Family Thanksgiving

"So, how did you cook the turkey this year?" I asked Mom on the phone earlier today.
"Oh, the slow method," she replied. "But it was nearly a disaster."
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I was already laughing inside. Every year it is the same. In fact, it is my favorite holiday tradition. The discussion about how to cook the turkey. A typical Thanksgiving eve and day in terms of turkey and dinner preparation might go something like this:

Mom: "Let's just do the turkey tomorrow, Doug."
Dad: "No, I'm going to do the slow method."
Mom: "You know it's always done early. Come on, let's just do it tomorrow."
Dad: "No, I'm going to do the slow method. It will turn out right."
Mom: "We go through this every year, and every year it's done early."
Dad: "It'll turn out."
Mom: "Okay, well, then you do it. Remember, we eat at 3 o'clock tomorrow."

Dad would put the turkey in around midnight at a very high temperature to kill off any bacteria. After one hour, the oven would be turned down, so the turkey would cook slowly, well, for about 12 - 14 hours, I guess! We would wake up to a heavy turkey smell in the house by 8:00 or 9:00 am.

Sometime before noon, perhaps even at around 9 am, another conversation would take place.

Mom: "Have you checked the turkey?" (to Dad)
Dad: "Go ahead."
Mom: "Doug, I knew it -- the turkey's done."
Dad: (no response)
Mom: "What do you suggest now, Doug?"
Dad: "Is that right?" (notice the total disconnect -- I think he is trying to think what to say.)
Mom: "No really. We told everyone to be here at 3:00."
Dad: "There's nothing I can do."
Mom: "That's just great. It will be cold by the time we're ready." Red in the face, and with a little sarcasm now, "Why don't you call everyone and tell them to come over now. How does that sound!?"
Mom to one of us: "He's not the one who has to do everything else."

I miss this holiday tradition, I really do. But it was good to hear about it again this year.
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"So, how was it nearly a disaster this year, Mom?"
"Well, he put the turkey in at midnight. And then after an hour, thought he turned it down. But he turned the knob the wrong way and set it to broil."
I laughed.
"Luckily, though, a little while later, he thought he should check it, so, he caught it in time. But it was done around 6:00 a.m."