Friday January 29

30 years ago the nation watched incredulous the shuttle orbiter blowing up during lift off.

The whole crew of seven  people died.

A somber reminder that at time there are set backs on any development.

Accepting this matter as a fact of life is the way approach to take.

Today I had  a great day, I slept really well and waken up by myself at 6am.

I am sleeping 8 to 9 hours each night. It is all good.

I had a good breakfast light and fulfilling.

Simona took the boys to school. When I called this morning Lapo was still sleeping while Chicco was already awaken.

Last night Simona slept well, she did not have to maintain any odd sleeping schedule.

This morning' s view of the park is really a refreshing.

Today the newspaper was on the top of the newsstand.  it was free.

 I gave back the money at the reception.
What is right is right. I feel it is all well. As miss Amanda just commented to me "Honesty is always a good policy in life"

Yesterday evening I did not go to the gym
It was the day for making a grocery shopping list for next Saturday. So I took the opportunity of working on it with precision. I took the chance of cleaning the fridge to make sure I had disposed the old food.

I took the chance of cooking and writing to my family.
I prepared staffed peppers.

Also staffed Portobella Mushroom

While the food was cooking I wrote to my family

After cooking I cleaned the whole apartment.

Sink, floor and everything.

 As I cleaned everything I was ready to get the trash out and to take my evening shower.

It is all well.

Enjoy the reading

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Thursday January 28 post lunch

I am a TBI survivor. I came at CNS on January 2012, this makes it about  four years ago.

My injury is an acquired brain injury, it is a congenital defect of my brain, that is  I was born with it.

It is called an AVM (Arterio Venous Malformation).

An AVM is an abnormal connection of the capillary of the brain to the vessel of the artery.

It is a very rear congenital malformation.
 it is said about 1% of the population is affected by an AVM.

I have practically won the lottery without even buying the ticket.

Here is a pictorial representation of an AVM, courtesy of the Toronto's source.

I clearly have a weak capillary system.

 I have a few birth marks distributed on my body. They look to me like AVM or like

surface capillary: on my stomach, on my left back arm, on my left back legs.. obviously my capillary system was meant to be that way..and I was meant to be injured this way.

Here is  a side view of the brain.

The bleeding of the AVM generated me an ischemic stroke. In addition the ruptured blood vessel  affected also my right eye.  

The pressure on my eye increased.  

I had the crystalline removed to release the right eye pressure.

Quite a long medical history. 

The AVM affected many aspect of my body. My cerebellum got upset by my injury. 

The result is that my balance, my walking and my physical capability have all been affected.

Many years ago I was on a wheelchair, then on a walked and finally I am walking.

Right now you will notice I am walking in a funny way.

I sense it, people in the community sense it.

As a result of my injury I keep my feet far apart. Technically I have a large base.

My legs and my body does not responds well as much as I wish. 

Well enough as much as I remember.

I remember I loved running and loved doing exercise.  I used to run in  the evening coming back home from work. I used to train for a marathon.

Simona mentioned I run half a marathon in Boulder Colorado where she was doing a post-doc at ENCAR. 

Our younger son Lapo was born in Boulder Colorado. At the time I left Simona alone over there with Chicco and Anna her mother. I was working back in LA. I made the choice of letting her standing by herself in Boulder. She called me one morning to let me know she was going to the hospital as Lapo was about to be born.

I took the earliest plane I could and flown over there.

Obviously as I landed Lapo was already born..

I regret it all, Simona mentioned that it is OK.

You see I  made some choices that at the time appeared sound to me.

We are talking of about 7 years ago.

Time to forgive oneself?

I went through this story many time, with Simona, with Miss Amanda.. 

Well, what is done is done..

Let's move one one more time.

The more interesting part is about my TBI

What is done is done.. being a nice person and a very pleasant one is what matters in life.

Enjoy the reading

Sincerely

Thursday January 28 2016

Today is a really good day to be around at work.

