BBQ, Barbie U

In the course of investigations into the garden at the back of the house, I discovered a strange device which questioning revealed as a gas barbeque. Turns out it belongs to the landlord, and after some efforts at cleaning (which involved lots of elbow grease and 'product') it looked reasonably safe to operate. So, I sent a mail around to various people of interest to tell them to come over on Saturday evening and let me test my culinary skills. OK, it really said this

"We are provisionally naming the date of June 11th as the 1st and potentially only xxx Cxxxx Bxxx BBQ extravaganza of the summer. (that's next weekend, not this weekend)

BYOBooze.
You are also free to bring some grub if you wish but we will be attempting to handle that end ourselves. If people have particular interests, needs or desires (no caviar requests considered) re: food let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Hopefully, the weather will be kind. Or kinder at least.

Directions: drive into blah, blah.

Invitations are explicit.

Some patrons have queried what "Invitations are explicit." means. Essentially, it means everyone who gets this is invited, and if they have friends, significant others, unattached female friends, sisters of marriage age! etc, feel free to bring them along. I think we can work on the basis that there will be single gentlemen present given the fact that the house population consists of single men.

However, you should know them! People you don't know well, or meet for the first time on the street or in the pub on the way to the party, ladies or lads of negotiable virtue, or people of our mutual acquaintance who I've not invited are not to presented at the door like an offering from a domestic cat.

If in doubt, just say "hey, can bingo bob come?" or "hey, is bingo bob coming?".
And I'll either yah or nay it.

PS, bingo bob isn't actually invited. He hogs the games room."

I fired up the bbq last Monday and as a test did a plastic FGB burger. Which was edible but not terribly inspiring. Still, I planned to use proper meat for the main event.

However, on the Friday night there was a IDC gathering to say "mfruph" to Breege. Which made my time available to sort things somewhat more limited than I'd intended.

On the day itself I had to run about getting stuff. Mike Mulcahy was a big help in doing this especially with the car. Thanks again!

We had a reasonable mix from folks from the IDC (work) and others of my aquaintance (play? though I'm not sure if I understand 'play' so well anymore after the most recent of the 3 mobile ads, like the one with that lady with the huge hands, and also the singing cherry). Those there included Iride, Nicola, Serena, Lui, it was somewhat day of the Mikes with Michael Cooke, Michael Barry, Michael Mulcahy, we had Edu, Eddie and Eamonn leading the indoor soccer contingent, Tony and a young lady of his acquaintace, sadly they left earlish for a 21st. Sean of the Dead, or rather Sean of the house graced us with his presence after sending the day recovering from an LIT inspired hangover. John Browne of winning Eurovision money fame, and Hilary and Jamie rounded out our gathering. The food seemed to go down ok, and no one as yet has complained of tummy troubles. Sadly, there were some who couldn't make it, amongst them there should be a special mention to Nev, Ronan and Michelle who were out of town, but told me in advance/made their excuses. Thankfully, on the night we were spared any evildoers/gatecrashers which may have had as much to do with they being out of town, locked up or just not that interested in coming. More on that sort of thing here. There again, Eddie and Eamonn mentioned about seening a BBQ up another road with lots of ladies, so the local bad folks would most likely have gone there. Anyway, everyone there was most welcome and I believe enjoyed themselves and hopefully the next night I might get a chance to spend more time away from the bbq itself. And I might be able to chance inviting people from out of town, given that I feel more confident in not poisoning people.

In fact there was such excitment we forgot the coleslaw and potato salad. Along with the potato salad, cheese, coleslaw I've got loads of party related stuff hanging about. That said, the cleanup was quite straight forward, helped by the absence of smokers, who will use just about anything as an ashtray. Bad smokers, bad!

And how does Barbie fit into all this? I don't think she does really, there again, I'm not sure that anything really fits into Barbie either, least of all Ken. And isn't that one of life's mysteries? We see all these products advertised with Barbie, Barbie skiis, Barbie hosts a bbq and Barbie power lunches, Barbie goes to the Opera and yet if she did all these things, she couldn't possibly look like she does. So I say 'Eat the burger' and leave worrying about the consequences to later in the gym. It's not much of philosophy, but what is...