Meatballs

Last shabbos dinner on DST, creating the onset of shabbos at just before our usual dinnertime.  Its preparation has largely been my household task, largely because I like doing it.  During my working years when I would return home long after candle lighting, two chicken breasts would get seared in a skillet, then baked in an oven, then put in the refrigerator for reheating most weeks.  For others I would assemble vegetables and meat in the crock pot and let it slow cook for the day.  Other weeks, I would reheat what the crock pot supplied the week before.  Retirement has given me more leeway to prepare the meal during the day, just like the baalaboostas of old did.  Even so, with Standard Time starting shabbos before our customary dinner hour, whatever I make has to hold up for two hours either in a crock pot or a warm oven.

Poultry and beef cubes serve this purpose well.  Beef slabs and ground beef pose more of a challenge.  My poultry supply, usually a collection of chicken breasts or cut-up chickens divided into two portions as soon as they come home from Shop-Rite, has largely depleted to a single turkey breast half allocated for Thanksgiving and a very large space-consuming whole roaster chicken to await guests.  Beef obtained a package at a time when discounted has accumulated.  So this week I went for beef.  I pulled out a package of ground beef, which needs to defrost.

Meat loaf has been the usual dinner from this, but I thought I'd like to try meatballs instead.  Three classical options:  Klops, ablondigas, or Italian meatballs and spaghetti, none of which I have made in a very long time, each illustrating a certain ethnicity.  Recipes on the internet, particularly with Kosher adaptations, seemed few.  Ingredients are flexible:  mostly an egg, bread crumbs, and seasonings, much as meat loaf or hamburger would be made.  However, they are all made on a stove top with sauce, which means they need some attention as they cook.  Defrosting done.  Make a decision on how to best use this package of ground beef this evening so I'm ready to go tomorrow.

Restoring Living Room

Among my twelve semi-annual initiatives, one that gets propagated every six-month cycle without fulfillment, has been to entertain guests in my home on three occasions during that half year.  With Shavuot on is way, an opportunity for an elegant milchig dinner on a Sunday came along.  Since I have no friends and my wife keeps on better terms with people, I delegated the selection of guests to her while I function as the baalaboosta.  A veto.  Our entertaining spaces appeared too shabby for guests who have real jobs and wear nice clothing.  That took me to a branch point, find my own friends who were as slovenly as me or spruce up the living room and dining room.

Both rooms have possibilities.  We use the dining room for fleishig routinely.  Carpets were expertly cleaned for Pesach.  It was the curtains that irked my wife most, particularly the living room.  OK new ones for the living room, wash and rehang the ones in the dining room.  The latter went on Gentle Cycle yesterday.  On emerging from Delicate Dry, they looked cleaner and felt relieved of whatever had risen to the top of our dining room's ambient air.  Removing them, though, exposed neglect to the window.  Yellow paint faded, some vacuuming needed, a wash with diluted detergent on a damp sponge added to the tasks, and some Windex.  The hanging hardware needs to be anchored better into the drywall. Then put the curtains back.  Except for a full length seam tear.  So off to Boscov's for new ones, easily installed on the existing rod, which is not the right option for the curtain style.  Obtain and install a more elegant rod.

The living room was a whole other matter.  Drawstring curtains actually frayed.  Sofa broken in the frame.  Cats over the years made territorial claims on the chairs.  Tables, though, in good shape, except for one obtained at a yard sale that should be repainted a more vivid color.  So start with curtains.  Easy to buy online?  Just go to Wayfair, type in dimensions, and pick one.  Most out of stock.  Decided that rods with grommets would be easier than what we have now.  After failure with online sites, I just went to Bed Bath & Beyond, picked the style, only to find that they fell one package short on the shelves.  No problemo.  Ordered it online.  Out of stock.  Substituted a gray color for taupe, and now in possession waiting to be installed.  Have to take down panels for washing, decide if we need one or two rod fixtures, then measure and install, but first vacuum and wash the window frames.  And in order to get to the windows, we need to move stuff.  

Once done, it's off to IKEA for the sofa.  Looked at local stores, more than I want to spend, more sturdy than what I need for relatively infrequent use.  Or Wayfair.  

Paint table.  Replace a table lamp.  Dust everything.  

Too much trouble for a couple of guests.  We really need to inaugurate with a party.  Once it's done.