Annual Club Dinner

This year’s bash was held in the clubhouse on Saturday 15 November. Preparations began almost a year ago when ‘Tasty Morsels’, the catering company we use, were booked. However things really went into high gear in the week prior to the dinner. On the prior Wednesday the social committee met for a final meeting and then the clubhouse was cleaned from top to bottom including the galley.

By the end of the week Janet and Bob had supplied crockery, glasses, cutlery and chairs. Mike Rogers supplied all the tables. Richard and Diana lent their Microwave ovens to supplement the one at the club. I supplied the lighting and Rodger the sound system.

By Friday night everything had been delivered to the club and Pete, Diana and I spent the evening laying up the tables, hanging lights and pumping up balloons. The wind was howling outside to the extent that several ceiling tiles came down. Diana worked like a Trojan and finally declared everything to her satisfaction.

Saturday evening kicked off at around 7:30pm with Rodger serving aperitifs to the incoming guests. I think we had forty-four people sitting down to dinner but the club lounge didn’t feel that crowded. Dinner was served at 8:15pm’ish. After everybody was seated Keith Hatton said grace and Diana Carpenter, Linda Rowley, Pat Irving and Linda Wheeler served dinner.

Given that everybody had pre-ordered their food, hopefully everybody was happy. A number of toasts and ‘taking wine with’ later, dinner was suddenly over. It seemed to go very quickly or maybe I was just having a good time!

Over coffee Bob and Janet ran the draw for the raffle. Just about everybody seemed to get something. I think Captains Chaos and Calm must have been wrapping raffle prizes for days.

After dinner Rodger cranked up the music, the tables got pushed back and those who still had the energy got dancing. The evening finally ended around 1:30am. when ‘them’ with no homes to go to finally got thrown out. Many thanks to everybody who were involved in the evening and especially to Diana Carpenter for organizing the dinner, it ran like clockwork and was a lot of fun.

Mike Baker