Post lunch entry

A good day to eat outside in the patio as usual.

This is the nice day

this is my nice lunch. While I was enjoying my lunch a cat came over to check out the environment.

Over lunch I called home and talked to Lapo our little one he was having pasta with Broccoli.

Marina - our Nanny- was at home with him.

I have also called my mother in Italy. She was relaxing at home and taking care of her self.

She mentioned that her legs are giving her some problems when she walks long distance.

I remember her enjoying very much walking on the hillside across my home town Verona.

Something that she is not able to do any longer right now. She has accepted this aspect of her life.

We both laughed about the cacophony of CNS.. particularly at night the cacophony rises up to the apex. As they say they let everybody screaming and yelling at night. Actually there are many dramma queen at CNS.. everybody is screaming for something.. As Benigni says we all scream for Ice cream,,

I had good time talking to  my mom, she was asking about Lapo and Chicco our two sons and about their life. I mentioned that they are always busy.  I am feeling a bond to my mom so that I am picking up the phone and calling her. Also I am writing to her sometime. Neither of these things happen with my boys .. I have accepted it and I cope very well with it. Lowering one's expectation is key in life to be able to move ahead. On the other way I am talking over the phone with my family as much as I can.  Clearly this regime is working very well.

Already the plan for today is that I will have to do my grocery shopping on Friday hence today I am going to make the grocery list.

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Thursday March 5th 2015

Yesterday I came back to the apartment and first of all I wrote a letter to my boys.

I am always writing to them in English a block letters and I am addressing it to both Chicco and Lapo.

Lapo is the little one, right now Chicco is reading my letter as he is attending IV grade elementary school. Lapo is right now in kindergarten nevertheless when he is going to be able to enjoy the letters are there for him as well.

"Your boys are doing great hence please keep pushing ahead, with Love Dad."

Yesterday evening I went to the 24 fitness gym, Mark was with me to do my coverage.

Mark is a very nice person, his niece is growing up, she is 4 years old.

As there were no cycle available I have been working out my body a mix of upper body, legs and abdominal. My legs and my abdominal is to help with my balance.

While walking the gym floor a few guys  over there were staring  at me as in fact I am walking in an odd way. It is OK, I noted it and moved on.

Once I came back to the apartment I fixed my schedule for the incoming week, In fact I need to make my grocery shopping today, while tomorrow Friday I will be going to Trader Joe's at 4:45pm.

On Saturday  I will be going to the walk for thoughts at 10:30 am which will be held at the local Kern County Museum. Finally Simona will come over with our sons at 4:30 pm. I checked the local movie listing and there is nothing appropriate for our kids so with Simona and I have agreed   together to spend some family time at  a local restaurant. 

Most likely it is going to be the California Pizza Chicken place where our boys are going to be able to order pizza for them while we will have healthy   salad with grains.

I am sure we will ask Italian dressing on the salad and stay away from all the greasy dressing that some restaurants offer.

Last time we went there our kiddos  went for Maccaroni and cheese... a clearly very suitable meal for them.Well you know our kids like everything and they are so much into sport that they deserve once on a while a cheat day.

Overall they do not stray at all when they are at home with Simona and Anna my mother in law.

For Simona it works our pretty well as well.

Well enjoy the reading.

Thank you everybody,

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Wednesday March 4th posting

Yesterday at the apartment I have been preparing a good  recipe and also I have been   writing a good positive letter  to both Chicco and Lapo in English and block letters.

I know that Chicco is an avid reader of my letters, Lapo will be able to enjoy them in a few years.

The conclusion  of the letter  reads "Dear Chicco and Dear Lapo I truly believe we are blessed.  with
Love Dad"

Chicco is now 11 years old and attends 4th grade, while Lapo is 5.5 years old and attends Kindergarten. They both go to La Canada  Elementary School. 

This is a picture of their school as it appears on the web.

As usual when I was writing to my family the  food was cooking. I made stuffed mushroom. I made the  stuffing  with bread crumble, mixed with olive oil, some garlic powder, oregano and a tad of salt.

