Ha ha ha... my New Year's Eve was not what I had in mind. It was, in some ways, an epic fail, and in others, it carried pockets of goodness. I am grateful for Claire for putting me in touch with Zoe, and to Zoe for making me welcome. I'm less pleased with Alchemy in Camden, who seemed much more interested in taking my money than in anything else, and who promised food in the ticket price, and then charged separately for it on arrival. But that meant Zoe and I ate together somewhere else, much cheaper, and got to chat, which was great. She does lots of very interesting things, that woman. (www.astrozo.com). Full moon gong bath? Yes please!
I got gonged a bit last night, actually - that was a bit I was grateful for. I sat in the meditation room while the musician practiced some tunes on a kind of outside-in steel drum thing. It was nice. Peaceful. And then she had a gongy, bowly thing and she came and let it resonate all through my head. It was lovely. I thanked her and later, she showed me how the whole thing works. She was mint. She hat a lilting accent, Irish crossed with soft German and Canadian (or something).
The vibe in the place, though, was faux-seekery. Many lovely people, but it didn't have that buzz of genuine heart peace. Yoga snobbery and mung bean righteousness. Not only. Oh, did I mention I was a bit hormonal. I suppose it's relevant. That's a cop-out, though. I think I'd think the same today. That's the thing... I was put off my original plan by the words a bilious guru figure, but when I spent time with those very people before Christmas, they really DID have that big, positive, peacey energy. I liked it very much.
And I chose to go to Camden, where the buzz was really, really hedonistic and shouty. Instead of trucking up to Finchley and sitting on my arse for 12 hours. Either way, I was going to struggle. Either way, what was, was. I very much enjoyed talking to Zoe. I'm sorry I didn't stay for the dancing (that was partly the grump, but my decision). I enjoyed my walk to Kentish Town tube (Camden Town was like that famous medieval debauchery triptych that I seem to remember we had in my middle school. Might be wrong though. Couldn't face that. The walk was mint. And I liked that this is what had to happen. That was it. And there's no denying there was candy.
Today, on the other hand, much more like it. Slept long (ah well) and got to the pond, armed with nectarines and marmite rice cakes, for the feted New Year's Day swim at the ladies' pond. Noon (another duel). Ladies queue on the edge to go in together. I have never seen so many people at the pond.
It was actually very nice to swim with so many people. Lovely Jean was there, of kingfisher fame, and Joan, gently faced lady who stopped swimming for the winter. And Corinna. I like her very much. And a lady called Armorer, who was looking for a Monday to Friday lodger , and lives near the Heath. If you're interested, tell me. I took her number. She was nice.
I was joined by Sarah Lonton, my delightful, long, clever friend. I was out of the water by the time she came, and even though it wasn't cold, I thought going in again would be pushing it, expecially as it would be just to show off. We hung out and ate. We walked, then, and talked a lot. We went to Kenwood House cafe until the rain got bad and then we walked again, took rain into our clothes, our hearts.
Then home to eat some of the huge butternut squash curry I'd made to take to the yoga people. Tasty food, delicious company, conversation to be savoured. What a feast of a start to this year.
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