Lunar Chitchat

Passing the front door, I caught a glimpse of my daughter standing outside in the dark in the front yard. I stuck my head out and asked what she was doing out there all by her lonesome. Nothing, she replied, in an offhand manner. I shut the door behind me and joined her on the lawn. We stared out at the sky for a minute or two. Is that Mars? she asked me, pointing to a distant blue light in the night sky. "No, no" I replied, "Mars is bright orange and large in the sky tonight. We should be able to see it soon." We stood for a minute longer, straining our eyes for the first glimpse of the Red Planet and then she asked me to follow her to the backyard, where the planet discussion continued. What planet do you think that is? she asked, pointing to a large white light hanging low in the sky. "I think that might be Venus" I replied, "should be setting soon." We should get some chairs and sit on the lawn, and watch for Mars, she said. And so we did. Dragging the Adirondack chairs across the driveway, and then the grass, shaking off the resident ants as we went, we chatted about the night sky, what time the moon would rise, who would be the first to see Mars. We sat down and settled back. The breeze was cool, especially for a late July evening. Just three days ago the weather was over 110. Today it barely reached 85. The ground was still moist from the earlier rain. We  resumed out chat as we sat under the stars. She brought out her phone and began to read me random facts about the various planets. How many Earth days was a day on Pluto (6.4 or 153.3 hours) How many Earth days was a day on Venus (116 days and 18 hours) How many mph the Earth was spinning (1000 mph).

 Did you know Uranus has wings? ...Er..Did you say WINGS? RINGS MOM, RINGS! NOT WINGS! I must be getting hard of hearing in my old age, I swear she said wings...

Mars made it's appearance.and we watched for a minute, then the chat continued, while we waited for the Moon, not far behind.

She mentioned Halley's Comet. I told her I had been alive to see that, but that I hadn't see it, because I had been uninterested then. Her face registered amazement, there in the glow of the street light, that I would have missed a chance to see such a rare celestial event. Squannnnnderrrred opportunity, she chastised me, 30 plus years too late. I had to agree with her, in retrospect. Also, did you know there was a lunar eclipse last night? "Erg...yeah, I might have forgotten to mention that"....You mean you KNEW and you didn't TELL me? What she said next had me cracking up, though. I'll be OLD when the next one happens, which won't be until 2024!  "What? you'll be 26! That's old?" YESSSSSS! OH MY! 

The moon came up, and we stood there a minute, two tiny little particles, in a tiny little neighborhood landscape,  whirling around at 1000 mph, on a tiny little sphere, watching another little tiny sphere as it emerged from the clouds and lit up the night.. 

We don't spend much time together these days. Our schedules are usually night and day, meaning I am up and about during the day, and she at night. If we are awake at the same time I'm usually pretty busy taking care of things, the house, the yard,  or my one year old granddaughter. So glad that tonight I put it down and went outside. It can wait. Time with her can't wait. Especially as fast as it seems to be flying by. 1000 mph is about right. Doesn't feel like time is moving at all, but I look up and that twelve year old I had Lunar Hot Chocolate with all those years ago and the teenager I watched the Geminid Meteor Shower with a couple of years ago have been left behind and a lovely young woman has taken her place. College is on the horizon, and although I don't expect her to actually leave home anytime soon (and that's perfectly fine with me) I know it's eventually going to happen.
But tonight I don't have to think of that. It will all come soon enough. Tonight it's enough to chit chat under the stars about everything and nothing and just hang out.