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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. We begin this day as the Turleys have for over 40 years with our Turkey bowl football game. Then, after I put on our turkeys, I get to watch the Chicago Bears play the Detroit Lions today! We then follow with my favorite meal of the year with roughly a large assemblage of friends and family. It is hard to imagine a better day (beyond the other Bears prevailing in a towering victory for Monsters of the Midway).

We are starting the day with the 48th annual Turley Turkey bowl. As always, it is the Bears against the Redskins. I am the coach of the Bears and John Rice is the coach of the Redskins. The Bears continue to hold a long unbroken record (at least here in McLean), but Rice is an ever-creative coach and has threatened some new and devious plays. No one is currently on the injured player list for the Bears of Virginia and our players as usual will be hyped up on donuts and hot chocolate. Despite the cold and light snow, we will play on.

I am also making our traditional two Turkeys — one in the oven and one smoked on the grill. Both will have an apple-sausage-cornbread stuffing and Waldorf salad. We will have 25 and three dogs over for the dinner.

Now it is off to the gridiron and the annual appearance of the McLean Monsters of the Midway. I will update on the game for those of you who cannot see us on cable.

UPDATE: The Turley Turkeybowl ended in a 14-14 tie between the Bears and the Redskins. I have to say that I was the spitting image of Jay Cutler in the opening hike when it went over my head, I ended up face down in the mud, and the Redskins recovered the ball. Nevertheless, it was a great time for all!

Until then, Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.

32 thoughts on “HAPPY THANKSGIVING!”

  4. Dang, I surprised my self, very pleasantly, with by-passing my de rigueur Lasagna or Saltimbocca Romana and tried something they called “Steak Stefanelli” a tenderloin cooked to order in white wine sauce with various spices and mushrooms….as well as a side of two pieces of Veal Piccante’…plus the usual 5+ course meal served by that restaurant. Stuffed like the roast pig I cited earlier. One should never let me get to the Antipasto platter first 🙂 May not eat again before tomorrow. Pleasant evening with my daughter and a friend of hers that I invited as well since she was another home-alone soul. Very nice meal and I was further impressed by the number of family parties with 16+ people eating the family style Turkey dinners they provide once a year for TG. Happy people taking lots of pictures, including of them with their waiter and bus person. The place was packed wall to wall for over 8 hours…with post football game diners as well as the usual pre-game diners…and the parade attendees as well. Some places just know how to do a holiday meal, even when it isn’t their normal fare…and I’m guessing the wait-staff did well on tips to boot. No surprise that this place has been around since 1948…and impressed me in 1952 or so when my family took me there for dinner. I’ve never stopped going there since. The surprising part is that it is in downtown Detroit, on 2nd Avenue, and has managed to survive well under all the adversities of the 60’s plus.

    Burp.

  5. Haz, It was Bad Jay on Turkey Day. Our daughter and her husband’s family surprised my bride for Thanksgiving. So, we had a houseful of Viking/Gopher fans. They’re great people and I have nothing but empathy for their plight. I had to QB the secrecy campaign, which is difficult in these days of social media; my wife is a Facebook whore. But, we pulled it off, my bride was completely surprised. Making and Eyetalian dinner tonight, lasagna, eggplant, sausage and peppers. I grew up in Ct. where high school football is big on Thanksgiving. You play your rival @ 10am and then go home and have Thanksgiving. When I was real young, we didn’t have turkey, we had lasagna. But, as we got older my dad, who hated turkey, decided it was time for the fam to go American. So, we would eat turkey @ 1pm, after the game, and then have lasagna @ 6pm for supper.

    When we were young, my old man would mock American food and culture. But, he wanted his 4 kids to be college grads and become successful in this culture. So, when I was about 10-12, he stopped the mocking. He got his wish, all 4 kids graduated from college and had successful careers.

  6. Too bad about your Bears. Jay Cutler hasite turnovers than a Polish bakery.

    I was actually rooting for da Bears to beat Detriot so the Packers would be alone atop the NFC central division. It felt weird to cheer for the Bears, but at least they aren’t the Vikes.

    Time for coffee and leftovers,

  8. We haven’t had Thanksgiving at home for three years. Today we did. I did some things ahead, but stuffing the bird, basting, reducing stock, making gravy, and more today. I’m thankful I can stay in bed and read a book tomorrow. I remembered it was a lot of work, but it is a horrendous task. Just the usual: Turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, candied yams, green beans with sauted shallots, cranberry sauce, and apple pie.

    Well fed, well wined, I am off to bed. But it was worth it. It’s a wonderful meal!

    Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, and special time with family and friends.

  9. WHY WERE BOTH OF MY COMMENTS DELETED?
    It isn’t fair to censor to censor a comment that wasn’t uncivil to the offensive one and which also was fair comment on LEOs practice re: hired to hit cases.

  10. Trooper York ….heh heh. In about 50 minutes I will be gorging on exactly that. Or Saltimbocca Romana if I am eating light.

  12. Paul…important question: Were you an east sider or west sider. You do know there is a passport requirement to travel between the sides, right? Pershing folk never assimilated with Redford folks…because shut up 🙂

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