Friday October 30

Yesterday I have been doing some cooking at the apartment. I  cooked rigatoni pasta. I used the Tomato Basil sauce  from a jar I had.

I used the grilled eggplant I made before and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

I then put the pasta on two large pans, added  sliced mozzarella balls and put it in the oven for about 20 minute. At the very end the Pasta got grilled as I switched the oven to grill for about 5 minute.

This is a good way to make a small crust on the top of the pasta.

I also have been cooking in the oven  the top sirloin steak I had. 

It  cooked for 40 minutes.

So yesterday I spent  my time cooking and then cleaning up the kitchen accurately as per the picture below.

Last night the boys were at Taekwon-do.

After Taekwon-do Lapo went back home while Chicco our eldest went to play soccer.

While I was cooking as usual I wrote to my family. 

I realized the letter had a somber and serious tone.

This is anyway  how I have been feeling lately.

Today I had my Halloween wicked breakfast.

I feel I am perfectly dressed for Halloween Carnival.

I have a shunt in my skull and it shows whenever I am moving my head.

I have a tracheotomy scar on my neck and another scar in my stomach corresponding to were my feeding tube was located.

I have a scar on my right index finger as I  have  smashed a window with my fist.

Yes, I had behavior at home in La Canada.

I am sure I forgot a few more items along the way.

Let's switch to another subject.

Here are my pictures for today November the 30th.

The moon in the sky

Flowers at the apartment.

I like taking pictures of the flowers as they are a beautiful expression of balance and of creativity genius.

I find the color of these flowers particularly appealing.

At the apartment the whole maintenance department was dressed for Halloween.

Here is a funny picture I took this morning. It comes from the guys that every morning make me crack a laugh. I appreciate you all for your efforts.

Enjoy the reading.

Today at AAC there is lunch offered.

But I brought my own lunch far healthier and as I like it.

I am calling it eating on my terms.

Healthy pasta (see yesterday) a great salad a couple of fruits.

No surprise 

During lunch Simona and I talked over the phone.

Today she is teaching at Caltech University at 1pm.

Our kids are busy. Our eldest Chicco is going to play tennis while Lapo our youngest is going to see him playing.

Next is my work on the database for CNS courtesy of the Research Department 

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Thursday October 29

This morning I had my lunch  outside,

It is a nice day a bit refreshing as the temperature is decreasing

My lunch: organic rise, salad with chicken in it, grapes and a couple of slices of breads.

Before Lunch we had Yoga with Amy as every Thursday. 

This is a great practice to  be fit and to have time to focus on one self.

I like this practice very much. I found it re-balancing for me and re-centering.

It is like Meditation is lowers my pressure so that I do not feel my shunt in my skull.

My shunt hurting  is possibly related to the current weather.

Anyway I brought stickers for Amy's daughters. It is Halloween for them after all.

Her daughters are  Madison and Olivia. Her husband is Jacob. 

His name is the English equivalent of our youngest son. 

Our youngest son  is Jacopo and his name has become Lapo over time.

This morning I saw also E.Y.  in a meeting room. She is a CR therapist of the clinic on Ashe Rd.

I also left a sticker for the daughter Sunn.

She acknowledged receiving it.

Today's beautiful Nature pictures are the following ones:

A beautiful pink flower

A beautiful orange flower 

A great tree rooted in the ground.

Yesterday evening  I came back to the apartment and distributed the new schedule of the week.

At 5pm I called the receptionist and I was connected with Sarah A. the activity coordinator for CNS.

I booked the movie outing for this Saturday.

I then went to the gym

I  had cycle with Erica. It is the last picture I am taking with her as she told me she is going to move to Ohio. I like the cycle class as it is based on balance and fitness. In the class we use static bike yet we modulate the resistance on the bike according to the instructor instructions.

It is basically simulating a real ride on the open nature.

Last picture with Erica

After  cycle I had body pump with Sylvia. She knows me by name and she is always amused seeing me working out and toward the end asking for a picture with her.

I did my best making sure that the load to my body was not too much. Focused on Repetition and precision of movement.

Staying fit means recognizing one's  body limits.

And I have my limits certainly I know when to stop. An simply enjoy what I am able to do.

She is Sylvia.

At the gym I greeted Richard, Damian and Larry.

Over the past days I let them know that Lapo had lost his first tooth.

The tooth fair came and gave him $7.00

They were all amused as they told me at their time a tooth was worth 0.50 cents.

I guess this is the power of the inflation or the power of Simona's my wife.

My weight per October 28

Anyway enjoy the reading.

I am going to work on the database  for CNS

Sincerely

October 28 Wednesday Simona's Onomastico

Today it is Simona's Onomastico.
Yesterday I prepared a card for her and wrote a letter to my boys. I sent it to La Canada where we reside.

In the letter I am mentioning about my feelings of not being able to be with them anytime soon.
My body is refusing to get stronger. My shunt has been started  hurting again.
Today Melissa mentioned I should drink a lot of water during my day.

