Ahh, October Blogmeet

I counted sixteen eighteen, including Mark Philip Alger, who live-blogged it.  In addition to Scotch Eggs, a new delight has shown up at Broad Ripple Brew Pub: Mexican White Wings: nice-sized, boneless lumps of chicken with a mildly hot pepper, wrapped in bacon, broiled, then dipped in excellent barbecue sauce: ooooh, yeahhhh.  An Upland Wheat Beer went well with it, at least for my palate.

     I'd arrived a few minutes late, Tam filled in as hostess.  I'd set out on the scooter in plenty of time...and flooded it not a block from home.  Note to self: an extra two minutes idle would not have hurt.

     The Cup of Turonistan was awarded to the attendee who had travelled the farthest, in this case Loki, from distant, rolling lands to the North and West and then even Wester.  It's a large china mug  with a pattern of three red stripes, the widest marked in silver with the traditional Turnonistani symbols of friendship and hospitality: six "bullet hole" symbols, three each side of a single stalk of wheat. And it contained a wonderful thing: a bag of M & Ms with cat and book symbols, a gift from Turk himself!   Unable to break away from his steelpoint etchings, professional camel-breeding and demolition efforts for long enough to attend, Turk did the next best thing by calling in from the NRA range.  (And a good thing he did, too -- I have been known to get engrossed in Blogmeetish conversation and miss awarding the Cup).

     I'd found some tiny (concealable?) squirt guns as well, and handed them out at random; naturally someone had to go load up and take out a few targets; I wish I'd thought of that before Breda did!

     Meanwhile, outside the Brew Pub, their pumpkin-carving contest was going on: youngsters safely using appropriate sharp pointy things under adult supervision, what's not to like?  Broad Ripple is hippie territory, but it is by-Buddha not all Nerfed up.   (Want more evidence?  Go up to the Art Center -- fire and molten glass, flowing metal and some of the most fussy-precise work you ever saw, all under one roof).

     A photo of Caleb and Breda side-by-side was snapped (and we have copies hidden!), possibly for Gun Nuts: The Next Generation.  Looks like they'll be live-blogging the election -- my advice, run the TV (if you must) with sound down and listen to their internet radio show instead.

     Eighteen bloggers and bloggees in attendance:

     Breda and Mike

     Mark Philip Alger

     Old Grouch

     Loki

     James Rummel

     Rob D

     Kerry and spouse

     Red

     Brigid

     Shermlock Shomes

     Tam

     Mr. ------, Tam's shooty pal

     Caleb

     Loki

     Mad Saint Jack

     Roberta X

     Far too soon, the event was winding down and I scootered home in the ever-stronger breeze.  Winds have increased to the "small craft warning" level as I write and one attendee just called to report having to dodge windblown semis on the freeway.  So Godspeed and travel in safety, friends -- and we'll see you all at the next Indy Blogmeet!