Donna you are not a hypocrite...you are just a loving daughter and grandma :-)
I would say if it does not fall below freezing..it should be ok But to me that is to close and I would probably bring it in...just so I get to see it blooms.

Good luck and God bless you

Lucy

Donna,
Hope they will all bloom. Will be such a sight.

Pat

I don't envy you. Caring for elderly parents has got to be so difficult especially with a couple children to care for as well.

If the brug is in a pot I'd bring it in for the night. Those temps won't kill it but they might cause it to drop the buds. Good luck I hope the blooms hold.

Donna, I agree with Karyn, I would try to bring it in also
at least you will get to enjoy the blooms.
Bless your heart you have your hands full, your in my
prayers.
Big Hugs!
Karen

It will be nice to see those lovely blooms.

Bringing it inside for a night may be difficult, if it is "in ground". If so, do what we do here in Canada. Through a flannelette sheet over top of her for the night. At 38F, it is not too cold for her, if she is protected from the frost.

That being said, it is soon time to bring her indoors, as she will not survive the winter. I dug up most of mine yesterday ( yes they werer covered with buds), as it is getting cooler now, and got tired of covering them up at night. Transplant it into a good sized pot, trim off all the large leaves and buds, spray it well with a hose to wash off any bugs, spray with a pesticide or insecticidal soap, wash it again with the hose, and then take it into a protected spot for the winter.

Good luck.

John, I haven't even begun to consider bringing mine in yet, that's what 25 miles closer to the lake does as far as moderating your temps I guess.
Mine are at the stage where even with cutting them back to their first Y is leaving them almost too tall to leave room for new regrowth in the GH next spring. I may just try starting new tall cuttings this fall and if they take then next year dispose of the parent trees. I do love the canopy of blooms given by the older plants though.

Donna, yes they can survive the 38 F temp but not the FROST that often accompanies that temp so that is what you have to protect against. A light blanket/sheet to cover will usually do the trick as others have mentioned, just do not use plastic as your only cover as plastic has NO insulating properties to it.