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Well described Glenn.
I'll try to be even simpler...
The ecliptic is inclined at 23.5 degrees from the equator, so each day the ecliptic appears to wobble +/- 23.5 degrees.
The lunar orbit is inclined at about 5 degrees from the ecliptic. So when the lunar orbit offset is in phase with the ecliptic offset, the lunar orbit appears to wobble +/-28.5 degrees. When it's out of phase, the daily lunar "wobble" (in declination) is only +/- 18.5 degrees.
Mike, at present you observations are correct. In about 6 months time they will be the other way around, but in the long term it will change as both the axis of the earth and the axis of the lunar orbit precesses.
Al.
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