Frugal Café Blog Zone

Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on May 8, 2009

By Vicki McClure Davidson * Frugal Café Blog Zone

Shirley Jones played my favorite TV mom, Shirley Partridge

A five-kid family and a widowed mother, on the financial skids, could afford a really large home just by traveling around in a funky multi-colored bus, singing pop tunes. And, to top it off, Mama Shirley Partridge (played by Shirley Jones) always looked beautiful and “budget-minded hip,” never hollered, and was as patient and understanding as a mom with five rambunctious kids could be (and, with the dreamy teen idol David Cassidy playing oldest son Keith Partridge and redheaded rascal Danny Bonaduce as son Danny, a lot of innocent 1970s shenanigans occurred, so she needed to be patient). She had to figure out each week how to pay the family’s bills, keep the kids fed, and how to budget the group’s crushed-velvet-costume costs. Shirley Partridge was one of TV Land’s original frugalistas.

Shirley Partridge accomplished all this with unexpected grace and charm most of the time. I loved her smile. Sure, it was TV make-believe, but it was almost-plausible make-believe. And, Mrs. Partridge was cooler than any mom I’d ever known.

After Season 1, the show became painfully campy, but I still adored Mrs. Partridge.

If I ever had to replace my real mother (which I would NEVER do) with a TV mom character, Shirley Partridge wins, no contest.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers and grandmothers out there. And to those of you who are spending this Mother’s Day weekend without your adult child or grandchild because he or she is serving our country in a hostile war zone, please know that we appreciate the many sacrifices you and your family are making. Your child in the military is selflessly protecting our nation and the freedoms of people in other nations. We salute their patriotism and yours.

God bless you and thank you. Let freedom ring!

The Partridge Family – “I Think I Love You”

Categories: Bless Our Troops, Business & Economy, Entertainment, Celebrities, Frugal Ponderings, Holidays and Family, International Relations, Videos, Audio Files
Tags: America, Celebrity Moms, celebrity mother, celebrity mothers, Danny Bonaduce, David Cassidy, frugal, frugalista, frugality, grandmother, Happy Mother's Day, military, mom, moms, mother, Mothers Day, Partridge, Partridge Family, patriotic, patriotism, save money, saving money, Shirley Jones, Shirley Partridge, television, thrift, thrifty, troops, TV mom, video