Our Thanksgiving Day started out with a relaxing morning. Coffee and the smell of apple pies baking. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on the television. Thanksgiving morning is one of my favorite times. Around 11:00 o’clock we packed up the blazer and headed for my parents place in Cleveland.

As expected, the house was filled with enough sugar to make Richard Simmons’ head turn around in circles. Everything was very good. A couple of glasses of Buttwood Blush ( … shameless plug for our homies at Buttonwood …) a few trips to the food table and the gorging had officially begun.

Steven had this year’s entry in the Turkey Cook Off of ’08 going in the garage … or back porch … or tool room … or whatever the hell they call that room. My parents have built themselves a mansion out there. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful house, but damn, it keeps getting bigger and bigger every year. As I think about it, I resemble that in some way.

Did you know that “Hell’s Kitchen” was on today? I know what you’re thinking. Me neither. I thought, “Hell’s Kitchen”, what the hell is that? Lucky for me it was a “Hell’s Kitchen” marathon! Yup, Shan got sucked into a whole season’s worth in one day. Of course, half of what “Chef” says has to be edited out, so it sounds something similar to an episode of the Ozbournes. So please, no comments about the a few obscenities in this post. Diane must have been riveted to the show because she didn’t even move on that couch for hours.

I went a couple of rounds with the “Boogle Twins”. They cheat. O.k. maybe “cheat” isn’t the right word but they use words like “pac” (as in Pac Man the video game) and I get a bunch of heat for “sadie“. You know … the song … oh misses sadie she was a lady. But, I played a few games. I felt obligated in a way. I mean all of the physical exercise my sister Debbie had to do to shake that Boogle board over and over and over again. Damn it, if she could suffer through that pain, the least I could was let her win a few games

Mary to Steven: “Did you check your turkey?”
Steven: “Yeah.”
Theresa to Steven: “Did you check your turkey?”
Steven: “Yeah it’s all set.”
Keith to Steven: “Steve have you checked on that turkey?”
Steven: “Yes! I checked on the turkey.”
Theresa to Steven: “Are you sure its not over cooking. Remember, you turned up the heat.”
Steven: “Oh, Jesus, I’ll check on the dame turkey”

Steven [laughing]: “They look good. Gary come here!”

So, we got the platter out and the result ….

Out loud, I said to Steven, “Oh wow, they look great.” Inside, I thought to myself, “Holy Shit, if he keeps eating like that he’ll have breasts that size” Of course, that would have been rude to say out loud

But mom was not to be out done. She had a great bird of her own. I also have to give her kudos for the way she organized all of the cooking. Prep work, start something, add something to the oven, mix something, start something on the stove top. It’s a lot of work and the only way you can appreciate it is to just sit in the kitchen for a little while. Nicely done.

So now is the time that we’re ready to sit down to the table. Knowing, that I wanted to do a photo for the blog. I think to myself, this will be my l
ead off photo. I ask every one to gather around the table. Then the moaning began.

“Oh not another picture. How come you don’t have to be in the picture. Yeah, Gary you need to be in the picture.”

Now, I know that nobody was thinking about our group Halloween photo that we got when someone else ( … I don’t want to name names … Marylee …) took the pictures.

What? What do you mean you didn’t see our group photo from Halloween? Oh, that’s right, I forgot to post it.

…. exactly.

But on a scale from 1 to 10, how pathetic is the smiling in this group photo? You be the judge. Is it just me or could there have been just a wee bit more enthusiasm.

So I ended up using the picture of the blow up turkey instead. Screw ‘em

I gorged on some much food that I literally had to stop moving. A few moments later … maybe an hour or so, who knows when you dose off on the couch … I awake to another episode of “Hell’s Kitchen”. We played some poker … while Shannon watched the season finale of “Hell’s Kitchen”. Then I bolted for the car before the next season marathon of “Hell’s Kitchen” could begin.

It was a very nice day. Thanks to all.

Well it was a very nice and relaxing Thanksgiving this year. Shannon and Rod did a great job with the traditional turkey day food. I have so that I’m officially going on record to say the Rod has a knack for making the best stuffing that I’ve ever had — bar none.

After dinner at the house, Shan and I took a ride out my mom’s house where her side of the family gathered to celebrate the holiday and to play some cards — pretty much a traditional with my family on the holidays. I was determined to have a record night and Steven and I came very close to achieving just that .

I hope all of you have had a great day and for most of you, that you enjoy the rest of the long weekend.