Somewhere in the South Pacific. Pic by me.

As I write this, I have half an eye on a piece of pork belly that I am attempting to blister the crackling on before pouring milk into the pan to cook it slowly. Scented with sage, the milk will tenderise the meat so it should melt off the fork. I’m serving it with thyme roast potatoes, a capsicum pesto and some lemony green beans.

I’m even doing a cocktail hour thingie- a home-made smoked salmon dip that we will munch on with char grilled asparagus, artichoke hearts and toasted baguette. I have some sprightly sparkling red in the fridge to give the whole effort a festive air.

Why? It is partly guilt- I am out every night pretty well between now and when we go away in just over a week. More importantly I am trying to make myself feel a little better and brighter and more festively uplifted. Today we are celebrating my last work from home Friday.

Next week is my last week in the partition job and I have no idea what I should be feeling, just not this. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not sad- this is an amazing opportunity to do something for myself- or not, the point is, it is my choice to make- and the whole transition has been handled with incredible integrity. But I am feeling empty and illogically lonely.

As I will be pretty well the last man standing (you know what I mean), aside from my boss, there are so many odds to finish up and loose ends to tie off. I’m worried I will forget something and the last thing I want is for him to be somewhere thinking badly of me. Didn’t Lizzie Bennett say that about Mr Darcy? Totally different situation, but  I have worried myself sick, literally, this week.

Pisces does that- the guilt thing- better than most other signs, and I could seriously guilt at Olympic level- if there was such a sport. We do the crying thing well too.

I sat here this afternoon with tears pouring down my face at this clip (check it out, it is funny and sad and awwwww all at the same time) from the last episode in season 1 of Offspring- an Aussie romcom/dracom. My daughter refused to let me into the TV room to watch the end of Hannah Montana with her: “in your mood Mum, it’s like too embarrassing- you’ll cry at The Climb like you did on the plane.”

In any case, I am sure you are more interested in hearing stuff about the total Lunar eclipse on Sunday morning (Sydney time) than hearing me bang on about crap like “feelings”.

Well tough, there’s more. This is a self indulgent Friday afternoon post.

This Full Moon (and eclipse) at 18 Gemini 10 on Sunday morning (1.36am Sydney time- in fact, East Coast Australia is one of the best places to see it- that is if Sydney’s grey skies clear for the event) will play absolute merry havoc with my chart. Within a few degrees of orb, this one, falling pretty well across my 4^th/10^th axis, will also:

• Oppose the Midheaven (hello- how obvious is that one?)
• Square the Ascendant/Descendant
• Square my Sun
• Square Pluto
• Square Uranus

According to my Moonshadow report (I got mine refreshed today for the next 2 years) eclipses across the 4^th/10^th houses represent a crisis in direction. No shit Sherlock. It’s all about making peace with the past and ending something in order to move forward.

Looking at all of these squares, the words of the day are “tension” and “frustration”. When a square aspect is involved, something will happen that will force you into doing something.

This one is a biggie, with both luminaries squaring my Sun and providing one trigger. The other flash point will come from Uranus who, at the time of this Full Moon will have stationed direct- almost exactly on my natal Saturn. Next week will be a challenge.

What about you? Where does 18 Gemini fall for you? For more on this eclipse, from my favouritest eclipse astrologer, check out Big Sky Astrologys post. The link is here.

Oh, and the pork? It melted- in fact Miss 13 actually closed her eyes to savour it.

The recipe is from Annabel Langbeins’ Free Range Cook, but is also in this link. The recipes are at the end of the article.. I cooked the spuds in the pizza oven at a high temperature so that the pork could loll in the main oven and take its’ time.

The pesto and green beans work well and freshen the dish. If you want to cheat with the pesto, use a good store bought char grilled capsicums rather than doing your own.