I slept really well and waken up really rested.

I had a great breakfast. Cleaned everything by hand and left on my way to AAC.

I had the chance of use the broom at the apartment as the floor needed it. This afternoon I am going to wash the floor and vacuum the carpet.

Simona and the kids are well. I talked to her this morning while she  was driving our kids to school.

My mom emailed me this picture of the 12 Apostoli Restaurant in Verona.

It is an upscale Restaurant where they serve food in a style that makes it a unique and special place.

The restaurant was crowded by mostly tourist people.

My mom went there as she was invited by my brother Francesco.  

She normally eat at home  or in less fancy places.

 She went to the same restaurant many many years ago invited by my dad. 

We are talking at least 40 years ago. 

You see in Italy there are a lot of places that stay in business for a very long time. 

They become part of the fabric of a city.

Today is a cold day outside.

I completed my second part of the money management: $75 for grocery and $24 for outing.

My wife is the best part of my life. She is strong, she is determined, she is tough.

I am sure she knows it all. I am repeating it for myself and for you all.

Yesterday afternoon  I came back at the apartment. I distributed the new schedule and at 5pm  I booked for the movie this upcoming Saturday. 

On Saturday I normally go out in the environment to catch a relaxing movie. 

 I like movies I can tell about my family. I have a tea and a dibs. No more sodas for me. I lost the craving for such a drinks.

I prepared myself a good dinner. A sandwich, a good salad with the last marinated eggplant I made. A side of grapes.

after dinner I went to the gym

I had cycle with Cassie at my right hand side. I made sure my legs were fully extended as it is part of my therapy goal. She is the smiling person at my left hand side. At the gym they know me very well.

Everybody is nice with me and comply with me in snapping a picture for my therapy session the next day.

Afterward I  had body pump with  Sylvia. 

I used the gloves that Larry and Janice gave me as a present last June.

During body pump I focused on repetition, range of motion and precision of movement.

I did not charge my body too much. 

My back is getting better. 

I strained it a  while ago and right now I am determined to protect it. 

Afterward In fact I was smiling and feeling well.

Remember to smile, it looks good.

Marianne took me at the gym and back.

It is good to stay in the environment.

Staying healthy mon amour, it is all protecting you and the boys. For anything else I have CNS that takes care of me and of everybody.

I had a very good and light lunch at the counter. I brought a simple sandwich as I was schedule to go in the community.  I have been told it is going to be for another time.

I enjoyed my sandwich. kiwi and grapes.

It is all good.

At the reception I asked Norma for a coffee with no sugar... she looked at me in bewilderment. 

She confirmed they run out just this morning.. I asked Amanda, she mentioned I should try with a skin no whip venti next time.

Today the plan for the day is to do an accurate grocery list in the afternoon. I would like to clean the fridge from the old food and then make a list as accurate as possible.

I am planning to spend the evening cooking something good.

I have a lot of good healthy food that needs to be cooked today.

While I am working on this activity as usual I am planning to write to my family.

We will see how it goes this evening.

Sincerely

Baci 

Giuseppe

Wednesday January 27 2016

Yesterday afternoon Johanna the sup took me to Eye Mart for my reading glasses.

Once at the store we realized that the prescription  was for far-sighted only.
In fact it had negative values for the corrective lenses reported on it.

They explained me that for reading glasses the doctor is normally prescribing positive corrective lenses.


At the store there was a moment of  slight confusion and wondering on what to do.

I picked a frame and reserved it anyway.

Once at the apartment I  called Jolanta at CNS inquiring about the situation.

Jolanta was quick to answer and to explain me that in fact I do not need any reading glasses.

I then quickly called Eye Mart to let them know I do not need any frame reserved under my name.

Once at the apartment I had time to do a couple of things. I wrote a letter for my family.. XOXO dad.

The boys were attending an after school program.

It is about MindCraft so that the both of them were happy to attend.

