Small Bites…Adventures in Downsizing

By Jan Kinzel

He said…she said…I thought it would be interesting to have the two genders share independently their impressions and thoughts on downsizing so I composed several open-ended questions that my husband and I answered separately and without comparing answers.

What has impacted you most about your downsizing experience?

He said… Downsizing has brought us closer together – literally. Moving from a spacious 3,500 square feet of living area to a compact and efficient 1,300 square feet does place two people in closer proximity to one another. Yet, that is really more than enough space to live comfortably, to entertain as Jan does so well, and to still have ‘your own space’. But, we have a very comfortable relationship after our 52+ years of marriage, so closer quarters is not all bad! It has been a very positive change for me.

She said…The agony and the ecstasy! It was difficult to “give up” the generous space I had enjoyed for over a decade. I miss my pool the most. It was fun to have a new place to decorate and make it just the way I want it to be. It is a lovely space in a lovely setting.

Were you surprised by any aspect of downsizing?

He said…I was surprised by every aspect of downsizing. I hadn’t thought much about how downsizing, so we had a lot of new issues to deal with, most of which were space/storage related. On the other hand, I was surprised at how a couple can live so comfortably in a much smaller space.

She said… I am most surprised by how much I enjoy the smaller space – even though it took a while to appreciate it.

• What do you feel are the most negative aspects of downsizing?

He said…There really aren’t any significant negative aspects of downsizing. Yes, I have about 35 percent of the closet space I used to have (she probably has about 20 percent) and yes, I had to get rid of my father’s (and father-in-law’s) Mason jars filled with accumulated assorted nut, bolts and washers that I will never use and which have no intrinsic value to my son (or sons-in law, who will have their own fathers’ Mason jars to deal with) . Even our two-car garage with tandem parking is now very well organized. Wait, these are not really negatives…

She said…Wondering about what my friends think. Many of them still have their big houses and I do find myself envying that from time to time.

What would you say are the most positive outcomes for you of downsizing?

He said…Finances –w e had this big house and a big lot that cost a lot of dollar$ each month to maintain and keep up. So now we are in a condominium and have a total of four plants on our porches that require maintenance (weekly watering). I did have to sweep the porch last Saturday and will probably have to do it again in three or four months. Jan and I were some of the many victims of the financial crisis of the 2008 – 2011 period which caused our retirement funds to shrink by about 50 percent, so downsizing was really rightsizing. It was in our planning, but the timing was hastened by the economy.

She said…. The very most positive thing is finding a great group of, here-to-fore unknown to me, delightful friends. Even though our place is not age restricted, many of us have downsized and understand the process. It makes a great common bond for these friendships.

What would you tell friends who are considering downsizing?

He said…Do it!! When we sold our home, it sold quickly and we were hotel-bound for several months. During that time, Jan did extensive planning for our future home — color schemes and themes that blended with our exterior architecture, what our furniture needs and placement should be, and detailed planning for decorating. I have a very talented wife so we wound up with a beautiful model home. In our case, for me it has been a beautiful experience – when you have smaller spaces to decorate, you can do everything with high quality and reasonable cost if you are so inclined.

She said…. I would tell them that it’s a complicated decision. There is a lot of letting go and a lot of change and a lot of digging deep to find the grace to embrace all of that.

…so then I asked him what he would like for me to cook for him and he said…

…’my birthday meal’…

BIRTHDAY MENU 

Beerocks (or Bierocks) 

These are from his German heritage. His dear mother taught me how to make them. They are a delicious ground beef and cabbage filling wrapped in a yeast dough and baked. His mom made them for him every year and with help from his brothers and wives and our children and grandchildren we have continued the tradition. It’s a great interactive meal to prepare as we all roll out the beerocks, fill and bake them. We even invite friends to help, too. 

Red Raspberry Apple Jell-O 

A sweet counter-point to the savory beerocks. 

German Chocolate Cake with Butter Brickle Ice Cream and Coffee 

BEEROCKS 

Filling
3 lb. Ground Beef
1 Large Head of Cabbage, shredded
2 Yellow Onions, chopped
2 Tb. Salt & 1 Tb. Pepper
3 Tb. Ground Allspice

Brown the ground beef and onions along with the seasonings. Add the cabbage and cook until softened. Let the filling cool to room temperature.

Dough
On line under Bierocks you will find several recipes for the dough. I use the frozen and it works just fine.
We used to make big batches of dough back in the day when we all had bread-makers.
3 Bags Frozen Roll Dough, thawed and brought to room temperature. Keep them separate as they thaw or they will grow together.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball into to an 8-inch circle. Place about a half cup of filling (allowing liquids to drain to the bottom of the pan) on the dough circle and tuck the dough under making sure to pinch it securely closed around the meat mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet pinched side down. Lightly brush top of rolls with scant amount of vegetable oil. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown – 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size.

RED RASPBERRY APPLE JELL-O 

1 Large Box of Red Raspberry Gelatin
2 Cups Boiling Water
1 Carton or Bag of Frozen Raspberries with Syrup
1 12 Ounce Jar of Smooth Applesauce
1 Small Carton Sour Cream
1 Bag Mini Marshmallows

Place the gelatin and boiling water in large bowl and stir until dissolved.
Add the frozen berries and gently mix until thawed and blended.
Gently fold in the applesauce.
Pour into a 9×11 glass dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Topping
In a separate bowl, mix the marshmallows and sour cream together. Spread over the set Jell-O, cover tightly and return to refrigerator until ready to serve.

German Chocolate Cake 

Follow recipe on the German’s chocolate bar package.

TIP: Then he asked me what I wanted him to make for me and I said…RESERVATIONS! 

…God created man…male and female He created them…and blessed them. Genesis 1:26