OMG! Ray Merriman!

The picture's a bit blurry but yes that is Alex Trenoweth with Ray Merriman!! I have the very good fortune of coming from the same neighbourhood as Ray so had the double good fortune in being able to meet up with him on my recent vacation, I mean holiday. Ray worked his socks off for the United Astrology Conference and continues his hard work for ISAR (International Society for Astrological Research). I met Ray briefly at UAC but it was sheer pleasure to share a meal with him and get to know him better on our mutual turf. Ray put me through my biggest challenge yet with a request for a joke for Saturn cj Pluto cj the Moon in Leo! Does he actually know anyone with this particular combination? Coinicidentally (I actually hate that word), this was the joke--slightly modified to suit Ray's rather specific request--I told at the Faculty of Astrological Studies Students' Forum.

OK, at Ray's request. . .

A scorpion walks up to a crab and says: "Give us a lift on your back to the other side of this stream!"

The crab says: "No way! How dumb do you think I am? You'll sting me! And besides, you're perfectly capable of getting there yourself!"

The scorpion says, "I understand your concern but you see I've just had my hair done and I don't want to ruin it by getting it wet. I promise I won't sting you."

The crab considers this for a moment and being quite a caring, accommodating creature, agrees to give the scorpion a lift across the stream. They were nearly to the other side when the crab felt an excruciating pain--not in the back where she expected it but in the tender underbelly, a particularly vulnerable place she had thought no one else knew about. With her dying breath, the crab managed to gasp: "Why?"

The scorpion said: "Because I felt like it!

(Hey Ray, thanks for the lovely evening!)

A is for Alex

This is pure bragging but just look at my bowling score! 142! 6 spares, 1 strike and only two gutter balls! Usually I get 6 gutter balls, 2 spares and er, 1 strike per game. I don't know what got into me but that ball was going where I was aiming. Maybe it's some weird astrocartagraphy line that makes bowling more favourable for me in Michigan. Oh wait, the next game I was more true to form (no photos of that scoreboard). . .

It's a shame I couldn't attribute my phenomenal score to Ojibwa Corn Soup but it's more likely a result of my dinner consisting of a chilli dog with cheese washed down with Mountain Dew (I did take a photo of that for posterity)! BTW I tried to smuggle Mountain Dew out of the country but was busted out. It just about broke my heart when security threw the two cans I had intended on saving for a rainy day (would have come in handy yesterday) into the nearest trash can--OK rubbish bin. My vocabulary will return to normal soon and I'll be back to good old British synonyms.

Speaking of synonyms, I have a good old homonym (get a dictionary!) joke worthy of a Mars in the 9th with Mercury stationary:

One Sunday, a pastor told his congregation that the church needed some extra money. He asked the people to consider donating a little more than usual into the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns. After the offering plates were passed, the pastor glanced down and noticed that someone had placed a $1,000 bill in the offering. He was so excited that he immediately shared his joy with his congregation and said he'd like to personally thank the person who placed the money in the plate. A very quiet, elderly, saintly looking lady all the way in the back shyly raised her hand. The pastor asked her to come to the front. Slowly she made her way to the pastor. He told her how wonderful it was that she gave so much and in thanks asked her to pick out three hymns. Her eyes brightened as she looked over the congregation, pointed to the three most handsome men in the building and said, "I'll take him and him and him."

Spot the difference

I was so exhausted by the end of the school year that I was genuinely concerned that I had worked myself into a serious illness. However, after a few days of rest, this concern proved itself foundless. Nevertheless, let's have a look at me before and after!

Left is a photo of me presenting my dissertation for the Sophia Centre. Gawd, what a dweeb! I worked bloody hard for my Master's degree and I did it whilst working full time and being a mother! So I reckon I was entitled to be a little tired!!

Now have a look at me on holiday, lol! As you know, I consider myself to be an astrological joke teller extraordinaire but Ray Merriman (more on him later!) didn't half put me through my paces! Uranus cj Pluto cj the Moon in Virgo in the 12th??? OK baby, you're on!

A boy comes home from school and asks: "Hey dad, what's the difference between theory and reality?"

Dad says: "Go ask your sister if she would sleep with the mailman for a million dollars."

The boy does this and answers the father in the affirmative.

The dad says: "Now ask your mother the same thing!"

The boy duly does this and returns with the same affirmative answer.

The boy says: "I don't get it!"

Dad says: "Theoretically, we are multi-millionaires. In reality, we're living with a couple of sluts!"

On the Rez!

It was so good to finally be home on Saugeen Indian Reservation in Southampton Ontario! I stayed with my Aunt Liz and her husband Burt in their beautiful home near the shores of Sauble Beach (which my grandfather managed to acquire from the Canadian government). Left is a photo of my daughter and I playing on the beach. The water was a little choppy that day but we could still venture quite far before feeling battered by the waves. We had started the day with a swim, had a big breakfast (lasagne! woohoo!), then made ourselves wait a bit before heading back to the beach, where we stayed for the rest of the day.

