Christmas Came Early This Year

It's all about the Christmas dinner in this weeks blog, as Friday night proved to be one of the highlights of the year.

     Thanks once again to everybody who helped, contributed or just graced us with their presence.
     There were plenty of highlights and the only low point was that we had to go home afterwards!

The highlight was the induction of two new members, Debbie de Vries and Bob Wahl. With them are Paul Kasango, Jankees Sligcher and Mike Vink

     The true highlight of the evening was of course inducting Debbie de Vries, an attorney, and Bob (Big Bad Bob) Wahl as new members of the club. Debbie has been around for a while as a visitor, while Bob was a Rotarian many years ago in Zimbabwe. Both say they are keen to get involved in club activities.
     Debbie was the umpteenth new member to be beguiled by the team selling raffle tickets outside the Parkview Spar! Bob came to the club via another newish member, Mike MacDonald. Well done to all those involved in getting them to join.
     We're going to have to prove to them that the club is about much more than just fellowship and having fun!

Directing the proceedings ... Graham Donet, master of ceremonies for the night, with Julian Nagy

     The second highlight of the evening was PP Graham Donet announcing that he's rejoining the club. Graham left about two years ago due to work and time pressure, but says he's in a position to attend at least some meetings again. Good news indeed!
     The third highlight was The Carving of the Turkeys! What a competition!
     We served the food on planks down the middle of the table, an idea borrowed from Jamie Oliver, and such a dramatic gesture deserved an equally dramatic presentation.
     The starters, an excellent chicken liver pat'e and mushroom and spinach tartlets made by Joan Donet, with crusty French bread from the Patisserie de Paris in Blairgowrie, were placed on the planks, from where people helped themselves. And help themselves they did! The Patisserie de Paris makes better baguettes than you'd find in any but the grandest arrondissements of Paris.

The quiet before the storm ... the table just after the 35 guests had beens seated.
 Visible on the left are Carol Stier and Ian and Robyn Widdop. On the right I'm the
 one pouring the wine (it was ever thus!) with Judy, her brother Harmon, Jankees,
 Amina and Greg waiting their turn

Let the festivities begin! Julian Nagy and Greg Smith in a race against time. Julian won the turkey carving competition this time. Greg won the previous time when we had a Thanksgiving dinner for Alex Gano in 2011.

Julian surveys his handiwork (on the right hand bottom corner, adorned with hydrangea sprigs) while Greg carves on

Lucille Blumberg's Cuban salmon with an avo salsa proved to be a hit

Fangs for the memory ... Ian Widdop salivating over one of the truly magnificent
pavlovas that Carol Stier made. With cooking talent like this we should be selling
 tickets to the public to raise funds

The now-famous catering team of John Vink and Peet Kruger (weddings, Christmas parties, holiday meals, etc) tackle their turkeys. Peet came second to Julian in the competition

"They don't know what they're doing!" was Lucille Blumberg's take on the turkey carving competition. This promises much fun for next year.

The turkey platters followed next, but were then whisked away to the table in the corner, where Julian Nagy, Greg Smith, John Vink and Peet Kruger did the honors, but for a prize!

     The well-known swordsman Julian Nagy walked away with the honors and then donated his prize hamper to the Twickenham Guest House staff as an extra for all the work they'd done.

     The carving turned out to be such fun that Mike MacDonald, Bob Wahl and Ian Widdop all volunteered to carve next year, and show how it should really be done.

     The might have to wait for another year, though, if Lucille has anything to do with it.

     "It's all rubbish," she said. 'They're bloody useless. Not one of them have the faintest idea how to carve. Why didn't you ask any of the women to do it," she berated me. She brushed aside my lame attempt to say I had asked Joan, but that Joan had passed the job on to John.

     "We'll bloody well show them next year how it's done," promised Lucille, thereby setting up a daunting challenge for next year.
     The early indications are that with the R5000 we made on the auction, we'll definitely clear R15000, which could increase to R20000, depending on the expenses.
     A special word of thanks must go to everyone who helped with the cooking and catering, and those who donated wine and prizes for the auction.
     Amina and Ronnie donated three beautiful books and Ronnie's desktop toy for busy ministers, for which we are very grateful.
     Also, a word to those who couldn't make it: tough on you! You missed out on a great party, but we missed having you there. They include Fana, Zena, Frayne, Judy Symons and Jenine. Thanks for all your good wishes too.
     A date to diarise: The next meeting is on 11 January 2017. Someone please let Carin Holmes know!
     A Thought for the Year: Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticism made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed and well-fed. - Herman Melville (1819-1891)