There are times when one contemplates one’s ephemeris with a degree of trepidation.
Noting that transiting Mars was due to turn retrograde during our week’s holiday in Devon in England – from which I was planning to attend the UK Astrological Association’s ultra-special 60th Anniversary Conference on 22-24 June – was one of those times.
Mars – stationary…
“Ooops…”, I thought, noting that Mars, as he slowed down then turned retrograde on Tuesday 26th June, would be conjunct my husband’s Sun and opposite my ruling planet Mercury. “ This may not be entirely without incident…”
We were due to leave for Devon on Wednesday 20th June. Cutting a very long story very short, we didn’t, owing to some trying circumstances arising prior to our departure. Having spent a total of ninety-seven increasingly stressed and frustrating minutes in three separate calls to India where UK Trainline’s ticketing administration is located, we managed to re-book our seats, departing one day late.
It’s a long train journey from Glasgow to our Devon destination. Nine hours, to be precise. However, I was revelling in a lengthy period of time to do nothing but read, chat desultorily, and stare out the window. Until lunch struck. I use this verb advisedly. Biting into my sandwich I felt a stab of pain, on inspection discovering that a bit of my lower back tooth had sheared off. ( I still don’t know where it ended up…)
A plethora of mobile telephone calls followed until I achieved an emergency dental appointment at 3pm on Friday afternoon – when I should have been arriving at the AA Conference. In any case, given the stresses preceding our departure, I had decided I could not face the extra travel which would be involved to get there only one day after our arrival in Devon, and had reluctantly cancelled my Conference booking.
We arrived in beautiful weather and resolved to make the most of it, centred round re-doing some of our favourite walks, during which my husband acquired two nasty cleg bites, banged his hand which resulted in most dramatic and widespread bruising, and developed a bad cold which meant him coughing and sneezing his way through our much–anticipated visit to Cornwall’s Eden Project on Monday 25th June.
Eden Project 2018 (click on image to enlarge)
Photo: Anne Whitaker
We almost did not get there. On Sunday afternoon, whilst crossing a road at a main roundabout, I tripped and fell, ripping a new pair of trousers, cutting my knee, gashing my left toe and staving my right hand with which I broke the fall. It still aches. Miraculously, the fall was the only thing broken…
Considering how highly-strung you are, you are a remarkably relaxed fall-er,”
observed my beloved. You’d never guess he is Aquarian, now, would you?!
Tuesday 26th June arrived, Mars went retrograde, and we had a delightfully relaxed day, the highlight being a long and delicious Italian lunch in a favourite restaurant. The weather was extremely warm; with the rest of the town’s population outside eating ice cream, we had the place to ourselves. A delicious bottle of chilled white wine made an excellent cooler. We concluded that, despite vicissitudes various of a decidedly martian nature, we had had a most enjoyable few days. Tomorrow, time to go home.
However, Mars had not yet finished with us.
Picture the scene. The end of a nine-hour train journey. We arrive in Glasgow Central Station at 18.15 hours, on time. We are tired. We are hungry. In my bag are a tangerine and an apple. Oh – and a bottle of water and some chewing gum… The train is very crowded with returning commuters travelling from nearby locations. Oh. There appears to be a problem. Leaves on the line? No. The wrong kind of snow? Hardly.
Fortunately, we are in a train at the head of a queue of four: they can neither move forward nor back, owing to late/delayed trains all over the place. The reason? Points failure ahead, points failure behind. Stuffed. Stuck. One and three quarter hours later, we stagger off with our luggage. Goodness knows how long those poor folk behind us in the queue had to wait to escape.
In a very crowded Central Station, stranded travellers are milling around. “Scotrail regret to announce that all train journeys to and from Central Station are now cancelled. Please accept our apologies…”
I wondered idly to myself, as we wearily joined the taxi queue snaking round the block opposite the station, whether I should present myself in the control room and offer to broadcast the following announcement: “Sorry, folks, but I’m afraid the planet Mars is now retrograde until the end of August. Best be philosophical about all delays…”
Well, maybe not…
And how is YOUR retro Mars proceeding thus far? Do tell!
