Monday June 12

It is a breeze day today in Bakersfield.

I went back and forth on whether or not to wear jeans. I am wearing shorts for being consistent with my own kids.

This morning I had a busy day already.

Before leaving the apartment I  made a point of setting up the crock pot.

I had purchased black beans. The instructions were saying to let it soak overnight.

I did not follow it. Anyway this is an experiment. I guess 10 hours of slow cooker is equivalent to let it soak overnight.

I washed the beans, rinsed and sort it out to remove some minor impurities of the processing.

I went outside the park to get Rosemary. I chopped a few carrots, celery stalks and a whole onion.

A few cloves of garlic.

I added a couple of measuring cups of water for seasoning  a  piece of vegetable bouillon cube  and a pinch of  crystal  coarse salt. I might have been  light on the seasoning... I am going to taste it and adjust it later on.

Slow cooking is the key for the crock pot action to take place.

It infuses ts contents softly and slowly.

The park in the morning is the quietest place to walk.

I am going around in circle a few times, first of all I get the newspaper of the day

As I am walking at the reception I am encountering trash bag to throw away.

They always tell me it is up to me to throw it.

So I am taking care of it.

Here are the flowers next to the apartments they are one of my favorite subject to shoot in the morning.

Perfections and beauty.

Qualities that I see reflected in my wife Simona.

Great subject to shoot every day 

Yesterday for lunch  I have been cooking Trofie pasta.
 I made sure it was cooked al dente. I made a really great tasting sauce.

I cooked a healthy tomato marina sauce  for it.

Olive Oil,  Parmesan cheese and the last basil   I had left.

The sauce of the pasta is cooking very very slowly. In the dialect from  Napoli it is said far pippiare il sugo. It means to let it simmer gently.

I talked to my little son Lapo and asked him whether he wanted to come to cook for me.

He was startled by  my request, quickly he mentioned that he was busy.. It is just to have some fun with him.

Afterward  having  a lot of fun in the kitchen you have to clean it up.

So here is the stove being carefully cleaned

The kink is being kept in great shape.

Here is a birds eye view taken while standing on a chair in the kitchen.. do not tell the sup I did it.

Last Sunday  June 11 I went to church with CNS at S.Philips the apostle 

At church the usual steady lines.

Unperturbed by the current events how could be an institution that is two thousand years old?

I gave $10.50 as offer to it, all the outing money I had left because last Saturday I had a discounted entrance at the movie theater. Money comes money goes..

After church it was time for me to go to the gym.

I had the left over past for lunch. I have signed out at 2pm  on my way to the gym.

I arrived after 30 minute of walking along the street.

I have been following my own gym program reported in my log book

Focusing on repetition and light weight. I  worked on chest, shoulder and back muscles.
Then a lot of legs and abdominal for stability.

I worked out for one hour and forty five minute. I left the gym at 4:15pm and walked back at the apartment to sign back    45 minutes later. No hurry to get back of course.

Last Saturday June 10 I had a very busy day.

In the evening at 6:30pm I went to the Maya theater to watch a movie
It is Wonder Woman. It is a character from the Marvel comics.

I enjoyed the movie it was a good one. Well balanced overall and with a good story line.

I had a discount on my concession stands so I used it and gave the extra money at church the next Sunday.

 I walked to Trader Joe's for my grocery shopping spree.

I purchased everything that was on my list - in addition Jamie showed me a peach marmelate (see below)

I spent $75 by CNS and $22 on the card that my wife Simona gave me to use.

Here is Jamie always looking after her customer.

She is also always looking after me to make sure I have things that are good.

Here is Jamie with the peach Bellini jam for me.

I purchased it but yet have to taste it. 

I enjoy going  by myself at Trader Joe's by signing out.

The way back from the grocery shopping is always hectic and crowed by many other patients, each one with its own little twist and preference. The one that get a Starbucks and a snack.. 

The ones that are late because their NRS is late... I know the routine of depending on somebody's else.

it is the slowest process that define the speed of the overall expedition.

It is like in physics: the slowest process  always beats the other ones in terms of  entropy  and reversibility dear CNS.

Last Saturday I took care of the usual cleaning tasks  at the apartment or as they call it Activity of Daily Leaving- ADL.

It is not worth  detailing it all as by now I know by heart and you know it as well.

Let suffice have this picture to witness the work in the kitchen.

I was taken back because the House Keeping Service had forgotten to do its job in my apartment.

I stayed for a couple of day with no paper towel in my restroom.

Now this situation has been resolved thanks to the intervention of the maintenance guys.

Not housekeeping just to be sure where the help is coming from.

I like to live  in a clean environment.... unlike what has happened today here at the Homes of Hope.

It is a bit hectic here at HH  a lot of screaming kids, cleaning the carpet a lot of machinery to clean it.

Big experience today in the restroom I am using  there was a big paddle of pee in the floor.

Imagine  how great is the rehabilitation experience of walking straight in the the pee of somebody else. Imagine how great of an experience is to clean it with my own hands. 

Because it order to use it I had to clean it as well dear CNS and HH.

Not to be sexist but cam'on please  CNS and HH pee from one of your little kids....

  Is cleaning somebody else's pee a job for me or for your janitorial staff dear HH? Big letters to understand each other. I understand I am a voluntary here... but hey there are limits to everything.

Here every body is concerned about the kids... I am concerned about my own comfortable well being.

And this is happening right after I had washed my shoes last Saturday...

Getting soiled while walking outside is fine. 

Different is the situation of walking into somebody's pee at the Home of Hopes.. where every kids is important and can pee wherever he wants...

I am very comfortable with our own kids, not with yours anyway.

In fact  I am making sure to leave a written trace for my kids  to read.

In the CNS lingo this is called THP - please consult your manual for an explanation of this acronym.

Last Friday at 4:30 pm I was out - Metagenics can be taken a bit earlier - after all it is just vitamin.

I arrived at 4:55 pm at the gym.

On time for Zumba with Juaniuta. Carol was sick.

Anyway it is a good cardio

I came back by myself at 7:15pm I signed in.