Tag / night

by Andrew Pilcher

Hypermoon

smith-pilcher-856-150928This was the strip that set off this space themed bunch of cartoons. I’ve always been annoyed by those Facebook postings that portentiously announce that a Supermoon is going to be happening, like it was something that only happens once every thousand years or so rather than something that naturally occurs every fourteen full moons. Of course, the term was invented by astrologers rather than astronomers, mainly because its easier for them to say than perigee-syzygy, and because it adds another level of self importance to the drivel they write.

This time round the supermoon was coupled with a lunar eclipse (or ‘bllod moon’ if you want to turn the lunacy dial up to 11), which in the UK happened at around 3am. I don’t know what predictions were made because of this awesome coincidence, but Linda and I were celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary at the time in Buxton and missed it.

by Andrew Pilcher

3am

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This happens every night in the Pilcher household. Billy and Bella still retain their standoffishness during the day, refusing to be picked up and spurning outstretched hands of welcome, but at night it all changes. At 2 or 3 in the morning both cats leap onto the bed, purring their heads off, and demanding our attention. We’ve learned the best way to deal with it is to sleep with one arm outside the bedclothes, then we can pet them as demanded, with the minimum of disturbance. I swear Linda’s worked out how to scratch Billy’s head and still keep sleeping!