I know why this is happening

I'm a bit embarrassed by Anna's birth video. Not because of the nudity, but because of what I'm caught on tape asking a split second after she emerged. Most normal people would have asked something like, "Is it a boy or a girl?" Instead, I asked (frantically and repeatedly) what time it was. Poor Steve, instead of welcoming his new baby into the world, is seen on the video fumbling with his cell phone trying to find out. Finally someone answered and I could get on with other things, like realizing I had a baby girl.

Why was the time so pressing? Because you can't get a complete astrological chart without an accurate time of birth.

As I've mentioned before, I believe in omens and superstitions. I also believe in astrology and metaphysics and other things that most people view as whacky. I just do, and I'm not going to apologize for it.

So I have to believe that the planets are the cause of the problems we've been having. Actually, just one planet in particular, that pesky Mercury.

A few days into our trip my mom reminded me that Mercury Retrograde had started the day we left California. Mercury Retrograde occurs a few times a year and lasts for a couple weeks each time. During that period, Mercury appears to be going backward and it makes things go haywire. You're not supposed to undertake any major new projects, make large purchases or sign legal documents.

I wasn't worried, though. I had always operated with the understanding that it was ok to finish things during Retrograde--you just couldn't start anything new. Since we had applied for the loan, ordered the trailer, and paid our deposit well ahead of Mercury Retrograde, we should be fine.

But with things going so utterly bad, I looked into it some more. It turns out I might have been wrong.

The information I found today specifically said not to end any major projects during Retrograde if it meant signing documents or contracts. One should allow extra time for travel. And transportation issues are especially affected. (I also learned that one shouldn't hold elections during Mercury Retrograde, a fact I'll be sure to remember should I ever stage a coup.)

My mom placed a call to our astrologer (yes, we have one) to see if there's anything we can do to make this better, but we haven't heard back yet. Mercury Retrograde doesn't end until September 12, so we might still be in for a long haul. (As an aside, the first time I heard about Mercury Retrograde was when I accompanied my mom to a meeting with our astrologer when I was about 10. I thought she was referring to a type of car. I still think the Mercury Retrograde would be an awesome car name, though it would probably be a terrible car.)

On the topic of superstitions, a while back I wrote about EcoJoe, the environmentally friendly St. Joseph-house-selling kit. The owner of the company read my blog and asked if I'd like to take St. Joe on our travels and photograph him with different landmarks, sort of like the Travelocity gnome. Of course I would! She also said it was fine if I buried him in the meantime if I needed help selling our house.

I was quite conflicted about what to do. I didn't want to bury him because I worried he might clash with or negate the other St. Joseph I already had buried. I didn't want to disinter the original St. Joe lest he get mad at me and seek revenge (I have issues, I know). At the same time, I didn't want to bring him with us on this trip. After all, his role is to sell property, and we're trying to buy something. I could have just let him sit, unburied, in the house, but at the last minute I buried him in a different part of the yard as the other Joe. Hopefully they're playing nice.

Anyway, EcoJoe has missed out on some roadside attractions, but I think it's best that he's not with us on this trip. I already have one supernatural force trying to keep us from this trailer, and that's more than enough.