For months my husband and I have anticipated this. We have discussed this back and forth, imagining what it would look like. And, like everything else you anticipate as much as we have, it happened very differently than expected. I am talking about eating in a restaurant.

On Saturday night, we took a ride on our friend’s boat. It was just my husband and I and the couple who owned the boat, so we were able to stay socially distant. The plan was that we would head to a favorite restaurant, “Jordan’s Lobster,” get lobster rolls to go, eat them on the boat, and then head to see local fireworks. This was the plan we all discussed prior and all felt comfortable with.

When we docked at Jordan’s my husband jokingly said to the hostess, “How long for a table?” It was an hour and half wait for an outside table but then she said, “If you want a table inside, I can seat you immediately.” Shocked at her response, we all looked at one another, and saw we were all nodding our heads. Our meal of lobster rolls on the boat quickly turned to lobster dinners in a restaurant. (Anyone who knows me knows that lobster is my favorite).

With masks on, we followed the hostess indoors to a table. The tables were clearly properly spaced, and she seated us at a large booth. The menus were disposable and the waitstaff wore masks throughout. I felt safe, relaxed, and extremely comfortable throughout the meal. As always at Jordan’s, the eight-pound lobster my husband and I shared was delicious. And yes, there were leftovers for a great lunch the next day.

My husband and I took an unexpected step towards normalcy by eating in a restaurant. Have you? What was your experience?