my local...

Todays #photoaday word is “neighbourhood.”

One blog reader suggested that the word reminds her of the old Sesame Street song “all the people in my neighbourhood” and you know, I had completely forgotten about that one before you mentioned it!

I struggled with neighbourhood. What to take? Streets, people, houses? Next doors run away pumpkin plant?

I settled for my local coffee shop slash deli and what I think is the worst part of my neighbourhood- the carpark at the local mall. I have seriously bad carpark karma, and this place just makes it worse. This photo was taken while waiting to get out…and waiting…and waiting…  Maybe I should have taken my own advice (below)… Anyways, photos above and below.

Tomorrow we have “bedside” which is, potentially, moving into areas of just a little too much information perhaps?

Todays topic was, however, perfect for todays Moon- which is in Cancer…and soon to face off against Pluto. I won’t talk too much about this one as regular readers know all about the monthly showdown. Suffice to say, when something in your tummy is rumbling loudly and it has nothing to do with anything you have eaten, but rather the feelings you have swallowed or are hanging onto for some reason, the best thing you can do is allow a controlled release. That way you may still have friends and loved ones after the explosion.

The big story today in the sky is the showdown between Mars and the Sun. This is one aspect that doesn’t happen as often as you might think. Anyways, with the Sun representing ego and self and Mars about passion, desire and what you want, there is the potential for fireworks or conflict. Sort of like when you (Sun in Pisces) ask your partner (Mars in Virgo) if your bum looks fat in those jeans and he tells you the truth. Seriously? I didn’t think they looked too bad & if I held my tummy in tight I could get away with it? By the way, this is a hypothetical example only…my husband knows better than to answer questions like that…

Another one with explosive potential is Venus vs Saturn. Venus in Aries is very much about me me me, whereas Saturn in Libra is concerned about the “us”. Pleasure vs commitment/duty/responsibility. Hmmmm. Thankfully it is short-lived.

carpark chaos...

I have been in a super technical mood over the last couple of days. Details, sweetie, details…and I am soooo not a details person. The result has been a few technical posts which I have been trying to get around to for many months. Apologies for the avalanche of information, especially to all my non astro readers & anyone else who doesn’t give a faff about solar returns- let alone how to cast them or read them. Anyways, the posts are out there & also on the Astro 101 tab.

Yesterday was my birthday, so the whole weekend has been full of stuff. I started Friday afternoon with a couple of beers with one of my favourite people, followed by a date night with hubby. And so it went from there. A bit of work in between, but even that went so much better than expected.

I have a few ideas about how I would like the next 12 months to pan out, and I think 2 phrases ring true: consequences and comfort zone. More about this as I put words around it. Thanks to everyone who sent me birthday wishes- it was and is appreciated.

To the skies. The Uranus into Aries ingress has prompted a lot of press in the astro blogs- particularly because it coincided with the tragic earthquakes in Japan. If you are interested in the astrology behind this, there are plenty of mundane astrologers who have posted on the subject. Darkstar Astrology shared this one on Facebook.

The Moon moves into Cancer around midnight tonight (Sydney time). Cancer is very much about nurturing and the belly. Often this translates to comfort eating in this emotionally motivated sign. A little planning and detachment will see you through. Danger time will be, as usual, coinciding with the monthly Moon-Pluto opposition. You know the drill on this one by now. Mercury is currently square Pluto, and Mercury in Aries, as we know, is loud. He can also be prone to shooting his mouth off without warning or, indeed, a lot of provocation. Don’t be at all surprised tomorrow if seemingly innocent comments end up in a tirade of colourful abuse. I had better check what meetings I have booked in and put the phone on silent.

The Moon will also square off against Uranus overnight. Emotional upsets may result from the teeniest of starts. If you don’t mean it, quite simply don’t go there. Personally I think it has started early, I am in one of those emotionally claustrophobic moods- you know the ones where there is just too much noise in too closed an environment. It hit me mid afternoon today & I simply closed down & moved away from the situation & home to the ironing & a DVD. The Moon in the late degrees of Gemini often does that as it kicks off the natal Moon/Uranus opposition that I have. Weird how such a fleeting transit can show up in your own weather forecasts.

Five Foot Nothing is currently doing year 7 exams. This is the 1st year she has had to do the whole exam format exams, but in typical FFN style, she isn’t really that fazed- & does seem to be studying…although I am just a teeny weeny bits suspicious that is also a reason to get out of crack of dawn swim squad this week “I need to have my brain fresh, Mum.”

To say English isn’t her favourite subject would be to state the bleeding obvious. With a heap of Aries planets (including Sun, Mars, Saturn & Mercury) she simply has neither the patience nor the inclination to hang around analysing characterisation when she can save the pain & (in her words) use her time more efficiently by watching the movie. So it was when I was trying to explain why Puck is so important in Midsummer Nights Dream. Not because his name appears a really lot of times (:)) & because he changes Bottom into an ass (which she though was the only funny bit “why do they call it a comedy when it so isn’t?”), but because he directs and influences traffic and thereby the storyline in a way which is very Scorpionic indeed. He listens, he waits, he acts, he disappears into the background. Just like Scorpio. I’ve seen hubby do it on the football field…

The Sun got an extra dose of Scorpio today with the sextile to Pluto. This influence will still be felt tomorrow, when the Moon will also get a dose of Pluto. Ouch.

The Moon moves into Cancer at around 5.14am (Sydney time) on Thursday morning, bringing with it a dose of the famous Cancer mood, a strange inclination to bake and a magnetic attraction to the block of chocolate (or packet of biscuits) in the fridge. Personally, I am starting early and doing spag bol for dinner tonight. I do it using a mix of chicken & lean beef mince and throw in grated zucchini and carrot to thicken the sauce and make 500g of meat feed us tonight plus some spares for the freezer. How very Moon in Cancer of me.

The usual deal re the Moon/Pluto opposition- be careful of impulsion, compulsion, jealousy, paranoia, guilt and all those other Scorpio words. If faced with a conflict that you should simply not be engaging in, lie down until the feeling passes- it will be safer in the long run.

I am having a major craving for macaroni cheese. I have a mac cheese recipe for every craving:

• Cheffy mac for when I want something a little special
• Soufflé mac for when I have bits of leftover cheeses in the fridge
• Pumpkin mac for when I want a healthy (ish) mac
• Cauliflower mac for when I want veggies with my mac
• Mums mac for some tomato soup comfort mac and
• Plain mac for when you absolutely have to have it…with chips and bacon bits on top.

Of course, I am not having mac cheese tonight, I can’t afford the calories- it is steak and mushrooms with salad tonight. The Moon is moving into Cancer by around 11.45pm (Sydney time), so perhaps I won’t be the only one craving over the next few days.

The Cancer Moon is also characterized by a strange urge to bake- I’m thinking a slooooooow roasted greek style lamb shoulder for tomorrow night…maybe get the neighbours in- either way tomorrow night will be a good one to stay close to home.

By 4.30am ish tomorrow morning, the Moon will do her monthly face off against Pluto…probably a good thing to be sleeping through. This adds an additional layer of depth and intensity to what is already a Scorpionic feel to the air.

In a busy planetary day, we also have the Sun/Saturn conjunction and the Moons square to this aspect (see my previous post in relation to this). By the evening, the Moon will link up with Mars and Venus who are now within a degree and a half from each other. This is a lovely indulgent yet also moody aspect- perhaps the right alignment to cook that mac cheese? Might do an extra stint at the gym in case!