Thank you Dominick Dunne

I loved all of Dominick Dunne's Books. He wrote about peoples lives... really rich people with realy rich people problems... a good escape.. a great Lifetime movie!

I didn't understand his obsession of the OJ trial until I heard about his life story. I loved him even more when I read a copy of his 1982 Vanity Fair story about his daughter's death and the trial of her murderer. It will break your heart. (His daughter- murdered by a stalker - Dominique Dunne - the teenage girl in Poltergeist.)

Anyway... I smiled today when I heard he had passed. I hope he finds some peace. I also hope Ted Kennedy is at peace. They both lived life in the fast lane.

Dominick Dunne and Ted Kennedy died on the same day. Why is that of any interest? Has anyone read A Season in Purgatory. One of Dunne's Bestsellers - Made for TV Movie. A good, Lifetime type of movie with politics, sex, murder, large Irish Catholic Family..... you get the rest....

The following is a copy of the book review from Entertainment Weekly - April 16, 1993.

....Readers are hereby enjoined from heeding malicious speculation. There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that A Season in Purgatory, Dominick Dunne's highly entertaining if rather salacious novel about a criminally rich clan of Irish Catholic New Englanders with dynastic political ambitions, is meant to represent any family you ever heard of. All characters and incidents portrayed are purely imaginary. Any and all resemblances to Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy of Boston, Hyannisport, Palm Beach, etc., their heirs and descendants, courtiers, and hangers-on are wholly and purely coincidental.

Okay, so there are some resemblances: Paterfamilias Gerald Bradley — an almost comically ruthless tycoon with a habit of slipping into the beds of his daughters' bridesmaids, then doling out mink coats and hush money-may appear to have been lifted from the pages of Nigel Hamilton's controversial biography JFK. Ditto Bradley's shallow, social-climbing, ostentatiously pious wife, Grace. Or their huge brood of toothy, charming, athletic children-including the martyred Kevin, killed in a war he could have avoided, and poor mad Agnes, sequestered among nuns and forgotten. But there are big differences from the Kennedy saga too. The Bradley boys, see, attend Yale, not Harvard. They go to Congress from Connecticut, not Massachusetts. And they don't play touch football. They play softball.

And it's with a softball bat that handsome, charismatic Constant Bradley, his father's favorite, is said to have bludgeoned to death a 15-year-old neighbor named Winifred Utley late one night in 1973. According to the Bradleys and their sycophants among the press, it's a vicious, entirely false accusation made nearly 20 years after the fact by one Harrison Burns, a scholarship student befriended by Constant at prep school and given an Ivy League education at his family's expense. And besides, the wench was a tease. ''A youthful prank that got out of hand,'' Constant's father and brothers think.

Wal Mart Critter

I would have given him a much fancier french name... like Raimond or Henri.


Abbeville Meridional
Abbeville, Louisiana

Woman sues Wal-Mart over nutria in store
By Chris Rosa
Posted April 30th, 2009

A nutria like this one was seen in Wal-Mart The last thing one expects to see running down the aisles of Wal-Mart in Abbeville while shopping is a nutria. But according to a lawsuit filed this week, a nutria called “Norman” is what Rebecca White saw in an aisle.

Randal and Rebecca White of Abbeville hired Anthony Fontana to represent them in the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, Rebecca was in the grocery aisle shopping on Oct. 11, 2008. Her basket was full of food when suddenly and without warning, a large nutria came from behind the Coke rack and ran straight towards Rebecca, the lawsuit said.

Rebecca, fearing for her safety, pulled the shopping cart towards her to protect her from the nutria andas she did, the cart rolled over her left foot causing her to stumble and causing her to suffer an injury.

Wal-Mart’s employees came to assist her and told Rebecca that, “she had an encounter with Norman” a name the employees had given the nutria, the lawsuit stated.

Rebecca was transported to Abbeville General by Acadian Ambulance for treatment.

The lawsuit state that Wal-Mart and its employees are negligent. The lawsuit said Wal-Mart did not:
• Warn her of the nutria prior to her entering the store.
• Did not take steps to protect her from the nutria.
• Did not warn her that she is shopping at her own risk because there is a wild animal loose in the store.
• Did not attempt to capture the nutria.
As a result of the above, White suffered:
• Pain, suffering and mental anguish.
•Fear of being bitten by a wild animal causing a panic attack.
• Painful disabling injury to her back and foot.
• Interference with her daily activities.
• Medical expenses past, present and future.

Pain in my ass!

When it rains it pours...... all I needed was an immunization card and I found myself in a maze of hospital files..... where is the file? who has the file? We are not under Family Practice. Oh, we are under Family Practice. Really, thought we changed that in the Fall....... Gotta LOVE the Government.