Zodiac
800 words copyright Anne Whitaker 2018
Licensed under Creative Commons – for conditions see Home Page of Writing from the Twelfth House
Astrology: Questions and Answers 
Via Facebook:
29.6.18:
Margo Cline
So sorry for all your mishaps, but I know the feeling. In one day at work I managed to bash my elbow and bruise my stomach. Then another day I went out to pick blueberries and got stung by insects at least 3 times. Two months of this? I’m almost afraid to move at all!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sympathy greatly appreciated, Margo! Also reciprocated…Yes, nerves of steel and blithe insouciance – both Martial qualities – are what is needed here..
LikeLike
Via Facebook:
29.6.18:
Jennifer Rhind:
No mishaps for me at all! I enjoyed this but do feel for you! Hang on to your sense of humour in the meantime?
LikeLiked by 1 person
That will be the last thing to go before I leave this earth, thanks, Jennifer!
LikeLike
Via Facebook:
29.6.18:
Leah Whitehorse:
Oh ouch – Mars got you good didn’t he! So far I’ve had :- a loud party resulting in needing to have words with a neighbour, having to replace my cooker because the oven finally died, calling out pest control to deal with a wasps nest on my balcony and today, a sudden leak in the kitchen when the water mains pipe sprung a leak! Of course I’m hoping Mars has got it all out of the way quickly for both of us!
I hope your bumps, bruises and tooth issues are well on the way to healing for both of you! x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Leah! Oh my goodness – can’t quite recall where Mars is in your fiery chart, but guessing it must be quite prominent with that lot! Hang on in there…x
LikeLike
Via Facebook:
30.6.18:
Marcia A Brilinski :
The last time mars retrograde was in Aquarius at this degree was July 11 1971. I was a kid moving into a big old house in the country. My parents spent months remodeling. I’m doing the same now. This mars retrograde is transiting my 8th house. My big old inherited house, that was my dads. I’ll be remodeling for months…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Marcia, this is such interesting feedback, and really shows how the planets reveal cyclic patterns in our lives…Enjoy the renovating!
LikeLike
Via Facebook:
30.6.18:
Judith Burke:
Oh no! All I dealt with was a tendency to get angry (and then depression when I stuffed it). Unfortunately a variety of bad things happened elsewhere in the U.S. 😥 Sending good energy for your healing!
LikeLike
Thanks Judith, much appreciated. Yes, It’s very difficult energy – very aware of its links with wider world issues, but felt like concentrating on the personal on this time, to see how it had been at that level – when followers of the Page drop by and leave feedback, it helps us all to see the range of manifestations which come from the same core energies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Via Facebook:
30.6.18:
Grace Flannigan:
.Our train on journey home from conference to airport was cancellled then when we arrived at Gatwick flight to Edinburgh delayed.. 🙄🙄..two months patience coming up! In my 3rd hopeful of brothers/sisters stuff being sorted! 🙏🙏Hope you’ve fully recovered Anne .. thanks for sharing planets in action! xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are welcome, Grace, and thanks for this travel feedback with which I can certainly empathise!
LikeLike
Via Facebook:
30.6.18:
Kim Keenan:
Major fights with people I love, not happy with myself right now!
LikeLike
Sounds par for the course, Kim, thanks for sharing…
LikeLike
Via Facebook:
30.6.18:
Lynn Holt:
2nd square to my Scorpio Asc….all this arguing has left me exhausted ☹
.
LikeLike
Oh well, Lynn, this too shall pass..
LikeLike
Mars is retrograde in my fourth house and also my husbands so perhaps apt that family commitments, albeit very pleasurable ones have prevented us enjoying this lovely weather via his latest very Mars acquisition, a motorbike. Also apt that when we did get time we discovered that the shock absorbers needed a special key not provided with the bike, entailing another delay entailing him taking it back to the supplier. Dontcha just love Astrology in Action 😎
Sorry to hear yours was so painful Anne CxXx
LikeLike
What perfectly apt feedback, Carole! My main feeling about my little escapade is relief, actually, since I didn’t break anything. Mars may have been opposite my Mercury, but natal Mercury is exactly sextile Neptune, therefore trine the transiting Mars. Whew… 🙋⚡️
LikeLike