Swedish National Day Run

Today is the Swedish National Day, so Anna and I had booked in already since the beginning of the hash year this past Tuesday to lay the Hash. We wanted to make a Swedish celebration out of it.
As we are the JMs this year, we decided to put a really big effort into it this time, we really wanted it to be a good night.

We laid the run itself through the orchard across the road, a beautiful site with fantastic views. Unfortunately the run got cut short as someone had moved the paper after we'd laid it, so most hashers were out already after 40 minutes and had missed the first 1/3 of the run. Ah well.
We had the on-on at my house, for the first time. We had ordered the tent anyway as the weather has been pretty unpredictable lately, and it was a good call as we did get a bit of rain later in the night.

I had decorated the tent with all the blue-and-yellow flags, balloons and other decorations I had; I also used some of the Swedish information sheets I put together years ago for the International Day celebrations at school. We also had some speakers outside with a playlist with only Swedish music.

As the hens came back from the run, they each got a Swedish quiz to amuse themselves with, and a gift from us hares - a Swedish cook book! Linnea was our little assistant and was very nicely asking each lady her member number, and ticking them off from a list as she handed out the books.

Our first time guest, Kym. It only took her 11 years in Brunei before she made it to her first Hash! :)

We hadn't asked for it, but a couple of the hens had still dressed up in the blue-and-yellow theme!

The kids both were very excited about having the hash at our house and they got to participate for a little while, until we started the shout-up:

Of course the down-downs for the night were Absolut Vodka shots instead of the normal beer!

Unfortunately Anna and I got the hashit... Ha ha, it was totally deserved though, we managed to forget we had a first time guest (=Kym. I guess we hang so much she didn't feel "new" to us!), and had to be reminded to welcome her. Never happened before, we're normally very on to things! ;)
Maria had to share it with us though, because Kym stitched her up when she was taking her down-down, and drank before she was allowed, all on purpose, of course!

It's all good fun, it's only water!
I was lucky and only got it down my side, I think the other two copped most of it!
After the shout-up it was time to bring out the food. Of course we had Swedish Meatballs; together with mashed potato, Janssons Frestelse, brown sauce, lingonberry jam - and for dessert Kladdkaka (=goey cake) and Daim chocolates.

I got to use my Sweden shaped serving plate!

(Thank you Yvette/Hash Flash for some of these photos!)

The food was really popular, even though we've had to make the meatballs halal of course! Everybody was pleased and thankful for their gift as well.
It really turned out to be the lovely night we had hoped for!