Burns and the haggis have been toasted - And it was good... !

Find more photographs of this excellent evening (and even more are always welcome) via our 'Past Events' page. Initially they are a record of the transformation of the Club to our Burns' Night venue. (Thanks to the hard work of John, Grace, Susanne, Pete, David, Me & a little bit of Kristina - with a stunning result.) Followed by a few records of the evening.  The Haggis was piped in by John, with Pete bearing it in - and it was a truly delicious smell as he did so, even more so when Ken had completed the ritual disembowelling!
The food this year was outstanding - the only complaint being that there may have been just a bit too much Cranachan! Not that it stopped some people having 2 helpings.
Jean & Jo in the kitchen did a fabulous job on the night,  but thanks also have to go to Gavin for the Cranachan prepared earlier in the day, Sheila for preparing all of the veg, and Val for her mastery of Steak and Guinness pie.
All the 'table monitors' did an excellent job - nothing was dropped, everyone got the correct food and it was piping hot - and everyone knew exactly when, and by whom, they were being served - it's a system we'll definitely be repeating - make the guest work! Why not?!  
Once the meal was over it was time for the 'serious' bit of the evening - so thanks to June for running the bar. :-)  
Doug & Ken gave masterful and very funny speeches, I (Janine) being unlucky enough to have to follow them with the 'Reply from the Lassies' - though that was well received too (thanks everyone).
Community singing followed - hmmm, we may have to work on that one a bit, though it was enjoyed, for all that (tacking a bit of Burns in there ), and then we cleared some of the tables (miraculously, without a glass being broken) and with the few dancers in the room we managed Waratah Weaver; Ring of Brodgar; De'il Amang the Tailors and Butterscotch & Honey, before rounding the night off with an enthusiastic Auld Lang Syne.
Since we never sit on our laurels - which must be a most uncomfortable position anyway - there are things we'll learn from this year's event, but overall we are pretty happy with how it all went... certainly all our guests were.

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