Why blame the groundhog?

Good Monday morning! One cup in and I've yet to venture outside - but I know a lanky hound that will change that, any minute. Can't help but notice the numerous posts on a popular social networking site with remarks about how the groundhog lied. Really? It's northeast Ohio, this time of the year is full of surprises from the weather - and no matter what it throws at me, and mind you I am not especially fond of rain this time of the year, I'm not going to let it influence my great mood!

I'm sitting here typing this with a great cup of coffee, meanwhile on the stove top, there are potatoes simmering - just waiting to be done enough to add onion and some of the fresh, house made corned beef that the awesome executive chef Rick Bennett gave me yesterday - leftovers from St. Patrick's Day brunch. This leftover corned beef also kind of made me stop at the store for some marbled rye bread, thousand island dressing & some sauerkraut. While I've got Irish blood in my veins, St. Patrick's Day is not a holiday I observe - it's not as if I can't, or don't drink, but St. Paddy's Day is at the top of my list for least favorite holidays given what the masses traditionally do on that day. Right underneath it would be New Year's Eve.

Nonetheless, I couldn't resist the idea of a homemade Reuben sandwich with the corned beef I was given. Turned out to be a good choice for a relaxing evening at home, a bit of television and getting to bed early enough to put my sleep pattern back in the normal range. This, in turn, allowed me to get up early today - and I love mornings. On this one, I knew going in that I'd make corned beef hash with some of the leftovers. I'm so not a fan of cold & rainy mornings, but there is simply no flippin' way that weather is going to sour my mood when I'm off to a great start like today. Once the potatoes were done enough to add the onion, my great mood elevated even more - strange as it may sound, there's something amazing about it when you add the onions and the smell starts to waft through the kitchen - mind you I'm a hungry man right about now, but hot damn does this smell make me feel great - cold rainy morning be damned. Call me crazy, over enthusiastic...whatever, but how can a day go bad when it starts with a breakfast of this magnitude? Easy. It can't.

As if I needed more greatness to pile on top of this, I'm listening to some great new music - Reed Wiley's Too Blind To See, a gift from Sonic Bliss Productions. One good turn deserves another, I'm a man who loves to reciprocate acts of kindness, particularly when they revolve around things I'm passionate about - such as music. After a bit of searching for the perfect token for returning such a kind gesture, I'm actually excited about sending it off and the hope that my return serve has anywhere near the impact that its inspiration has had on me. I love practicing acts of kindness. Having said that, it's time to enjoy this freshly made corned beef hash and get a few things done around here before I hit the gym. I hope everyone has a great start to the week. Don't let the weather stop you, and there's no sense in blaming the groundhog - he'll never man up.