Tuesday, December 25/2012

Merry Christmas to everyone.  I hope that Santa was good to all of you.
I am up just as the sun is about to rise and it is chilly out ....not nearly as chilly as it is back home but chilly for here!!

Briquettes are on

Kay and Hogan

Fire is ready to go

Ray bringing some fire wood

Our victim

Really, I have to wear the stupid hat

Fires on

Supper is on

Truman and Char

Char and Kieth

I have tarts to make today and will start on those as soon as I am done catching up on the blog and checking out Facebook and, after drinking my coffee!!  Since most of the Christmas supper has been already dealt with, I can look forward to a pretty relaxing day.  John will be cooking the Trash can turkey later on but other than peeling potatoes, thickening the gravy and getting the vegetable on the stove, there is not much else needed.   Charlotte is bringing the stuffing (she did an awesome job on it last year) so I think we are pretty much "good to go".
Both John and I lazed around until it was time to start getting organized for the day's festivities.  I had been texting both the boys off and on all day and knew that they would spend the day out at the farm with Kimmy and her parents.  I was relieved to find out that Casey was enfolded in the arms of Kimmy's family and for that I shall be forever grateful.
With the worry of my babies off my mind, I was able to get busy on our day.  With much of the preparations already done,  the tarts were the first thing on my "to do" list today.  I am certainly glad that I remembered to bring some frozen tart shell from home as they are just not available down here.  Because of this, the tarts were made and ready in no time.  The challenge came in finding room for them in the fridge.  Moving the beer out of the fridge just was NOT an option!!
The turkey went on at 3:45 and should be done at 6:00.  This time, we have the proper "normal" briquettes and not those fancy Matchlite ones so things should be much better than the last time we did trash can turkey!!  I am still not over that calamity!!
Trueman and his friend Roger were the first to arrive along with Cowboy (Trueman's dog).  John had a campfire going and we sat around it listening to the turkey cook.  It was sizzling away nicely.
Keith and Charlotte arrived with the stuffing in hand and they too joined us around the fire.
Ray and Kay wandered over earlier as Ray had never seen or heard of trash can turkey so was interested in how it was done.
Supper was a wonderful affair.  The turkey was cooked to damn near perfection and all the accompanying side dishes were awesome as well - even if I do say so myself!!   There was great conversation (although some of it was not "Christmas Talk"!!) and we had lots of laughs.  I even saw Kay McScrooge laugh!!  We all ate until we were full then sat around the table talking - what a motley crew we have assembled for our Arizona family.  I wouldn't change one person at our table.  John and I truly are blessed.
As our "family" began to leave, I made sure they had leftovers in their hands.  Yes, even Cowboy got his treats!!
Soon, it was only the four of us left (Ray, Kay, John and myself).   Ray was the first to give in to the full stomach and tired eyes and headed to bed.  John, Kay and I sat around the fire for a while longer then allowed it to burn down and headed into the bus where John too headed to bed leaving Kay and I to finish off the night.
It was a great day.   One that was surrounded by friends and family.  Family, that had nothing to do with bloodlines.    PRICELESS.