Finally at 5:45pm I went to the gym 

I had body pump with Ellie at my left hand side.

I focused on repetition and precision of movement.

I did not charge too much weight on my body as previously did. 

My body is definitely better and I am feeling well.

You see in the past I made the mistake of loading too much my back. 

As a result I was in pain for quite some time. 

I learnt it the hard way.

After body pump I had Zumba with Mike . It is a great an  amusing cardio exercise.

Princess did my coverage at the gym. 

At  about 7pm it was time for me to go back to the apartment and to start my evening.

Shower, banana and nigh meds. I waited until 9:30pm  for Nursing. It came and gave  me the Ambient sleeping pill.

I slept very well and today at 6pm I was up and running.

This morning I had a great day.  I called the boys who were happily going to school.

Lapo was cheerily starting his day.

I did my usual routine. This morning  I had the first part of my money management done.

Last weekend I did not spend any money on outing as I was home celebrating Simona's birthday.

I had only my Grocery bill to turn in. I turned in the unused  outing money as well.

I helped at my best around the apartment.

Took a nice walk in the park, snapped a great panoramic picture- courtesy of my Iphone.

Today the boys have piano lesson with Liz.

This morning's flowers are the following ones. 

Beauty and serenity surround us.

Enjoy the reading .. time to eat

A good light lunch. A lot of carbs from veggy and fruit.

Good carbs.  A rich salad with eggplant, avocado tiny tomatoes and a couple of boiled eggs.

Grapes and brown bread as a side.

After lunch I called back in Italy my mom. She is going great. 

She sounded me in good spirit and in good heart.

She mentioned she feels time passing on  her shoulders.

She is happy running her life in Verona.

My sister Isabella is back from India and she is ready to go back to work with her customer.

She leaves in Germany and she is the  principal in her company. 

It is called Isabella Rossi Fabric Concept.

Isabella and her company are  located in Dusseldorf, Germany.

She has started and grown the company by herself showing a strong entrepreneurial spirit.

In our family we are all entrepreneurial people in a way or another.

I did my par at my time.

 My wife has been showing a strong determination in following her path of expertise by climbing the ladder a the University. 

She is now Assistant Professor at Caltech University.

Caltech has been very good with her and our family. 

In return Simona has been working very very hard for her job, often going to sleep late at night and waking early in the wee hours of the morning.

Simona mentioned that soon her tenure package will be submitted within the next nine months. 

I am fully confident on my wife's skills, strength and great insight. She is the person I rely upon and the person I have chosen to share my wife with.

With Love 

Giuseppe

Tuesday January 26 2016

I  have been preparing some great looking card.

Jolanta printed the picture I had for the flowers of the CNS garden.

We started matching the picture with the color of the  cards.

 It  all looks great a good job indeed.

Yesterday after therapy I cooked Chicken following Alex's style.

I look good with my white apron.

Afterward I went to the gym

It was my day of Yoga with Ellie.

I like mostly my cycle activity with Lolita.

Extending my legs at my best it is a good cardio sport.

At the gym the usual familiar faces.

Maria, Damian and everybody.

This morning while walking in the park I met Laurent and his dog rusty

Laurent inquired abut my day. 

I mentioned I was about to go to therapy at Mt. Vernon clinic.

He mentioned for me to be careful.

He is a good person. I asked him about his wife and we exchanged information about our families.

Greeting James and the crew I mentioned about our kids being happy for the Iphone feature of "knock Knock" ,

James let me know about the other feature called "Beat Box". Just say in Siri Beat Box.

I told it to my boys, they tried it, had a big lough at it. Chicco invited Lapo to lessen to the Iphone feature.

I am glad the boys had fan.

Simona was still sleeping this morning, I bet she worked into the late hours last night. 

She has a quite unusual schedule.

Sometime she goes to bed late and then she wake up very early.,,

Quite a woman

Meditation is next

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Monday January 25 2016

I had a very good weekend.
I had a pleasant home visit in La Canada.

