pasdetrois

Maybe Dorothy's house (with mortgage) is in a revocable living trust. It's essentially a way to avoid probate and the trustor controls the trust's assets. Very common financial planning tool; I have one. It's not the same thing as a fancy trust fund, but as usual Candiace is trying to give the impression that she's related to wealth.

I binged two seasons this past week. What a phenomenal show. I especially love the writing, and the actors are remarkable. The priest and stepmonster portrayals were brilliant. I've loved Bill Paterson since "Comfort and Joy," and it's good to see him again. A teeny complaint is the brother-in-law's portrayal. Gelman seems to play the same obnoxious, loud character in all of his shows. While I understand his BIL character is meant to be loathsome, there were times when I had to FF briefly to get past his scenes. It took me a few episodes to realize Phoebe's voice and asides to the camera reminded me of "Gentleman Jack's" lead actor. Also, I went down a rabbit hole trying to determine if Phoebe is related to Anna Chancellor. Apparently not. The fox. The satisfying punch in the face. The priest's "wedding dress." Two Clares. The cupcake situation. Kristin Scott Thomas' diatribe - preach, sister. "Everybody always knows what they are going to do." The tiny moments of life wisdom. As a previous poster said, "I miss art in TV." The last scene felt like a goodbye.

There's a new movie out called "Good Boys." The trailer has little boys fascinated and horrified at adult sexual goings-on. I checked to see if their names were Shep, Craig and Austen. Southern misogyny clothed in superficial charm and manners, that's our boys. Shep's and Craig's rage and loathing over women they cannot control is especially troubling. Too bad Madison had to get in the gutter to try to dominate an argument with Mr. I Know More Than Anybody Else on the Planet. If she'd have controlled her temper, she'd have truly bested him. I think I counted three sets of bolt-ons in the hot springs. I hope they get rid of Dani. She's a desperate hanger-on and her victim act is tiresome. She's finagled her way toward camera time since season one. She's not clever enough or tough enough to play in reality TV. Didn't we see Shep's doctor warning him about serious liver or kidney problems several years ago? I'm convinced he's an alcoholic. It's written all over his face.

The narrow duplexes that we see on this show are all over urban America. Many were built during and after WWII. In my DC metro neighborhood most of them do not have a bathroom on the first floor, which is a serious problem in my opinion (one of my previous homes was a duplex with no 1st floor bath). If you have enough setback you can bump out the back to include a bath or other space. I don't understand why Mina didn't provide at least a powder room for guests during entertaining, as well as for aging downsizers whose knees don't want to go up and down stairs just to use a bathroom. Mina definitely thinks like a developer in touch with trends that sell, but I question some of her choices, like this one. The leather pulls will absorb oils from fingers and the color will get splotchy, unless there's some kind of protective finish I don't know about. I don't think any of the potential buyers are actual potential buyers. Is production prodding Karen to get weirder? She's smart and experienced; they should cut it out. Kudos to the poster who reminded me earlier that wood has to season before it can be primed and painted. That's why we see the unpainted porches.

Chelsea is featured in the latest issue of "Southern Living" magazine. There's a small spread on her home renovation. Starting with her appearance on Survivor, Chelsea is slowly, patiently building her brand.

Y'all. The baby yak on Dr. Jeff. OMG.

True New Orleanians: keep shoveling in the delicious food while all Hell breaks loose. Haven't been watching this season. But what the heck is going on with Jeff? Is his reality TV showpiece going to be breaking out in a lunatic run whenever he gets mad? Seems scripted, as do his earnest declarations about friendship, moving on from Reagan, being a single guy, etc . He doesn't seem very bright, bless his heart. And then we have Reagan's doofus fiance, whose existence seems entirely useless. He also doesn't seem very bright. Tamika has no soul and is utterly self-absorbed. Reagan doesn't want a life partner. She wants men she can control and who will indulge her every whim. She's reeling doofus in and her spots will change once they are married and the baby has come. I'm pretty sure she planned the separation, divorce and pregnancy to coincide with the show's production schedule. After all, she wants to be slender in her dream wedding dress. But have "gigantic boobs."

