you've grown so close. Girls night out with your sister. Perfume. Cool new sunglasses. Tank tops. Licking chocolate off the beaters after making homemade chocolate cake. A nice simple lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, and some quality time together, at grandma's house. Browsing at the flea market. Street musicians. Sidewalk cafés. Shooting stars. Swingsets, slides, and playgrounds. Ticklefight with your niece and nephew. Cute earrings. A hug from dad. Waterparks. All-inclusive resorts. Art expos. Dinner and dancing on new year's eve. Jeans that fit like a glove. Wedding anniversary. Jacuzzi tub. Movie theatres. Sunbathing poolside with a frozen daquiri. Lazily floating in the pool on a raft on the hottest day of summer. Weeping willows. Collecting wildflowers. E-mail. Strapless gown. Party dresses. Stilettos. Opening your own mail. Scratch-n-win lottery ticket. Disco ball. Family heirlooms. Teddy bears. Thrift shops. Garden gnomes. Walking out to your mailbox in your slippers. People-watching at the airport. Getting bumped up to first class on your flight. Running into an old friend at the grocery store. Making homemade blueberry pancakes in your pajamas. Staying in bed all morning on a rainy day. Breakfast in bed from your loving husband and darling children on mother's day. Costume parties. Mardi gras. Lingerie. Easter egg hunts. Chinese paper lanterns. Merry-go-rounds. Going out on the lake in a paddle boat and feeding the ducks. Drinking a tall glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade in a rocking chair on your porch. Anywhere other than Goodyear, Arizona. Ordering pizza delivery and kicking back to a great movie on netflix snuggled up to your sweetie on a saturday night. Sunrise over the Atlantic ocean. Sunset over the Pacific ocean. Full moon shining beams of light on the ocean. Socks knit by mom. Down comforter. More pillows than a person could possibly need piled on your bed. Skylights. Tapas. Baby showers. Giving gifts to those you love. The smell of chocolate chip cookies filling your kitchen. Walking on the pier hand-in-hand with your honey. Fresh cut flowers in a pretty vase. Heaven.
Even though I'm not headed off to prison Thank God, your blog can be for anyone of us. All the things we take for granted because we live free. It's a reminder for all of us to stop and smell the roses, love what we have and make the most of it. Gratitude. Theses are things JA took from Travis, but we know that Travis never wasted his life or took anything for granted. I need to remind myself as Im so sad today everythjng I do , JA doesn't get to. Even with a few prison extras-she's still locked in a cage and has to answer to guards and the hard core women around her. Hopefully JSS will for the first TIme be really thinking of The Alexander's and the rest of society and give a just verdict of LWOP. JA will not get any appeals. Won't happen. The fairest trial one could get in the world. If sentence just, she will be forgotten and I think the A Family will forget about her and rejoice in not having to deal with constant appeals.,I'm greatful for all you've mentionrd and will try and direct my attention to being thankful I'm free. In the end not having freedom to have babies, a husband , to go to a church, have a Sundsy afternoon with Familiy are a few of the wonderful things JA won't ever have that nothing can replace,, People will forget about her as they did Casey Anyhoney. Fewer and fewer will follow her not will anyone care what's she is trying to put on Facebook. If you want to help the cause, just ignore her. Give no credit to tweets or paintings. Who cares. I have a beautiful craft room where I create, with the sun shining in. JA has a few pencils and a pad of paper. She!ll never take pictures again, she never have real friends.. She's just a number now Inmate ..,,??? Who!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog and post! You're both right on-- Stabby is going into another form of hell and I'm betting she will end up wishing she had just taken death. I sure would not want to grow old on a concrete bed with a thin mattress, nobody caring about me, just being a number. That is her future and she deserves it. I take comfort in knowing she will live in a world of routine, SOS every single day. That alone would drive me mad. I know people get institutionalized and adapt, and we know what a chameleon she is, but she will never be able to humble herself and her arrogance and sense of entitlement will be her undoing. Those fellow inmates have also made their homes and already have their pecking order in place, one new hen is not going to rule the roost, and her feathers might just get plucked. One thing is for sure, she is only going to see life through a tiny television and she will never be a participant. That makes me happy
ReplyDeleteWe all want to be loved by those we know...some of us want to be loved by everyone. I am the former, I don't need accolades from unknown "fans"...I'm happy to be well lived by my husband and son, my friends on the blogs I visit and my Sisters at Eastern Star. For "whatshername" she's lost all that.
