Despite the chilly weather, I was able to coax an outdoor family portrait with the full crew during a break from food preparation. In a departure from tradition, we ordered a boneless turkey breast rather than the whole bird. Even more unusual, I was charged with cooking it, possibly due to my knowledge of the steam-cooking options on our oven. It should be noted that I have never in the course of my life cooked a turkey, or chicken, or pigeon, for that matter. Undaunted by my assignment and aided by temperature monitoring probes and several YouTube tutorials, I will give myself a B+ for the effort.

Joining us for our Thanksgiving Day meal were our friends Barbara and her mother, Cathy. Everyone contributed to the meal in one way or another, and we were grateful to enjoy it together. I am thankful for my family, our good health, and the fact that my diet starts tomorrow.