We had my brother and 7-year-old nephew over for Hanukkah dinner, and without implying anything against the guests - well, the 7-year-old was 7 years old, but you expect that - it illustrated why we rarely have anyone over. It's just so exhausting: all the preparations, like moving the dining table so that 4 people can sit at it, and getting the catbox, which we keep in the foyer as the only convenient spot where it'll fit, out of the way, and all the other prep work. Then I cook dinner, which includes matzo ball soup and latkes, and this year chicken in lemon butter sauce and broccoli, which required a lot of creative shuttling around among stove burners.
Nephew's favorite food turned out to be the plain matzo we had beforehand. He liked eating it, and he liked playing with it too. It made a satisfying crunch under the toes of his shoes. But what really caught his interest was that, just before he and his dad left, the cats decided to peer down from the upper floor and see what was going on. He was quite taken with them and kept holding out cat toys in hopes they'd come and get them, but we explained it doesn't work that way.
Guests left somewhat over two hours after arriving. We (mostly B.) cleaned up and we (both of us) put things back, and then we (both of us) collapsed in exhaustion. By next year we may be ready to do it again, but not till then. Other family gatherings, it's B's (adult) niece who hosts, and she's an amazing dynamo who takes care of everything.
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