Dad's birthday is the 26th of November, and my Uncle Don's birthday the 27th...so not only was Thanksgiving our families favorite holiday each year since it celebrates family, food and, yes, boozing - but it was always our excuse to whoop it up for both my father and uncle's birthdays. Inevitably they would show up with identical bottles of whiskey to exchange (and sometimes try and drink them both that very weekend!). Dad, Uncle Don and Cousin Everett all like to cook and show off, so each year they'd come ready with their tastiest new recipes to impress and compete with one another. Dad was a bit hard to compete with I think because he would always build himself these amazing metal cookers - a smoker, deep fryer, wok, you name it he most likely made it for himself over the years. He made everything an adventure, everything super sized and extra tasty. We have many Thanksgivings that became somewhat infamous in the retelling, but one of the most impressive was his 50th birthday bash on the coast of Oregon in 2001. It was a three day party and food fest, complete with music, tons of friends and family, belly dancers, and theme food days. Below are some pictures of that weekend (taken by one of Dad's photographer friends), the many stories that accompanied it will have to be shared later.
Happy Thanksgiving Daddy.
The Smoker Dad Built
This was the beer battered turkey.
Cheese table (imported from NYC via my suitcase!)
The Salmon flown in from Alaska 
Special Rynearson Ale
The Birthday Boy
Special 50th Shot Glasses (I love this picture with all of Dad's friends in the background)
Rhea & Ona making sushi
Yes, that is THREE turkeys, each prepared a different way.
The gag menu Rhea and I made.
