Written Wednesday December 16th, 2015

Hi Mom and family, 

I didn't seem to have much energy for anything yesterday. I made myself get up early because I am so behind with the house and yard, but then couldn't seem to stay awake. I finally got out of the house in time for my computer tutor appointment, only to be reminded, when I got up there and checked my e-mail, that we had changed it to earlier in the morning.

 I felt so bad. I don't like to be the kind of person who misses appointments. Why couldn't I have taken the few minutes to write it in my planner also! And why do I always forget to check my planner when I go away for the weekend?

A "hard freeze" was predicted for last night, from 11 PM until 9 AM in the morning. After I got back from Starbuck's, I forced myself to get out in the cold and cover the plants that are most at risk. I started with the Myer lemon and the bougainvillea across the street; it gets a lot colder over there because the plants aren't surrounded by the tall oleander hedge and house. I had to prune the bougainvillea severely to be able to fit the cover over it.

Even in the bright sunlight, I could feel the cold through my jeans. I went back into the house, crawled under my fluffy winter comforter, and watched a movie!
 
This was why, by night fall, I still hadn't covered the bougainvilleas and the South African sweet sumac in the back yard. I put on several layers of warm clothing, and it wasn't so bad once I got out there.

Here are photos of me dressed warmly, and one of the covered plants: 

This the first year that the orange tree is too tall to cover, and of course the lemon and the grapefruit have been so for years. I hope all the fruit doesn't get freeze-damaged. You can see why I don't really mind that the "lime tree" I bought turned out to grow into an orange tree!
 

I also put a towel over the thyme. It is only a couple of years old and almost died when I was in British Columbia, from lack of being watered. I put upside down pot over the year-old marjoram plant. The oregano bush is so well-established that it should make it just fine.

What made the chore easier was that there was no wind. Often, here, our few freezing nights are coupled with a fierce wind, which can make it a lot more difficult to cover the plants and secure the covers so that they will not blow off.

Love,
Lennie

P.S. In the morning the lot across the street was covered with frost, there was a 1/4 inch layer of ice on the birdbath, and the grayish-blue towel which I had put over the thyme was all frosty: