If you click the link towards the top on the left it will take you to the photos. I can't figure out how to get them in order so it looks as though the haggis was carried in before we sat down. Hmmm, not the case and maybe some nice person at Typepad will help me out here?
I think I can safely say a good time was had by one and all. We were 30 people, 10 English/Scottish and 20 French. We emptied out the workroom and managed to have a sit down dinner and dance in the same room. It really was fun. The kitchen was in the house and despite the bitter cold we were able to keep food hot thanks to the generosity of friends who had given me a hostess trolley (to keep).
An evening like this takes a fair bit of organisation and the meal was provided by four of us, eachdoing a different element. We also had a brilliant dance director who somehow managed to get 30 people in approximately the right places at the right time. Very approximate in some cases! I have been running around with my notebook permanently fixed in my hands for the past 10 days but I finally relaxed when the haggis was on the table and my job was done...or so I thought!
Most of the French were completely in the dark as to what was involved. They knew it was going to be a Scottish evening and most of them managed to find a kilt or other suitable attire with a Scottish theme. They knew there was going to be dancing.
They didn't, however, expect the Haggis Ceremony. When the music was turned up and Guy and I carried in this enormous dish they started to watch a little more closely. When we then carried it around the tables (quite a squash!) they realised something special was happening. Jean Claude gave a wonderful talk before delivering, as written by Burns but with a French accent!, the Address to the Haggis.
As most of the guests were French and not all speak English I had requested that The Immortal Memory be delivered in French. Nigel did a brilliant job and I know it was appreciated.
It happens that Robert Burns and I share a birthday, 25 January, and although a few people knew this I had asked that the evening be about Burns and not me. Max wouldn't let me see his welcome speech in advance so I suspected something was up and my birthday would be mentioned. Well, I was wrong and was relieved.
All went well until we came to the pudding. Two friends had each made two puddings, Pat's raspberry bombs were put on the tables but the trifles didn't appear. Every time I got up to find out where they were Max told me to sit down, everything was under control. It became quite clear that it was NOT under control and I was wondering how I was to explain to Anne that her trifles had ended up in the dogs. Then the lights went out. This has happened before and I imagined all the lights, hotplates, trolley etc had tripped the fuse. But no, suddenly the door at the end opened and my two sons carried in the most enormous chocolate cake, ablaze with sparklers and candles and everyone started singing happy birthday. Complete and utter surprise. I was speechless! And thrilled!
Now the barn is back as a workroom and we've put a sign on the door: Party? What party? All my chairs and upholstery materials, knitting machines and wool, they are all back in their place. But every time I go in there I see people dancing, laughing and having a wonderful time.
A huge thank you to "the team". You know who you are.
