Updated on February 11, 2021
HOW I PREPARE FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR
Gung Hay Fat Choi my friends! Translated, this means Happy Chinese New Year to you and yours. This is a big deal around my neck of the woods here in British Columbia, Canada. As you may have guessed, I have enormous respect for the wisdom of both Western and Chinese Astrology. They are pretty different in complexity, so I combine the best of both to learn as much as I can about an individual, and also to help pick fortuitous times for various ventures.
I have a step-by-step process in the weeks leading up to Chinese New Year. If you want to have Good Luck — and who doesn’t! — take note of the following suggestions:
- Wear red: The Chinese regard this as a very lucky colour for prosperity. (Also gold bling!)
- De-clutter your home: Always a good thing — but especially at the start of a new lunar year.
- Trim your hair: You are cutting the bad energy away.
- Be generous: Almsgiving is always a good thing, but extend generosity to others at this time.
- Hang lucky charms: Traditionally, I hang all the new animal charms and remove the old ones.
- Out with the old: Anything that is holding you back — let it go!
- A new broom… Sweeps clean.
- Do not… Wash your hair on Chinese New Year! You are washing your luck away!
This year we welcome in the Chinese Year of the Ox also known as the Buffalo. Buffalo types are hard working, determined and very loyal to their loved ones. They would not be considered Party Animals — by any stretch of the imagination! So this gives me the feeling that 2021 will be all about hard work, and getting our lives back to some form of normality. It’s not going to be an easy-going year. But then when you consider everything we had to deal with last year, all the work we still have to do to make up ground, that sure makes sense. Doesn’t it? No quick solutions for sure. Slow and steady wins the race with Buffalo Bill!
I love to decorate for Chinese New Year and this year it falls at the same time as Valentine’s weekend, so there’s going to be lots of red and pink, hearts and dangling little buffalos.
This year, I added a decorated cracker on each place setting, as well as fortune cookies, chocolate coins, and a little LOVE message since it’s also Valentine’s weekend!!
Finally — BLISS!! No cooking for me. We are ordering in Chinese food! Yum!!
Whatever you are doing this coming weekend, have fun. If there is nobody special in your life this Valentine’s, LOVE YOURSELF!! I cannot think of a better idea — Valentine’s or not!!
Sending hugs and kisses to you all and GUNG HAY FAT CHOI!!
Love,
Patricia and Coco xo
Updated on February 4, 2021
FEBRUARY: THE LOVE MONTH!
Hello my Beautiful Boomerbabes,
How’s it going in your neck of the woods? Where did January disappear to? I’m wondering the same thing myself. January got off to a very sad start with the tragic death on January 6th of a beautiful young man I knew. He was only 22 and out having fun on the ski slopes when tragedy struck. Prior to that, I was hopeful for 2021. There were other sad stories to add to that one, but nothing — nothing — compares to the death of a young healthy person. I decided to hibernate for the rest of the month. All I wanted to do was cosy up beneath the blankets so I wouldn’t hear of any more tragedies, and to protect myself from the sadness and madness. And just to pray. It’s the only thing that gives me a sense of control and a feeling of Peace.
This past January, home felt like the safest place to be — and it certainly was the cosiest! We kept our cheery Christmas lights twinkling for most of the month and cards and presents continued to arrive until the end of the month. So you could say Christmas was two months long this year. But after the year we all had, I’m not complaining! Suffice to say, Carpe Diem. Your health is your wealth. Nourish your body and respect it. Remember, it’s your engine in life. You need it to get around. Vroom Vroom!
FEBRUARY: THE LOVE MONTH!
And now to February…It’s always a much happier month for several reasons. Two birthdays to celebrate, my Parents’ Wedding Anniversary on the 10th of February, Chinese New Year on the 12th, Valentine’s Day on the 14th and Family Day long weekend on the 17th of February. And of course, it’s our beloved Coco’s Gottcha Birthday on February 28th!! Yay!! If you survive January, then there is certainly a lot to celebrate in February: Love, New Beginnings and Family! How great is that? The sun moves into Pisces later in the month and we’ll all start to feel a sense of hope in our hearts. Our burdens will feel lighter, the evenings will be getting longer and brighter, and the beautiful Spring flowers will be back again to infuse our lives with joy.
This February is a little different in that Mercury turned retrograde the end of January and will continue in this sleepy state until February 20th. It’s a time to go deep within, finish off old projects, plan your next move, de-clutter and just start to prepare for a much busier time ahead as the vaccines reach more people. Retrograde season is a time to retreat, recharge and de-clutter, both mentally and physically. But all the Spring energy surfacing will help us tie up those loose ends.
I shall be decorating my home for Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day, etc. We did a drive-by Birthday Cavalcade for my friend Anita’s Birthday on February 1st. It was a lot different from last year’s event where 16 of us friends gathered in a restaurant to celebrate, all dressed in blue, Anita’s favourite colour. Yes, like everybody else, I long for those carefree days to return — and they will. I fully believe they will. God is Good!!
Fashion-wise, I’m pulling out all my red and pink clothes and having fun putting outfits together for both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. Yes, there will be roses and hearts and chocolates — by golly Ms. Molly there certainly will be for Valentine’s Day!! For Chinese New Year, I hope to have the house suitably de-cluttered, may get the hair trimmed (for good luck!) and definitely shall be wearing red clothing and gold jewellery. I was in Chinatown recently and got all my little buffalos to hang in the good fortune section of my home. This is an annual tradition. I shall bid Adieu to the Chinese Year of the Rat and welcome in the Chinese Year of the Buffalo/Ox. Goodbye Rat! Hello Buffalo. Buffalos are known as the workhorses of the Chinese Zodiac. So we can prepare for a year of hard work as we try to get back on our feet again!! Not party animals! But hey, we can still party within our own private homes and hearts. Right?
On that Happy note, bye for now!! Keep Smiling. Good times are coming!!
Hugs,
Patricia and Coco xo
Updated on December 23, 2020
MONDAY MUSINGS: THIS THING CALLED ‘JOY’.
Hi Friends!
How’s it going with you? Good I truly hope!! In my little patch of paradise, Christmas is now in full swing! Bells, baking, glitter and garlands — the whole shebang! I love Christmas, though truth be known, in my first few years as an Emigrant to Canada, not so! I missed my family back in Ireland so much! My heart ached for them, as Christmas is such a family time. I would pass homes on the street filled with families celebrating, grannies, grandpas, aunties, uncles and I’d return home, sad. That was then — but this is NOW!!
Through Christmas tears, I battled through for Kevin and the girls. I realized the true meaning of the word JOY! Somebody once told me, and it stuck. J for Jesus. Put Christ into Christmas. O for Others. Lastly, Y for Yourself! So when you put yourself last, put Jesus and others before you — that is the secret of JOY! Simple, but ever so true!
Ask not what Christmas can do for you – but what YOU can do for Christmas!! So off I went on my Christmas Miracle experiment – and thank God, I have never looked back!! I got out my gratitude journal, my people-in-need list, a little book suggesting 100 ways to bring Christ into Christmas and WOW!! My Christmas world exploded!! I decided to write Christmas cards to people I knew could never return the favour, but who would enjoy! Do 12 Acts of Mercy for the 12 Days of Christmas — or at least endeavour to make at least 12 people happy during the 12 days!! I put my creative hat on and began to conceive ideas for creating a joyful Christmas. As a family, we began our own little traditions, which continue to this day. Driving around to look at the Christmas lights, etc. I began baking, something I never did in Ireland! I now make my annual Almond Roca to give to friends and loved ones. Simple things, yet bring great JOY!
For Christmas, I turn my home into a haven of glitter and decorations that would put Chevy Chase to shame! Brighter is better! Right Chevy? I have the Christmas music playing non-stop as I love it! I remember the joyful memories of my childhood Christmases in Ireland and try to impart them around me. My dear Mother was very kind. She told me that Christmas was a time to remember the lost and the lonely, the sad and the poor. I can remember fondly the sight of her wrapping up boxes of chocolates for people who lived alone in the country, and writing Christmas cards to people she knew did not have the money to do the same. JOY in action!
So, if you are feeling sad or neglected, exhausted from the challenges of 2020, didn’t sleep last night, yet woke up this morning, take heart my friends, you are loved! And yes, there are people whose day you’d make by just giving them a smile. It costs nothing, but creates ever so much! JOY is all around us… I wish you a Christmas that brings you immense Joy, Peace, and Love.
Love you!
Hugs and Kisses from Coco and me.
Patricia xxx
Updated on December 14, 2020
MONDAY MUSINGS: JUPITER/SATURN CONJUNCTION DECEMBER, 21, 2020
Hi friends,
Prepare yourselves for a once-in-a-lifetime Astronomical and Astrological miracle! Known as the ‘Winter Star’, this huge Jupiter/Saturn conjunction will be occurring on Monday the 21st of December. It’s worth going outside to gaze at its glory and luminosity. On December 21st, look to the South Western sky, just after sunset. It’s also the evening of our Winter Solstice and if times were more normal, definitely the night I would have planned a big Christmas Party! Instead, this year the party will be in the sky, and the after-party effects will linger a lot longer…
It will be the closest conjunction since 1623 and the closest observable since 1226. That’s 800 years!! They are only 0.1 degrees apart. That’s pretty tight! It will not be so tightly aligned again until March 15th, 2080, just 3 days after my 123rd birthday. It’s also the first time in 600 years that they are conjunct in the sign of Aquarius. To help you visualize that distance, it’s the width of a dime if you hold it at arm’s length. Despite this closeness from our vantage point, in reality, they are 400 million miles apart. It’s staggering to think of the enormity of our solar system. The power the solar system wields over us is equally enormous. How our mood elevates when the Sun is shining, and how for some of us, it can dramatically dip when the Moon is full, is a testament to that power.
But what about the mighty Jovial Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System? And glorious Saturn, the ringed planet? What sort of power do they wield over us? How is this conjunction going to affect us all on a more personal level? Depends on where they sit in your particular birth chart. Clearly, that is where it will have its biggest impact. Big questions we all have — and with good reason! A strong Jupiter helps you to look on the positive side and know this current crisis is not going to last. A strong Saturn helps you stay grounded and patient. We need both. Right? To stay POSITIVE and GROUNDED!!
People with Jupiter prominent in their natal charts tend to be the optimists and adventurers among us. They charm their way through life, tend to be lucky and frequently land on their feet. On the negative side, sometimes, they never finish what they start, don’t follow through and have difficulty with commitment and discipline. They can be very restless. and disappoint people by promising more than they can realistically deliver. That’s how Jupiter manifests. It rules Sagittarius, whose symbol is a Centaur, half man, half beast — and always on a mission! If you can relate to this, then it’s likely you’ve a strong Jupiter.
Saturn, on the other hand, is Mr. Reliable! Serious, plodding, hard-working, routine obsessed. People with Saturn prominent in their charts earn their success through hard work — 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. They tend to look at life rather bleakly at times, worry more than others, and rely on nobody but themselves. Challenges are second nature to the Saturnine character. In the end, they succeed because of their strong work ethic, persistence, determination to succeed and follow-through.
On the 21st December, we have these two powerful planets coming together in a very tight conjunction. So naturally, we’ll be experiencing these conflicting energies within us. Recognize it. Which do you choose? My answer to that is — take the best from each, and leave the worst behind!! Work those planets so they work for you!!
Visualize, if you will, a child eagerly running out to play in the snow. Not having the patience to bother buttoning up the coat, putting on the gloves, hat, etc. That’s Jupiter acting solo, without Saturn’s sense! It’s you and me wanting to go out and mingle this Christmas. Wanting to rush out and play and have fun with our friends and family! But Saturn, like Covid-19, is always lurking in the shadows, taking the fun out of everything — or so it seems! Get your act together, he’s shouting into our ears! Do what you need to do, or this problem will remain. It’s easy currently to see how these conflicting energies are playing out in our lives. Very easy in fact.
Recognize each voice within you currently. I’m sure you know exactly what I mean. We need to employ the positive energy of each planet to help us ride the current storm and thrive! Optimism and practicality — not pessimism! Patience, hard work, determination and strategy are the gifts of Saturn. Hope, long-term vision, creativity, dreams, and aspirations are the gifts of Jupiter. And I say it again: we need both in our lives! One without the other is a dreary existence, and nothing of significance happens in our lives when neither of them are in sync. There is a time for work and a time for play. A time to reap and a time to sow!
It’s most helpful to remember this as we head into Christmas and 2021. Listen to both voices in each ear but remain grounded and hopeful. Sure, you will get frustrated at the slower pace of life, laced with all the new restrictions. But you can still play and make your Christmas meaningful. While Saturn seems to be holding you back currently, do not be impatient. Listen to him too. He has some solid wisdom to impart. Saturn is Covid-19 telling you to social distance, be of no cheer, mask up, settle down with stoicism into a safe little Christmas. But you need to adjust things a little. A tweak here and there, the knowledge that this is not going to last and be prepared to adapt. Jupiter will help us to adapt and focus on the more positive aspects of our lives. Growing pains growl within us all. Ultimately, for our own good and development. Just keep listening and take the best advice from each planet. Saturn is Mr. Salt. Jupiter is Mr. Pepper. We must season our lives with both!
