Graduation!

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pops6927

Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Jul 23, 2008
7,245
1,219
Fort Worth, Tx.
I am expected to graduate from our ABI (Acquired Brain Injury) class at HealthSouth Cityview in Fort Worth on Wednesday, Feb. 1st!  They have pretty much got me therapied as much as they can and I'm the class leader and have completed all the courses and have developed strategies for ongoing deficits.  Because of this I don't have to attend as much and can now complete Huddler courses and finish my application for SS disability (wow - it is extensive!).

We discussed what I wanted to do for a graduation party and one of the therapists offered her Thanksgiving turkey she got from HealthSouth; it's a 28 lb. bird and her and her husband could never consume it so they stuck it in their freezer.  So, instead of me bringing a cake (you have to supply your own party... yes, they're hit with budgetcrunchitis as much as anyplace else), she is going to take out the turkey to thaw in the fridge for a week, then bring it to me next Wednesday and I will pump and cure it for a week and smoke it Jan. 31st on Tuesday, and bring it into class Wednesday.  The other therapists will bring in dishes to pass and we'll have a big lunch party!  Do you know how long it will take me to smoke a 28 lb. turkey?  A lonnngggg time, lol!  And, it will be better than a cake (sugar is a risk factor, lol!)

Here is a poster we made in class yesterday of inspirational sayings; in the center is a facebook saying from my wife's second cousin, Bill Gregg from Tampa, Fla. who is a Spina Bifida survivor and I made sure it was in the center of the poster honoring him, he is an inspiration to us all!

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The center quote is: (black background, white lettering)

"Disabilities Do Not Disable People:

Discrimination Does....

Love, Accept and Appreciate Differences!

( = Thank You! = )"
 
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That is great news Pops - glad to see you are making such great progress and the turkey is going to be awesome 
 
Thats awesome Pops. Lets look forward to continues recovery and awareness for you and everyone. Thumbs Up
 
Great news all the best amd continued success...JJ
 
Atta boy Pops!! Congratulations on doing so well in recovery. Your courage and determination is inspiring to all of us. That group of yours, is in for the best damn turkey they've ever had!

ShortEnd
 
Glad to hear your getting better Pops, You mean a lot to us here and need you to hang around for a long, long time 
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I can't imagine what a 28# bird looks like 
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It's in good hands with you Pops

looking forward to the pics 
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It will be an adventure, I imagine!  Definitely will take lots of pics of the bird and the party and will post them in this thread!
 
It is now Tuesday, Jan. 31, day before graduation party... something I had to do today... hmmm...... memory is one of my deficits, I realize... hummm... OH YEAH!  Smoke Mr. MegaTurkey, lol!

Well, first of all from the veggies thread http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/116824/what-whole-vegetables-do-you-smoke  smoking veggies for the vegans!  Of course, a little Qview:

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Cold-smoked them last night, laid oven racks on the dowels and put veggies in cookie sheets with wire grates to let the smoke circulate and hung the fingerling potatoes and ears of corn in stockinette (left them in there when I bagged them to keep the smoky goodness in the bag!).  Wow, did that AMNPS PERFORM!!!  THANK YOU, TODD!  Check out the thread for the details and more Qviews!

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So, part 2, doin' the Big Bird!  Injected and cured it last Wednesday with a lo-salt cure (½ cup salt vs. 1 cup salt per gallon), took 8 gallons to cover the bird in the bucket!  I also added two good sized frying chickens (about 4 lbs each) for gifts to smoke; 1 for my neighbor who took me bluecat fishing in Eagle Mountain Lake (we caught 5 nice ones, filleted them and wife and I  had them for dinner Sunday night, neighbor gave them to me, he has a couple freezers of fish!), and one for my oldest son for all he has done helping me, and youngest invited to dinner too on Superbowl Sunday!

I had to get my wife to help me get the bird out of the briny deep and carry it into the house before she left for work.  Got it sacked up and I can truthfully attest that a 28 lb. turkey will completely fill a 36" ham sack bag, even I was wondering if it was going to fit or would I have to string it up with butcher twine instead!  But, it did, and rolled it out to the smoker and got it hung, along with the chickens.  

I didn't take the skin off any of them a/c they're not for me, but for others and can't impose my limitations on them, but I can cut off any that is served to me.

'Nuff talk... Qview time!

The size of the bucket I had to buy to hold the turkey!


In the bucket with 1 gallon of brine... guess it needs more, huh?  lol... took 8 gallons!


Plus, I added the 2 chickens, wow!

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out of the brine!  That's one sinkful of pickled poultry!

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Hung and heat on!

I'll  be  Baacckkkkk!

 
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Quick Qview with my iPhone!  Starting to get some color!
 
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Congrats Pops you are doing great so keep up the great work.
 
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