When I first learned that Shep was adopting a puppy I was genuinely worried. But now I have a theory that, when he isn't boozing in bars and hooking up with random women, Shep is lonely. Or bored. Or dimly perceives that his future seems kind of bleak. Anyway, I'm hoping he will bond with the puppy and be invested in caring for him and they become true pals. I also hope he doesn't put the puppy in a crate at 9pm and leave him in there all alone at night while he carouses in bars. But I suspect he does. I will always believe that Kathryn firmly set her cap for Thomas and that she was no victim and that she purposefully conceived her children for the child support and preferably marriage. (I grew up with southern girls and their mamas who were the same way - they started chasing wealthy scions at an early age.) But now I believe she is ensnared in addiction and mental illness, and I'm forcing myself to try to have compassion for her disorders. Somewhere I read that she grew up in a chaotic home, and that her father cannot be around her children. There's a story there. All of which to say: I think the tears she shed when the hypnotist said "you are worthy" were real. Long ago I sought out yoga during a period of demanding work, a parent's final illness, and other problems. During corpse pose at my first session, I was relaxed and my mind was clear. The yogi murmured soothing affirmations and I nearly lost it. Kathryn received what the hypnotist was sending out. Unfortunately Kathryn's focus right now is on shopping and partying and apparently drugs and alcohol. She hasn't really turned her life around. Yet. And she's pretty narcissistic.

Or withdrawing from, when he was raging insanely about getting on the bus. His behavior is increasingly bizarre.

Candiace is in the National Harbor development, which is Prince George's County, MD, right across the Potomac River from DC and VA. Ashley and Michael live up the street from me in Arlington, VA - they are close to the Rosslyn neighborhood. I think Gizselle is in Bethesda, MD. Robyn is in Howard County, MD, which is close to Baltimore but is not Baltimore. The county is half-way between DC and Baltimore.

Many of the developers whose homes I've toured do the same thing. They re-use a standard set of designs and finishes because it saves them time and therefore money. I wonder if the house wasn't 100% finished but they had to shoot the reveal based on the show's production schedule? That unfinished porch shocked me. As did the butcher block countertops in an expensive home. What if someone doesn't like blue? The mis-matched cabinet handles were weird. Mina said that they could sell the house for much more than her original $450K estimate, then at the end I think she said they listed it for $455K. But the baby is precious. Women of reality TV: get rid of the scratchy-voice vocal fry.

This episode was a bit of a mess. Too much going on, too much clumsy exposition via bad script writing (Dyslexia!). I enjoyed the singing but I was disappointed.

Because Camille is so far down in the gutter she can't even see the high road. She's trash.

Why in the world is Gizelle exposing what a neglectful mother she is? Is she that much of a narcissist to think a few fake televised scenes take care of it? Again Chris Samuels corrects his wife's behavior on national TV. Then appears to not be able to tolerate his rambunctious son's behavior. I'm beginning to suspect Chris is a bit of a tyrant. Why did production drag two cast members to the sonogram? The family would have been enough. Since Michael supposedly cut off Ashley's mama, they have cooked up the obnoxious "find daddy" storyline. Ugh. I can't even with Robyn's "Juan wants to have a baby girl." As if it's a compliment to their relationship. So production is allowing Karen to assume the benevolent big sister role, after trashing her and Ray's personal life for several seasons. Crumbs from the table.

Great acting, but I don't buy the implication that every kid is this out of control. Also, the cynic in me perceives that the extreme teenage sex, nudity and drugs are a calculated effort to bring in viewers...all entertainment is about ratings and money.

On the subject of Pol's facilities: I wish they'd move their X-ray stuff to the first floor. With all of their income, can't they add space to accommodate equipment so they don't have to carry animals up and down the steps?

Mina and Karen were quoted in a Washington Post article this week about how to deal with vintage bathrooms when one is a tenant, not a homeowner. The article quoted other design folks as well.

