Merry Christmas -Eve...!

Here's Coach Sam's Blow by Blow Rockin' Christmas Eve...!
(last updated at 8:56 PM -scroll down)

I got up this morning at 8 AM -very late for me. I built another fire in the fireplace. We'll probably keep it going all day...! I just started the smoker up... I'm smoking a briskett today. Unfortunately it won't be ready until tonight.

Then, tomorrow I am getting up early to smoke the Christmas Turkey. We brined it for Thanksgiving and it was so good we were hungry for it again. I brined the briskett too. I read some articles that said brining was the only way to go... So we'll see. I'll give you a report tonight.

More later through out the day....

Coach Sam 8:55 AM


Hello, just thought I'd check in again... I really haven't been very productive so far... I just spent the last two hours browsing blogs and posting comments. I need to get to work on something here at the house... Like organizing my office... Or contacting students for lessons the rest of the month... Monica's been moving slow too... I think she's about to work on an art project for a little while... She just asked me if I'd like to go walking later... Now that's a good idea...! I've got to exercize a little bit over the next few days or it really will look like I'm the pregnant one... Not Monica!

I guess I'll dive in to the office for an hour and see how much I get done... Bye for now...

Coach Sam 10:59 AM


OK... another update: We're having some little snow flakes falling... That's kinda neat...! Now I'm really getting in the Christmas spirit...! Monica and I are about to run to the store to get some more charcoal for the grill... This briskett's going to take more than 20 lbs...! Plus I need charcoal for the turkey tomorrow!

We'll probably grab a quick bite to eat at CC's Pizza... That's a very inexpensive salad bar and pizza buffet. Don't worry, I'll fill up on more salad than pizza...!

Thats' it for now...

Coach Sam 12:30 PM


Back at the casa... I'm about to start planning my activities for News Years and the then the first quarter of 2005. After that I'm going to update my website... That ought to take a little while... In between I'll be sending email messages and keeping an eye on the briskett...

We're listening to Christmas music and enjoying the cozyness of the fireplace. Sigh... This is a Christmas to remember. The only way it could be better is if we had some relatives hanging around. But next year will be the baby's first Christmas and that will be pretty neat... Hmmm... That will be very different! OK, I'm signing off again...

Coach Sam 2:58 PM

Wow... it really started snowing alot in the past couple of hours. I can't remember the last time it snowed here... I took some neat pictures to post later...

I've gone through 20 lbs of charcoal on this briskett and we still have aboyt 3 hours left so I'm going to wimp out and finish it off in the oven... The fireplace is going great. Here I am nearly 40 years old and this is the first time in my life that I've really enjoyed a fireplace in the winter. Most of the houses we lived in growing up did not have a fireplace. Grandmaw's old house had a fireplace but it was a gas log fire. Not a real wood fire. I like the real thing. And I'm finally getting to deplete the wood pile I've been accumulating all year. That's been very satisfying.

OK... Monica want's me to make her something to eat. She can't move from the couch because of her condition. No, not because she's pregnant. She has a kitty sleeping in her lap...!

Coach Sam -6:04 PM


The Briskett's almost ready. We trimmed a little piece and it was good, but I think it could use a little more cook time. Monica's cleaning in the kitchen. I'm watching a Christmas Story. And I'm thinking about making some hot Cocoa or something chocolatey.... My sis called a few minutes ago... And I called my yoiunger brother John and we spoke for a while. So it's been a good Christmas Eve... I've got to get to bed early tonight so I can get up early and cook the turkey...! That's it for today... See you tomorrow...

Coach Sam -8:56 PM