Good heavens it’s Thanksgiving Day! It’s now 6:59am on the ole clock and I have been up since 4am, well the alarm went off a 4, I finally moved at 5:15, oh well I tried. Why up at 5am? Good question, I’m glad you asked, because I have to do the bird, that’s why I’m up. For the past upteen years it has been my task, and I really enjoy it, to smoke the bird. After which at dinner with the family I can “give ‘em the bird”, hey cut me some slack it’s early. My big stick burner smoker gave up the ghost this fall, so I am doing the bird on a Masterbuilt propane smoker, first time for this important project, I’ve used this smoker before but for smaller meals, i.e. ribs and such. So I am having to keep a closer eye on the temp and the smoke. Everybody else in the house is still asleep, which gives me time to do something dangerous, I start to think. Look out!
Now let’s go over a few rules (ideas) to make this day memorable for the right reasons:
1). No politics at anytime during your get together! Unless you just want a bunch of pissed off people scowling around the table. Not a good idea.
2). Go easy on the adult beverages, have a glass of water in-between your 2nd and 4th bourbon and coke, save the beer for the football game, you’ll pass out in front of the TV anyways. What is a good turkey/wine pairing? Btw.
3). If you and Uncle Frank don’t get along, for crying out loud don’t sit next to him.
4). Leave the dark meat for me, that’s where the all the flavor is.
5). Don’t take the last piece of pecan pie, that one is mine. And finally.
6). Be Thankful, no matter what happened this year, you’ve got something to be thankful for.
Which leads us into another paragraph, what on earth is Mr Dave thankful for, that is a very good question, let me tell you. These are not in any particular order, I just write them as they come to mind.
a). the gift of salvation
b). sobriety, this is my 7th sober Thanksgiving
c). my wife, without whom I would probably not be here, ( I don’t do well on my own), and the kids too.
d). my extended family, sister, MIL (since Mom left us 3 years ago, MIL has filled that void nicely, Thanks Kay)
e). Life group at church, (Sunday school class), what a great bunch of characters.
f). friends over the years
g). music / guitar, it’s good to have back, what years of self-medication took
So let’s all take this day to look back with reflection and thankfulness for the surgery we didn’t have to have after all, the vehicle accident we weren’t involved in, he/she didn’t leave, the gift of time you gave or was given to you, another birthday, those animals that are always thrilled to see you, the fact that your vehicle started, a plate of food, a warm shelter. See it’s not that hard to do, be thankful!
Make a JoyFul Noise,
dave