According to Sandy

It has been 12 months since I retired. The year went so quickly, its amazing.

My internal clock still wakes me before 6am. I’m still getting lists by email and snail recommending the best places to spend my later years or the best place to invest my 401K (Ha!).

Life still happens (along with all the challenges that it involves), but I’ve found that being unscripted has lots of advantages and I’ve had great fun.

I still agree with Piaf, “Non, Je ne regrette rien “.

I am so grateful.

I love the holidays – the smells, the sounds, the food, the ribbons & boxes, the door stopper fruit cake & all the glittery stuff that comes with the season. (Those little white lights wrapped around shrubs or trees make me smile.) BUT, there are Christmas trees in Costco today – they used to at least wait until October. It is too soon.

I will flood family, friends & neighbors with good wishes, good vibes, happy salutations, etc. Urging all, with the use of phone calls, emails & cards, to be thankful and grateful for what we have.  That’s just some of the many positives of the time of year, but, “Jingles Bells” in WalMart in September is too soon.

The stomach rolling, dancing Santa and the wiggling mounted fish should only be seen in the dead of winter – not in Walgreens in September. It’s too soon.

Surely we can lift our spirits in other ways. We can smile, have positive thoughts, good will toward men and all that good stuff without listening to Burl Ives singing “Have a Jolly, Jolly Christmas” before Halloween. It is too soon.

Please, don’t get me wrong and consider this a complaint, it’s just an observation.  Yes, I know I “observed” this too early Xmas calamity last year and the year before that & I understand my missive will change nothing – but, it clears my air!

I love the holidays, but September is too soon!

I guess I am officially a resident of San Francisco. I experienced the “punch” of an earthquake this morning and nonchalantly went back to reading my paper. The building felt like a large person had given a short, quick, left hook to its brick walls. I knew what it was as soon as it happened – but I was cool.

Found out later that it was just a 3.5 – which is why my building didn’t move.  It can do a swaying, hesitation waltz during Mother Nature drama times like these. The few seconds of dancing will start when the quake is nearby and above the 4.5 range. I hate those.

When I had my cat, he would know an earthquake  was coming before it actually hit. Grey would look at me/I would look at him, both of us wide eyed. He would scurry under the couch, I not as smart, would be frozen in place waiting to see if anything cracked or fell.

This morning’s 3.5 and subsequent 2.0 aftershock were just blips.

Just another day in “Bagdad by the Bay”.

The Moon in Virgo on Friday June 18^th just might add oomph to the influences being felt from this Mercury ruled sign.  Since Mars and Saturn are already lined up in the steady, efficient, “let’s get real” Earth sign, an addition of Moon energy gives an uptick to Virgo concerns on health, nutrition, work. (Are there things that need to be looked at/worked on? Take care of it now.)

Early Saturday morning, June 19^th, we go into partnership loving, luxury loving, understanding-both-sides- now loving Libra!  I think Libra weekends just ooze charm, cooperation, social interactions– a party?

Have a great weekend! (On Monday we’ll get back to serious with the Scorpio Moon)

On Friday June11, the Moon will be in Gemini – it becomes “New” on Saturday the 12th.  The Moon is considered new when the Sun and Moon are in the same Zodiac sign and this time is great for new ideas and implementing new projects.

Air sign Gemini, ruled by Mercury, is considered the communication sign, and that is the area of life that will be enhanced – lots a talk, lots a writing (tweeting?), etc. BTW: Mercury will also be in Gemini at this time until 6/25/10 –  the themes of this “twinner” Sun sign are reinforced!  What can you create out of this?

On Saturday night, the Moon glides into nurturing, family oriented Cancer – remember that even though the Sun sign has changed, the effects of the “new” energy will still show up for approximately 10 days until the end of the 1^st quarter.  Perhaps Cancer things, like home/family, will get a boost. (Pick something from your old DIY list to start? New cupcake recipe? Set up new behavior protocol for the kids?)

Regardless of the sign – this weekend is a good time to make plans concrete. All “new” things are highlighted and begging for action to be taken. Start something!

Moon change:  we go from the sunny, “I” oriented Leo of the last few days into the dutiful, service, work oriented Virgo on Friday April 23.

Well, it may not be party time, but, we can be useful, focused and get lots accomplished.  Your mind will be sharp and no detail will be missed- which is a good thing since Mercury is Retrograde and all plans, communications, etc. should be checked twice anyway.

Just try not to be too fussy or critical- after all, it is the weekend:)