ElmTree of Bloom

I slept for just over 5 hours last night, which wasn't really enough, but I still felt better than I did yesterday. It was shortly after sunrise when I got up, and I wondered if I was seeing the only sun we'd get all day. but it turned out to be surprisingly nice--windy, partly sunny on and off, crisp dry air. I worked in the yard for an hour or so, mostly cutting back dead canes on the rose bushes and some branches of the laburnam that looked dead, and a bit of weeding. Later in the afternoon, I went back out again to wrap/cover the tender plants so the hard frost tonight won't kill them. Today it was in the low 40s and felt like just above freezing in the afternoon, and by evening, it was in the 30s and felt like below freezing. Tonight it will fall to 26. Everyone is very worried about the fruit crop. I covered my rose bushes, my treasured tree peony, which was just forming nice buds, the garden bed, in case the peas and lettuce are not as hardy as one would like, my baby lilac bush, and all the hostas in the back yard. They're not my favorite--they were planted by our predecessors in a rather unimaginative stab at landscaping--but they are just unfurling some nice healthy leaves, and they look awful when they get frost-burned. I know this by experience. I had to use two old coverlets, five sheets, a throw, two towels, three tablecloths, and a set of old curtains. I scavenged these things from my storage tubs in the basement, trying to choose items that could easily be washed. I had to use firewood and twine to hold them all down, because of the wind.

The oncoming polar vortex inspired the Sparrowhawk to order pizza and salad for dinner, and I had no objection. After that we watched another episode of "Clouds of Witness." Lady Mary is an awful ass. In her defense, George Goyle, her Communist ex-fiance, is correct in saying that it's her class privilege that makes her behave so badly. That was an interesting moment, because Sayers set his character up to be scorned, so I'm not sure she realizes that she put the truth in his mouth nonetheless. The Duchess of Denver always reminds me of a wealthier version of my late mother-in-law, which makes it extra fun to watch Lord Peter snark at her and get away with it. In real life, I was always as nice as she would let me be to my MIL, in the interests of peace in the family. The last time I saw her, she was on her way out with emphysema, and I was glad I hadn't caused her any extra trouble in her life. It wouldn't have been worth it. But it's fun to watch imaginary people get their comeuppance on TV.