As we prepare for 2021, many of us are deeply scarred from the tsunami of change imparted to us in 2020. I just re-read the blog I wrote back in February. In it I referred to the significant Saturn/Pluto Conjunction of January 12th. The blog was aptly titled ‘Is the Sky Falling?‘ Not wishing to change the subject, it brings to mind many powerful insights I had after attending a fascinating all-day Jungian Astrological Workshop recently. I knew about the Age of Aquarius coming, but I didn’t know that it was eminent Psychiatrist Dr. Carl Jung who discovered this. Dr. Jung, through deep intensive study, discovered that every two thousand years we move into a different Astrological era. We are currently wrapping up the Age of Pisces, heralded by the arrival of Christ. It was an era dominated by world religions. Dr. Jung also discovered that when we are transitioning from one 2000 year era to another, there is always massive change and disruption in our society. Lightbulb Moment!! For me and for YOU I am sure. Are we currently undergoing massive ‘Disruption in our World’? Yes. Is it time to move now from the Pisces era into the Aquarius era? Yes again.
The fact this massive Jupiter/Saturn Conjunction happens to be in the sign of Aquarius, and has not been in this sign for 600 years confirms for me that yes, the times they are a changin… In addition, the planetary move from one sign to another is another big event. They have now moved sign from Capricorn into Aquarius. Yes, this is the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius!! And yes, Dr. Jung, our times are surely disrupted. Your observations were bang on!
Moving on, we need to be very PATIENT, PRACTICAL, RESILIENT, STOICAL, HARD WORKING and REALISTIC! That’s the Saturn part of the conjunction. And if we do that, we will endure and ultimately succeed. Equally, we need to buddy up with Jupiter and remain HOPEFUL, ENTHUSIASTIC, OPTIMISTIC and RESILIENT. That’s the Jupiter component of the conjunction and the wings for us birds to fly on with our lives. Remember, a man without dreams is like a bird without wings! Finally, the 3rd part of this conjunction, AQUARIUS!! We move into this exciting new era with the energy of Aquarius dominating the sky and our World. Aquarius is the sign of genius, invention, science, technology, unigender, non-denominational and humanity as a whole. Aquarius is a cool air sign, so already we can see how communication nowadays is all about the airwaves. Learn and educate yourself on modern technology. Old dogs like you and me can learn new tricks!
But equally it must be known, Aquarius is a sign that thrives on ideas, justice, freedom and equality for all. Since we opened the door to herald in the Age of Aquarius, you can see all of this manifest with Black Lives Matter, the Me Too Movement, Save the Planet for future generations. Unigender and non-binary are more common in the modern ever-evolving world around us. Advances in technology are going to be massive too. I am glad I have lived to taste a sample of this brave new world. I find myself thinking like an Aquarius recently — even dressing like one! What way is that? you may well ask. Anything that expresses a unique way of being. Not following the herd instinct. Thinking outside the box are words that come to mind. Eccentric — sometimes. Fun — always!!
Approach this New Year of 2021 with equal measures of optimism and realism. Be practical and hard working to stay on top of your game, (courtesy of Saturn). Hold fast to your dreams, wishes, and hopes for the future, (courtesy of Jupiter). And please, think outside the box and be kind to each other. That’s what Aquarius is urging you to do. If you work with the energies of this Holy Trinity, well then yes, you too will shine like a diamond in the sky. It’s ALL GOOD and getting even better!!
Lots of Love and Hugs,
Patricia and Coco xxx
Updated on November 11, 2020
FASHION FRIDAY: A JOLT OF ORANGINA!!
TGIF Guys!
Here we are in the dark of Winter, freezing temperatures and dark gloomy skies. Nothing like a jolt of Orange to warm the cockles of our hearts!! It’s no secret, orange is one of my favourite colours. So much so, my girls call me ‘Orangina’ after their favourite childhood drink!! It’s Vitamin C for the heart and soul! Orange flavoured chocolate is delicious and the fresh tangy taste of pure orange juice is a tonic for the body.
The colour orange makes me happy. Wearing it, and seeing it on others, brings a smile to my face. Psychologists say if orange is your favourite colour, you are friendly, good-natured and a generally agreeable person. I’ll take it! It means you’re an optimist, fun-loving and adventurous spirit. Yes, I tend to agree with all that. Why be a pessimist, when you can be an optimist? Baffling to me!
So, if you’re feeling a bit down in the dumps, get out your bright cheery oranges, feel a jolt of joy permeate your body, and while you’re at it, pop a Terry’s chocolate orange piece into your mouth. Yum! Notice when you wear an orange top or scarf near your face, it brings a lovely hue to your visage and no need for rouge at all!!
So, what’s not to LOVE about Orange. It’s the colour of the Gods!!
Hugs,
Patricia and Coco xxx
