Small Bites…Adventures in Downsizing

By Jan Kinzel

Perspectives. Each person’s downsizing experience is unique. Three of my friends are here to share with you their crazy adventure in downsizing. It’s not always what you think!

RITA | When Harry Met Rita

Harry and I celebrated our fiftieth anniversary earlier in the year. Together we have traveled worldwide and developed a Fortune 500 Company. But, as life often does, we’ve gotten tossed a curve ball. Harry has a progressive debilitating muscle disease. In light of that, and knowing what was ahead for us, (his brothers have it, too) we searched for a place we could enjoy and that would meet Harry’s physical needs and that I could remain in when that time comes. At some time, Harry will need to be in a facility with twenty‐four hour skilled nursing. We now live in an apartment in a lovely senior housing complex. Since I am also responsible for my eighty‐nine year old mother, she has an apartment in the same complex. We have owned properties over the years and I am happy not to own but to rent. I really don’t wish to own ever again. We sold or gave away most of our furniture and other things we don’t need anymore – such as all of Harry’s tools and some of my kitchen items. Our place is totally wheelchair friendly. We have full‐time security. All maintenance is handled through the apartment concierge. I do miss my view, but the amenities and friendly neighbors make up for it. After all life is about balance…giving up some things but getting others in return. I have learned that with such intensive care‐giving that is required, I need to take some time to take care of me so that I can take care of them. I have family and friends who help me every day. I am very happy with apartment living. Best of all, my daughter and her wonderful family live only about ten minutes from me. The downtown has recently been rehabbed with beautiful landscaping , quaint shops and wonderful eateries. We enjoy the expansive vistas that this area’s wine industry with its vineyards and tasting cellars provide. We enjoy driving around the wine trail or a stroll downtown on warm evenings in the summertime.

Rita’s Chicken Wings

Fresh or Frozen Chicken Drumettes
1/3 Cup Soy Sauce per Package of Wings (low sodium if preferred)
4 Green Onions cut on the diagonal, white part and tops
White Sesame Seeds – 1 Tablespoon per Package of wings

Brown all of the wings in an electric skillet or heavy sauté pan. Add soy sauce and cook over medium/high heat until the wings are a mahogany color and the soy sauce reduces to a syrup consistency and the wings are glazed. Stir in the green onions. Sprinkle with white sesame seeds.

Plate and serve.

 

JEANNIE | I Dream of Jeannie

When Bryan and I first started thinking about moving we discovered that both of us had a desire to live in a senior community such as Del Webb for the freer lifestyle and beautiful amenities. We followed God’s promptings and definitely feel the Lord led us to the perfect place. We left the San Francisco Bay Area and now reside in a Del Webb community in the Central Valley of California. Several friends from our former church have moved here, too. Del Webb has many lovely amenities and social opportunities. We didn’t have to get rid of too many of our things because the house is about the same size as the one we left. We were able to purge some of the thirty‐six year accumulation and selectively keep the things we really wanted. Our furniture fits comfortably. We ‘decorated’ with sticky notes on cabinets to help remember where we put things as we moved in. Because we were used to our stuff being in certain spots, we resorted to placing things in the same way as the old house. Come to find out this is common to many of our friends. One couple referred to themselves as ‘the stupids’! Now that we are more settled, I am beginning to change and organize efficiently. It all takes time. In thinking about my former home, it’s hard to imagine myself living there. Of course, there are some things I miss, such as the green of the Bay Area, the big trees and the creek along the edge of our property, but I love the valley climate – especially the warm summer evenings.

Jeannie’s Jam Diagonals

½ Cup Butter, softened
¼ Cup granulated sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 ¼ Cup Flour
¼ Cup Seedless Raspberry Jam

¾ Cup Powdered Sugar
4 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice

Cream butter, granulated sugar, vanilla and salt until fluffy. Gradually stir in flour until incorporated. Divide the dough into thirds. With hands, roll each into a 9‐inch rope. Place 3 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. With finger, make a ½‐inch depression down the center of each rope. Fill depressions with jam. Bake at 350 degrees for 12‐15 minutes until golden brown. Blend powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over the jam. When glaze is set, cut diagonally in 1 inch cookies. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

 

EVA | All About Eva

Joe and I left the snowy winters of Massachusetts for the sunny beaches of Florida. That really was a major consideration…the weather. We left our home of forty‐eight years and are now living in Vero Beach in a condo. I guess the biggest challenge in all of this was the selling or giving away our possessions. It seems centered around hanging on for security’s sake. I grew up in poverty in the South and didn’t realize my attachment to my stuff until it came time to let some of it go. I found this to be the most emotional aspect. There was great insecurity in letting go of even the things I wasn’t using. I learned that maybe I didn’t have them, they had me! Memories of the house, all the special parties, events and holidays remain and are well documented with photos. We all say we are up for change, but it turns out that we don’t do it very well. One huge change was trading my conservative New England décor for the beachy cottage look. Wicker – yes. Dark cherry Queen Anne – not so much! While some things are in place I still feel like I’m on vacation and will go home soon! We found a place where either one live of us could live alone in reasonable financial and physical comfort. Walks on the beach year‐round, especially as the sun is setting, have become an integral part of our life together and afford us a more healthy lifestyle, physically and mentally. Nobody lives a life without some adversity, loss and pain. The beach walks are refreshing and restorative. The sun’s glow on the water and the waves rolling in – that’s eternal, our pain is not.

Eva and Joe’s Seafood Risotto

½ Pound Raw Shrimp
½ Pound Raw Scallops
1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, finely diced
2 Cups Arborio Rice
1 Cup White Wine
4 – 5 Cups Chicken Stock, simmering
½ Cup Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese
1 Tablespoon Butter
Fresh Basil Leaves, snipped to small ribbons

Sear the scallops and shrimp together in a tablespoon of garlic‐flavored olive oil. Set aside.

In a heavy pot, sauté onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in rice, making sure each grain is coated. Stir in the wine. When the wine is absorbed, begin adding a cup of hot broth, making each addition when the last one is absorbed by the rice. Stir the whole time. This will take about 20 minutes of adding broth and stirring.When the last cup of broth is absorbed stir in the seafood, the cheese, and the butter.

Top with the snipped basil leaves. Give it a gentle stir and serve as quickly as possible.

 

Tip: Different strokes for different folks. Find your sweet place.

…Behold, I make all things new…these words are true and faithful. Revelation 21:5