Not Exactly Heartwarming . . .

. . . even in this post-Michael Vick dog scandal world, but real estate billionaire Leona "Only-the-little-people-pay-taxes" Helmsley left $12 million to her beloved Maltese, Trouble. (Even the most steadfast ASPCA member is likely to have trou -- er, difficulty accepting this one.) When Trouble's time comes to go to the big kennel in the sky, he will be buried in the mausoleum in historic Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (where my paternal grandparents and great-grandparents are buried; the cemetery is so old that the only grave we could find was that of our great-grandfather, who was a Civil War veteran). My husband tells me that he heard that when the dog passes on the unused funds are to be buried with him.

Leona Helmsley was pre-deceased by her only child. She left $5 million to two of her four grandchildren, nothing to her other two grandchildren and nothing to her great-grandchildren. She also bequeathed billions of dollars to charity.

I guess her family is wishing she remembered that charity begins at home.

But something tells me this isn't over.