It has been baking in the oven for 20 minutes and during the last 10 minutes the broil provided a delicious crust. Hence you see I like to cook by myself, and I am always coming up with good recipes that tastes really good and are healthy.
Of course I used coconut oil to provide some high temperature resistance oil to the baking pans.

Coconut oil is a very good ingredient to keep handy whenever you are cooking, it has a very high smoking point and it is a very healthy source of harmless saturated fat. It has an extremely positive effect on the brain.

After cooking it was time for me to go to the gym for bootcamp with Johnny. I worked hard, at my best. After boootcamp it was time to do U-Jam with Naomi.. a fun and good cardio exercise very close to Zumba.

I had fund as usual working out at the gym.

At the gym I met Tigi, her husband Samir and Jenna.

Jenna is a very nice person that is always greeting me whenever we met at the gym. She shakes my hand and she tells me Hi Joseph.

I showed her the picture of my family and she showed me her son who is growing up strong and healthy. Right now he is 2 years old.

At 7pm it was time for me to go back home. And Kyle got worried as he could not find me at the gym while I was getting ready for leaving. He finally found me and we came back to the apartment.

Shower a snack and my  night medications  (Divalproex, Melatonine, Trazodone) was next in order.

As I was getting ready for bed I  took a snap shot of my family thanking Simona for everything she is doing for the whole family.

This morning I wake up at 6:30am  to get ready for my day.

I got ready for the day

I had a good breakfast.. a nice and healthy source of vitamin, carbs and fiber. The honey provides  a very good source  non refined  sugar and carbs.  The peanut butter is a good source of Protein, fat and vitamin B12. 

Of course I had my black coffee.  I had everything having in front of me Simona my wife, Sarah G. my Case Manager at CNS.

I washed everything by hands ( using my hands is very good for my coordination) besides it saves water and spares the waste of electricity.

I run the dish washer once in a while when I feel I a good reason for running it.

I greeted Jarron  and he told me that his wife as 6 days to go before Junior their son will be born.. so he  is in  count down mode.

Enjoy the reading I am going to do some CR work.

Sincerely

Giuseppe

March 3 post lunch posting

I had Mediation with Matt today.. thank you Matt.

Meditation allow to put space on your head, and it teaches you to respond rather than to react to any given input and situation.

After mediation I had a good lunch: kale staffed pepper, I  had lunch outside as I like to breath some air during my break.

Afterward I brushed my teeth and got my coffee.

I called Lapo at home with Anna and he had a good lunch with chicken breast rolled on yest, cooked in milk and a little bit of garlic. Anna recipe .  Anna is a wonderful person full always of good ideas.

Lapo is always happy when he is taken good care of.

We also had our cooking group to decide about the next time.We are going to make a healthy fruit salad.

Enjoy I need to go.

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Tuesday March 3 2015

Yesterday I came back to the apartment and collected my Economist issue for the week.

It has started arriving on Monday.

While I was at home I have been cooking my favorite recipe: Staffed Peppers..

As I was cooking yesterday I did not go to do Yoga at the gym.

While I was cooking Mark came to my apartment to do my coverage.


I have been preparing staffed peppers:  the staffing is with  summer squash rice I made earlier, I mixed it with ground turkey and bread crumble. A couple of eggs to provide the gluing ingredient. Then I have been adding a tad of salt, black pepper and Oregano.

I mixed everything, staffed the peppers. I used coconut oil to provide some healthy greasing for the pas  and let it cook in the oven for 45 minutes at 300F. For the last 10 minutes I set the oven to broil to brown the top of the staffed peppers.
As I had some staffing leftover I  cooked it  alone on a side pan ( the left hand one in this picture). On the top I sprinkled some Parmesan cheese.

Our kiddos went to Taekwon do 

Yesterday in the afternoon I went to the new clinic for Money management.

Clara handed over to me the Money for two weeks:  $150 for grocery and $45 for outing.

I am pretty food with the latter while for the grocery I always have to integrate with Simona's money.

This is Sarah my awesome Case Manager. She has been my Case Manager for the past 3 years, I have been at CNS since January 2012, ie for the past 3 years.

We talked mostly about her kiddos as I have brought her stickers for her youngest son Ian. 

Ian is now 7. Elisha and Mason are both 14 and are a few months apart.