Yesterday evening Chicco was home doing his homework and Lapo our youngest went to play soccer with his best friend Kevon. The soccer's team trainer is Ali a good friend of the family.

I cooked myself a very healthy dinner. Chicken breast. The chicken was first seared on a pan and then let cooking in the oven for 40 minute.  This is Alex's recipe.

As a side I prepared quick cook integral rice from Trader Joe's.

I also cooked the eggplant I had. First thinned sliced and baked in a pan.

The eggplant was let soaking in a plastic container with Olive Oil, basil and garlic powder.

It is will be soaking for a day or so and then ready to eat. Typically I am using in a salad.

The  weather is still in the mid 20C before plunging lower next week. I will figure out something 

A breakfast in family.

Later Simona took the boys to school.

The boys are always busy. 

Today the boys have piano lesson 

Of course I did my routine today.

I  have been trowing the trash.

Got money management done. Obviously as I was home on the weekend I only spent money for my grocery shopping while my outing money was left as it is ($24)

This morning we had the  pruning service going on in the park, it is called Certified Quality Pruning.

As a result a lot of dust and commotion.

As I went to the park and came back to the apartment the sprinklers were on as a result I got all wet.

How hard is to turn on the sprinklers once everybody has left the premises please?

I feel this is not a  rocket science matter  it is just a matter of having common sense.

Enjoy the reading.

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Tuesday October 27

Today my shunt hurts a lot and I had some Tylenol from Nursing.

Some time it hurts all over my skull on the right hand side.

Last night I slept very well (obviously I was tired .. a bit more below)

This morning breakfast really healthy

A good stroll in the park to greet miss WEE

Of course I went to Nursing to get a Congesta as I started sneezing.

In the meantime I had the trash thrown away as it is customary (thank you guys)

Simona has been taking the kids to school as usual.

I called them and greeted the kids a good day.

Yesterday  I  have been cooking and making  a Buon Onomastico Card for my wife Simona.

It is a small way to tell her I am thinking about her at my best.

This is the my cooking activity. I  cooked on the stove broccoli flowers.

In the oven I cooked Tilapia with  small pepper dressing.

I had my dinner a bit early and went off to the gym.

On Monday I have  Yoga with Erica, afterward I have cycle with Tiffany.

Enough of me taking a picture of them. You know very well what they look like.

At the gym  I met Damian, Larry and  his wife Janice. I  showed everybody  the picture of Lapo without his front tooth. I mentioned that he got from the Tooth fairy $10.

Everybody was surprised as they told me that at their time they had 25 cents.

I guess the power of inflation has to be factored in.

At the gym I met miss Amani. 

 I was left over there until 8:45pm when Crystal decided finally to pick me up as if it was my customary schedule.

As a result I took note of the phone for the local Bakersfield Cap company(661-889-1286).

 I am carry with me enough cash for a ride and for the Tip to the driver.

At least by calling a cab I will be thanked, called Sir and of course I will be leaving a 15% tip as customary in US. 

They  will be able to tell me when the cap is coming.

I will be released from the  unreliable service of CNS.

This morning I felt I needed to have my duvet washed.

I asked around and apparently I do not pay enough boarding school to get a cleaning service.

I clean everything in the apartment.

The latest is the baseboard full of dust..

You see as a result I have my independent cleaning done.

I left the duvet in the washer today.

I can take of my own staff.

Perhaps  I can have a discount on the rate of this boarding school.

How Am I feeling today? You can go back at the beginning of the page.

Enjoy the reading 

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Lapo first tooth

Lapo lost his first tooth.

As I left him negotiation with the tooth fairy were in progress

Sincerely

Monday October 26 posting

Last Saturday I went to Trader Joe's shopping. I spent $83.17 and everything went well

I took advantage of my day as Simona came in the evening.

The boys had soccer.

I wrote a letter to my mom in Verona

I was home for the weekend

We went with the boys to swimming lesson

Afterward we went to S.Bede at Church

The boys had their snack

Finally it was time to eat, Pasta alla Carbonara with Filetto Ciabatta al Forno.

And a lot of love around me.

I brought back at home for the boys the following

A Kindle Fire from Amazon I won during the last celebration of Halloween.

I gave Chicco a  head set with noise cancellation I never used.

My family back in Italy took care of the Day of the Deaths celebration.

They prepared the beautiful large tomb of  the Rossi family.

It is the brown tomb of this picture. 

Many people are resting there: my dad,his parents, his uncles and hunts,

The whole branch of the  Rossi family is burried in S. Gregorio.

In the evening we came back to CNS from La Canada.

The road was nice

This is my breakfast

This is the park as per today.

This is the outside during lunch

I had my Carbonara Pasta, with Chicken and the usual salad.

Simona is fine.

I talked with Anna my mother in law and with my mother.

Calling my mother it has been a particularly difficult action today as she could not hear me talking over the phone.

I am going to work on my database for Lisa

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Enjoy the reading.