Things can only get better
Two out of the three of us in the McEldowney House of Porter began 2008 exactly as we'd left 2007 - nursing our wounds.
Scottish-extracted Husband in Training (SHIT's) lesions were of course self-inflicted. With an impending sense of gloom about the arrival of his last new year's eve as an unbetrothed, he coerced me into giving him a two day leave pass to enable him to meet his mates at a beach party for a bout of male bonding.
Clearly his attempt to recapture his long lost youth didn't go strictly to plan with a drunken phone call at 7am the next morning indicating his intention to leave the park bench he found himself awakening on in exchange for his favourite duvet.
The following day he spent in agony, gingerly nursing a hangover while simultaneously digging out splinters from his raw behind.
Dog's injuries dated back to Christmas when having been awarded the unusual privilege of being taken out for the day, he decided to get up to his old tricks and take the mickey. Finding himself tethered in foreign territory he announced his displeasure by howling, crying, whimpering and - when that didn't work - burping his way through our entire Christmas luncheon.
Still struggling to get his message through, our Houdini hound then took advantage of a drinks break my wriggling out of his harness and squeezing himself through a crack in the fence to explore his new environs.
It was a process he was to repeat a further five times during our stay with his final outing marred by a mutt on a neighbouring property who took exception to Dog marking his territory. Sporting a serious eye, together with resulting infection, Dog spent most of the first day of 2008 getting a haircut at the vets followed by a heavy sleep aided by an array of hallucinogens.
And it seems we were not the only ones entering the New Year carrying some baggage from the last.
The tail end of 2007 was not kind to many involved in the rag trade with insolvencies, failed trademark bids, shopping centre collapses and even the odd criminal charges marring what is traditionally one of the happiest times of the year.
Having boasted an aggressive $10 million expansion program back in February, the director of multi-brand fashion retailer Global Rags spent the weeks leading up to Christmas attending creditors meetings in the hope of arguing his way out of a debt believed to exceed $7 million. Seemingly having put its financial woes behind it after a profit slump of 42 per cent back in March, delisted group Colorado again found itself at the end of some rough justice after an attempt to prevent handbag retailer Strandbags from using its name on its bags and wallets failed.
Home to such brands as David Jones and Myer, national shopping centre chain Centro was also nursing a sore head over the Christmas period having been unsuccessful in its attempt to renegotiate funding for its $US3.9 billion debt. And last but by no means least, Air New Zealand Fashion Week founder Pieter Stewart found herself worrying about what the new year would bring after a close family member was bailed to appear in court in February after facing a number of charges.
The transition from one year to another is the only time most of us have to get off life's roller coaster for five minutes, wait for the dizziness to dissipate and take stock. To reflect on failures and triumphs of the previous 12 months, assess our hits and misses and adjust our plans for the future accordingly before we lock ourselves in for another year.
By Tracey McEldowney