Celebrating, Farm Style (Update Two)

The get togethers at my parents' house are pretty standard; on Thursdays they hold Movie Nights, which could be more appropriately titled as Cocktails (or Any Other Alcoholic Beverage) and Appetizers (Usually My Mother's Cheese and Bread) while we finish cooking, Late Dinner with Wine, Hot Tea and Coffee with Pudding (aka dessert), Then A Film. Sometimes the Pudding comes in the middle of the Film, allowing people to digest somewhat before being stuffed with more food. Everyone one brings something, whether food, wine or beer, which is a Kiwi tradition that I quite appreciate. Overall its a lovely event, quite popular among their friends. In fact, while my parents were gone their friends (who knew their house-sitter) continued to occasionally hold movie nights at the house. So it is quite a Thing. Unfortunately, now that our dishwasher no longer works, its also quite a mess of dishes to deal with. But that is the price of hospitality.

Besides Movie Night, most of our social interaction involves inviting people over for dinner. We probably have dinner guests over three or four nights a week on average, which is great for using up food in the freezer and for a glimpse of the outside world. When we party, we party with food and - usually - some sort of media.

Not so for others. On 11/11/11 we attended the 11th wedding anniversary of Amon and Wendy, some of the first Kiwis we met back when we were first living in New Zealand and they were grazing sheep on the farm we were renting. The party was quite sizeable, almost overwhelming for someone used to relative isolation. It was a decidedly more rural crowd than the Movie Night regulars, and I spotted some gumboots and gorgeous hand-knit sweaters (could the wool be from their own sheep?). We may have been slightly out of place. Correction, we were slightly out of place. I, as a vegetarian, was especially out of place. The first thing to be offered to us in terms of food was grilled and sliced pieces of pork. Not for me, thanks. Amon, being very manly and knowing how to feed a crowd, was also grilling A WHOLE SHEEP. On a spit. My father, another Man of Meat, helped roast and cut up the beast. When it was finally done, Amon wound through the crowd offering bits from a tray. Passing by, he glanced at me and, in a tone almost sad, muttered "Well, this is wasted on you", and went on by. Sure is, mate.

Sheep aside (and I'm sure it was very tasty), the party was quite a good one. Kids running around, one with a split lip, loads of food, booze and a tableful of puddings for the taking, toasts to the happy couple and even fireworks. There is fun to be had in the country; you just need to know where to find it.