Torture?

I don't know about you, but I would much rather be tortured by being held naked in a cold cell, kept from being fed, handcuffed and slammed against a wall (United States approved methods) than beheaded (Islamic extremists approved methods).

How about the terrible psychological technique that was approved but never used ...... putting a detainee with a fear of insects into a box filled with caterpillars (United States)..... OR.... hung and burned in public (al Qaida).

But that's just my opinion.

Right Wing Extremists Ice Water Teas

I can't tell you how excited I am to learn from the Department of Homeland Security that, upon returning from Afghanistan, my husband could be recruited by Right Wing Extremist Groups. Apparently, they want to "capitalize on the violent capabilities" of returning Veterans. Woo HOO! Because those 4 years of College, 4 years of Medial School and 6 years of a General Surgery Residency have given him the "skillz" necessary for being an extremist.

You know, I am sure that while my Navy Surgeon husband is reattaching that kids leg and when he is elbow deep in someone's belly, he is thinking about what extremist group to join. Geez, so many choices.

It's like Extremist Sorority Rush! Do we want to go with the Christian Coalition or the Aryan Nation. Decisions, Decision!

Wow, thanks for the heads up, Janet! While you are sticking violent labels on people how about these?

Why don't you follow up on that report with the one about how the Central American teens in abject poverty are in danger of falling in with the incredibly violent MS13 Gang.

I wouldn't want to label poor black kids as possible Gang recruits just because they stand on the street corner, wear baggy jeans, listen to rap music. I am sure that the Drug Dealers only target the kids that stay in school.

How about the Left Wing Environmental nuts that burn car dealerships and housing developments? How about the Nation of Islam? Has anyone checked into your local Mosque? Or would that be discriminatory?

So, if anyone can tell me where to get a list of these extremist groups, I would like to start weeding out the "non-desirable" ones for my husband. When he gets home he can have a short list of choices that can use his violent military training.

Maybe they have a spouses group that I can join too.

The floating shoe

I am still laughing about my afternoon!

I helped at the 2nd Grade Easter Party today. I was working on activities for the kids since we were NOT going outside due to the terrible weather. I was trying to get out of the school before the bad weather hit, but didn't make it. Once the rain stopped I gathered the older two girls to make a dash across E. Wright Street to pick up Camille from Mother's Day Out.

Well, the water rushing down the street was ankle deep and when I took my second step my shoe goes floating down E. Wright. I started laughing. Mary Frances took off and retrieved my show..... and everyone in carpool got a good laugh. God it was so funny. Both the girls were laughing. One of those funny Mommy/Daughter moments.

If I had lost the shoe I guarantee I would see a one legged hobo wearing it next week.

Renaissance Faire. Renaissance Fair.

Oh my. It was an adventure. I just have to say that if you are a belly dancer and are pregnant, add a few veils. I also have to say that if you are tatted from neck to navel.... you may scare the smaller children. I don't care how great you can gyrate your hips. If you have a kneeling 40's pinup on your shoulder and a six inch butterfly and large ivy on your lower back, kids will freak. Seriously, this chick had no less than 25 tattoos... and she was weaing a long skirt. I couldn't see anything from her lower hips to her ankles. She could have had an Iguana covering her entire left leg.

When I read the flier about the fair I was hooked. It said "Pirates, Jousting, Fire Breathers, Falconry, bellydancing and much, much more". Sounded more like a fantastic Gay Bar than a Renaissance Fair... and I was going to go.

The fire breathers and the sword swallowers were freaky, but I was intrigued. I wanted to ask how long you had to practice. How many years? This can't be your only job. The lady, Tarot, swallowed a 23 inch sword... which promptly received comments from the men. One reveler yelled "Yeah, now that's a Lady". Yep, it was an interesting day. One camel ride, two face paintings and a jousting exhibition later we were still looking for the falcons.

I couldn't help but laugh at the guy selling Pirate Pickles. Insert dirty joke here.

This was my first Renaissance Fair, but it won't be my last. It was not at all like the Renaissance Day we participated in during my Senior Year in High School. It was soooo much better. I found a Friar, a Squire and someone who could have been the Wife of Bath. Mrs. Parker-Schaffer-Martin would be proud that I remembered those characters... that nutty freak of a teacher.

The Jousting was fantastic. Real armour. Huge horses. Wooden jousting poles that broke and flew into the air. One landed about 5 feet from us, prompting my 11 year old to say "MAMA, THIS IS VIOLENT". God love her.

So yes, we will back next year. Hopefully the belly dancer will have given birth. The girls are already planning their wardrobe for next year. Maybe I will go as the Wife of Bath.... or a Nun.