Sunday, January 26, 2014

It's cooling down a bit, I hope we get some rain soon…

 Monday was a pretty good day. I got a massage, and got up and got dressed for the day. Teresa took Karen and I to Costco to get a bunch of stuff I needed. Karen doesn't drive and Teresa doesn't like going into Costco so she drove us and waited out in the van with Robby. I had an English muffin and some kiwi for breakfast and then my aunt brought over a bagel with cream cheese so I had to eat that. At Costco I got a hot dog and that should've been enough. We have an appointment at 4 PM to interview the girl who applied for the weekend morning job. Her name was Lisa and her resume and schedule were really well organized, she seems awesome. We had said that we were going to hire anybody on the spot anymore because the last couple of times we do that turned out really bad but we both really liked everything about this girl so she starts Saturday. She's going to school to be an RN, she already has  a job, she knows CPR, she drives and she loves to organize. I'm so excited about this girl. Rosa came in and got me something to eat, I shouldn't have eaten anymore  but I had some tilapia and a salad. I was still hungry so I have a couple pieces of bacon and some rice pudding, I don't know what is wrong with me today but I can't stop eating. We did some personal care and I got to take my well needed nice long hot bath.

Tuesday was a little cold but it was still nice. I got ready to take Robby for cruise when Andrei called and said he had a cancellation and he could come here and fixed my laterals on my chair. My neck, back and shoulders are so sore from not being properly aligned in my chair. I did notice it that much when it was cold and I didn't say up in my chair long but now that the weather is nice I'm staying up longer and my body is feeling it. He adjusted my laterals and it felt so much better, he is such an awesome and caring guy… And he's funny.  I cruised Robby around a little bit through the lagoon and to the wharf and back. My usual route is through the lagoon and up through the Bay St., Park. When I was by the Boardwalk I ran into a lady and her dog and she recognized me from cruising through the park, she lives in a yellow bungalow across the street. I came back because Kelly invited me over for lunch. She has been shooting pictures for a fish company so they sent her a bunch of frozen fresh fish and after she takes pictures she gets to eat it,  I had some tuna steaks the other night and they were awesome. She had some smoked tuna that she cut really thin and made a salad, it was perfect. I came home and Teresa put me to bed and I had some boar salami and some cowgirl cheese. I rested for the rest of the night and watched TiVo.

Wednesday was such a nice day. We showed the housekeeper sister what we needed as far as caregiving, she has done it before, and she will let us know if she is interested in the job. They took Robby for a really long cruise with my Google glass and kind of lost track of time, not that I had anything to do  but my battery is not lasting as long as it used to. I cruise through the lagoon, up through Bay St., Park and down W. Cliff Dr., I was going to go down to the wharf when I noticed I had to red bars flashing on my wheelchair battery indicator so I decided to come home. I plugged my chair in for a little bit to get recharged and then went down to the farmers market with Tom and Kelly. I didn't get a lot of stuff because I had just ordered a bunch of stuff from Santa Cruz local foods. I want to start eating salads again in the farmers market has awesome stuff for salads. They came back and rested for a bit and chatted with Kelly until Rosa got here to for me to bed. I barely had time to eat when everybody showed up to play cards, it's getting earlier and earlier and I like that because we can play longer but sometimes Rosa doesn't get there until 4:30 PM or 5 PM and I end up eating fast or not eating as much as I would like to. While we were at the farmers market we got a lemon and buttermilk pie, everybody LOVED it. Everybody as in Lee and Claudia, my uncle and Kelly and my mom and I… It's Wednesday and cribbage night. My aunt couldn't make it so Kelly played instead, she was my partner and we won a dollar. I have been having really good hands the last couple of weeks, bring it on family.






