2 anniversaries were celebrated on 8 December when 110 GROGs braved the elements, and the bad press, to meet up and celebrate Christmas slightly early. It was exactly 3 years since the Club moved from its traditional meeting place of Braidholm rugby ground to the new, more spacious and welcoming Loks Bar and Restaurant and it was 6 years since Robbie Duncan wowed the members with a virtuoso performance which blazed a trail away from rugby-only orientated speakers to set a high bar for quality entertainment for future Christmas Lunches. Those who remembered him from his previous visit wondered if he’d manage to scale the heights once again. There was no need to worry …. he did! With consummate ease, Robbie kept the audience in stitches as one crack, quip or story after another was delivered in the same couthy way as we remembered from last time. No wonder he is the much in demand After Dinner Speaker and Burns Night performer that he is. On a serious note, Robbie explained that he is a football man first and foremost. It was the way he was raised, he pointed out. However, he expressed his respect and admiration for the ethos of the rugby fraternity, so much so that he introduced his own son to the sport (and not just because he thinks that rugby players are the modern day rock stars). There was a wonderful moment in his presentation when, in the middle of a description of a rugby club dinner, he realised that one of the main characters he was going to describe was actually sitting in the body of the hall. There was a lot of laughter about this though possibly not for the reason he had planned! We never did get to hear his comments in their entirety! The GROGS Club is very honoured, and grateful, that such an entertaining and modest man should be willing to travel from Kilmarnock to join us during what must be a busy time for him. To back this up, Chairman Hugh Dan MacLennan presented him with his second bottle of The Special GROGS whisky, the first man ever to have received this honour twice!