Cold turkey

Hi neighbors. Turkey Day is over for most of us and the fun of leftover exploration has already become old. I hope everyone got what they wanted on Black Friday. If not, don't despair. Cyber Monday is still waiting for your hard-earned bucks.

For many people the weeks after Thanksgiving leading into Christmas are like the entire year speeded up for a month. As 2012 nears its close, we don't even slow down to see it pass until Dec. 31.

Most of us are so involved in Christmas shopping and New Year's Eve planning that we don't take a breath from Thanksgiving 'till Dec. 26. Then we use that week to contemplate our shock of the old year being almost gone.

I've never been one to have all of my shopping done in August. If I see a special item that I think my daughter, son or grandchild might enjoy I just buy it and give it to them. I can't stand to wait until Christmas to see if they like it!

Besides, I'd probably put it somewhere safe and never find it again in time to wrap it for a Christmas gift.

The week after Thanksgiving, at least that weekend, should be spent catching our wind, putting up our feet and procrastinating all thoughts of Christmas for a day or 10. There is no hurry. Christmas is almost a month away! And it takes turkey a long time to digest.

Turkey roast, turkey pie, turkey stew, turkey sandwiches, turkey meatloaf, turkey salad ... is there any way left to serve turkey?

We are all conditioned to see a huge, perfectly roasted bird on our table. I think we should see a smaller bird and then we wouldn't have leftovers left over. Maybe a chicken sized turkey would work best.

Turkey, served once or twice a year, is held in awe and respect. We have to have ways to preserve the leftovers; so we buy expensive plastic storage bowls. We have to cook (and cook again and again) every ounce of the bird because it is turkey.

What are we thinking? Turkeys aren't that worthy of consideration. Sure they are a nice main course, but they don't deserve homage for a week.

I usually keep enough out for one day's sandwiches, and then I freeze the rest. A month later the leftover turkey tastes better than it would have four days after Thanksgiving.

There are never any other things left over. Have you noticed that too? Deviled eggs don't last through the meal no matter how many you make. Neither does the homemade bread.

Noodles, potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole -- they are all gone by supper.

Pies might make it till breakfast the next day, but never longer than that.

Just the turkey seems to last forever.

Maybe it takes less turkey to be enough -- even once a year. The bird we all prize so much might just fill our craws pretty quickly.

We should serve turkey more often maybe. Why don't we? Because after a week of eating it once or twice a year we can't stand the thought of a whole week of nothing but turkey!

Even if it only lasts one meal, I enjoy my Thanksgiving turkey and wouldn't want anything else served for that special meal. Until the next time, friends, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and can sit back and relax a little before Christmas overwhelms you.