Barbeque

The last DMV trip was...a success! HA! I now park legally! And have DC tags! I win, I win.

Washington is notorious for its hot, humid summers and everyone is sure to remind you of this every day, particularly when you are all outside feeling as though you might drown if you take too deep a breath. (Coming from the dry, dry land of the West...the humidity is definitely a change, and a nice one. I never knew my skin could actually feel moisturized naturally.) Today's walk to the metro, however, was cool and foggy, the kind of day where everything is muffled and you don't feel capable of any extreme emotion - Very Angry People seem somehow sedated and Very Happy People seem mellower and the only thing that's missing is a nice cup of tea.

Last night was a magnificent thunderstorm, and I love thunderstorms. Better, I was with My Boy celebrating his birthday and all ten of his immediate family/their significant others/visiting cousin went to a Brazilian Barbeque for dinner. Let me tell you, the Brazilians know barbeque. Not only was there soup (Beef tongue, anyone? Seafood bisque? Oxtail?) and salad (Octopus, artichoke, beans, gazpacho, potato, mussel, shrimp, egg...) and Hot Things (Crab, potato, Yuca flour, fried Yuca...) but at regular intervals they come to your table with various cuts of meat (roast beef, turkey wrapped in bacon, flank steak...) and shave some on to your plate if you so desire, and as much as you desire. And when you can't possibly eat any more, you turn over the painted wooden marker at the end of the table-which was previously turned to green for "More meat please!"-so it is red for "Stop I can't possibly eat any more meat." And then they bring the dessert cart.

But the unfortunate news is that Martin starts The Real Work and had to go in at 4 am, which cut the party short, or shorter than we had originally planned. The post-dinner dancing was nixed and I'm already feeling All Sad that he won't be around much anymore. Maybe I can steal a few hours on the 4th with him. *feels despondent and foggy and wants a cup of tea*