If I ever invite you to spend New Year’s Eve with us, please refuse. Even if I beg, plead and cajole and tell you that I’ve spent days preparing for it, just say that you’ve already been invited to do something else. Something less life-threatening. Like Base Jumping.
Our New Year’s Eve parties are jinxed. People we have invited in the past have come down with pneumonia, glandular fever and suspected gallstones in the days leading up to the 31st December. When everybody else is well, we are the ones who are sick.
The curse continued this year. Out of the six people we’d invited over for dinner, one person in each couple was afflicted by misfortune or illness. The mother of the first died a few days before the end of the year. The funeral was held on New Year’s Eve so they gave our party a miss for obvious reasons. Another couple attended the funeral before coming over to us. They arrived here very late and one of them had a chronic case of flu. They managed just a couple of hours at the dinner table, before bowing in to a soaring fever and hitting the sack. The third couple made it through to 2.30am before she started throwing-up. Blaming it on over-indulgence, they were both in bed quarter of an hour later. As if I would ever over-feed my guests.
As for us, we had spent the entire Christmas season avoiding all contact with our neighbours. The usual bout of Gastric flu had hit France in time for the holidays and our village had suddenly become the epicentre. How could I cook if I was ill I thought?
As it turned out, on that particular evening we were the last men standing. At 3am I decided it would be sensible to haul my husband in off the patio where he’d decided to drink a last beer whilst he waited for the sunrise in a wine-induced haze. I was afraid that if I left him out there I would probably find him in the morning, sat in the same position, beer glass in hand, frozen to statuesque proportions by the sub-zero temperatures. Now wouldn’t that be a New Year’s Eve to remember? I turned off the Christmas tree lights, willing them and all the other decorations away to another planet and went to bed.
The mountain dweller 
Oh no! You do have bad luck! Take heart – it’s a seasonal thing, it isn’t personal! At least the illnesses…
I, for one, would be right there if I ever received an invite. Even if I did have a base jump planned. Who would say no to a chance to spend New Year’s in the French mountains?!
Heidi 🙂
Oh dear – that sounds awful and yet it made me giggle just a little. I hate the flu season.
Thank you for the warning. But honestly, if I ever had the honor of an invitation to your home for New Year’s Eve, I don’t think I would be able to turn it down, no matter how much I might struggle to say no.
What a bummer!
Ours was great and you might be interested to know that we spent part of New Year’s nigth lambing — we had celebrated with friends who have a dairy farm in the Lozère! It was an original New Year’s Eve for us!
What a bummer!
Ours was great and you might be interested to know that we spent part of New Year’s nigth lambing — we had celebrated with friends who have a dairy farm in the Lozère! It was an original New Year’s Eve for us!
Happy New Year!
New Year’s Eve? L spent the night at a friend’s house, D and I went out for two rounds and were back home by 7!
I DID throw a party with my neighbor last evening; two husbands (not ours) got a bit miffed when their wives had a glass, in their opinions, too many!
I’ve had my flu shot…I’d come! But please warn me BEFORE you plop the boar’s head onto the table.
Happy that the two of you were well enough to host. But all those contaminated guests…..how are you feeling NOW?
Oh my! Even with illness and death you lasted later than us. At midnight we went to bed – I officially old.
I live dangerously, I’d chance it 🙂
Happy healthy 2008!
Actually, I think you should invite us all! And have us each bring a dish so you don’t have to cook! 🙂
Wishing you a wonderful 2008.
Oh my glory! You poor thing – or should I say your poor invited guests 🙂 Well, regardless…here’s a better start to the New Year!
I am jinxed when it comes to Thanksgiving, but the jinx usually doesn’t affect anyone but me. I’ve had an appendectomy, given birth, fixed plumbing problems, eaten “Floor sweepings” jello salad, you name it… it happens on Thanksgiving day.
Happy New Year!
Oh, my! Thank you but my wife and I have been invited to shovel the neighbor’s driveway. Otherwise we would be there. Honest! (I’m glad you pulled your husband-icle in from the cold before he completed the transformation!)
Cheers,
-Walter
in Vermont
with the snow