It's here, that day

Here it is, T-day! I've got the dressing in the oven now. The bird is preped. The pies are baked. I'm ready! Oh, crap. I still have a lot to do though! I hope it all works out. The pies, by the way, are great. Jenn and David came by and we broke in to one of the pecan pies. Not too bad.
Sorry to hear that Crazed is ill. Hey, if all goes wrong, bring them over here, I'll feed them!...Right. I'll try to anyway. Really, I hope you get to feeling better.
I do hope that one of my younger brothers, the tallest of us and therefore not a "little" brother, (heck, none of my youngers are little!) is able to show up today. He works over 100 hours most weeks. Yep, he drives a truck. But, hopefully, he can show. Dad will be here. Oh shit. I have no gift for him yet. Crap on a cracker. Ummmmm, oh, crap. I need to at least get him a card. I think I have time, if anything is open in town today. Oh, man. I'll figure something out, I have too!
You know, I was going somewhere with this.... Oh yea! I remember now. Hey, get used to it with me.
We are going to the ranch where I spent the most memorable parts of my childhood. Where I learned what being a good person, a good HUMAN is all about. Where kindness meant something. Where I saw that a kind, soft hand meant so much more than a harsh, cruel word. All this I learned from my grandfather and grandmother, well, "step" grand parents. Not to me though, to me, he was my world. He taught me so much more than what I was exposed to. He taught me that being tough was not being mean. He was strong, morally, physically, mentally and spiritually. Yet, he would deliver a lamb that was having trouble entering the world as if he were cuddling an infant. He was a much bigger man than I am. Than most. The best man I have ever known in person. I miss him dearly. I am so very thankful that I had a chance to have him in my life. I can still see him milking one of the two milk cows by hand, checking out the beef cattle, sheep or pigs. Walking in the garden, or chicken yard. Sitting under the oak of an evening with Mansfield, the German Shepard. Oh how I miss him and that dog. Rest well you two, you have deserved your rest.
Anyway, we are going to the ranch. Another one of my younger brothers will be there. People that I see far to infrequently will be there. The place is different now. There are a great fewer animals there. The old ranch house burned down, and Granny is much older. But still, the memories persist. So many good memories.....
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. Take a moment to remember all of those gone before you, those childhood feasts and laugh. Laugh a lot, so the children around you will have memories like we have.

Domestication.., Again!

Tomorrow I begin cooking for this Thanksgiving Day meal. It will be especially important to me for, you see, it is my first attempt at the making of the feast AND it is my father's birthday. So I hope that I do not screw it up! I very seldom get to cook for my Dad so it is doubly important that I do well. I will attempt to cook a bacon and herb turkey with apple cider gravy and cornbread dressing to accent the bird. I will also make my infamous mashed potatoes that are a closely guarded ancient double secret recipe of my own making, plus a batch of pecan and chocolate pies (my first shot at these as well!). I will try my hand at cranberry sauce too. And the the regular sides. One of my younger brothers and his future wifey-poo plan to be in attendance as well. Here is the sad part: I am worried about the outcome!! Me! The guy who at one time took a date to Allsups for dinner! (Oh yes, it's true, I did that!) Wow, what a domesticated little human I have become. What happened to the feral me? The man who would throw small animals on a fire and call it cuisine? The guy who would roast a perch and open a can of corn and LOVE it? Now, I worry about a good deal on bleach or what brand of toilet paper holds up without chafing. Next thing you know, I'll be watching project runway and worrying if Sweet Pea will win....oh, wait, I did that already, a few seasons back. Make it work designers! I talk about blending fall colors with shoes, me!, the guy who could have gone a year without changing underwear until Christmas, IF I got some as a gift. O.k., not quite that bad, but close!
I should be chopping wood, and getting the cabin ready for winter, not baking pies!! I need to be fighting a grizzly bear with a Swiss army knife, the Victorinox one of course, and taking its' coat for a blanket, not shopping for place settings! Oh, if my ancestors could see me now. Instead of making my own soap I'm looking for coupons on scented body wash. I don't know if I should smash my head between two bricks or get the one that smells of lilacs! I need to get back to the primitive!
So, if you are headed that way, I could use a lift. Did I mention that I can cook?...