Thanksgiving Day 2008

3:35 AM

I wake up, look at my clock, roll over and enjoy some more relaxation.

4:25 AM

I wake up, look at my clock, roll over and enjoy some more relaxation.

4:58 AM

My radio starts playing quietly.
I debate with myself whether I want to hear any world news.
No, wins.
So I throw my warm, snuggly covers back, swing my legs over the side of the bed and sit up.
My back is a bit stiff from my one hour leaf-raking session yesterday, so I do a few left and right twisting moves to loosen things up a bit.

I stand up, turn off my radio and shuffle to the thermostat.
It is 67 degrees in my house.
The radio lady said it was 33 outside.
My new insulation is doing a good job.
I reset the temp to 72 and begin my morning ablutions as the heater begins its warm-ups.

After cutting little face hairs and a nice, warm shower, I am ready to cook food.
Today will be a high carb day due to the turkey dinners I will consume, so my breakfast will be a low carb session.
Three eggs fried/steamed and a half glass of milk.
That's it.
By 6:30 I am done cooking, eating, and washing the dishes.
I turn on my computer and check my email and the news.
Nothing much is happening - other than a terrorist attack in India.
And 32,000 children around the world will starve to death today.

7:00 AM

Time to begin my Thursday weight workout.
I change some clothes, call up the spreadsheet on my computer that shows my training log.
I start with lying leg lifts but my lower back is very upset from my raking session yesterday (I guess) and will not cooperate with the ninety-five degree angle range my leg lifts want.
So, we go to Plan B for abs/warm-up (I hate ab work so I use my abdominal exercises as my overall warm-up exercise), hanging leg lifts.
Everyone in back is happy with this angle of movement (still about 95 degrees but the greatest stress in on the top [contracted] of the movement rather than the bottom [stretched] part) and I do a set of 30.
Done.
Then it is on to standing bent barbell rows.
I do a warm-up set of 25 with 95 pounds.
Then two sets of 20 with 135 pounds.
Done.

Then it is on to incline bench press.
I set my bench back to 45 degrees.
I do a warm-up set of 20 with 55 pounds.
Then two sets of 14 with 75 pounds.
My strength is up a bit today.
Done.

Then it is time for bent dumbbell rows.
I load one of my dumbbells with 75 pounds.
Left arm 14 reps.
Right arm 14 reps.
Rest.
Left arm 16 reps.
Right arm 16 reps.
Rest.
Left arm, 14 reps.
Right arm, 14 reps.
My strength is still up a bit.
Done.

Time for incline dumbbell butterflies (or just dumbbell flies, as some call it.).
I unload the 75 pound dumbbell and reload both to 30 pounds each.
I set the bench to 22 degrees from horizontal.
I sit down.
With a dumbbell in each hand, I lift the two weights from the floor to my lap, lean back, press the two weights up over my shoulders and begin.
Out to the sides and back up, 20 times.
Rest.
Set two is 18 reps.
Set three is 15 reps.
Not bad.
Workout done.
Total weight lifted today = 23,140 pounds.
Amazing.

8:30 AM
It is time to begin preparation for the great feast.
My turkey breast has been thawing in the refrigerator for two days.
With my cook book in hand, I repair to the kitchen to begin the preparation of the bird.
Remove bird from refrigerator, unwrap in sink, extract gravy packet, wash, drain and pat dry, place in special rack in special baking pan, rub with vegetable oil, sprinkle with basil and sage, install meat thermometer in side of turkey breast, the oven beeps indicating assumption of 335 degrees, open oven, slide pan/rack/turkey breast into oven, close door, start timer.
Woo hoo
Good stuff coming soon.
It is 9:03 AM

10:00 AM
I check the turkey breast.
All things appear nominal.
I check my four solar heaters in the back room.
The air rising off the top of them is 95.3 degrees.
The sky is mostly clear with a few thin clouds drifting by.
They will cook until about noon, when the sun moves too far west to provide any direct light on them.

12:00 PM

The turkey breast is finally done.
My oven took its time getting to the correct temperature and so it took longer for the bird to reach the desired internal temperature.
But it is now done.

Now to cook the dressing.
Pre-made and frozen, fresh from the store.
About ninety more minutes and the feast begins.
Sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce will be prepared while the dressing is cooking.

2:00

The turkey breast has been carved to the bones and is ready for serving.
The dressing is done.
The sweet potatoes are done.
The cranberry sauce is ready for serving.
The Messiah is playing on the stereo.
Anticipation is running high.

2:15

I sit down to eat my feast.
No pies this year.
I will just have a couple of cookies after the main course.

2:30

Time to wash the dishes and pans.
Five hours of preparation, and cooking for about 15 minutes of eating.
Actually, the stove did most of the cooking.
I just watched.
In all fairness, "all" this prep and cooking has produced enough food to supply about 12 meals.
I'm fixed up for the rest of this week and most of next week.

2:37

Everything is washed and set out to air dry.
I feel a nap coming on....

And I ponder my state of blessedness.
I am very blessed of God.
He has given me salvation from sin.
He has made me part of a good congregation of dear people.
He has given me a spiritual mind and eye.
He has given me a gift of the Spirit - teaching.
He has supplied my material needs and most wants to this very moment.
He has given me very good health.
He had given me a nice family.
He is my shepherd and I have no needs.
Life is good.
God is good.