BBQ With the Monkey

So yesterday after seeing Monkeyrotica's tweet I got a direct tweet from NylonThread (aka Mrs. Monkeyrotica) inviting me and the family to a BBQ over at their crib. We (the Monkeys and Rats) had been trying to get together in meatspace since we got back from the Hinterlands and finally our schedules cooperated.

After BabyRat's nap WifeRat said she had to shower and whatnot before she could go anywhere. Once you've been married for a few years you get pretty good at reading the signals your partner is giving you, and this was a clear signal that WifeRat wasn't really that into going. While the wife is very supportive of my blogging, she finds it strange that I have been developing friends and friendships in a strictly online setting.

I'm the social butterfly of the family and the "outside" parent. I'm the one that goes to 90% of the birthday parties with BabyRat, takes her to the park, and (now) sporting events. So it's not unusual for BabyRat and I to attend social engagements and leave the wife at home, which is what we decided to do.

When we arrived at Casa de Monkeyrotica the party was just getting started, we were greeted at the door by NylonThread and introduced to the two couples who were already there chillin'. The little Monkeys (ages 6 and 3) were downstairs watching "Wall-E" and we took BabyRat down to introduce her, but they were in a TV coma in front of a 120" projection setup and BabyRat was doing her shy bit so she came back upstairs with me.

As I suspected, the Monkeys and their friends were my kind of people. The crowd was in equal measures literate and profane, polite and sarcastic, gourmet and gourmand.

For a couple of years I've been stalking Monkeyrotica in the comments section at DCist and knew that we shared a deep appreciation for good food in whatever form it takes. Monkey often tweets about where and what he's eating and/or cooking, so I was really looking forward to sampling his food. Let me tell you son, it was as good as I thought it would be, perhaps better. We gorged ourselves on Monkeyrotica's insanely delicious BBQ offerings of Texas style brisket, North Cacalacky style pulled pork shoulder, and Memphis style ribs. He also hooked up some mustard and turnip greens cooked in chardonnay, charra beans, vinegar slaw, and some mac & cheese that was good, but not as good as mine.

BabyRat and the little Monkeys didn't really start playing until after they got done watching "Spiderman 2." The movie was a little intense for BabyRat and she was up and down out of the basement (more up than down) several times during the course of the movie, but once they started playing dress up it was like they had known each other for years. BabyRat even went so far as to invite the little Monkeys to her birthday party in March.

We had a great time and were sent home with a huge "meat bag" containing all manner of savory delights. I look forward to partying with the Monkeyrotica family soon.

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Grillin' & Chillin'

So I'm grilling yesterday while WifeRat, BabyRat, and SisRat are playing in the yard; the sky turns dark and rain begins to fall, suddenly and heavily. My three ladies quickly dash into the building and I'm left standing outside in the rain with food on the grill. I'm thinking I haven't started cooking the burgers or veggies yet, so I'll just finish up these shrimp real quick and do the burgers on the griddle upstairs and put the vegetables in broiler or something.

When I asked WifeRat to take the burgers upstairs, she gave me a puzzled look and said, "But we're grilling" as she ducked back inside. By the time I grabbed an umbrella out of the car and got back to work cooking I realized that the rain was letting up a bit and the situation was manageable.

As I continued to juggle an over sized golf umbrella, spatula, tongs, and a beer while trying not to overcook my shrimp and get some vegetables on the grill; I hear someone call out, "Hey, nice cooler!" I look over and see my neighbor Dan, who's cooler I was using.

We had gone swimming with Dan and his family at the Prince Georges Community Pool on Sunday and had inadvertently "absorbed" their cooler when packing up. Rather than drop it off right when we got home, WifeRat decided she would return it later in the week and that would give her an excuse to call Roberta, her current candidate for BFF.

One of the things I kind of didn't realize about starting a family, is that you enter into this totally different social network that revolves around children and family. I'm the social butterfly of the family, I've worked hard to keep my friendships up despite changing circumstances but now I'm obliged to enter into these strange whole family friendships. What's really wacky about initiating and maintaining these relationships to me is how much it ends up being like dating.

First you meet, either at a party of a mutual friend or at the park or some kind of "Third Place" like a coffee shop. Usually one parent from each family meets and then the spouses get introduced at some meeting in the future. After everyone has met and seems to like each other,
one party or the other has to take the bold step of asking for or proffering contact information. After the exchange of information is made both couples will then confer about taking the big step of actually calling or e-mailing and making plans with the other family; the big first date and things progress from there.

We've been dating Dan & Roberta and their kids for about six months now and things are going pretty well. Dan was outside playing with his two kids in the rain at the park that's right next to our backyard, so I invited him over for a quick beer. We could see the park from where the grill was and stood around BSing for about ten minutes while I cooked and we knocked down a couple of PBRs then Dan and his kids headed back home with their cooler and I finished making dinner.

It wasn't until I got upstairs with all the food that I found out the BabyRat was very upset that everyone had left her Daddy out in the rain.

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