Sunday, January 28, 2007

Burns Supper 2007

I'm convinced that the most important ingredient to a good party is to invite the right people. Years ago, when Becky and I were first married, we had our first dinner party. The people we invited had absolutely nothing in common except that they all worked in the same department at my office. The party was a complete dud. We all literally sat on the couches looking at each other.

Not so, last night! We have found ourselves a fun-loving clique, and anytime we get the four families* together, we have an uproariously good time! And not just the adults, either. The kids (all ten of them!) enjoy each other just as much as the grown-ups do. All of these wonderful people, whom Becky and I greatly adore, make for one really fine party!


Last night, of course, we celebrated with our first ever, first annual, Burns Supper. As the winter nights are still very long, one sure-fire way to chase away the winter blues is by having a large dinner with lots of excellent food, good drink, poetry and song, and camaraderie.

Becky outdid herself, as usual, in the kitchen. Dinner started with a course of Cock-a-Leekie soup. Then, we performed the presentation of the haggis (non-negotiable at any Burns Supper). After the haggis was presented and properly toasted, we supped on venison stew, haggis, neeps and tatties, with a very non-Scottish green salad. And lots of wine and whisky to wash it all down. After dinner, we had coffee and a homemade raspberry cranachan.



There were lots of really great toasts, poems, jokes and songs, but I think the unanimous favorite was Leslie's toast to the laddies:

Tonight we come together at the behest
Of Scott and Becky blessed.

To celebrate this old Scottish womanizer and drunk
And what had at first I thunk?

Burns? The one of PBS fame,
The Civil War Documentarian of same?

Oh, but came heaven sent
The wondrous Internet.

And out poured a million matches for this search
How I wished for more dearth.

A toast to the laddies was my assignment
I searched, and searched with only disappointment.

My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose was taken
Was my task forsaken?

My decision was to cut and paste
At this late hour of haste........

Here's to the laddies--a whole array of them.
They're charming and talented--each one a gem.

Where else can one find such superior men who excel
At talking and eating and drinking so well?

What's the source of their strength--Body for Life or Super Slow?
Nay--it must be the drink, Scotch or Dominion Lager, we may never know.

But those more mild-mannered need not complain,
For the love of the lassies you'll always sustain.

As long as you shovel the snow and scoop the poop,
You're handy, you're dandy, you're just plain güt.

Our laddies, like pipers in the mist,
Bring music to our hearts -- Thank God they exist.

So let these words of praise resound,
A man's a man, and fine to have around.

TO THE LADDIES!

It was a great evening, and I think everybody had a great time. I can hardly wait until next year!
Slainte!


*We miss you, Tracy and Dennis. You are gone, but not forgotten!

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