Down For The Count

So last Monday I was at work helping to put away an order that just came in. I was bending down to grab a box(which I do carefully since I've had problems before) and I felt something in my back give. I've had back pain before and usually just ride it out. I thought I had just pulled something small and if I watched it carefully it would go away like it always had before. However, two days later I could hardly put my shoes on. I went into work and was helping out on the line for breakfast when my back completely gave out!! I could hardly move, my face turned white(or so I was told), I felt nauseous, and started to sweat. I haven't had pain like that since my lung collapsed years ago and they had to break the cartilage between my ribs to get the chest tube in! I was taken to an urgent care office where they told me that I had a severe lumbar strain. A lumbar strain is "when the ligaments, the tough bands of tissue that hold bones together, are torn from their attachments." HOLY SHIT does it hurt!!! They injected a muscle relaxer into my back, did a little physical therapy, gave me some pills(anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxants, and pain pills) and sent me on my way. I now have to wear a back brace at work(which I've been out of for 5 days now) and can't lift anything for several weeks.

This is right where it hurts!!! It felt like my entire back was tied into one large knot and every time I moved someone was stabbing me with a knife right in that spot! Not fun. :(

The Garden Is Started

The day we got back from Napa, we went out and got several different plants and herbs so we could finally get our little garden started.

Seemed like a lot but I made it all fit! :)

Starting at the top from right to left I have purple cauliflower and green scallions. The open line of dirt is going to be beets but I forgot to soak the seeds so they went in the next day. Then there's bok choy, savory, and snap peas.

Whoever was here before already had a huge pile of thyme already going.

My lazy helper!! :P

I also started some herbs. At the top I have two Italian parsley and sage, on the bottom two cilantro.

And I started some tomato plants from seeds. Two different types of heirlooms and some sweet 100's. I'll have more photo's soon as they start to grow!!

Star Wars Ice Cube Molds???

There is a website I frequent called J-List out of Japan that sells all things Japanese. The other day I was checking out their site, seeing what they had new and I stumbled upon Star Wars Ice Cube Molds!! How cool is that?!?! Each tray is $16 and made of silicon rubber. My favorite is Han Solo in Carbonite. Click on the name under the picture and it will direct you to the link!

Darth Vader

Han Solo in Carbonite

Storm Trooper

X-Wing Fighter

Millennium Falcon

R2-D2

Alcatraz

Yesterday we took a trip to Alcatraz since it's a "must do" in San Francisco and we just never got to it the past couple of times we came here.

You take a 12 minute ferry ride over to the island from San Francisco. I can only imagine how it must have felt if you were a prisoner and seeing this as your new "home!"

Sign when you step off of the boat. I never knew it was a national park!

This was the guard tower that overlooked the dock. New arrivals would be watched closely from here when they stepped off of the boat.

Andi in front of one of the old storage buildings.

Gardening was a huge part of Alcatraz. Both prisoners and guards would work in the garden and today it's still kept going by a small society of gardeners.

This isn't the best photo because I had to take it through some dirty glass but it's what they would use as the morgue. It was placed on the way up the walkway to the main prison.  I'm sure many a bodies were cut open on that table!

While waiting in line to get into the prison, you slowly go through the shower area. Kinda Auschwitz like if you ask me.

Alcatraz gives you a 45 minute guided tour through a set of headphones. The tour is narrated by former guards and inmates.

 This was a regular cell. Very small and cramped. I would say about

5 feet by 8 feet.

If you had a history of causing problems, you would be put in D cell which was a little bigger then the regular cells but you were only allowed out for an hour a day.

If you were really bad, you went to the hole. No lights, very small, and you would stay there for up to 19 days.

Old bookcase in what used to be the library.

In May of 1946, 6 prisoners attempted a breakout which ended up lasting for 2 days.By the end, five out of the six prisoners where killed in the attempt.

The six guards above were involved in the 2 day siege. The breakout went wrong because one of the guards put the yard key in his pocket instead of putting it on a key chain like normal.

While one of the prisoners distracted the guard on the ground and then subdued him the other climbed onto the area above, used the bar spreader to get through(he starved himself for weeks to be able to fit through), knocked out the guard and grabbed the keys hanging in the photo.

Since the key didn't work for the yard door, they were stuck. More guards kept coming in and they were taken hostage. Eventually the national guard was called in to try and bring peace. They dropped grenades down from the ceiling windows. The picture above is the damage caused by the grenades.

Only 3 prisoners ever escaped from Alcatraz. They took spoons and ladles and tunneled through the small vents in there cells.

Once they broke through the wall, they were in a small shaft room behind there cells. They then climbed up to the roof, got down the prison wall outside and made it to the water. They fashioned a small boat out of raincoats and made there escape. No one knows to this day if they made it or not as they

were never found.

If you look back at the pictures of the cells where they tunneled out, you'll see paintings, guitars, etc. Many prisoners would find different ways to escape the time. Some did oil paintings like the ones above.

Some played dominoes, checkers, or bridge or focused on music.

This was for when prisoners had visitors.

Rules for visiting.

Pictures of the guards "on the job."

Some of the "tools of the trade." I like the leg manacles at the bottom.

Alcatraz had 4 different wardens while it was open. They all look like hard asses to me! :P

This was the mess hall. Prisoners would come here 3 times a day for their meals. Tear gas canisters where kept on the ceiling in case of any riots

 but were never used.

The knife rack in the kitchen had black outlines of the knifes so the guards would know at all times which ones were in use and could tell if any were missing.

The food at Alcatraz was apparently some of the best food in any penitentiary.

This used to be the part of the laundry facility. Fresh water had to be brought over on a barge for cleaning as there was none on the island.

Inside of the workshop. Inmates would also keep busy by making rope, metal, and other objects for the US.

Guards would keep a close eye over anyone working in the shop.

View of San Francisco from the island. If you were lucky enough to escape or get parole, this was your freedom awaiting you!