A CHRISTMAS EVE SURPRISE

Well.........sort of, but what a story!  I'll try and fill in the blanks, without going into too much detail.  Let's start from the beginning, when quite some time ago, I decided that an electric smoker was something that I wanted, and I started doing some research on the different brands.  I know a few people who have them, and when our pal Nancy recently got one, the intensity to be an owner ratcheted up a couple of notches.  According to most critiques on the different manufacturers, the Bradley Smoker is recognized as one of the best, and that's the brand that Nancy had just purchased.  That's the one I decided that I had to have.

A few weeks ago, I found an ad on Craigs List, that was exactly what I was looking for, a brand new original Bradley Smoker with cover, for $265.  That's over $100 less than the store price, so I called the guy up, and made arrangements to go look at it.  That same day, Marc, Patty, Laila, and I went to the fairgrounds for an RV show.  Patty had been making subtle reminders that Christmas was just around the corner, but I was tuned out, and focused on this Craigs List screaming deal.  When I told Marc at the RV show, that I was probably going to buy this smoker, he had no choice but to tell me that Santa Claus had already taken care of my desire to be a smoker chef.  Crap!  I had just spoiled an attempt by my family to surprise me on Christmas.

 
Flash forward to yesterday, and even though we weren't opening any gifts until this morning, I was told that I had to open the big box under the tree.  I thought I knew what was inside the colorful wrapping paper, but when I got to the box, it didn't say Bradley, and I must admit that I was quietly disappointed.  That is......until I dug deeper, and discovered that there was indeed a brand new, original Bradley Smoker neatly packaged inside a competitor's box.  This attempt at deception, even though quite brief, was entirely successful!  Yea, I was the proud owner of something that I had wanted for quite awhile, and when I heard the rest of the story, I was even more humbled by my family's attempt to surprise me on Christmas.

Marc started to tell me the process that had unfolded prior to yesterday, and in a nutshell, here's what happened.  Just prior to the RV show, in cooperation with Patty and our other two boys, Dave in CA, and Mike in GA, Marc had purchased a non Bradley smoker at Lowes, and that's why he had told me in so many words, not to buy the one on Craigs list.  During our short conversation at the fairgrounds, I told Marc that I considered the Bradley to be the "Cadillac" of smokers, and I guess at that point, he decided that the other brand he had purchased just wasn't going to cut the mustard.  When he left the fairgrounds, he called the guy on Craigs List, and the Bradley was still available, so he drove half way to Phoenix, and negotiated a $200 purchase price with the seller.  Just to put that number in perspective, when I talked to the guy on the phone, he told me that he was firm on the $265 price, and he wasn't willing to negotiate.  When Marc returned the other smoker to Lowes, he somehow managed to keep the box, and the new Bradley fit perfectly inside.  Mission accomplished, and to say that I was impressed with the whole story would be quite the understatement.  A huge thanks to Patty, Marc, and Chandra, and to my other kids - Mike & Dave, for a Christmas present, and a story that I will remember forever! 

 Thanks to Marty and Claudia, we dined on Dungeness Crab last night.

 Uncle Marty and Laila.

 

From the left, family friend Pete, Aunt Claudia, Marc, and Laila.

 Chandra and Patty.

Pete and Marc.

Oh, almost forgot, the main reason for getting the smoker out of the box yesterday, is because it's being used to cook the turkey today for Christmas Dinner.