Later that evening we had a fabulous meal with my cousin Angie. She made the delectable Indian Corn Soup which, to an Ojibwa, is better than Mother's milk. So good in fact that I asked my own mother to take a photo of me digging in! Note the delirious expression of extreme pleasure! What is Indian Corn Soup I hear you ask? It's made from corn that's been soaked in lye (yes LYE) so it pops. Then it's rinsed and rinsed and rinsed then rinsed some more. Then some special Ojibwa magic is added so it becomes this gorgeous soup. It had been a long time since I had Corn Soup (so good it deserves capital letters) but I hereby declare my cousin Angie to be the best cook in the world! To celebrate my cousin's devotion to Ojibwa cuisine, here's another special Ojibwa joke that can only be Mars in Taurus in the 2nd!

Two Ojibwas go to a hot food stand and order two hotdogs. As they walk away, one says to the other: "Which part of the dog did you get?"

How's that for an eclipse on one's Mercury?

Phew. . .

Well, I survived the plane journey back to England (there were a few dodgy moments on the plane which no one but me seemed bothered by!). I've seen loads of relatives and friends. Eaten way more than I should have. Spent time on the beach. Went to a pow wow and did some dancing. Visited Detroit Zoo. Saw Ray Merriman. I have to say that I'm already aching to go back. The thing I missed the most was being with my Ojibwa family--I've even committed myself to hitting the pow wow trail next summer (one of my lesser known talents is making beaded Indian jewellery). Over the next few days, I'm going to try to catch up a few posts but for now, be content with this nice photo of us dancing at the Black River Pow wow and one with me and my very good childhood friend and mentor Juanita (who remembered me as a joke teller)!

To celebrate having an eclipse on my Mercury, here is a very special Mercury in the 3rd, ruling the sixth Ojibwa joke straight from my Aunt Liz:

An Ojibwa and a Lakota dog are out and about. The Ojibwa dog strolls up to a tree, does his business and resumes frolicking with his Lakota friend. A few minutes later, the Ojibwa dog returns to the place, has a quick sniff then returns. They continue their play but then the Ojibwa dog abruptly stops and goes back to the very same spot. When he returns, the Lakota dog says: "What the hell are you doing?"

The Ojibwa dog says: "Just checking to see if there are any messages!"

On Vacation!

Pardon the delay. . .I'm in the US on vacation! Woohoo! (The picture to the left is of my lovely daughter Jessica in the Native American Indian outfit my sister used to wear--Jess is still a bit too small to wear mine.) The only problem is that I keep bumping into fat, bald, wrinkly old men. Then I realise I went to school with them!

I may be on holiday but my sense of humour isn't. To celebrate getting old, here's a Saturn in the 7th joke.

An old man and his woman are sitting at the breakfast table on the morning of their sixtieth wedding anniversary. She touches his hand and says: "You know, after all these years, my nipples are still hot for you!"

The husband says: "They should be. One's in your coffee, the other's in your oatmeal!"

Steve Judd Concedes!

Well, it was a busy weekend at Bath Spa for the MA graduates! Not only was it a time to hear brilliant presentations (a-hem), it was a chance to catch up with old friends. . .and to get old friends to take the Alex Trenoweth "any aspect, any planet, any house" astrological joke challenge.

And guess what? Steve Judd, the world's hardest working astrologer, took up the challenge and had to concede defeat! Ha! And yes Steve, there were witnesses! (left is a photo of Steve at Rainbow Circle Astrology Camp).

In other news, Nick Campion gave yours truly a compliment! Good goddess, what is the world coming to when Steve Judd concedes and Nick Campion hands out compliments??

Lest either Nick or Steve get it into their heads otherwise, let me publicly declare that my academic heart still belongs to Patrick Curry! In honour of Patrick Curry (an ex pat like me), Steve Judd admitting defeat, and Nick Campion finally saying nice things about me, here's a little Pluto conjunct Mars in the 11th house joke.

It was election time and a politician decided to go out to the local reservation and try to get the Native American vote. They were all assembled in the Council Hall to hear the speech. The politician had worked up to his finale, and the crowd was getting more and more excited.

"I promise better education opportunities for Native Americans!"The crowd went wild, shouting "Hoya! Hoya!" The politician was a bit puzzled by the native word, but was encouraged by their enthusiasm.

"I promise gambling reforms to allow a Casino on the Reservation!"

"Hoya! Hoya!" cried the crowd, stomping their feet.

"I promise more social reforms and job opportunities for Native Americans!"

The crowd reached a frenzied pitch shouting "Hoya! Hoya! Hoya!"

After the speech, the Politician was touring the Reservation, and saw a tremendous herd of cattle. Since he was raised on a ranch, and knew a bit about cattle, he asked the Chief if he could get closer to take a look at the cattle.

"Sure," the Chief said, "but be careful not to step in the hoya."