I just heard the news. Such a sad day. RIP Betty White, dead at age 99, just weeks away from her 100th birthday. January 17, 1922 to December 31, 2021. The world will be a little less funny without you.

I remember several years ago, my sister and I were having one of those rambling conversations where the topics jump from this to that and then over to something else. I don’t even know how the subject came up… maybe I asked her if she watched The Walking Dead and was she as crushed by the death of Carl Grimes as I was. Yeah, that sounds about right. She said no, she did not watch The Walking Dead, she didn’t watch much television but she did enjoy re-runs of The Golden Girls. Then she apologized for her tv viewing habits and said “I guess that makes me old now!”. Silly girl. I told her so too, said you watch whatever you like and no, liking The Golden Girls doesn’t make you old. I had seen a few episodes here and there over the years, never having watched the original series run, and it was a pretty hilarious show from what I had seen.

Then the topic turned to the proper pan for roasting a turkey breast and is it better to baste often or limit it to once or twice during the cooking process. You know, one of those rambling conversations.

Thanks to the magic of The Hallmark Chanel, I have now been enjoying The Golden Girls myself. During the non-peak Christmas Movie Season of October to will it ever end, The Hallmark Chanel plays a lot of Golden Girls in the morning or late late evening. Also repeats of Frasier at dark o’clock, which pleases me to no end if I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get right back to sleep. But I digress. Since I had never watched The Golden Girls when it originally aired from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992 to me, it’s like having a brand new show to accidently watch. And is it a funny show, lawd yes it is. And Betty White is the icing on the cake, the queen of the giggles.

But my absolute all time favorite Betty White character was Delores Bickerman in the 1999 classic Lake Placid. That whole movie is hilarious but Betty? She fed a friggin’ cow to a giant lake lurking monster crocodile. And when she’s talking to the police officer? Sheriff Hank Keough: “Ma’am, your husband Bernie, you didn’t by any chance lead him to the lake blindfolded?” Mrs. Bickerman: “If I had a dick, this is where I’d tell you to suck it!” OMG I died. And still do every time I watch Lake Placid. Betty White was SO good at playing the shrinking violet good mannered well spoken lady until something like that flew out of her mouth. Amazing comedic talent right there.

And from what I understand, Betty White was pretty much the same way in life. Just didn’t give two figs about what anybody thought. When it came to her opinions and beliefs, she was just as feisty as Mrs. Bickerman. I embrace my inner Betty White in her honor and in remembrance of my sister.

So here it ends, the year 2021. Little did I know that at 12:01 AM on January 1, 2021, The Year 2021 looked at The Year 2020 and said “Hold my beer”. Anyone else feel like that? So much… so much in 2021. Betty White going on to Heaven on the last day of the year has me a little worried. Was she getting out while the getting was good? 2022 not looking too good? I sure hope not. So… Betty, I raise a glass to you tonight, the final night of 2021. Thanks for all the laughs, the excellent humor, the spice. Happy New Year everyone.