Thursday was a pretty crazy day. For the last two nights my house alarm has been keeping me up so I decided to call the company and they said it would be  $100 for them to come out and $60 to replace the battery. My other option was to go to RadioShack and buy a new battery for $40,  unhook the old one  and hook this one up. He gave me the information on the type of battery and I headed down to RadioShack, the lady there told me that my best bet was to bring the battery in because it was hard to tell by just the size. I headed back home to grab the battery and pass Karen on the way, I guess I'll see if my mom can unhook the battery. Of course she could, she can pretty much do anything. I had a dentist appointment so I headed down there thinking I would cross over and hit RadioShack on the way back. Instead of the technician who usually cleans my teeth it was the doctor, a real test. He said I needed to have the inside of the bottom of my teeth cleaned better and I need to use floss, they always tell me that. I have a lot of flosser but the doctor said he's convinced that they work as well as just regular floss so I will try that. I went down to RadioShack and this guy was really nice and helpful, he found the battery I needed and changed the wires so would be easier to install. At the last minute I asked him if I needed the wires that were on the old one so he decided to check and thank goodness he did, I would've gotten all the way back here and don't enable to install it because there was no wires and it would have had to go all the way back again. Teresa came and we did some personal care and I didn't have a chance to get a nice long hot bath because we had to do the sleep study. My doctor decided to send me to a sleep clinic so they sent us home with this unit to strap on my chest. There was one of those little finger monitors that had a light on it and I had to put this breathing hose in my nose, I really hope I get this right because I don't want to do this again. I turned everything off and I actually managed to make myself go to sleep for about five or six hours, I hope that is enough. I woke up at 3 o'clock because my computer shut down and was making a weird beeping sound, I would just let it go but Robby was freaking out. Because jumping up on my bed and running around to the back of the computer and he just wouldn't settle down. Of course my computers down so I can call my mom but luckily I put a leash on my table and I was finally able to hold my table close enough to me to hit the call button. My mom came down and fixed everything but now I can't sleep.

Friday was a really great day. The guy from Lodi that I ordered my Adirondack/wine barrel table and chairs was delivering them himself, I guess he makes a man delivers them and boy are they gorgeous.  I used to live in Lodi so we started talking about it and I asked him about a couple of places that we used to eat that a lot and they are not only still there but his family's favorite. There was a place called Chop Chop that was right down the street from where we lived, they had the best garlic fried chicken, that was Ray's favorite also. They said I wish I would've known because I would've bought you some, okay now you have to order more furniture so I can have garlic fried chicken… I saw a really awesome bench and table set that he has. There was also a place I remembered called Angelenas, they had a restaurant and a deli. He also is there with his family a lot, this guy has really good taste. I took while before cruise through the lagoon and almost down to the lighthouse and back. I ran into this guy that I see up there a lot and he said "hello, I live in the apartment complex right behind your house" I talked to him for a few minutes and he was impressed with my Google class and wanted to try them on and check them out so I let him, he was a very sweet guy named Mark. I looked at the time and it was 12:35 PM, I was supposed to meet Teresa, Alex and Karen down at the Nickelodeon theater to watch a movie called August: Osage County. It was really really good movie and we all enjoyed it very much, we talked about going and seeing it again. Right down the street was Jack's hamburgers so we stopped in there to get something to eat, this is only my second time here but they are really really good. Teresa and I came back and hung out with Alex for a while and then she put me to bed and went home to get some sleep because she's coming back in the morning to help train Lisa, I'm really excited about Lisa and I think she's going to work out.



 Saturday was a little cooler than it has been, I think were supposed to get rain at the end of next week. Teresa trained a new girl named Lisa, were both very impressed with her during the interview and she didn't let us down. She is great. I took Robby for a cruise through the lagoon, to the end of the second dog beach and back and my battery was already flushing to red bars so I came home. I can't wait until the guy comes out to check my batteries, I know they should be Diane this quick. Rosa came in and put me to bed and we did some personal care and I got to take a nice long hot bath, it sure felt great.

