The Restaurant At The End of The Universe

As you may have gathered, we're fairly far out in the country. I used to say we're 20 minutes from the nearest cash register, but that was before the Yuppie's Dream Cafe (actual name: Monterey House) opened up down the road. It's lovely, the coffee is great, and the view is one of the dreamiest for many a mile.., but it's a bit intimidating to come for a coffee and sit down to white cloth napkins and big bilious wine glasses for water, with a grand piano lurking in the background.

So we're surrounded by miles and miles of commercial wilderness, and coincidentally much lovely country that's tailor-made for bicycling. For a good while, friend Martin and I were in the habit of taking a nice long bike ride before dinner on Movie Night, a trifecta (or tetrafecta if you count the cocktails, wine and beer that follow close on the heels of the ride) that sustained us for some time before work got in the way.

At some point a year ago, we got our official road number and blue-and-white plate for the mailbox. Martin was turning in on his bike, noticed the number, and breathlessly arrived (okay, the driveway is quite steep) at our doorstep with the news: "It's The Answer!" For indeed, we live at 42 Lloyd Valley Road, and (for those of the non-nerdly persuasion) 42 was Douglas Adams's answer to life, the universe, and everything.

Martin was beside himself with glee, never so much as when he realized what to call us. On the basis of all those fine Movie Night dinners, and in view of our far-off location (both locally and globally), he dubbed our house/kitchen The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe. So taken by this blinding insight was he, that when his surgery (doctor's office to you) changed locations, he had the old sign repainted, thus:

...and now, we have The Toast, ready when we sit down for Thursday dinner, muscles pleasantly tired, endorphins percolating through the system, cocktails working their magic, a splendid repast before us: "To The Restaurant!"