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First of all, here's something I don't understand. The Crowded House song, Four Seasons In One Day, was allegedly written about Melbourne. But it means "black clouds over The Domain", and I happen to know that The Domain is in Sydney. So is there another Domain in Melbourne, or is it just a (rather odd) general term for the area in general, or what?

... Oh hang on. Wikipedia cross-reference. Is this the "Domain" in question? I guess it must be. Seems odd; like referring to the Harbour Bridge and just kind of assuming people know you mean the one in Corpus Christi, Texas...

Anyhow.

We're going to be in Melbourne this time next week - not in the Domain, but kind of up and to the right and on the other side of the MCG if Google Maps is to be believed. We're looking for a place to have a get-together of LJ/DW friends, including some I haven't met yet (and remember the adage: "a stranger is just a complete twerp you haven't met yet") and we have an offer, which is a BYO BBQ at the home of the lovely people we're staying overnight with.

Now, there's one tiny thing to be trepidatious about, which is this: when I was involved in Uni choir, we had a standing rule that the first few post-rehearsal coffees were always held at a local chorister-friendly pub, not at someone's house, because newcomers ("freshers") always felt a little uncomfortable visiting some stranger's house without getting a chance to meet them on neutral ground. Or so the wisdom went. I personally thought it was a load of dingo's kidneys, but it was how things worked and it was no great hardship (at least until the pub got less chorister-friendly and started playing The Pogues very loudly as soon as we turned up) so I went with it.

So the question becomes: if you are not already a Melbourne SCAdian and familiar with mrsbrown and mr_bassman (who are, I assure you, lovely people), how do you feel about meeting up with us at their place? Because I suppose it's possible that some of you are timid little wallflowers who would hate to put yourselves forward, but then I remember the contents of my f-list and I fear my guffaws at the very concept may wake the Boy Wonder sleeping next to me, so I have to think about something else.

All of which is a very roundabout way¹ of saying: we shall be taking up the lovely Mr & Mrs B's offer of a BBQ at their place, and I would like all our friends to pop by. Many of you I haven't seen in years, and a fair few my Beloved has never met, despite many long conversations on the intartubes. It would be a shame for timidity to stop you remedying this -- if any of you had any knack for timidity, which: naaah.

So the address will be published -- in a friend-locked post, I think, after due discussion with our hosts. Plans will also be firmed up vis-á-vis the matter of times and menus. If we still have any vegetarian friends (good grief! how??? haven't I insulted you away yet???) then plans will be seamlessly adapted to suit. And we shall show off our munchkins, so at the very least you can get a sneak preview of what the world will be like when they're ruling it.

More details to come when details exist.



¹ How Melbournian! Canberran too, I guess, though our roundabouts don't generally have traffic lights on them. Or trams. Or Melbournians.