| Ooooops! I Lost My Irish Temper Today! | | Last week before the hubs and I left for our trip to Alberta, my hubs worked on a building job for a fellow a few towns over. It wasn't a reno job this time, it was a new build of a garage. He put in long hours in all kinds of weather on his days off, and had been promised he'd be paid before he left on his trip with me.
He never saw a dime.
Today he called me and reminded me that his air compressor and nail gun were still on the job site and he asked me to go pick them up.
So over I drove, singing along with Martha Reeves and feeling pretty good.
Upon arrival, I had to go into the garage (all but completed, just a few bits of siding left to put on the outside), and found the gun and the compressor.
Suddenly all hell breaks loose!
Before I know it, I'm pushed up against the wall and some neanderthal is breathing garlic in my face and calling me a thief! I'm not kidding, I had to bite down on the arm he had across my neck to get him to let go of me. I beat a quick retreat to the door and told him who I was and why I was there, ready to fly to my car if he came after me.
Well he calmed down, but made it very clear I was NOT removing my... | |
| | Oscar buzz revives interest in real-life 'Dreamgirl' | | DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- Like Effie, the "Dreamgirls" character based in part on her life, Florence Ballard had a triumphant return to the stage after her fall from grace.
Singing at Ford Auditorium in Detroit on June 25, 1975, Ballard, a former member of the Supremes, shook off years of drinking and other troubles and put on a dynamic performance that drew wide acclaim and revived interest in her career."She was a wonderful singer," said Martha Reeves, Ballard's former Motown labelmate.
But unlike Effie, Florence Ballard's road to a comeback did not go much further than that night. In 1976, Ballard, one of the original Supremes, died of a heart attack at age 32, almost 10 years after she was kicked out of the legendary girl group.
While Diana Ross remains an international icon and Mary Wilson continues to perform nationwide, Ballard is known, if at all, as a tragic figure. But with the release of the movie "Dreamgirls," and Jennifer Hudson's Oscar-nominated performance in the role based on Ballard, Ballard's family is hoping it will provide a new opportunity to let the world know about the real Florence. "I thought that Jennifer Hudson did a great job," Maxine Ballard,... | |
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