It's Just Grape Juice

after months of grueling 60+ hour weeks, it's always a gift to enjoy weekends at home instead of at the office. so when this past saturday rolled around, i jumped on the opportunity to hop in a car with a few friends and drive out to the vineyards of virginia.

clearly, with carolyn at the helm, the day was planned down to the minute. which was great for me as i could just sit in the car and relax as i sip on local wines and nibble on crackers.

with pit stops planned at four different vineyards (chyrsalis, three fox, naked mountain, and linden), it was a full day of tastings.

now i'm not a wine connoisseur by any means, but i enjoy a few glasses here or there, and it was more about the escape than it was the wine (though i did end up with a few bottles to take home). i was expecting to see rolling hills, rustic greens, and the asymmetry of grapevines spanning the grounds...and for the most part, that is exactly what i got.

speaking to my coworkers, these are the moments that keep is sane throughout a legislative sausage making process that has consumed our lives these past few months. whether it be a dash up to ny for a triathlon, some time spent with the children, an escape to wine country, or just a day at home...i've found these moments to be grounding and a replenishment of the mind and body.

typically, i generally find that copious amounts of alcohol will normally do the trick for me; and not to say there wasn't enough wine to go around, but it was the atmosphere of the country air and the dry, crisp breeze that seemed to have swept any thoughts of markups, legislative dealing, republican reluctance, or partisan agendas to a distant bubble of thought.

the words of the winemaker at our last stop has stuck with me the past day, and i'm sure will be a good reminder to maintain sanity and live in the now as opposed to a future that doesn't exist yet...

it's not about what it should be, it's just about what it is.