Sunday was a really great day. It was a little cold in the morning but the sun came out and it was tolerable. It was the second day of training Lisa and I can't believe it but she's even better than the first day, her and Teresa even cleaned HALF of my garage and it looks amazing. They're going to do the other half next week. I cruised Robby through the lagoon, through Bay St., Park and down Westcliff Drive until I saw a bunch of tents and a barbecue, there was some kind of competition going on and way too many people and dogs for me so we turned around and went down to the wharf. I saw this guy walking towards me pointing and waving and assumed he was addressing somebody behind me so I moved over to go around them, he stepped in front of me and I suddenly recognized him. It was Rosie, our families grew up together and him and his wife and my parents were really good friends so we got to be really good friends with their kids, they still keep up with them on Facebook as well as him. He was with the wife of another friend that we grow up with, her and her husband are divorced.  It was really great to see him, he said it had been five years, time is going by way too fast. I came home and marveled at my garage for a while and then came in to charge my chair. Lexi came over for a while, I haven't seen her since Christmas so it was great to see her, and then set came over.  My aunt called to let me know that we were having dinner here and they were bringing in over, it was my cousin and his daughter's birthday. My uncle and aunt cooked ribs, made a pasta salad with shrimp, artichokes and garlic bread… The beat just fell off the bones. My aunt got some cupcakes and of course I took pictures with my Google glass. Rosa came in and put me to bed.

















Sunday, January 19, 2014

Back in the 70s again this week…

Monday was a great day. I got my two hour massage, ate some mustard chicken, golden beets and greens and got up for the day. It felt so great to be out in the weather was perfect. Robby and I went out for a cruise through the lagoon, down Westcliff Drive to the second dog Beach where we ran into Kristof, down to the end of the boardwalk and back. I really didn't want to come home because it was so beautiful out. I decided that I'm going to start working with Robby throughout the day instead of waiting until I get home because I almost never happens and it's working out great. He's still a little anxious around some dogs, just random dogs, but hopefully if he gets plenty of exercise and we work on it we can do something about it. I rested for a bit and then roast became and put me to bed. I was looking on Facebook and I saw this recipe for this coconut custard dish and wouldn't you know I had all the ingredients so Rosa made it for me, it was killer. I went through some more old pictures and added some more to my iPhoto library.
Tuesday was another beautiful day, I can't believe how perfect it is outside. I'm so glad that everyone has gone back to school or work because that means I can cruise around almost anywhere and hardly run into anyone. I took Robby for a cruise through the lagoon, down to the end of the boardwalk and back and home. I feel like I have a great day if I can cruise will be around for at least 7 miles, I'm so afraid of him getting overweight or bored. I'm always torn on Tuesdays because I feel better after going to the chiropractor but it always cuts made a short, my appointment is usually around 2 PM. On the way home I decided I had a craving for Taco Bell tacos, I don't know why I just love Taco Bell. I had a ranch taco and a cheddar taco and enjoy them very much.

Wednesday was an awesome day. I was going to go to lunch and see a movie with Teresa and Karen met Teresa canceled and Karen said it is such a beautiful day that I should run Robby and we can go to a movie when the weather is not so nice, she is so thoughtful. Robby and I went for an extra long cruise all over Santa Cruz. My phone is not sending texts the last couple of days so I cruised down to the AT&T store to see if they can help me out, I was thinking about it last night and I'm into just shut my phone on and off to see if that helps so when I get down there guess what they have me do? That's right shut it off and on and lo and behold… At least now I can text and I know what to do next time. The guy told me I should shut it off every two or three days and he explained the reason but although my body was still there my mind was outdoors trying to decide where I was good to go next so I don't remember what he said. Westcliff Drive and the wharf were not crowded at all so we made the most of it. I came home and rested for a bit and Rosa came in to put me to bed. My cousin is a food photographer and somebody sent her a bunch of fish to photograph so of course she gets to eat it after and I told her that I would be glad to help her out. She was on a job in Sacramento so her husband Tom brought me over some tuna and I looked up how to sear it and had for dinner, Rosa did a great job and it was perfect. My uncle and aunt, Lee and Claudia and my mom and I played cards and ate salami, cheese and crackers. My brother brought over this huge round smoked  Provolone cheese log so we decided to break into it, it was so good. My uncle was my partner and we lost a dollar so I can live with it. Life is great.
Thursday was another awesome day. I know we need the rain but I am just loving this beautiful weather. Kay came by and colored, highlighted and cut my hair… I feel so lucky to have finally found somebody who cuts my hair perfectly and she comes to the house. It was such a beautiful day we did most of it outside on my back porch. I took Robby and went for a cruise through the lagoon, down to the lighthouse Museum and back. I ran into a guy I met a while back that helps out with the Segway Tours, he says he's not helping out too much right now because it's slow but I'm sure you'll be back up on his Segway helping out Tammy this summer. I came back and she reciprocally to bed, we did some personal care and I got a nice long hot bath… Now if I could only go to sleep. She recooked the tuna, it's okay to eat it like this but it's really supposed to be white in the middle. It was so good, I had it with most of brussels sprouts and some greens. I saw a box sitting on the end of the bench underneath the window and when Teresa opened it I was so excited, I finally got my Google gloss new edition back, I can't wait to get up tomorrow and try them out and see what the improvements are.

