Lazy Turkey Day

We're going the lazy route for Turkey Day this year. With just six of us home between the two Sandpoint residences, we've decided to dispense with a whole day spent toiling over a hot stove and let someone else do the work. This Thanksgiving, my mother, my two sisters, Bill, Annie and I will dine at the Beach House Restaurant at 2:25, to be exact.

Apparently, we're not the only turkey slouches in Sandpoint. We tried to get reservations at The Landing, a new restaurant at the south end of the bridge, but the owner told me they were full, unless we wanted to send three of us somewhere else. He did have a table for three. Our next choice would have been Slate's, but they're not open.

So, I figured the Beach House (which sits on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille with views of the Cabinet Mountains) might be a possibility. Sure enough, but they want their folks to get home early on Thanksgiving night, so they're feeding the hungry mouths early. This will work out well for us because we can enjoy dinner and then be home in time to put animals in for the night.

I like this idea because of the sheer lack of numbers. After all, if you've got a dozen or if you have six, you still have to cook a turkey and all the trimmings. There's no less work for six than 12, and if there's going to be a houseful, that means more help in the kitchen before and after dinner.

Also, if there are just six to eat all that food, they're probably not going to do it, and one refrigerator is gonna have a heap of congestion when all those leftover sweet potatoes, turnips, relish trays, dressing, French cut beans, turkey carcass, etc. get stuffed inside. So, why not leave the leftovers to the restaurant crowd who really don't see where all that food comes from anyway.

Call it a rationalization or a lame excuse, but occasionally, it's kinda nice to take a break from holiday cooking. We're figuring on coming home, doing our evening chores, wearing off a few calories, and then putting while sampling pieces of pie and pulling for the ZAGS as they play their first game in the Alaska Shoot-out.

And, I doubt that any in our crowd will feel one tinge of guilt because we didn't wear ourselves out preparing the obligatory Thanksgiving feast. Instead, we'll probably be giving thanks and extra tips to those who did.