Don't you just love feisty ladies?

A huge round of applause to Mrs. Ellen Basinski of Elyria, Ohio, who showed a gang of teenage thugs where to get off on Wednesday.

The 70-year-old wife of a Lorain County Family Court judge meted out a little domestic justice of her own Tuesday afternoon when she fought off four robbers with her favorite saucepan.

Ellen Basinski refused to be intimidated by a man and three boys who forced their way into her house on Columbus Street and demanded money.

"One of them picked up my purse and just dumped it out," she said Wednesday. "Now, my purse is like Fibber McGee's closet, it's got everything in there. I got very angry."

Before she even gave much thought about what she should do, she grabbed an Emeril Lagasse 5-quart saucepan.

"I picked up the saucepan and smacked him right on the head," she said. "He looked at me and said, 'Lady, why did you do that?' And I hit him again."

The robber's friend threw a bottle of Jack Daniels at the woman, striking her on the foot. He told police he was trying to distract the woman so his friend could get away from her.

The intruders realized Basinski was no easy prey and ran. They didn't get far. The four were quickly caught by police, with the help of neighbors who told officers where they ran.

. . .

[Her husband] is grateful things ended as well as they did, but he said he had a long talk with his wife.

"She did all the things I told her never to do in that kind of situation," he said. "We've been married 47 years and she raised our five sons. She's not afraid of anything."

There's more at the link. Here's a video report of the incident.

To add to her triumph, Chef Emeril Lagasse apparently heard of Mrs. Basinski's unorthodox use of one of his pots -and the fact that it's been retained by the police as evidence. He's come up with a nice solution.

As soon as Emeril Lagasse heard how Ellen Basinski fought off four burglars with her favorite pot -- a 5-quart Emeril Lagasse saucepan -- he went into action.

Quicker than you can say "Bam!" the famed TV chef picked up the phone and said he was sending the 70-year-old Elyria homemaker a whole new set of cookware.

"I mean, it just blew my mind!" Lagasse said by phone from New York City. "I mean, I feel terrible for her -- not only about the situation she faced, but because she probably may not get that pan back. That's not good, not good."

"Well, God love him," Ellen Basinski exclaimed when she heard the news of Emeril's forthcoming largesse. A 10-piece set of nonstick Emerilware retails for about $199.

Nice touch, Chef Lagasse!

How I love it when bad things happen to bad people . . . and these four thugs, right now, are sure to be the laughing-stock of their jail. I'd love to hear their excuses for how four young, fit, strong teenage males were driven out in panic by a 70-year-old woman wielding a saucepan!



Peter