Instead of sharing my life’s story of overcoming obstacles in honor of Cerebral Palsy Awareness day, I’m going to spice it up a bit. Spending my 21st birthday in Napa Valley in California taught me two important life lessons… 1. Life is too short not to enjoy good wine 2. Wine goes down the same way whether you sip it from a glass or through a straw– yes, a straw. I’m reminiscing… sitting on an elegant porch in Napa…marveling at miles of grapevines and vineyards… smelling the fresh greenery and earth in the crisp air. As the head sommelier explained his notes, I popped my own reusable silicone straw into the first of four glasses. He only paused for a second before he finished sharing how they age the grapes, in what kind of barrels, with which varieties. Hey, fun straws can make happy hour more fun and faster too, therefore drinking more! Just think — if I didn’t have CP, I wouldn’t have the pleasure of turning heads when I enjoyed some of the finest wines in Napa Valley. I still have yet to open the bottle of Goldeneye’s top seller, Ten Degrees Pinot Noir 2016 which has 95 points on Wine Enthusiast.
On several occasions when I go out with friends, people will ask; “Can you get a DUI in that thing?” referring to driving my power chair. Depending how sassy I am at that moment, I might respond with; “I could get one but l just blame it on my tone. “Oops, my arm just jerked the wrong way and that’s why I drove off the sidewalk.” Thankfully, this has never happened (or I’ve never gotten caught), and no I cannot legitimately get a DUI if you are wondering, but it does make for a great conversation starter! To my fellow chair users, what are your best lines?
