Wine & Chill

This time last year the flu-like symptoms of the Wuhan coronavirus were just beginning to show up. The first confirmed case appeared in late January, but it wasn’t until late February that the first U.S. death was reported in Washington state. In mid-March, Montgomery County reported Alabama’s first case of COVID-19, resulting in several schools switching to online instruction. Athletic events were canceled and self-quarantining engorged lake traffic two months ahead of usual. That was the tip of the iceberg.

On April 9, the statewide mask mandate is scheduled to expire. The citizens of Alabama will be allowed – possibly encouraged – to return to normal, hopefully with a sense of caution. Here at the lake and in the surrounding communities, normal is pretty nice. Relaxing with a glass of wine is a postcard moment – carefree, whimsical and full of laughter, just as summer should be. With most restrictions lifted and apprehension diminishing, it is an opportunity to reflect and reconnect.