Sarah mentioned that Ian has always various and creative homework to do.

She gave me a few examples of Ian's big fantasy and of her working with him to make sure he is staying on track.

It is similar to the Situation of our youngest son Lapo now 5.5 years old. Lapo has a big fantasy and he is always coming up with very original homework to do.

Chicco our eldest son is fully autonomous in doing his homework. He is been couched thought by Anna my mother in law. Overall he is fully capable of doing his own staff.

This is the result of my Therapeutic Home Program cooking class. You can see on the left the fully cooked staffed peppers and on the right hand side the cooked staffing that was left in itself and I could not fit with any of the peppers.

As I mentioned many time I like cooking with gusto and being independent with my food. I am fully knowledgeable on how to cook healthy - courtesy of Steve  the CNS fitness guru.

This morning I have been doing my good breakfast

On the positive note  I am happy seeing Tom today here he is really happy and cheerful.

Sincerely,

Enjoy the reading

Giuseppe

Monday March 2 2015 post lunch

This morning at the AAC center I had time at the computer to download my activities for the weekend.

Afterward I sent my CR summary at my  Speech Therapist (Zena and Erica).

Afterword I  went to FoodCo with Iolanta to  purchase the food supply for the Quinoa Salad.

We purchased everything on the list all healthy food and staying in the budget we had.

 Quinoa is a perfect grain  and it is very versatile as its use. We made enough so that people at the AAC could have a taste of it. It is fine as CNS has provided us enough for everybody. 

Sharing with the other is the right things to do, it is the unselfish action to take and it is a moral imperative to give rather than to take.. Or at least this is what I have come to believe.

In the salad we added tomatoes, avocados, parsley,  green salad and of course Quinoa, We cooked the Quinoa for 20 minute on the stove.. 

The dressing is a simple Olive Oil, Vinegar and salt dressing.. along the best Italian tradition.

As a drink sparkling plain water..

Finally after cooking I  have brushed my teeth grabbed my coffee. I am working again on my blog and then I will head to the other clinic.

While I was eating I called home and found Anna my mother in law who was at home with Lapo. Lapo was all cheerful and happy to have Anna.

Anna is leave this Friday on her way to Rome. I am sure our bambini have been happy.. Lapo in particular and  Simona was happy to have Anna around to help with our family.

Today I am going to the new clinic for Money Management.

So I have to go..

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Monday March 2 morning

Already as usual on Friday I went to the gym and had my Zumba dance with Honey.. her daughter Ararai is fine (thank you for asking)

On Saturday as usual I took care of the apartment and then went to my Grocery shopping place

This is Monica

Kenvas

For Michael $74.75 and for Simona and extra $20. Grand total at a cool $94.75

For Simona tickets for the raffle.

No stickers are is was all out.

I then wrote a letter to Anna,  Simona's mother in law and sent it  at home in La Canada, California as she is was about to leave.

In addition I have been writing to my sons  a good and encouraging letter in English and block letters.

On Saturday afternoon I have been going to catch the movie Focus

It is an OK movie .. funny and smart at the time.

Never loose Focus..

At the theater I greeted Ignez who was glad to pose for a picture for me.

Here is my comment afterward:

"movie outing fine, waiting  outside for everybody else priceless.

For everything else there is CNS.. You can always count on it.

But you need to get a reason to get on board as  this  is a true  5 stars vacation resort." 

Over the weekend I have been cleaning around and found that Lapo our little son forgot to bring back with him  his flute. I have found it in my apartment and let Simona know about its whereabouts.

Over the weekend Renne came back from Luisiana.

She remembered to bring me back a gator for Lapo. I know he was looking forward for this though full present,

Hence the family is happy. 

On Sunday I have been cleaning carefully the whole apartment. Kitchen, my room my restroom. 

I like to have a nice and clean apartment. This is my house and I like to keep it clean.

I don't have any other place to go right now.. hence I have adjusted to the apartment and to keep it as clean as possible.

I have been doing recycle as well so that it is all done, it came out at $2.07. I don't do it for the money I do it because it is good for the environment. In fact I am recycling as much as possible.

On Sunday I went as well to the gym 

Finally to church.

I need to go 

thanks

Giuseppe