Ending this gouty 2025

The naming of three things that we were grateful for, was one of the questions posed tonight as we sat in Nicoline’s lounge room, drinking (or not), laughing and generally enjoying the company. Answers varied from chance meetings in laundry rooms to women who know what they want and how to get it.

Of course, being New Year’s Eve, we had just supped on a three-course meal prepared by three couples and it was a splendid feast. From scallops in a creamy leek sauce to seafood lasagna and ending in spectacular fashion with a rocket launched bombe Alaska.

This year, I was in charge of the entrée. I went with Geraldine’s scallops on a shell but in a ramekin. I made one change, though, on Mirinda’s advice. The original recipe calls for mushrooms in the sauce but she thought the flavour of the fungus dominated, dismissing the scallops to obscurity. She was right. It was much better allowing the full impact of the shellfish to hit the taste buds.

Anyway, the dish went over very well, as did the other two courses. Mårten and Lena delivered the lasagna and Jonas and KSP supplied the dessert.

Of course, Nicoline provided the wine (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and two splendid speeches. As usual, it was a very jolly night.

Unfortunately, Birgitta was not with us as she had family affairs to deal with. Nicoline, helpfully took a video of us all around the table and sent it to her. Actually, she took two because she hadn’t said anything about the ultimate purpose, and we just grinned like idiots. The second version had us all yelling and yahooing to our missing guest. I am assured it was a most excellent video.

Of course, this was my first sober New Year’s Eve and it was interesting how I didn’t join in during the rather serious discussion around political affiliations. In fact, the atmosphere turned decidedly serious following Mirinda’s question to Jonas: “So, you’re NOT a Socialist then?“

For me, it turned out to be quite the informative lesson in Swedish politics over the years and how things have changed. In the past, back when I was a boozehound, I would have joined in, posing what I thought were probing questions and rabid opinions but which were actually misinformed drunken ravings of a madman.

I wasn’t alone in my alcohol-free celebration. I was joined by Jonas who designated himself as driver for the night. This was not exactly completely altruistic. Fishing season starts tomorrow and he wanted to be a little clearer headed than he was last year.

As midnight struck, the neighbourhood exploded into life as rockets flared, colours crackled in the sky and detonations boomed out. Mårten was asleep and Nicoline had managed to vanish without anyone noticing (she is SO good at that) but the others went outside to watch. Apart from me, though.

I sat just inside the front door with two very frightened and shaking cockerpoos. Just like every year. This once more highlights why we can never leave them home alone when there’s even an outside chance of fireworks.

All in all, it was a marvellous night. I do so love attending Nicoline’s select NYE dining group. Mind you, as I said to our hostess, the one thing I missed about not drinking was having one of Nicoline’s wonderful Irish whiskies.

I only took two photos (strange but true) one of which was the post decimation of the bombe. This was the other. I think KSP was teaching Freya how she could fly like a small cartoon elephant.

And the three things I am grateful for? They were these:

• My parents moving to Australia when I was five so I could grow up in Sydney.
• Our theatre days, touring New South Wales and being an actor full-time, in our own company, thanks to my wife.
• Moving to Sweden and discovering how much I loved the country even though I had never visited before our unexpected arrival in 2020.

I’m thinking this is way better than a list of New Year’s resolutions. Maybe it should be something we include every year.