“Dining In” Is Back.

In house dining is opening up across the western suburbs as Governor Pritzker eases restrictions on bars and restaurants. From Shorewood to St. Charles, from DeKalb to Downers Grove the cheers are resounding and the excitement builds with every reservation!! Is this a move back to normalcy? It would seem so, but things won’t be getting back to normal any time soon simply because we still are so heavily under the cloud of the pandemic. It does seem like we have been in perpetual lockdown for almost a year and it feels more like forever. These small victories are something we can all take to heart, but we still need to be true to ourselves and our neighbors. Wearing the mask, keeping that social distance, washing ones hands, keeping your social circle small and tight and simply being overly careful. Places we visited during the lockdowns that did decide to stay open were very vigilant about their masking and distancing and air filtration and safety of their customers. I as you so wish for more of that normal feeling, but I fear we won’t see live music or larger gatherings coming any time soon. I long to see friends and just sit in bar, have a beer, talk and enjoy the ambiance and the camaraderie. The vaccine is the key to that return to normalcy, but that seems to be stretch for right now too. Your frustration is my frustration and that of almost everybody else. All we can do for now is stay strong, were the damn mask and take it one day at a time.