Mermaid vs. Sailor in Magical Realism

After the China trip, I threw myself back into the mini-busy season at work. Overall not bad and it went by fast - lots of work trips - I did get stuck upstate one trip due to rumors of a blizzard but made it back home for everything I really needed to. In between work trips I was also sick a lot - I think in general the ice-swimming helps my immune system, but trains and planes and automobiles and hotel rooms take their toll on me after awhile. Our 15th anniversary was on January 20th, A had planned something but it involved food and I was sick and we wouldn’t have enjoyed so we ended up cancelling. Lame.

A few days later my old colleague from London came into town, I hadn’t seen her since we met up in Hong Kong last summer, so I went out for “one drink” and ended up staying out until like 6am. We went to the bar in the Bryant Park Hotel, then to this crazy hookah bar…I don’t know. Please note that this is not my hat:

After very little sleep, I headed off to a work trip, then straight to London for the UK Winter Swimming Championships which was a short in/out trip but so much fun. Saw lots of my swimming buddies briefly, and got to hang out with Echoes to the evolution. We went for a charity dip, wore funny hats, and I even got a medal. You can see Miss [Echoes] jumping at the far left here:

Me and [Echoes] after the dip:

Anne and me at the awards:

Burgers and beers with [Echoes] and her lovely friend after the swims:

Australia Day shenanigans in Notting HIll:

I took my suitcase to the bar, and from the party went straight to Heathrow. When I arrived at the airport I realized I was tipsy and wearing an Aussie Flag Heart on my face. Rubbed it off frantically, bought makeup at the Chanel duty free, and got on the plane. Uneventful flight, slept at home one night, then off on another work trip the next day.

Work work work the next couple of weeks, there was a storm predicted for Valentine’s weekend so was very nervous about making it home. But I got home on Thursday night as predicted, just in time for our adult sleepover at the American Museum of Natural History. I was zonked but it was a great time. Started off with a champagne reception by my best bud, Blue Whale:

After that we had a great dinner with loads of wine, and then had full reign of the museum at night. We took full advantage:

Ended the night with Dark Universe narrated by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, a cookie and hot cocoa in the Lunar Lounge chill space, and then to bed on our cots under the Whale. Woke up in the morning to see Newt Gingrich in his pajamas (so weird) and skipped breakfast to go home and catch some more zzz’s in our own bed.

Napped away the afternoon, then started getting ready for a Valentine’s Day masquerade party with my friends. Met the boys for a pre-drink, then proceeded to party the night away. I wasn’t in the best mood as Valentine’s Day was my dad’s birthday, and I was a little melancholy, but we ended up having a really fun time.

Wheee!

The next week was the first US Winter Swimming Championship. We had the international winter swimming board members in town a few days early, and I was tasked for entertaining them for a day. We started out with thermal baths and massages at Aire Ancient Baths, then went shopping around Union Square. We had lunch at The Old Homestead Steakhouse and then did a boat tour around Manhattan on the Circle Line. From there we walked to the Empire State Building, went up to the top, then headed out to Queen of the Night for dinner and theatrics. It was a packed day but everyone really seemed to enjoy.

The next day we drove a mini-van full of friends up to Vermont, to Lake Memphremagog, a lake on the border of the US and Canada. We had a welcome reception and briefing at a wine bar in town, and I saw so many friends. Went to bed relatively early, and got up early for the swims. The events were supposed to be spread out over 2 days, but there were some problems with the pool freezing over too quickly, so we squeezed everything into Saturday.

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They didn’t have age groups for the first year, but I won one event outright, then silver and bronzes in the other three. We had a dinner and awards ceremony - the medals were made of wood and each time we won part of the prize was homemade jerky:

After the party we had an afterparty in our (very small) hotel room, sponsored by Coney Island Brewing Co’s “The Plunge” beer, and Russian vodka gifted from our Russian friends. Shortly after midnight we got a noise complaint from the hotel, because we are 17 years old:

The next day we had a very nice goodbye brunch, walked around the frozen lake a bit (it was a beautiful sunny day, no snowstorm like the day before!) and drove home. Overall a very nice event.

The next day I took everyone to Coney Island for one last dip, and we had brunch at Tom’s.

One more entry, then I am caught up I think!