January 2009 - Nr. 1
Dick's Happy New Year
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| Upstairs in the Hansa Stube |
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Since
there was not enough room in the great hall for all the revellers,
the overflow was seated in the Hansa Stube upstairs, where DJ John
Pries looked after the musical requirements and provided great dance
music all night.
In the great hall the Golden Keys from Kitchener delivered live
music of the best quality for the guests to dance to.
Table
decorations were very festive with white and blue balloons as a
centrepiece and a
colourful
"Happy New Year" napkin in every wineglass, plus the obligatory
horns and paper coils. The before dinner snack proved to be a delicious
liver pâté with crackers and some raw veggies.
| Couples celebrating | |
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When I sat down at my table I noticed a bowl of horseradish –
I knew then that we would be served roast beef. But that was not
all. In addition we were served perfectly done chicken drumsticks,
‘Pommes Parisienne’ and string beans with carrots, after a fresh
Caesar salad was served to whet the appetites. White and red wine
from the Colio Estate winery was chosen as table wine. Of course,
a yummy slice of cake plus coffee and tea were served as a dessert;
lucky people managed to get two slices.
Kudos to the Hansa kitchen and the well-trained serving staff that
managed to get it all to the diners before any of it got cold. I
would also extend that to the bars – up- and downstairs – where
knowledgeable bartenders did a wonderful job for the ‘non-designated’
drivers.
| Schunkeln to the music |
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After the tables were cleared and the music started it became an opportunity to socialise and a chance to renew old acquaintances and friendships.
| In good company |
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For some of the guests I talked to it was the only opportunity
to attend once a year and to meet in a social setting like this.
They came from as far away as Barrie.
| On the dance floor | |
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Needless to mention that the dance floor was always full and that the Golden Keys with their fabulous palette of beloved tunes were responsible for that. They seem to get better and better – like some wines – the longer they play together.
| The Polonaise | |
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Almost imperceptibly the time creped closer to midnight and the New Year, and suddenly the count-down started: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1!
| ...3-2-1 — "Happy New Year" | ||
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"Happy New Year" was shouted by hundreds of voices and hundreds of balloons dropped from the ceiling and the ensuing pandemonium included hugging, kissing, stomping on the balloons and toasting each other with the delicious champagne the club had provided.
| Sybille's "Happy New Year!" |
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Those guests who knew the song sang along with the band but none
sang 5 verses.
Here is Robert Burns’ version from the 1700’s:
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o' lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
After
most of the excitement subsided everyone settled down for a snack
of open faced sandwiches of all kinds or a nice sour Herring Broetchen.
Noticeably everyone was a little worn around the edges and looking
forward to their bed at home or in a near by hotel.
I
should not forget the early Christmas present that Heidi and Robert
Gutwein of the Hansa Club Board of Directors received on the 12th
of December: a 3560 gram bundle of joy – no – Santa did not bring
it – or maybe he had a tailwind again? Congratulations!
Happy New Year!
Dick Altermann
