Bea Arthur Dies at 86

Spokesman Dan Watt says the 86-year-old Arthur died at home early Saturday. He says Arthur had cancer, but he declined to give further details.

Lady Godiva was a freedom rider
She didn't care if the whole world looked.
Joan of Arc with the Lord to guide her
She was a sister who really cooked.

From September 12, 1972 until April 22, 1978 you could almost count on my family tuning in to watch Maude. She drove my mother crazy, my father constantly commented about how you "never see any beautiful women who are feminist." Then there was me, a girl on the cusp of becoming a woman watching as this strong willed woman made her way through life. She was never afraid to have her own opinion and didn't seem to sugar coat it for others. I wondered how it felt to do that because I so desperately wanted to be liked that I constantly allowed others to stifle my beliefs and dreams. "God will get you for that..." I'd wanted to say sometimes but I was a bit afraid that God would get me for being a bit of a bitch.

In 1985 I rediscovered several of my favorite actresses who gave me hope that my life wouldn't be over when I got older. My father would often retort that once a woman was thirty the "bloom was off the rose." The girls though never seemed to have lost their zest for life or love.

Thank you for being a friend
Travel down the road and back again

That song would begin our weekly get together as mom and I would watch the show together. Beatrice Arthur played Dorothy Zbornak and she was still a strong female character who really did have a heart and cared about her family. Her "mother" Sophia Petrillo lived with the girls and they seemed to have a relationship that was loving without being sappy. You could tell Dorothy would never abandon her mother no matter what.

I understood Dorothy having a difficult time being over her ex Stan. She had been with him for years despite his cheating. She would often seem to be over Stan and be glad he was out of his life but then Stan would show up and she seemed to lose that distance and become vulnerable, inasmuch as she could become vulnerable to Stan. Stan continually saw Dorothy as a comforting, reliable figure, even though he was the one who destroyed their marriage. Even in her last episode Stan was there. Stan, though saddened to see Dorothy move on to her new life without him, gave Dorothy his blessing while disguised as the limo driver who took her to the wedding.

And then there's Maude
And then there's Maude
And then there's that old compromisin, enterprisin' anything but traqulizin'
Right on Maude!!!
Right on Dorothy!!!
Right on Bea. I will miss you.

Another sad story involves a college professor here in Georgia. Three people were killed Saturday at a community theater near the University of Georgia, and authorities were searching for a professor in the shooting deaths.

The school's Web site said police were looking for George Zinkhan, a marketing professor at the school in Athens, which is about 70 miles east of Atlanta.

Darryl may not care but I do. I still can't believe this. Thrifty Maven was sited in an article on this website.

Thursday, April 23, 2009 (was the date)
Save Money, Save Energy, Save The Earth–Green Tip of The Day
By The Thrifty Maven
Styrofoam ones are made from something called polystyrene, a non-renewable petroleum. Help the earth by taking your own reusable mug with you the next time you go out for coffee. Many places even give a discount for doing just that. ... What kind of content would you like to see more of on ThriftyMaven.com? Job Search & Career Green Living (Alternative energy, Gardening, etc) Personal Financial Personal Anecdotes & Human Interest Saving Money by Making Stuff. Loading . ...
Thrifty Maven - http://thriftymaven.com/

Darryl says it's a ping back but still I'm thrilled beyond belief.

I worked a little on my container garden. Our cauliflower is really coming in great. I planted some of those free winter sown seeds. Most of them turned out to be flowers but one of the packs is for tomatoes and one is for cayenne peppers.

Here are the blog contests I entered today:

Prizes (5): Free night at any Hyatt hotel [excluding Quebec].

Prize: Hoover cordless stick vacuum.

Prize: The Mixer gift basket with Betty Crocker mixing spoon, spatula, measuring spoons and cups, whisk, liquid measuring cup and Betty Crocker Magazine.

Prize: Document wallet, three durable file folders, three document sleeves, document envelope, set of colored clip tabs, erasable marker, Post-It Cube, two OfficeMax rubberband balls and DiVoga product package with notebook, document envelope, file folders and jumbo binder clips from OfficeMax.

Prize: Brita Water Pitcher, Bissell Little Green Floor Cleaner, Tide Coldwater, White Cloud paper towels and Clorox Green Works cleaners (ARV $130).

Chili's Guiltless Grill entree free product coupon.

Prize: Pantech Matrix Pro smartphone and $100 AT&T gift card.

Prize: Earthopoly game from Late for the Sky Games (ARV $24.95).

Prizes (3): Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack CD.