Hello friends,

It’s been a while. I’ve been recovering from a condition called Bell’s Palsy, which means for a month now the right side of my face has been paralysed. It’s been tricky to see and speak, but I’m happy to report my recovery is going well and as my expressions slowly return, I count each movement as a small victory and am very grateful for the love and care that I have in my life.

Since October of last year, I have been working with some very real grief. I lost my old friend and bandmate Richard Andrew, who passed away on the 30th of October, two days before the Scorpio New Moon. We shared a tumble down house in Fitzroy some years ago, a junkyard of a place that was brimming to the rafters with creativity and art. He was a brilliant musician and an absolute workhorse. We hadn't seen each other in some years, and I am very grateful to his remarkable wife Nicolette for inviting me up to their country home, where I was able to sit at Richard’s feet and listen to him tell stories one last time. It was powerful, difficult, and very beautiful.

Richard was born right on a Leo New Moon

In November, the world quaked as we reconciled the grim reality of the future for the U.S.A. The Astrology of this time fell flat for me. Pluto established itself in Aquarius two weeks after the election on the 20th, however I had exhausted myself analyzing the possible and probable, and began to feel my faith waiver too. This work can become incredibly compulsive, and it saddened me to turn away from several trusted Astrologers, as I became aware of their thirst for prediction at any cost, with little in the way of compassion for those directly implicated.

My heart clenched as I thought of all of the beautiful, hard working, wild and Queer folks from all over the world that now call the U.S. home, and whose futures are now in jeopardy. My incense burner set alight recently, and so I had a fire for you my friends, old and new.

On the 16th of December, a day after the Gemini Full Moon we lost PupPup, who belonged to my friends Mark and Sandi, and who I had known and loved for 10 years. She was one of the most important souls in my life. Her love for us was unwavering. I shall miss her bossiness very dearly, and I’m glad when I think of her reunion with her gentle Sister Cookie, who we lost at Christmas of 2023. I will remember sleeping nestled between them forever, with happiness in my heart.

On January 12th of this year, on the day the Dragon’s Head entered Pisces and two days before the Cancer Full Moon, we lost Stephen Looker, a much loved and respected High School Drama Teacher. I am a very proud former student of his. At his memorial service, there was a comforting feeling of solidarity among the very many of us who were lucky enough to receive Stephen’s warmth and guidance through the final years of our education.

He had a way of helping us to believe in our abilities, often through delicate jabs with his impeccably wry sense of humour. Whenever I’m feeling stuck, I remember with all of my might that I’m “Not Just A Suburban Boy”, because Stephen told me so. He also bought me Howard Arkely’s biography with the same title for my 18th birthday. I could always trust you Stephen, I loved you very much, and I am very glad to be just one of hundreds of others that can say the same.

Stephen was born on Christmas Day, and loved a good bauble

On the 25th of February, the day that Mars stationed direct and three days before the Pisces New Moon, my Nanna Simpson passed away. She was 88 years old, and my kind and loving Mumma had been taking care of her and Poppy for 10 long years. I always remember her glamour first. She was an auburn haired fire cracker in her day.

She was a dancer in “The New Theatre” of the 1950s, a Governess in the outback, a makeup rep for Mary Kay and a Bingo caller among many other guises over the years. Listening to her talk was like holding audience with a working class Queen; bored, judgemental and fabulous. Nanna once told me that I should always chase love, no matter how far away it took me or how hard the fall.

“One life.” she said. So I did. Still do. Tada Nanna, I love you.

Which brings us up to one month ago and the the Dragon’s Tail Lunar Eclipse in Virgo. 4 days before Nanna’s memorial, I woke up paralysed on one side of my face. My Mum, nephew Westy and I went to the emergency room and after I got the all clear on my vitals from the Nurse, the Doctor diagnosed me with Bell’s Palsy. It’s a neurological condition where one of the facial nerves becomes inflamed, due to a low immune system, and probably stress. He told me that a farmer friend of his usually gets it every year around harvest time.

There’s a lot of “probably” and “usually” with a diagnosis like this. “You’ll probably be able to close your eye soon.” “Folks usually recover in a couple of weeks.” “It’s probably stress, so try and relax(!).”

As tricky as it’s been, I can feel that something has shifted inside of me. As I recover, every tiny new movement of my eyebrow and cheek feels cause for celebration, and I can feel my essence coming back to life too. I’ve also come to something of a revelation. Why don’t I try feeling my emotions, rather than stuffing them down? The battle of Pisces and Capricorn inside of me continues, however with half a face I believe it’s the Water Sign who might save the day this time.

I’ve also taken this time to reflect on many happy memories passed. I’m going through my archives and cleansing, polishing and rejuvenating all of the precious trinkets that I’ve managed to hang on to over the years.; colours of my many different incarnations, art styles, books, boots and treasured gifts from very special loved ones. I’ve been listening to a lot of Shinto Philosophy from Japan too, and have made sure to thank the teapot Kami, scrubbing brush Kami, and the boot polish Kami.

Every moment seems to count, and I am so very grateful.

As we move towards the Libra Full Moon of 2025, I’d like for you to be brave by expressing your tenderness and your heartache. Know that the Sun will be warming up Chiron in exact conjunction, almost as if the Wounded Healer is helping to shine the spotlight on this great big beautiful Libra Moon that we can again, finally, trust. On the very same day, Venus will station direct, which hopefully will encourage you to reach out to those that you love, and tell them so.

It doesn’t matter if they’re in this world, or the next. They’ll hear you. I love you.

To Absent Friends.

Uma Ruby

To Absent Friends.

With a kiss, I’d pass the key

Uma Ruby