Monday Dec 14

What Shall I do to drive?
Q: This is the question of the day please CNS?
A: I have been told today that I will see Dr. Helvie this Thursday  Dec 17.





Last Friday December 11 I went to the gym as every Friday I had Zumba with Caroline. At my left with the Red hair is Rachael. At my right with a pink  shirt you see Caroline my Zumba teacher.

As usual texted her this picture - She gave me her phone number. It is based on tryst as I am only using to text her the image at the gym on a Friday afternoon. This is working very well.






As I had time to spare I worked out at the gym a bit. I met Larry and his wife Janice. I showed them the work out gloves I received from them. They are two really good persons.


on Friday I refused to take Ambien to sleep and I felt  cranky the whole day.

So I felt that Ambien was really working for me and I start going back taking it again.

It makes me sleep well, and wake up ready for my day.

On Saturday Dec 12 morning I took care of the house duty of the apartment.

It was clear to me that the apartment needed a deep cleaning that had not been provided for a long time.  Obviously it had been let got for quite sometime.

So I took care by myself. and in fact I got it  back to my own  standard.


In the morning I went to Trader Joe's for my grocery shopping. She is Meredith always happy to see me over there.

I spent $67.84 and the usual routine followed...



I came back to the apartment, put away all the grocery and applied stickers.
Yes stickers are very important ... caveat Stickers.

For lunch my family came to visit me.. yes they do not leave with them.

They leave in La Canada as I do not leave with them. I  am recovering  by myself at CNS in Bakersfield.

I gave them  the letters I  prepared.

Also I purchased pins for the boys: a snowflake and a Xmas season pin, see the snapshot of the pins.



Here are the boys at the CNS apartment watching TV





We all went outside to eat at  Panera Bread.











We had a good lunch.

Afterward we  went to the mall, where I got a new belt.
Simona purchased something as a present.

The boys had a Frozen Yogurt.



















This is Lapo enjoying his treat.




This is Chicco working on his candy.





I did not eat any ice cream.


I purchased a new belt at Banana Republic. The one I had was not doing a good job any longer.





This time we chosen a new belt of the correct length.





Afterward Simona left with the boys as she drove back hone to La Canada where she leaves with the boys.

I instead went to the Maya  movie theater.
I saw Moby Dick as Chicco was readying the book.

The movie is called "In the heart of the sea"

I enjoyed the movie and the peaceful environment of the theater.

According to today's news the movies' success has been very disappointing.

In my opinion Ron Howard made a good movie, yet the box office has not been supporting it.
Certainly the competition at the movie theater has been very heavy.

While exiting the movie theater I met Chris from CNS. He is a therapist at the clinic in Ashe Rd.


On Saturday I  had time to write.

I wrote in Italian to my wife Simona.




I also wrote in English to my boys . The boys were born here in US and they do not read any Italian.






I mailed the letter on Saturday evening fully knowing that the mail does not collect them until Monday morning.

On Sunday  Dec 13  I went to S. Philips Church.
As usual I gave the whole outing money I had left as charity.
It is $5.75




I received a new calendar for 2016




I went to the gym where I did the 40 minute on the stepper at level 7. It makes 3.55 miles. I enjoyed the stepper very much. I had time to do Abdominal crunch 3x20x50lb , to take my weight and to leave.



This is a chart of my body weight in lb as recorded at the gym since end of June, it is a six month worth of data.



Yesterday Simona went to S. Francisco as she is attending a conference. It is AGU (American Geophysical  Union) Conference. It is a large one. About 22,000 people are expected to attend.

She has an invited talk. Our kids are staying with our Nanny Marina. They are used to stay with her family whenever Simona is traveling for work. As mentioned Simona is Assistant Professor of  Environmental Science and Atmospheric Engineering.

Here are a few pictures of the beautiful surrounding.




And of course the beautiful roses of the California's garden.

Ready for the Rose Parade?




Enjoy the reading.
Sincerely
Giuseppe

Friday December 11

Yesterday I went to the Retina Institute for an appointment with Dr. Castillo. I was taken by surprise as I had not been informed by anybody of the event.


 I was asked to pay a co payment and  I had not enough money with me . It felt really unconformable looking at them while counting down to my last dollar  for a  discounted co-pay.


Dr. Castillo  dilated my eye and checked my crystalline.

It is a good procedure that I have to do once in a year (next time it is going to be next year on December 12 2016).

As a result of the procedure I was out of commission  for a few hours because my pupils could not close down nor modulate the light appropriately. I did not go to the gym.

it lasted a few hours.  Today I am feeling  fine.

 As a result my daily activity at the apartment (THP) were as follows: I have been writing to my kids and wife. To my wife the letter below in Italian explaining her my latest dr. visit

I realized I was writing in Italian, then I wrote to my kids a letter in English.  

They do no read  any Italian. At  home we do speak Italian though.

In the meantime I was cooking a good vegetable broth. 

