The biggest news here is that for two nights now, it has been below freezing. Everyone complains about the cold. I think the high yesterday was 55 F. It’s funny to hear everyone complain since they don’t have a clue about really cold weather. I came from where it gets well below zero and wind chills in the minus 20 region. However, after six years of living here, even I’ve turned soft. I can complain about the “cold” California weather with the best of them. Although I have to admit that the cold here gets to you differently than it does in the Midwest. I can’t explain that at all. This cold weather though is particularly nasty to the grapes and my tropical plants. I’m hoping that my tropical plants survive. I enjoy a little bit of Hawaii in my yard, but sometimes we get a little too cold for the plants to survive. Although a good hard frost will kill most plants.

The other big news here is that lethal injection has been declared “cruel and unusual punishment” and halted. Our dear governor’s response? Let’s do whatever it takes so we can keep killing people. Interestingly that this just came into the news because according to an article I read this morning, executions have been halted since February. February? And they are talking about it now? The details of the article seem a bit gruesome to me. I really don’t care to read about the details of the drugs. I’m not a fan of the death penalty. We are one of the few countries that still has the death penalty. We’re in some interesting company. There are countries who have outlawed the death penalty that the US thinks are backward, second world (even some third world) countries.

Well after that serious note, I’m sure everyone would like to get back to thinking about shopping, visiting family and the upcoming holidays. Although I’m sure many are so stressed out that the holidays will mean lots of alcohol just to get through it.