Oh wow, this is too weird. I too am from upstate NY and our Stella is about to be week 8 next Tuesday when we visit our vet. So.....we are gated in the living but crated in the bedroom at night where she has always slept in a crate and her bud Anthony has a crate next to hers.
We have a pretty good routine in that we have a ramp out of the house, she hangs in the living room with us in a gated area with a dog bed, toys etc.
Regarding the excitement, acepromazine is your friend. I know a lot of people are concerned about drugs but in the case of this surgery, it is important to keep them calm, at supper time, when people come in the house etc. Stella responds well to a half of a tab when the prescribed dose is 1 to tabs every 8 hours. I would rather have her a bit sedated for this recovery than to risk an injury. She goes nuts when we someone comes to the door (we ask people to text us), we're out in the country so don't get a lot of visitors.
We did not cut her food in half, she in fact didn't eat much in the beginning, we knocked off a quarter of a cup and you can always add green beans etc.
There is an amazing group on Facebook TPLO for Canines that welcomes everything from conservative management, TPLO and TTA.
And to make you feel much better :-), our Stella had both knees blown and they were repaired at the same time. Our biggest issue is the companion dog who is also 3yo and their constant play, which does not happen any more and I think it will be beyond 8 weeks before that resumes.
Where are you from in Upstate and where did you have the TTA done?