I have two skylights in my kitchen, and one of them doesn't leak!

That's pretty much how Thanksgiving went this year. Ups and downs
mixed in a weird blur.

It began Wednesday night when I set the thawed turkey into a cooler
with ice. I'd made a brine according to Stephan Pyles' recipe, but it
was still hot, so we went out to eat dinner while it cooled.

An hour or two later, I opened the cooler only to discover that the
dog had begun the holiday feast a day early. She'd eaten about 1/4 of
the bird. Bad. Bad dog. Bad and ugly turkey. Modom's mood was't
very pretty either.

I hacked off the dog-fouled bits -- both wings, part of a thigh, most
of the back on one side. I considered, but decided against hacking up
the dog, as well. (She spent the night in doggy jail, though.) I
poured the brine over the bird and set it outside in an elevated
position to deter further mammalian incursions. A freeze was forecast
for the night, so further spoilage was out unless a possum or some
such got hold of it.. We had a houseful coming for the feast, so D
ran out and bought a turkey breast and I made a rub for two slabs of
baby back ribs.

Next day I fired up my smoker pit and set the ribs on about 11 a.m.
The turkey went out an hour later. I'd stuffed sliced lemons and
fresh sage leaves under the skin.

Guests began to arrive at 5. Snacks and relish trays and cheese and
such for a time. Dressing (bread and cornbread), potatoes in several
forms, dark roux gravy, broccoli salad, and, cranberry/orange relish,
whatnot in the kitchen. Brussels sprouts and asparagus on the gas
grill out back.

Then it was time to serve it up. A friend carved the bird. I cut up
the ribs.

And then, cutting a lemon for a garnish I got my thumb. I really got
it. Bad. Flashing on Dan Akroyd's Julia Child skit, I rushed to the
bathroom and tried to staunch the bleeding. It took some time. Bad.
Ugly and bad.

A friend made a plate for me and I ate one-handed. It was good food.
Very good. Everybody liked the bird and especially the ribs. The
dressings were nicely seasoned and moist. We ate very well.

Time to clean up the mess. It was a big one, too, of course. During
cleanup the sink backed up. Bad. Ugly and bad. The good part was
that my injury got me off the hook for both cleaning and plumbing.
Two guests pulled the trap off the sink and snaked the drain till it
worked again. Bless, them. Good friends.

Good food, good, people, good atmosphere, good wine. On the whole it
was a good time. Except when it got ugly.

modom

"Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes."
-- Jimmie Dale Gilmore