A Day Out!

My "patient" was getting restless, so I took him for a day outing on Tuesday to one of our favorite places—Nissley Vineyards (just four miles from our home!). The drive is gorgeous and one that Mark traveled often on his bike when he trained for triathlons. The drive on the winding backroads reminds me of our old stomping grounds—Napa Valley, California. I’m always amazed—shocked really—at all the beauty we have right in our own backyard.

It takes planning, but Mark is able to ambulate to the car with his walker and once I get him in the front seat, it’s all “downhill” after that.

Mark took me to Nissley Vineyards for my 50th birthday (a few years ago!); he blindfolded me so I wouldn’t know where we were going. There was a 50’s band playing that night and everyone brought picnic “dinners” and enjoyed music, dancing, and amazing food until the stars and moon mingled into midnight. Some folks came as far as New York, Virginia and New Jersey for the weekend. And believe me when I say “picnic”—I’m talking candelabras with linen tablecloths. It’s definitely not your “grandmother’s” picnic!

On Tuesday, our lunch consisted of cheese, crackers and grape juice. I called it our “communion” picnic (that got a laugh out of Mark!).

We sat under the huge oak tree on the “hard” benches (Mark reminded me just how hard they were), but I distracted him with the gorgeous view that surrounded us: the stone-arched buildings, the farmhouse, and the rows of neatly cultivated vines waiting for harvest in the fall.


The perfect ending to the day was naptime when our cat, Bianca, finally rested on Mark’s lap for the first time since the accident. She was afraid to come near him (I guess that’s why therapy dogs are used in the hospital!).

Bianca’s purring put my patient right to sleep and no doubt he was dreaming about his first day out!

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