Weather forecast for the next week is terrific. I explained to Bruce I would like to get him back on his routine. I Emailed his Boss and said I expected Bruce to be in the office on Wednesday and Thursday. Bill said "come along!"

So we had our usual Saturday list of errands and at 35 degrees out and sunny, off we went. Well after the pool and errands, we tried to go out for late breakfast and could not find a parking space, so came home. Normally I do not mind bringing Bruce across a parking lot as long as I have room to transfer him to and from the WC. We can never find handicapped spots. But with the mounds of snow, parking alone is at a premium and finding space is impossible. So I made brunch. But I said to Bruce, we have all our errands done. Sunday should be a nice day as well and we can pick up the usual milk and bread if you would like to go out. Bruce says, "Yes, we will definitely go out."

So on Sunday mornings Bruce spends a long time with his paper. He pulls the sales brochures he is interested in, pulls the coupon sections for me. I said to him "do you still want to go to the grocery store?" He says,"yes, we are definitely going out, but no rush." OK, so now this is new and I am curious.

We are going to the truck and I notice he has his sales brochures with him. He has never done this. Checks them out and then says can you take me to such and so. Off to the grocery store and the few perishables we need and we get in the truck and he says take me to Rite Aid, please. We get inside and he says to me "I will be a few minutes" and takes off "tooling" as my sister calls it, working the WC with his feet, down the aisle. The clerk at the counter says "Mr. Sparks we haven't seen you in a while, how are you?" He says, "Fine, could you help me?"

He bought me a Russell Stover Heart Valentine with a crystal on the cover. I almost fell over. I know he watches TV and reads the paper, but this is a first. He and Mary Beth had talked at Christmas time that Bruce's roommate did not step up this year and take Bruce shopping for me and that Mary Beth would make sure next year she took care of it. I also know cognitively this winter he has made great strides. I was lamenting the physical regression only to be rewarded with the cognitive improvement.

But, folks, I can not have the Valentine until tomorrow. Tonight he prepped steak and salad for dinner (I work tomorrow evening and will not have dinner with him-also another cognitive improvement that he he thought of that, much less planned ahead) and then did the dishes.

We caregivers thrive on these moments. These are the things that lighten our hearts and make waking up tomorrow morning worth it.

Happy Valentine's Day