Ramona and LuAnn went shopping together for swimsuits for their trip to St. Barts.  The Countess compared the experience of trying on bikinis with masturbation.   Other than attending a spinning class for Aviva’s charity, where they played “Money Can’t Buy You Class”, that was the extent of LuAnn’s participation in this episode.  How nice for all of us.

I want to like Aviva.  I admire her for what she does for those children who have lost legs or were born without them.   This is important work and we all witnessed, during these past Olympics, just how much a person can accomplish with prostheses.   I get confused by her when she tells us that she doesn’t want to be treated differently, then draws attention to all of the issues she has, not only about the loss of her leg, but with all of the phobias and anxieties that may or may not have resulted from her childhood accident.   I think that she does have problems, but she’s not addressing them in a way that’s going to help her.

I understood her being angry with Ramona and Sonja for not showing up for the spinning event.   I’m sure that they sounded like they were making excuses.   Ramona’s visit to her dermatologist was a really dumb reason not to go.  I’m pretty certain that her doctor would have moved that appointment.  Dr. Griese is no newcomer to the Housewives and she knows that a visit from Ramona, no matter when it happens, is going to mean camera time and exposure for her practice.  Ramona could have rescheduled, postponing our having to see her getting butt injections and uttering c***.   I can’t believe that I’ve had to write about that awful word two days in a row.  First from Juicy, now from Ramona.   I really don’t want to make a habit out it.

Sonja said that she couldn’t make the event because her dog was very old, very ill, had become incontinent and could be dying.  I actually found that to be a much more understandable and real reason.   All of us who share our lives with animals know how hard those final days can be.   They are much like children to us and when they are hurt or sick, we suffer right along with them.  I’ve held a beagle all night so that he could breathe, waiting for the veterinarian’s office to open, knowing that this was the last night.   I’ve gone out to a stall in my pajamas and a robe to see to it that a horse was given medication and that clean bandages were applied to a nasty wound.   It’s what you do because you promised them that you would care for them from the minute they entered your life.  Aviva says she can’t travel without her husband and that she would miss her children.  Sonja couldn’t leave her beloved pet in anyone else’s care, not knowing what would await him at the vet.

Carole was both the observer and the peacemaker during this screaming match of a lunch.  She understood Aviva’s point of view, but couldn’t see what Sonja was trying to tell them.  I know I sound like a Sonja sympathizer, and that’s because, to a certain extent, I am.   I think she’s under enormous pressure and stress.  She’s lost a lot – a husband, her money and her status in New York society.  A sick dog may sound stupid to some, but it didn’t to me.   If you want to tell me that I’m one of those crazy animal people – well, that’s alright, too, because I probably am.   The good part was that the three women, under the watchful eye of Carole, did come to some agreement.  Aviva made them promise to come to her events and she would reciprocate in kind.  I know that this truce and respect isn’t going to last past the next episode, but at least they could finish lunch without throwing asparagus spears at one another.

Ramona, always the control freak, is starting to look more and more out of control.   She thought that she was some kind of OnStar representative, giving instructions and business advice to her poor hapless cab driver.  A little note to Ramona – the street numbers are even on the right side when you’re going in one direction.  When you reverse yourself, they then are on the left.  I can’t say that I’m familiar with New York City streets, but that’s the way it’s worked everywhere else I’ve been.   I’m sure that the cabbie is going to buy a notebook now and jot down every bit of advice Ramona gave him, just because she scared the hell out of him.

Carole revealed a little of her lingering sadness about the loss of her husband and her two friends.  She felt for Aviva and understood the fear of small planes because, in her own experience, people you know die in them.   I teared up at that and when sweet Jake received his very first prosthetic running legs.   Finally, we had a couple of moments from Bravo when real life bumped into scripted reality.

As for the rest of this episode, and those still coming up, well, Carole said that she had never toasted assholes before.  I think she’s going to find that it’s par for the course.

Carole’s Blog:  She very graciously mentioned Lynn’s passing.  She understands – more than most.

http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-york-city/season-5/blogs/carole-radziwill/i-love-kids-and-i-love-dogs-too

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