The boys are well and we celebrated Simona's birthday.
I slept really well.

Today's  Monday the view of the park is really nice.. Snapping a landscape picture of the view.

This morning I went to maintenance to get a paper box.

 I  brought back my skying attire from last weekend at home. This morning I transferred it  in the paper box.

There are some new flowers at the apartment. Given the temperature outside, it is well they are still there near the reception.

At CNS I am sleeping in a different way: Hear plugs.. in this way I am able to sleep tight without being awaken in the middle of the night by some sort of cacophony.

At home I sleep much better. No need of hear plugs nor any mechanical devices to muffle the environmental cacophony.

On the way back from La Canada  we stopped at the mall and got a Wildberry yogurt.

Simona was looking for some attire for Chicco's upcoming trip.

He is going to Philadelphia om February 1st. 

Hopefully by then the East Coast will be cleared out  from the last snow storm. 

It has been a massive and unusually harsh one.

Last Sunday we took the boys to swimming at the Rosebowl. Simona was wearing her present: a nice sweater she got from Raffaella for her birthday.

Both Chicco and Lapo swam in the big pool.

Chicco was practicing first is free style, then breaststroke and finally  butterfly. 

Chicco is really progressing strong. 

His brother Lapo was also swimming with Merissa in the big pool.

He was practicing free style.

The boys are clearly doing great in sport.

Before going to swimming practice we all went to church at S. Bede.

Before hand the boys had Sunday school.

On Saturday evening we went to celebrate Simona's birthday at the Settebello Italian pizzeria

This is a very good pizzeria in Pasadena. 

Their making true Italian pizza; thin crust and a few good ingredients on the top.

I had a margherita with Prosciutto Crudo.

 Some arancini as antipasto and a mixed veggy.

The friends celebrating with us were the close ones.

Bob and Raffaella with their son Luca. Bob is pictured above in green. Raffaella is a very good friend of Simona. She is from Rome as well like Simona. She was her schoolmate at UCLA.

Raffaella's  husband Bob is originally from Canada. 

At dinner with us we had Bob's mom as well.

In addition we had  dinner with Stefano, Jen and their son Renzo and Dario.

Stefano is from Padova, Italy  and his wife Jen is from Taiwan.

We finally went to  Stefano's house in Pasadena to cut the birthday cake for Simona.

At home the kids enjoys their electronic time very much.  They were playing with each other at Mind craft trough the router at home.

The boys are always active and busy with some sort of activities.

Chicco and Lapo are also practicing their Taekwon-do.

Chicco has achieve a black belt with a purple stripe. Lapo is at the level before black belt. This level is called Bodon.

At home I  collected my California ID. It is for the 660 Pomander Address in La Canada.

I put it in my wallet. The picture is fine. 

At home Simona had purchased Roses for her birthday,

We went at Target and got a new Sony' Digital Camera for Chicco. As mentioned before Chicco' class in going to Philadelphia on a school trip.

Chicco's new camera  is a a 20Mpixel plus Digital camera.

It is incredible how much the technology has been increasing in DSC performance.

I bet Chicco is going to enjoy his latest gizmo.

Last Saturday before leaving I run the usual apartment house cleaning of the weekend.

At 10:30am  I went to my favorite store. Trader Joe's 

Over there I was happy as I greeted Jamie. She is the person standing next to me.

We chatted about our families. She mentioned her family is fine. Her son   Logan and daughter Delaney are fine.

I spent  $86.30, got recyclable  bags, tickets for the raffle and new stickers for S. Valentine.

It is all well.  I am always having good time whenever I am going at this grocery store.

Last Friday I went to the gym, It was my Zumba day with Caroline at my right hand side.

At my far left in Pink is Salve. Two other people from the environment were kind enough to pose with me for this picture. Caroline knows is as Joseph as everybody is in the community.

Enjoy the reading.

Sincerely