"Bird Eating Day"

     Pumpkins with their faces, falling in from rot. I know that feeling. The day of the bird is quick on the approach.

      I like Thanksgiving. It has all the things a holiday should have, and almost nothing it shouldn't.
     Food is awesome and this holiday is all about it. Nothing but gorging one's self, and lolling about. Perfect. Let's talk turkey. Seriously, turkey is fucken amazing. Personally, I enjoy the entire bird, from the giblets, to the dark meat, all the way to boiling the carcass into soup, there's no part of that bird that doesn't make me happy. 
     I watched my grandfather, as a boy, painstakingly craft holiday birds into art. The neck, heart, liver and gizzards would be removed and boiled in salt water with a little seasoning, celery and onion. Just the broth from this giblet soup was so tasty, it hurt Mr. Campbell's feelings. Next, the bird was cleaned and patted dry, rubbed with olive oil, and seasoned inside and out. He would tuck and tie the legs, and place it breast side down, so the juices flowed to the white meat.( If ya know what I mean.) Sorry. He didn't use bags back in those days, he would just 'tent' the bird with foil, removing it just prior, so as to let the skin brown. I remember everyone trying to get at the newly golden skin to taste it, and my grandmother shooing us away to let him carve, only to steal a piece herself. Grandpa would cut and serve the breast in the beginning of the meal. I say beginning because this one meal would drag on throughout the day, adding turkey sandwiches to football games and beer. The family would pick at the remains for a day or two, squeezing out as many lunches as the bird would provide, until giving it's life once more, through the creation of turkey noodle soup.
     This is to say nothing of the myriad side dishes and desserts that surrounded the house during these times. One of which, a certain green jello mold thing, with cottage cheese and walnuts, that my mother still makes to this day and swears we all loved, although I have no memory of anyone ever eating it.

     I love you Thanksgiving. I miss you Grandpa.