Turkey Day!

My first attempt at cooking my own turkey, with all of the trimmings, went even better than I could ever have expected. Faced with spending Thanksgiving alone - something I dreaded - it's bad enough being alone any day of the week, but holidays are even more dreadful - I invited my friends Liz & Dave over, and we had a wonderful feast!

Thanksgiving Forecast

The following has been passed around on the internet for at least 10 years now, and it always gives me a chuckle:

Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190 F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.

During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy.

A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway. During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34 F in the refrigerator.

Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established. Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect a warming trend where soup develops. By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone.

One Sweet Ride!

Knowing my own car would probably explode on the freeway, I rented a car for my trip to Idaho. On past trips, I've driven a Toyota Corolla, Ford Taurus, Dodge Stratus, and even a Dodge Magnum. This past weekend, it was my pleasure to drive a 2009 Mazda 3!
After spending over 18 hours on the road, I have this to report - other than the fact that it didn't have cruise control, I must say it was the most comfortable car I've ever driven!

Gage's 4th Birthday

My grandson Gage turned 4 on November 5th, and I was able to get the weekend off to drive to Idaho and celebrate with him! I say this each time I see Gage, but it really is hard to believe how quickly he is growing. Seems like just yesterday I got the phone call telling me I was a Grandpa!

The Great Pumpkin, Part 2

As Halloween got closer this year, for some reason I had the desire to carve a Jack-O-Lantern. Only once before in my life had I undertaken such a task - even though I am chopping vegetables every day at work.

I didn't need anything big, so I chose this pumpkin in the spirit of how Charlie Brown must have felt when he picked that poor, neglected Christmas tree.

Get Thee Behind Me, Satan!

I've been struggling with depression again lately - and been unable to focus on any one task for very long. Except for sitting at the computer, which I can do for hours on end. I realize this is one of the temptations I face - to spend all of my free time being lazy and unproductive. Today, some good did come out of my mindless internet surfing - as I found the following from Robert D. Hales:

“Our challenges, including those we create by our own decisions, are part of our test in mortality. Let me assure you that your situation is not beyond the reach of our Savior. Through Him, every struggle can be for our experience and our good (see D&C 122:7). Each temptation we overcome is to strengthen us, not destroy us. The Lord will never allow us to suffer beyond what we can endure (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). “We must remember that the adversary knows us extremely well. He knows where, when, and how to tempt us. If we are obedient to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we can learn to recognize the adversary’s enticements. Before we yield to temptation, we must learn to say with unflinching resolve, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan’ (Matthew 16:23).”

Soggy Bottom Boys

On Saturday night, our ward had a "Hill Billy Hollow" party, which in Elder's Quorum has been referred to as a good old-fashioned "Hoe Down." One of the highlights of the evening was us elders singing "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow", as sung by the Soggy Bottom Boys in "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?"

I have sung this song so many times over the last few days in preparation, that I am beginning to feel like the man of constant sorrow!

It has always been one of my dreams to sing in a "barbershop quartet" - type group. I may never realize that dream, but being a "Soggy Bottom Boy" on Saturday night came really close!