Happy Derby Day

I'm dressed and have had two cups of coffee and I'm ready to start my Derby Day merriment.  In case you're wondering, here's what my exciting Derby Day will be like:  laying on the couch watching the Derby Day coverage on TV, a very safe distance from Churchill Downs.  Yes, to some of you that will seem like I've lost all control of my senses, given the fact that I've been on the run for the past two weeks going to Derby festival events.  But to me, Derby Day is different.  The 'rents are going to be out of town on another cool day trip with some friends, so I'll have the house all to myself and I can't wait.  It will be a little odd; it's a Puddin family tradition for all of us to plant the garden and then take many breaks to come inside and watch the races, so it will be different this year.  But they'll be here with me in spirit.  And no, I'm not going to be planting the garden.

If you ask 1000 people from Louisville if they've been to the Derby, 999 of them would say no, and that they never will go.  Personally, I've been once and I know I won't go back, unless I have a ticket on Millionaire's Row and a limo to get me there.  Most people here in Louisville don't want to deal with the traffic and the crowds and standing in line for an hour to use the bathroom.  And I cannot blame them.  Derby weekend is a big travelling weekend for alot of people here in the city.  They just want to get away from all of the traffic and drama, and once again I can't blame them.

But the rain earlier in the week has moved out, and it's going to be a sunny day with temperatures in the upper 60's.  Add those factors in with the 150,000 people that will be there, most of whom will have been consuming mass quantities of alcohol all day long, and you've got an equation for a pretty bad sunburn.  But in case you're going to the track today for the Derby, never fear.  I read that Churchill Downs will be selling sunscreen for only $6. 

Have a safe and fun Derby Day, faithful readers.

This Day In Music History

Today is a very important day to me and my fellow Diva Stacy.  Yes, it's Cinco De Mayo, independance day for our amigos south of the border.  And yes, it's also Derby Eve, an eve second only to Christmas eve here in the 'Ville.  But today is another historic day.  It is the day that The First Lady Of Country Music, Miss Tammy Wynette, was born. 

Tammy Wynette was born on this day in 1942, and would have been 64 years old today.  But she left us when she was just a month shy of her 55th birthday.  While we're sure her birthday will never become a national holiday, we decided that from today on, we will celebrate her birthday every year that we're able.  In typical Diva fashion, we celebrated the birthday of The First Lady Of Country Music today.  The celebration was complete with bubbly and gifts.  I took pictures of the birthday celebration today on the camera on my new cell phone but I can't figure out how to get them from the phone to the computer.  When I finally get it figured out, I'll post a picture from the event. 

 

Drama At The VFW Bingo

It's getting to be a weekly thing in TWIT - drama going down at the VFW.  First we had the man faking the hiccups to deal with during bingo, and then we had the drama-filled Ladies Auxiliary elections.  Tonight was the regular Thursday night bingo, and while we had about half as many as normal, there was no shortage of drama. In fact, most of the drama was occurring as I was walking into the place this evening.  Two of the regular workers got their panties all in a wad and got made and left, saying they were going to another bingo in the area.  It was fine with me; don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.  But the reason they got mad and left was kinda funny.  It wasn't funny to the VFW nor to the two ladies that got made and left, but it was funny to us bystanders who were witness to it. You see, the two ladies that got mad sold the bingo cards, and held the position of card sellers for about 5 or 6 years.  During that 5 or 6 year period they also thought that it was ok for them to get a free set of cards each week because they "worked" and felt that the VFW owed them that much.  Keep in mind none of the volunteers that help at the bingo are paid; it's all strictly voluntary.  Well, tonight the new officers that are in charge of the Thursday night bingo called them out on it.  And the two ladies weren't too happy about it, either.  That's when they got mad and left. 

Another volunteer and Ladies Auxiliary member (and also a Webster University alumni) and I were discussing this, and when she told me what had happened, we both had the same "WTF?" expression on our faces.  Never a dull moment at the VFW, sports fans.  Never a dull moment.

The Great Steamboat Race

It's been a long day and I'm dog tired, but I could not let the day go by without talking to my faithful readers. 

It was a great day in the 'Ville -- it was sunny and low 80's and more importantly, I was on vacation until Monday morning.  It could not have been a better day.  I arrived at a park on the outskirts of downtown at about 9:30 with some friends from college, and we had a pretty good, drama-free day.  The day would have been better if my fellow Diva had been with me, but I made it through.  It was a fairly uneventful day - we fired up the grill and had a nice steak for a late lunch and then just watched the portable TV and looked at the river rolling by until the steamboat race started.  We saw the boats twice - coming and going, and each time the Delta Queen had a bigtime lead.  I'll hopefully have some pictures to post tomorrow.