Friday was also an awesome day. I feel so lucky but feel so bad, I'm really enjoying this great weather but I really feel bad that it's not raining. I wish it would be like this all day and then rain all night long.  I put my new Google  glass on excited to go out and take pictures and see if I could figure out why I traded them in as new and improved. I couldn't get past pairing them with my phone, believe me I tried several times, so I decided to put them away and try to figure it out later. Robby and I went on our regular cruise enjoying the last day before the crowds come back to Santa Cruz for the weekend. I cruised around as much as I can before once again my battery was running  on only one red bar, time to come home. Teresa came and put me to bed and brought me some chicken, sausage, potato and kale stew… I love that stuff.  She helped me with Google glass support and we got it to work, we just had to delete the old glass and install the new one. I am ready to go tomorrow.

Saturday was another great day. Teresa came in and made me some breakfast pizzas, I had some biscuits made and she made some homemade sauce. She got me dressed and got me up And I took out with my new Google glass, I took pictures of everything. I didn't notice anything new so I need to read up on what is different from the old glass. I had hoped that while taking a picture you can somehow zoom and get the pictures closer but it didn't say if it was there. The pictures are still great quality and I guess we'll just take more time to find out what the changes are. A couple of years back I met a guy who was CCI puppy raiser, he was raising a puppy named Lillian. I ran into him a couple times but they didn't see him anymore until today… I was cruising down Westcliff and I saw a guy with a golden lab puppy and when I walked by he turned around like he saw me and said hello. He introduced himself, his name was Scott, and I remembered him but for some reason I thought his puppy's name was Daisy. Apparently Lillian did not pass CCI guidelines so he got to keep her, that's great for him. We visited for a couple of minutes and then he told me that he lived over by this really nice dog park and said I should give it a try, Robby is getting to be a little leery around dogs and I want to break him of the habit. I have been thinking that it's me giving him my tension when dogs go by and I proved that today, I made myself just relax every time we went by a dog and he was fine… I need to work on me. Scott left me a message on my cell phone and gave me his address so that he or his wife could meet Bobby and I down at the dog park with Lillian and we could watch them play. We cruise down Westcliff Drive and I ran into my neighbor John, I was using the voice command to take a picture with Google glass and I think he thought I was on the phone so he stepped back and said I'm sorry. I told him I was talking to my Google glass and did he ever see them before and he said no but I have now. We cruise down to the second dog Beach and then down to the end of the wharf and back, I kept thinking that there sure is a lot of people for a Friday and then I realized it was Saturday. My battery was almost dead so I cruised back home and rested for a while until Rosa came in to put me to bed. I had a really bad headache so I took a couple of Tylenol PMs and fell asleep for a while but here I am back awake.








 Sunday was a really nice and quiet day, it looked beautiful outside but I was happy to stay in bed and rest. I woke up at 7 AM when my mom came down to feed Robby and then went back to sleep until 11 AM, that felt great. I found a bunch of photos in the garage and I talked my mom into scanning them little by little when she has time. She brought down the first batch and it had pictures of my 40th birthday, 12 years ago.