Jómsborg the New: Veizla 2005

The Veizla is the annual dinner of Jómsborg the New, and also marks the inauguration of a new Reeve and Companions. There will be a mead reception with puzzles and the annual Jómsphoto, followed by dinner (during which people will be asked to answer the Reeve's Challenge - see below), followed by port and more mead, and the traditional announcement of the new Reeve and Companions. Afterwards we are likely to retire for further merriment.

Booking for the Veizla has now closed. Everyone who booked should have received an e-mail confirmation from the Reeve; if you haven't, or if you need reminding of details or have any other questions, e-mail the Reeve using soc-cusfs at lists dot cam dot ac dot uk.

There will be a mead reception starting at 7pm in the Open Walkway; follow the main corridor from the Porters' Lodge until you reach the open air. There will be puzzles to solve and a group photograph. The meal will begin at 8pm, in the Council Room.

The menu will be as follows:

Deep fried rosemary-scented brie with a cranberry and lime salsa

Roasted haunch of venison with redcurrant and sage
or
Mushroom and garlic strudel with a cream and chive sauce

Chocolate and cointreau torte
Coffee
Port and mead

The dress code is black tie or fancy dress. Please bring a pen and your Jómsscarf (if you have one).

Prices are: drinking £35 members (£38 non-members); non-drinking £27 members (£30 non-members).

During the course of the meal, you will be asked to answer the Reeve's Challenge, which this year is:

Excuses
Back in the mists of time, when the Reeve was but knee-high to an authentic Danish wolf-cub, the Jómsvikingar would oftentimes meet of a lunchtime to partake of bread and cheese and like nourishment. Between the food and the washing-up, however, disaster often befell the company, and their host would return to find a missive explaining at length their trials and adventures, and the reasons for not vanquishing the washing-up.
The washing-up, of course, would have been completed by some shadowy, ill-understood agency.
Please answer the Challenge with an inventive excuse, or, alternatively, explain why you've failed to answer the Challenge...