I’ve walked Ronnie nearly everyday this week, maybe I should look into this as full-time work. He seems to have a fascination with water as he’s always choking himself on the lead to get a few mm’s closer. I must’ve bathed him twice this week after he had a few swims in the creek. Fudge knows what the rain has washed up in there…
Tuesday was my good mate Bob’s so Happy Birthday to him! Must only be a stones throw away from the big 3-0 now? In the evening I met up with my ‘Merri Mashers‘ crew down at the Gertrude Hotel, a moderately swish establishment with $14 parma’s on a Tuesday and plenty of good beer on tap. We weren’t here mainly for the tap stuff but the home brewed instead (which they allowed us to drink upstairs in the function room). There were many here to sample from including Belgian Tripel’s, oak aged stouts, pale ale’s and my favourite of the night a double IPA. I’d brought along a few bottles of my Dark Island clone, anxious to hear what the guys had to say. I was pleasantly surprised after the 4 bottles had disappeared with not a single bad word said with some evening saying it was the best of the night. 😀
The next morning was a little fuzzy but well worth it. After Ronnie’s walk Nat came by after her work and we drove to an Ethiopian restaurant in Footscray. I’d never been to one before so was interested in finding out what dishes would be served (at this point a joke made in Brussels by my mate Gav popped into my head, something about stingy portions… ;-)). The menu choice was minimal and somewhat of a gamble as the descriptions were rather basic (waitress didn’t help too much either). We picked three dishes to share with the plan being we’d order more when Kath and Rose turn up. This was not necessary. The dishes came out on one big serving tray and looked deceptively small (it wasn’t a joke!), they also lie on top of three huge pancakes. This is where it gets interesting as there is no cutlery. Nada. Nuffin’. What you use is your hands to tear away at the pancake and scoop up the goodness. I loved it! I also got to try two different Ethiopian beers. By the time Rose and Kath rocked up we were done, I tried my best but I couldn’t quite destroy it all. Bloody pancakes.
I hope you washed yer hands Nat
Thursday I made a super nom spaghetti carbonara thanks to Marco Pierre White. This was the highlight of my day.
Friday I went for another good long walk to Two Row bar (it was open this time) and spent my voucher for buy one get one free on tasting paddles. Spent about an hour & a half nursing these before heading North to Temple Brewing where I spent another voucher on their ‘Midnight Burger’ and some beer tasters. Mon was locked out of the house so (luckily for me) I was able to get a lift back home. Me and Nick then went off to the pub to watch the Bombers lose by 9 horrid points to the Cats. I should’ve actually been at this match but there was a problem with getting the tickets. Back home, and rather intoxicated, I attempted to stay up for the 2am foozball match only to realise it was the wrong day (thanks Chris) so I went to bed.
Saturday I crash cooled and dry hopped my latest batch of beer which is smelling gooooooooooood! 🙂 I also baked a Madeira cake to partly celebrate one of my bestest and long serving friends Maritza. Happy Birthday! Stuffed with round two carbonara and swedging on the couch watching Rio on the box I got a call from Rose to say her and Jezza were going to a warehouse party to watch Brazil vs Chile and would I like to come. Aye all right then! I walked down to Rose’s flat picking up a dozen Torpedo’s on the way and got to meet Jezza’s dad Ross who owns a farm up in Beechworth. He’s a great dude, we chatted about shooting feral cats, foxes, their local brewery, Scotland and Thomas Glover (what a dude, jebus this boy essentially made Japan what it is today). Eventually we got a taxi to this warehouse in Fitzroy where things get a bit blurry… long neck (600ml) bottles of 7% beer are mostly to blame here. There was a DJ booth setup, some folks kicking a ball about in the front, log fire stove pumping out heat and the projector screen at the back. From what I remember it was a good night (but not for Chile).
The next morning I woke up on Rose’s sofa not feeling very bright eyed or bushy tailed. A couple of coffee shots and some cheese & tomato toasties later I was back on the road, destination home (typical it was raining). Not much to say about Sunday other than I don’t want to experience it again. I did manage to watch another Aussie film though, ‘He died with a falafel in his hand‘, which was rather entertaining.
ADVENTURE DAN! 