November 26 – “Turkey Fry Day Disaster Narrowly Averted”

Ah, what a wonderful tradition to have.  No, I don’t mean that we do something special on the day of the week that follows Thanksgiving Day, although we do that on occasion.  In fact, this one usually takes place on the Tuesday before that elusive Thanksgiving Day.  It is the day we literally fry turkeys.  And the “s” on the end of that turkey is not a typo.  There is never just one turkey.  Oh, no.  Not for this family.  One turkey will barely get us through the Thursday feast, and we have family and friends over all the way through Saturday’s Turkey Bowl (That’s a story for another day).  And on top of that, Chris likes to freeze some and use it throughout the year for any recipe that calls for chicken.  Oh, and we occasionally fry a turkey or two for someone else as well.  Why not, since the grease is already hot?  As a result, this year we had eleven turkeys marinating in the fridge in our secret family rub recipe (not our family’s recipe, exactly, although Chris has made some modifications over the years, but it makes for the best turkey I have ever had.  

I thought we might have a disaster on our hands right out of the box, however.  I got the flame going on both fryers without too much difficulty.  We do have some ornery timers that we have to duct tape into position, because they keep running out and automatically shutting off the flame.  In fact this year Nathan wired one up so it would stay on not matter what.  Fires going, I set the big pots on top and poured in the gallons of grease.  It takes about an hour for the grease to heat up enough to dunk the first turkey, so I went back to the shed and put away some tools.  On my way back to the house, though, I happened to glance over at the fryers, just to make sure they were still flaming.  I noticed right away that there was a wet spot under one of the fryer.  My first thought was of our dogs, “Oh, boy, Fritz, you are getting a little too close with your marking skills.”  Bu then I noticed that the spot seemed to be growing, and Fritz was nowhere to be seen.  Either he’s the best long distance peeing machine on the face of the earth, or something was terribly wrong. 

I hurried over to check it out up close.  To my horror, there was a steady stream of oil pouring from the bottom of the pot, right in the center.  Pouring right through the hungry flames.  No wonder they were flaring so brightly.  They had plenty of fuel to lick up.  I raced over and removed the pot from its perch, and sure enough, the stream continued, flowing all over the patio.  I have to insert here … Frita and Heidi didn’t consider this a disaster at all.  They may be throwing up all day today, but they will be doing it with shiny coats (Shiny coats - I understand that’s what grease does for dogs). Fortunately, I remembered we had a backup plan just sitting in the shed.  We still had our old, original pot from way back when we first started frying turkeys.  I can’t even remember when that was because it was B.I. (Before Ike), and that’s like ancient history around here.  I raced into the shed, grabbed the replacement, and poured what was left into Old Reliable.  Whew.  Crisis narrowly averted.

Once we got started, we didn’t stop until we had eleven turkeys fried and carved and stashed away in the fridge.  Many, many thanks for your help lifting those birds, Nathan.  Oh, and Nani says thanks to Cailyn for all her help making chocolate chip cookies from scratch – the kind that nut-allergic Jachin can have (I did get that right, didn’t I?  It’s not “that allergic nut, Jachin”).  And when they were not working on the cookies, Nani and Cailyn spent their time playing in the little playhouse out in the back yard.  Yes … IN it.  I’ll end that thought by just saying, Chris only needed a little help uncoiling her legs to get out.  Would have been a great video.  Ain’t it amazing what Nannies will do for their granddaughters?

Psalms 75:1 says, “We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.”

Father, thank you for anti-allergy chocolate chip cookies and deep-fried turkeys and tea parties in way-too-small playhouses.  Amen.