Da Count - Hot Luck Friday the 13th Tradition

For at least the past 6 years or so (I'll have to go back and try to look up when this actually started) Francine and I have been holding a "Hot Luck" bash every Friday the 13th. It is basically a "Pot Luck" for lovers of hot and spicy food.

We borrowed the idea from an event that happens in Port Dover every Friday the 13th -- motorcyclists converge on Port Dover for a weekend of fun and celebration.

One year, as a Friday the 13th was approaching, we were chatting with our neighbours Chad and Trish about our love of hot and spicy foods. Talk led to getting a group of people together to share and trade favourite hot and spicy recipes and it was decided we'd hold these gatherings on Friday the 13th.

Since then every Friday the 13th (with one exception, when Francine was pregnant and not able to tolerate smelling ANY sort of food, never mind digesting it), we've held our fun bash.

There have even been a few times when a year didn't have any or enough Friday the 13ths, so we held one anyways. (One year it was held on Friday August 15th -- we tried to double theme it and called it a "Hat Luck" where everyone would wear their favourite or silliest hat to the party -- yes, this was the day after the Great Blackout of 2003 -- it was the smallest gathering we'd ever had, maybe only 6 people attended that night -- but it was the year I created my infamous "blackout ribs" that are still talked about as my greatest killer offering. I haven't been able to properly recreate them since)

Fran and I love hosting parties, and love gatherings of friends. That's why, this week I'm counting traditional gatherings of friends. Should be another fun blast tonight.