Samantha came in my apartment to make sure I was OK and she took this picture of me with my white  apron.

I also received a new phone holder from Simona my wife.

These are the roses at the apartment.

This is me this morning, high giving a high five to everybody.

Araceli was kind to snap the picture with my phone.

In the morning I saw the gardener taking care of the roses and I had a this picture of me for my wife and for everybody that takes care of me.

I went to the park for my daily walk and snapped these pictures with a nice squirrel.

Today at the AAC I  read the newspaper, start filling my daily blog and then had a good yummy lunch all together.

I enjoyed it very much, the cold tea as well.

Despite the fact that I had brought my lunch,  I decided to eat with the whole team instead.

Simona called me to explain she is doing OK, we went thought some of the recent events (family business)

Enjoy the reading

My database is next

Sincerely

Giuseppe

Wednesday December 9

Yesterday after my therapy I  came back to the apartment.

I  kept myself busy. I have been cooking and writing to my family.

A letter to the boys below and to the whole family on the second page sheet below

Before writing I have been cooking Polpette, that is meat ball.

I used turkey ground beef, sweet peppers, chopped potatoes, shredded bread and bread crumble.

I also added seasoning:  salt, garlic powder and pepper.

I mixed all together by using a couple of eggs. 

This a tested recipes. The new ingredients yesterday where the potatoes and the sweet peppers.

Before cooking Polpette appeared as such

It cooked it in the oven for 40 minutes and finally broiled for a few minutes.

Believe me this is a very good home make mix for polpette. 

Thank you Anna -my mother in law- for recommending me this really good recipe.

After all these THP (Therapeutic Home Program)  it was tine for me to go to the gym.

I had my body pump class with Ellie here at my right hand side.

She is always happy to see me attending her class.

I focused on repetition and precision rather than loading my body with a lot of weights.

At the gym I met Marnita she mentioned she saw me at Trader Joe's last Saturday.

After body pump I started dancing Zumba. 

Monica came to let me know it was time for me to go back to the apartment.

And in fact it was time for moving back.

I slept really well last night. My night medications are working great, in particularly my Ambient makes me fall in a deep and restoring  sleep. My body wakes up by itself at 6:15am. Ready and recharged for a new day at work.

Our kids were at home yesterday and working on their homework.

This morning I had a very good breakfast. The most important feature of this image is the table clothe. It was given to me by my Case Manager Jolanta.

I like to start my day  thanking everybody at CNS and Jolanta.

This morning Miss Araceli came to check my meds (as usually),

She was kind to snap this picture of me with my family

It is a brisk day outside.

The park is turning into a winter park.

The leaves in the ground remind me of the leave in Ithaca New York  at Cornell University.

I did my post doc over there after a brief sting at Princeton University.

The images below are from the web 

Simona was kind to visit me at both universities. She really enjoyed the experience.

She is glad though it was over and I moved back to a warmer place in California.

Today I had the first part of my money management at the apartment. 

It was time to provide the receipt  for the Money Management program.

I am doing well with the outing money as what between movie, snack and church the whole $24 are gone.

On the grocery Shopping I am having a bit more issues. Likely Simona leaves me a Personal Account and Jesus makes sure I have what I need.

I saw Jesus this morning entering his office and sent him an email to wish him a good day.

Flowers for today.

I like the third one 

Enjoy the reading.

Sincerely

Tuesday December 8

Yesterday afternoon I went to the gym and had Yoga with Lilli.

Monica drove me to the gym and dropped me off.

Over there I met the usual familiar people.

This is a picture of me and Lee, He is a good person and a particularly a person that cares for me.

At the gym I met Richard, Damian and the usual people that attend the gym with me.

At 6:45pm it was time for me to go back to the apartment and Dolores the sup came to pick me up with her car to drove me back.

Today in Italy it is the celebration of the Holly Mary and as well the opening of the Holly year.

Early this morning I called Anna my mother in  law and spoke with his brother Saverio.
They are both fine.

 I talked with my wife Simona who took the kids to school.She mentioned she had visitors and that she was busy. Due to my headache I have not been putting her trough a call.

My healthy breakfast is the following one.

My daily flower pictures are as below. In my opinion it is a great picture well suited for today. I dedicate it as usual to all the people that have been caring and will be caring for me.

the park pano feature of the  morning is  the following one. 

You have to love the park as I do and taking a lot of picture of it.  

My hand is getting steadier and steadier. It looks to me that  the composition of the image is improving. When you check this image you will see my shadow at the left hand side of the picture.

At the clinic I read the newspapers and then I had mediation with Matt.
 It was a difficult session for me to go through because of my shunt that today makes feel its presence in my skull at the right hand side.

I had lunch outside with my heavy coat on to breath the fresh and cool air of the day

I am filling my daily blog and shortly I will be working on the paper database for Lisa and CNS.

Sincerely

Giuseppe