TURKEY TWO DAY!!

 If there's anything I absolutely LOVE about Thanksgiving, it's the turkey dinner.  I admit, it's become a challenge.  Last year I roasted that Bingo-donated bird for the allotted time on the tag, only to find it tough and almost inedible.  THIS year I was determined to have a turkey worth eating.  

Butterball is the name of the game.  The difference in flavor is surprising, to say the least.  I did have a little trouble with the oven, since I rarely ever use it any more.  I use my small Breville oven for practically everything.  After many ups and down, it finally settled on 345 degrees to actually make it 325 in the oven.  This time I added an extra half hour to the cooking time.   FOUR hours to wait!

The difference was night and day.  I outdid myself, which I'm very thankful for.  This year I will actually EAT the turkey.

OH MY GREAT AUNT LOU ... I really did have a great Aunt Lou.  This is the best turkey dinner EVER!  The gravy came out perfect ... the stuffing ... oh the stuffing!  I've never eaten better, if I do say so myself.  It's made with Honey Jiffy Cornbread Mix ... baked up ... dried on the kitchen counter ... and mixed with the usual celery and onions, plus lots of spices.  I could have eaten the entire bowl.

When I was through eating, I wished I hadn't eaten QUITE so much.  I was borderline miserable, but oh so happy to know I had at least four more meals in the fridge.

The caramel pecan pie was left uneaten.  Maybe pie for dinner.  As it turned out, I had NOTHING for dinner.  I was still too full.

Mr. Cooper and Kitters enjoyed the turkey as much as I did, so all three of us went for a walk.  Wasn't I shocked and surprised to see candy canes down the entire length of my driveway.  When my neighbor said could he put up something along the trees, I thought he meant the lighted tree he used last year.  But no ... there are a few dozen candy canes from one end to the other.  WOW!!  Best neighbors EVER!

One house over, this guy is competing with everyone.  I caught him taking down three dozen boxes from his garage attic.  The rooftop Santa will be added tomorrow.  I told him he was certainly making me look bad!!

What about the electric bill?  Because every one of these lights up ... and there are probably 20 extension cords running everywhere.  It's okay ... he works for P G & E, the electric company.

The dog .... he's the cutest ever.  It's just what I would put up.  Maybe next year I'll have to stay home and get in on the competition.

I would lose out though.  This is the neighbor that put up the candy canes.  Is this not fabulous?  I may just have to try something on MY flagpole.  He bought the right one ... it telescopes up, so he can put it down, attach the lights and put it back up.  Note the two black boxes on the house pillars.

I waddled out last night for a picture.  I say waddled because when that turkey dinner hit bottom, it was with a LOUD BANG!  OOF!!!!!

If only you could see this in person.  It's magical.  To make it even better, those little black boxes on the house are solar lights ... and they can change the colors to anything they want.  Green, red, blue, white ... it's VERY cool.  

And so Christmas has begun here in the Central Valley of California.  Let the lights shine brightly!!!

It's time for breakfast ... and I bet you know what we are having.  TURKEY, STUFFING AND POTATOES WITH GRAVY!!    WOOHOO!!!!!  I'm pretty sure I'll be on the couch watching football the rest of the day!!  

LET THE CHRISTMAS ADS BEGIN!!!!