Just watched. The best moment for me was Blanca and Candy quietly humming "Jesus Loves Me" in the church pew. Beautiful harmonies. Blanca looked beautiful as she leaned in the door frame and listened to the others talk (before the drama hit). Damon is not that great of a lyrical or jazz dancer. The lower half of his body, especially his feet, doesn't have precision control. Lots of dancers get the upper body right, but don't master the placement of the feet. I had a hard time watching Pray Tell tear down Candy. Her bustier all askew after she vogued to Madonna was the perfect realistic touch. The chemistry between Indya Moore and Angel Curiel in the flirty ball scene was sizzling. Damn. Farewell Candy. We'll miss you.

Now that I've watched the episode... I'm pretty sure Chris hates Candace and is using her. Katie is Candace in five years. Because her mother is so controlling and judgmental, Candace is programmed to defensiveness, followed by rage, when anyone else tries to counsel her on her behavior. Also she's enraged that she's lost control of her "perfect" beauty queen image on national TV. Katy's cabin is in Purcellville, VA. Had to laugh at the housewives characterizing it as the sticks. Purcellville is in Loudoun County, which is one of the wealthiest counties in the nation (e.g., AOL money). Along with alot of new home construction, many historical properties have been preserved. My inlaws lived there long ago and restored an old house, doing the work themselves over the years. My neighbors grew up on a farm in Purcellville that was sold to developers. At one time there were a few celebrities in the area (horse and vineyard country). Because the FAA has a big center out there, and Dulles International Airport, lots of pilots and FAA employess have homes in Loudoun County.

Unpacking assistance is common in the luxury world. That's why Ramona insists on it - she's pretending she's entitled to that environment.

Very true about the wiring. Modern homes want lots of outlets for many devices, fancy appliances, etc. No way to add all that wiring without removing the plaster.

Agree that they didn't have to tear down all of that lovely old lathe and plaster. I have fought to keep mine in a couple of homes (learned to repair it myself), with many a contractor assuming I want to cover it up with boring drywall. And why didn't they save the old doors? Maybe they were warped or didn't close properly? Karen raves about the old stuff but they don't keep it. Also weird to make the bathroom access only through the bedroom. I think they did that so they can advertise the unit as having an ensuite bath. It's all about the sales buzz words and trends. These two always jam their properties with too much stuff. It's puzzling because Realtors tell clients to keep their furnishings simple and to de-clutter when putting a home on the market. I liked the green tile floors and had a flashback to 80s glossy green tile on kitchen countertops. Mina's pregnancies are murder on continuity. She goes from flat to round to holding a baby in one episode.

I found this about Emily's move: "“When your boss verbally berates one of his staff b/c she won’t do something unethical/illegal so bad the CLIENTS are consoling her tears.” She said later in a tweet that her friend in another clinic posted that by accident on her account. I screenshot it before she deleted it." Unlike most other viewers, I have mixed feelings about Dr. Pol. He has a pretty healthy ego and I find him abrasive sometimes. Also, he's rough on farm animals, although it appears this has gotten a little better. (Yes I know farm animals are treated roughly everywhere, but it doesn't have to be that way.)

Of course as soon as Anastasia is appointed permanent chef Joao and Hannah attack her credentials. Of course. Joao hates women. Except for the ones he can bamboozle with his earnest charm. He's overcompensating for something. Just sayin'. I'm surprised a woman who's spent her career in the male-dominated yachting industry isn't more savvy about crew personalities. Sandy loves the camera time - is her devotion to Joao all an act? Are they angling to be another Lee-and-Kate? Aesha and Anastasia are two of the few people I can tolerate on this show. Refreshing. In her talking heads June seemed as if she was barely functional. Clenched mouth and rigid body posture. Maybe she was ill. Or extremely nervous. Bravo scrapes the bottom of the barren with the Versailles clan. I haven't forgotten that they starved an iguana and didn't even realize it.

I walked by Chris' restaurant several times this past week (had a guest who loves Old Town). There was hardly anyone in it. Maybe on a weekend it's different. Weirdly, when you click on Katie's (Kathryn's) photo in the link posted above, you are presented with some messages from guests...to "Rynthia." Is that Katie's middle name? I wonder if Katie's mother cut her off financially.