Easter

*Smack*...
That's the sound of me dusting off these tired old knuckles as I scratch the itch. Contributing to this great and worthy blog, that is.
Today's a good day. It's the start of a holiday weekend. Easter. Which as we all know, means HAM. Meat. I don't get meat a whole lot these days since marrying my wonderful wife who just happens to be a vegetarian. Such is my mania. This is a good day for a number of reasons. They are as follows:

- The inevitable coming of The Ham.
- Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy (props to Jake Leinenkugel over in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin)
- A wife SO devoted to baking that she's decorating cookies as we speak... and it's 12:50 a.m.
- Reconnecting with Cool Hand, another key operative in bringing opinion and high-brow humor to the masses via Stroking The Cortex

Now, as I sit here in my linen shorts (hey, even though it's 12:53 a.m., it's still warm out), my signature straw fedora and a Shandy-induced Cheshire Cat grin, I got a rush of overwhelming calm and focus. Reflecting back on this small but purposeful life I lead as The Big Easy, things that were never so clearly defined are now in focus with such a degree of clarity, it's almost nauseating. Kinda like watching HD for the first time. Crap, I'm straying. Because I haven't written in a while. *shake* ("focus, man. SOME people read this.")
Let's start from the top...
- Ham. Obvious. Meat.
- Leinie's Summer Shandy. Ok, some people get excited about baseball's opening day, their first mow of the season, first whiff of a grill from a block away... not me. To me, the day the Shandy hits the shelves is the day that summer is on its way. True, warm weather may already be here, but Shandy is a sign. A sign of all the things above. For those who don't have a clue what I'm talking about, a Shandy is a lemonade-mixed beer. Popularized in Europe and brought to the States by a saint (in my book). Check it out at your nearest corner store.
- Obsessive cookie-baking wife. Every house needs one. She will turn out the best, most intricately-decorated baked goods your gut has ever seen. She works with Almond Extract the way some artist work in oils. Truly a sight to be seen.
- Reconnecting with quality people. And I mean QUALITY, people. Cool Hand is a cat so devoted to everything that's good and right, it's almost sickening. He's exceptionally hard working, infinitely fair-minded and most importantly a fierce, fierce friend. I find myself in awe sometimes that people like him are among us. Almost like being awarded with a great prize that you're not quite sure why you received. He'll lend an ear (both if he's got the time and a well-packed pipe), but he'll also call you when he needs YOUR ear, begging the question, "Who do the superheroes turn to when they need direction or a nudge?"

In conclusion to this pointless rant, enjoy the holiday, folks. The Ham, the Shandy, the resident harbinger of all things baked and sweet and finally, friends. Cheers. Here's to a good night. It's great being back.


- Easy