Friday, July 18, 2008

Bat-shit crazy???

My buddy, The British Cowboy, is having a barbecue this weekend. His rib sauce is the talk of Alexandria, Va. At RibFest '07, the police were summoned to restore serenity to the neighbourhood, but meekly beat a retreat when they discovered the place was full of lawyers (although The Cowboy public-spiritedly offered to discontinue the Johnny Cash element of the entertainment).

This year's event will doubtless be a fine affair too.

I responded to his E-Vite by saying that I might just up sticks and come along on a last-minute impulse if I suddenly went bat-shit crazy and couldn't stand to stay in Beijing one second longer. Well......

It's been a mighty close call. Today has again dawned bleak and drizzly. Yet again. And I was to have been earning US$100 or so for about an hour's recording work this afternoon, but it just got cancelled (apparently the client belatedly decided they'd prefer an American - there's no accounting for taste!).

So, yes, I am deeply, deeply disaffected with The Jing at the moment; and I'd far rather be in Alexandria, Va.; but I fear I've left it too late.

I am already building my plans around RibFest 2009.......

Have a great time, Cowboy!


(Of course, The Cowboy's flyer said 'There Will Be Ribs'...... but I guess 'Here Will Be Ribs' works too. I wanted to clip his name and address off the bottom before posting it, but, for some strange reason, my version of Photoshop has become maddeningly glitchy about what it will and will not let you crop. Another reason for my current state of fume.)

8 comments:

The British Cowboy said...

The ribs are a-cooking as we speak. The house is impossibly hot as my AC is out, it is 95, and I have to stove going...

Fun!

Froog said...

Ouch!

I remember the water got cut off just before one of my house parties a few years back. I was desperately trying to work out where the nearest public toilet my guests could use was (not nearly close enough!). Fortunately the water supply was restored just in time.

A party without AC is going to be a bit of a bummer..... although I suppose most of it will be outside anyway.

Hope it all goes off splendidly.

You must share the recipe for that sauce with me some time.

Froog said...

I hope it's all gone well, Cowboy.

Yesterday evening (around 7am your time), I was rather earnestly discussing with Crazy Chris whether I still had time to make it, assuming I would be able to walk straight on to a plane in Beijing airport. (The plan might have foundered there. I gather the outbound flights are packed at the moment, the inbound ones half-empty. The great Olympic clear-out continues apace.)

I figured that if all went well, I might have been able to join you by the late evening.... but I imagine all the BBQ would have been eaten by then. The challenge of it, the sheer lunacy of it, was beginning to appeal to me, but..... well, you know, happy hour Stellas were delaying me, and the moment slipped away.

I look forward to your report of the events

The British Cowboy said...

Party went pretty much without a hitch. Around 100 people total, much food eaten, AC fixed the day before, many cute chicks, two kegs of beer demolished.

The British Cowboy said...

No cops called this time. I decided to not light the tiki torches, and at 11.30 kicked everyone out to the local bar. Somewhat uncharitable of me, I know, but there were too many of us to go inside, and I really did not want to piss my neighbors off too much.

All in all, I have to say, it was a kick ass party. my huge, unrequired crush showed up, which was interesting. You will certainly understand when I say that in her mind we have got to the great friends, "I can confide in you like I can't in my boyfriend" stage...

More tomorrow, if wanted.

Froog said...

Oh, yes, you can take over the "My love life is such a disaster" strand of observations from me for a while.

You have just bestowed a useful new expression on the genre: unrequired crush.

The British Cowboy said...

Damn typos. It's only one key away, and I was very tired.

Froog said...

Serendipidy! I have a few unrequired crushes I'd like to rid myself of.