Following last year’s successful merging of our blogs (more successful for me than him really – I got way more hits), The Brad and I had a further team up last night. (And apologies to the regular readers that I am jumping around chronologically in the blog, I have loads more about to Charlotte and getting here to Maryland to post.) The Brad is so up to date though and has already posted his write-up here.
So The Brad and I headed to Outback Steakhouse for, he said giggling behind his hand, a genuine Australian meal. Now while the decor was not as evil as I was expecting (for indeed I have been here where my eyes bled)
(Can I just mention in my efforts to keep up with The Brad I am writing this in Ray’s car heading towards the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. I am rocking all over the place cos Ray likes his speed. )
The menu at Outback, of course, was delightfully inane. Their speciality is a ‘Bloomin’ Onion” which is carved fried onion that you peel off the petals of the onion and place it in some sauce. It was pretty but I’ve never seen one in Australia. Nor have I seen cheesy chips (fries with cheese on top…bleh) anywhere other than England. We didn’t have either of these though. In fact we had kookaburra wings (chicken wings) and The Brad had some Mahi Mahi (a type of fish) and I had a Melbourne Steak which allegedly is a “really tasty porterhouse”. But, in actual fact, was a really sinewy T-bone that was impossible to eat. I had to get Brad to look away each time I took a mouthful of sinew and had to spit it out.
The Brad is fun company. We discussed the world’s problems and then some. We had our requisite Doctor Who discussion and, now that I’ve seen it, the Curse of the Black Spot was complete plop, Brad.
Then we got kind of deep. We had this fascinating discussion on evil in the world and how sin is responsible for this. As a Anglican with a low to moderate knowledge of the Bible versus the Religious Education Teacher who knows his stuff backwards, it was Daniel versus goliath all over again. I considered it a tie (well I thought it was a tie and Brad would be too polite to disagree with me.). I was impressed. With the quality of the conversation and the fact that we could agree to disagree on some topics without killing each other.
I left him with homework which I hope he does. I was worried I was overwhelming him with my religious questions, I didn’t want to seem like I was one of his student nor that meeting me was a continuation of work, which is always a pain. Again he was polite and said that my questions were far more… cant remember the word but let’s say intense… hehe.. than his students. Yay me, dinner with intensity. Poor bastard.
Fortunately the meal and the waitress were far more impressive than our last visit. We had pictures taken together in front of this scary ass three-dimensional map of Australia. If you believe the map, where I live has a giant wheat sheaf cutter standing on top of my capital city.
I was appalled at how fat I looked in my picture (silk purse and sows ear… my personal trainer is going to have a fit) so asked this very kind lady to take a picture of us in front of the outback sign. She was a bit challenged, shall we say, as to taking pictures. We were in the frame but, God love her, so was half of Maryland.
The night was incredibly pleasant. I had fun. Brad had fun (I think.) We get together again next year to discuss which of us was right with our Doctor Who theories. The genius thing about meeting new people is what they teach you. And finally, The Brad gave me a nugget of wisdom I will take to my grave. I was complaining that everywhere I went I took the sun with me, despite my desperate need to be rained upon. Brad asked if I had read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and was referring to this quote:
“And as he drove on, the rain clouds dragged down the sky after him for, though he did not know it, Rob McKenna was a Rain God. All he knew was that his working days were miserable and he had a succession of lousy holidays. All the clouds knew was that they loved him and wanted to be near him, to cherish him and water him.”
— Douglas Adams (The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide)
Now, through the power of The Brad, I realise I am a Sun God and the bloody sun is worshipping me by keeping me away from the rain and snow and cold and all the things I would much rather. I am sure this could be marketable….
Yay! I’m glad you had a great time.
That Hitchhiker’s Guide quote is one of my favorites, and hey – now you have a superpower! The power to make it sunny and hot!
I’m glad we could find an Outback. It was fun. Good conversation, and good food – I LOVE mahi mahi.
And I didn’t mind at all that you brought sunny, warm weather with you. Thanks for that. It would be interesting to test your powers – You should visit some location at the height of its winter and see what happens. It could be fun…
I love the Hitchhiker’s quote! Brad you get major points for that one. You are approaching a full princess point at this rate.
Lest Nigel’s head swell anymore than it already has: he did not bring sunshine and warmth here. Last year the day before he arrived, we had the first hail storm in 2 decades and it caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and this year when he arrived, we had a cloudy day and the coldest day in May in history. When he left Sunday to come to Maryland it was overcast and the heavens opened and bathed Charlotte with flash floods.
I akin Nigel’s arrivals and departures more to apocalyptic events. John of Patmos was channeling Nigel when he wrote Revelations.. The peyote relative didn’t hurt either!
There were really flash floods when i left?
I think the reason that you had a cloudy day and the worse hailstorm ever when I arrived in Charlotte was that I literally in transit there. I hadn’t even met you at that point. So the Sun God Theory still holds. The sun had moved onto maryland to warm up the earth there.
Same on Sunday, which is wicked cool as long as noone was hurt, the sun abandons the places I leave.
hehehehhe
The UK had three weeks of unseasonal warmth while I was there. The Day after I left it has not stopped raining.
QED I am a Sun God.
Woo hoo!
Possibly i have had some peyote too tho… I aint telling.
Crikey! You were here for another visit….awesome!
And I sure wish I could develop a superpower to make it cool whenever I wanted!
(btw: You are too kind Nigel! Thank you so much for the souvenir. I LOVE IT!! And will treasure it always! Keep cooking with gas!
…I hope that wasn’t an insult.
Keep cooking with gas is the ultimate Australian wish of good fortune. You did really well and made me smile. Thank you.
Firstly full marks to the boy that he got it to you so quickly. Cheers, Brad
Next time Peggy you and i will meet up and I will learn if there is more than just a ponytail to you 🙂
oooh Nigel , I feel like I have been out of the loop for a zillion years. I have been up in the hills looking after your bosses home whilst he and family are on holidays in FNQ, (and BTW Martin told me before he went away to say hi to you and that he had already discussed the fact that he couldn’t be a blog buddy) Anyway I am not so adept with using other peoples computers etc so haven’t read a blog for a few days now. Glad you are having fun and tell me who in gods name let those people put that map of oz on their wall???? It is sooooo tacky and not a true representation of who and what we are .Did ya tell em?no wonder americans think we are weird
Mr. Nigel sir: a few observations:
1. Though we’ve never met, a person can tell much by another’s writing and, judging from that, I do believe I would like you if we ever should meet. Therefore, I already do. Carry on.
2. I much more enjoy reading what you have written than the works of another soul with your first name whose classwork writing I try to decipher on a regular basis. Thank you for restoring my faith in the ability of anyone with your name to communicate well in written form. Seriously.
3. As the daughter of a butcher, anyone who knows the difference between the porterhouse and the T-bone has earned my respect. You got it!
Perhaps some year on a swing through the colonies Brad will alert his local Bradaptation family to your approach and we can meet you personally somewhere for true Maryland delicacies – steamed crabs and a Natty Boh. Until then, don’t be blue about attracting the sun – we’re grateful to see it again after the spring we’ve had and will give you a bit of credit for that – OK?
Carol
welcome and thanks for the lovely comments.
Next time Im in town I will insist the Brad brings all of you for outback….
He’d probably enjoy the distraction