Another Step in the Right Direction

Sunday afternoon we had dinner at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Woo hoo! It's been a long time coming, but Skip finally got there. We went with another couple, D&D, the folks who introduced us to the restaurant. We love them and their company and, for a good part of last year, every other Sunday afternoon found the 4 of us together eating Vietnamese. It was such a pleasure to be back there again.

Skip always gets the same thing. Papaya salad with shrimp and a spicy dressing; summer rolls with chicken and a sizzling beef and onion dish for the main course. I, too, love that Papaya salad, which I had followed by my standard: a huge bowl of chicken soup with tons of fresh vegetables. The soup is always served with a side dish of fresh mung bean sprouts, basil and another green I can't remember, along with sliced jalapenos and lime. Mmmm-mmmm, good. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I find the fresh jalapenos too spicy for me, so after the initial try of adding them to the soup, I leave those spicy suckers alone!)

Skip held up well and wasn't too weak. She did have one issue with the restaurant's silverware. Since her stay at the rehab hospital, she's been using silverware with built-up handles. We forgot to bring some with us and have made a mental note to do so when dining out in the future. Since she had some trouble with the utensils, I helped feed her part of the dinner, to make it easier for her. Although we were in a restaurant with other patrons nearby, she didn't seem self-conscious at all that I was feeding her.

After dinner, we headed back home, bellies full and happy for our venture out for good food and a visit with great friends. Once home, settling Skip back into bed, it was great to feel that she'd taken one more step back on the path to feeling human again.