The steamboat race was rigged, I think.  The Delta Queen won by a landslide.  I think they sabotaged the Belle Of Louisville, if you ask me.  But even though the 'Ville lost, it still was a good day.  At least I didn't have to work.  That's all that matters.

Ladies Auxiliary Election Update

With Derby week being in full force, I can't believe that I forgot to report about the Ladies Auxliary elections.  It was quite an action packed evening. The battle lines had clearly been drawn, but the new regime had pulled quite a coup in overthrowing the old administration. 

First of all, phone calls had been made to just about every member, asking them to come and vote for Jan, the lady running for President.  It worked.  In our previous meetings, we only had maybe 10 ladies; at the election meeting we had 42.  It was quite a turnout.  Plus, we brought in the Disctrict President, in case we needed crowd control.  I thought the old administration officers were going to drop their false teeth when they saw her walk in.  They knew their days were numbered.

Our shock and awe attack came early in the meeting, and when the dust settled, they knew they'd been beat.  The old officers tried to pull a fast one on everyone but it didn't work.  The secretary read the minutes from the previous meeting, and she conveniently left out the part about where we elected and installed three new members at last month's meeting.  We had already been given the head's up on this by an auxiliary mole so we were prepared.  After the minutes were read and they asked for any corrections or additions, the soon-to-be new president stood up and brought that little omission to their attention.  They all had a sick look on their faces, and they knew their bluff had been called.  The secretary quietly said she'd add it to the minutes and that was the end of that tune. 

The election part of the meeting went way smoother than we'd all anticipated.  The new president and her staff were elected with no opposition. I wasn't elected, however.  The position of secretary is appointed by the president, just like when the President appoints his Cabinet members.  You get the picture.  The officers will be installed in a ceremony next weekend, and then June 1 I will officially begin my gig as secretary.  I can hardly wait. 

Anna Nicole Update

High Court Rules For Nicole Smith In Estate Case

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- The U.S. Supreme Court Monday ruled unanimously in favor of Vickie Marshall, the former Playmate known as Anna Nicole Smith, in her continued fight for a portion of her late husband's estate.

The decision overturned a federal appeals court ruling that had limited Smith's ability to continue pressing for a share of Texas oilman J. Howard Marshall's estate in a federal court, where she has prevailed in trial court proceedings. However, Smith lost in her estate fight with Marshall's son, E. Pierce Marshall, in a Texas probate court.

The case featured a voluptuous entertainer battling for estate funds from her short marriage to an elderly rich man. However, the Supreme Court's opinion turned on mundane matters of court jurisdiction and the proper legal venue for resolving disputes over estates.

"Vickie Marshall's claim ... qualifies for adjudication in federal court," Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in the Supreme Court opinion.

In a statement, E. Pierce Marshall said he will continue to fight Smith's estate claims in the federal court proceedings. "Today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Marshall v. Marshall was on a technical issue and does not validate Smith's false claims and libelous accusations, " Marshall said. "I will continue to fight for my father's will & trust."

Kent Richland, the representing Smith, said he is confident the ruling will lead to a win for her in lower courts. "Anna Nicol Smith's claim existed years before her husband died and years before thoughts of probate even began," Richland said in a statement. "The court has ratified her position."

The decision clarified the boundaries of federal court review of probate matters, ruling that issues normally handled by a federal court may be litigated there even in a probate matter. Under the opinion, state courts maintain jurisdiction over the handling of wills and administration of estates. "The probate exception does not bar federal courts from adjudicating matters outside those confines," Ginsburg said.

Smith attended oral arguments in the appeal, drawing a throng of paparazzi to the Supreme Court and creating a Hollywood buzz around the austere marble columns that normally doesn't occur at the high court. At the oral arguments, the justices appeared favorable to Smith's claims.

The case now goes back to lower courts for further deliberations where Smith will have a renewed effort to claim part of the estimated $1.6 billion Marshall estate.

I still stand by what I said two months ago.  I still hope the golddigger doesn't get a dime, regardless of what Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says.

Mullet Watch

TWIT is very proud to announce that we have a new mullet spotter among our faithful readers.  Today, I present to you the mullet sighting of my dear friend and faithful reader, Taffilynn.  Here's her report:  

Just wanted to let you know that I witnessed my first mullet sighting in public.  The family was at the Sam's Club on Preston getting my tire fixed.  The mullet was on a mid-40's male.  He had dark brown hair and it was long (about 1/2 way down his back) in a pony tail with a blue rubber band and pretty darn short on top.  He had a nice head of hair. 

Mullet count: 23