We went to dinner at a local winery last night. It felt so good to be “out on a date with my best guy” and to let PD stay at home. The meal was served outdoors with a lovely view of mountains in the distance and the weather couldn’t have been better. We enjoyed live music, good food and wine. It reminded me of other times and other locations before his diagnosis.

There were some accommodations we made to the evening. Outdoor seating is always interesting, so we looked for the best option with somewhat stable chairs that he could easily navigate. We chose a small table that could be moved into position after he was seated. Dinner was a plated buffet which meant that we had to carry it to the table. I picked up food for both of us. When we were ready to leave, I moved the table out of the way and helped him to his feet just as we often do at home. I try to present my assistance as unobtrusively as possible, minor adaptations that don’t create a fuss, and it all worked.

If I had asked my husband ahead of time whether he wanted to go to the winery, chances are he would have said no. Often just the thought of doing something different exhausts him. Instead, I bought tickets on-line and then told him about it. There is always a chance he could be having a bad day and we would have to cancel, but it’s worth the risk because getting out of the house feels so good. Once we were back home and settled, he turned to me and said “Thank you for dinner, it was fun”. I’m already looking for tickets for our next outing.