FRIDAY's FAVE FIVE

Happy New Year to all of you, this is my first post in this New Year which I hope will be better than the one we have behind us and which I think made me loose a year of my life. 

Living nine month like a prisoner under lockdown with a little interruption between Lockdown N° one and N° two which is not yet finished and very much to my great regret, we had to take the lockdown with us into the new year. 

Nothing really happened between Christmas and New Year, we had our lockdown meeting twice, otherwise I went shopping for our New Year celebration, because this year we celebrated New Year's in our home.

The official rules for New Year was one "bubble" (humans living under one roof are now called bubbles) plus one guest and on top a curfew at 10 pm !! 

We found a solution we probably celebrated with the Australians or another continent where at 8.30 pm our time it was midnight somewhere ! 

Our guests arrived between 3.30 pm and 4 pm in order not to arrive all at the same time. We were all together 6 so not exaggerated, only 3 too much ! 

Everybody brought something special to eat and his drinks. I had dressed the table as a buffet and everything was put on, except a delicious Tiramisu which Chantal had made herself as each year, and which we had put in the fridge. The bottles of Champagne (without and with Alcohol) were on the balcony. 

Each person had also brought two little gifts well wrapped in paper which we put in a basket (picture on the top)

Then we started our "evening" we chatted ate and were "thirsty" Champagne always tastes good ! Little Rosie was happy she went from lap to lap and was the star of the evening. 

After the Tiramisu which was delicious, we started our game as we do each year. One person takes the two little gifts she had brought and let the others touch it and they had to find what was inside ! That was hilarious because sometimes it took half an hour until we found the solution ! Of course we had a lot of fun. When all gifts were distributed it was close to 9 and we decided that it is midnight now ! We raised our glases and wished (without kisses) a happy and better New Year to each other !

At 9.30 they left because everybody had to be at home at 10 !! What a special New Year celebration but at least we had as much fun as the other years.

I wasn't tired yet and watched a show on TV, at midnight I heard some fireworks and went on the balcony. There were two on one side of the building and two on the other. Fireworks were striclty forbidden and a big fine of 750 € had been fixed for those who didn't obey ! 

They didn't last long, and then I saw helicopters in the sky probably the police checking from where it came. What a New Year's night ! It was a silent as in a church. Everybody remained inside. 

I got Whatsapp message from Toby proud owner of his first Smartphone, he is ten and I found it really touching that he had thought of his grandma ! His parents followed. They were celebrating in Amsterdam and at midnight they had made a fire in the street (well protected) to warm up everybody and all the neighbors gathered around to wish each other a happy New Year. I found that very nice. It was outside and everybody was in front of his house so no rule was broken ! (or maybe a little bit)

Toby with his new gifts and the family video call, as so many families did this year ! At least we could see and talk to each other ! Would have been terrible if we wouldn't have these possibilities !

more participants at Susanne at Living to tell the Story.