ReplyDeleteWhile a transfer to another prison is possible, under certain circumstances, she would have to pay ALL expenses related to the transfer. Second, all women's prisons in California are located in the southern part of the state, the closest Oregon prison is in the northwest portion of the state. There are no prisons located near Yreka, so unless her family moves, frequent visits are out of the question. Just for grins, I checked the rates at the NoTell Motel near Union Correctional, and the rates for a couple began at $130 a night. They know they have a "captive audience".
Having maintained a pen-pal relationship with several men on Death row. They fight depression constantly. The "highlight" of their day is mail delivery. Think about the last time YOU received a real letter? Not a birthday card...a LETTER! People don't write letters anymore. It's time consuming. Only old women like me write real letters any more...and maybe teens! So, that one bright light for her will dim.
Her life is now defined by only that two minutes it took to take Travis' life. It doesn't matter whether she got life or death...she's lost everything of value. But most of all, she lost her freedom.
For me, I'll follow the Alexander Family's example, and be happy that she has been removed from our society, and let the Supreme Being deal with her soul in the hereafter.
You forgot CHOCOLATE, Carmen!
ReplyDeleteYeah well some things are available thru commissary... :/
ReplyDeleteOh...I thought you understood I meant GODIVA TRUFFLES,
DeleteLOL ❤️
DeleteHi Robin, thank you so much for your comment. I agree it is so important to be thankful for all the little things. Ol' whatsername may think she "won", but her future is so bleak i think a life sentence at perryville is a fate worse than death..,
ReplyDeleteHi Truly, i think you are right that her arrogance and sense of entitlement will not be to her advantage at all in her new perma-home! She's just another lifer, her appeals will be denied, and her "celebrity status" will likely dwindle quickly.
ReplyDeleteHiya Hausfrau! Thanks for your comments. Me too, i do not see her getting many visitors at all ince she gets to pville, she threw her family under the bus! As for letters, i think u are right, they will become fewer and fewer as time passes. Have a beautiful day!
ReplyDeleteWell...I've done a little bit of thinking about this...and even taking into consideration the unconditional love I have for my son, I'm thinking perhaps...just maybe...I would have to let those BUS TIRE TRACKS on my back heal a bit before I made a long journey from Yreka to Goodyear! It's been a while since I've reviewed the interview that Mr & Mrs whatshername had with Flores after the murder. MY first reaction would have been "You are CRAZY! MY son would NOT EVER do such a thing, even if his life was endangered!" They did not say that. Admittedly, they have a fragile relationship with whatshername...I suspect that Mama whatshername ONLY showed up because she was TOLD to...I also suspect that she did not testify for whatshername because of the SNAFU with her attempt to sell those forged letters (supposedly from Travis, confessing to be a pedo) to the National Enquirer!
ReplyDeleteTaking all that into consideration...also add that the whatshername's not only have deep financial problems, but if I remember correctly, Mr. Also has daily (?) dialysis.
I know that when my son's significant other was so sick, I barely got a regular phone call...let alone Mother's Day or birthday cards! I just don't see any of the Yreka crew sitting down on a regular basis to write letters...best intentions and all that...I'm not being mean...I'm just trying to be logical...
Fantastic Blog Carmen.
ReplyDeleteHey there :) thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful list! Needed that reality check thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you patty, glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDelete