« Monday April 6, 2009 | Main | Wednesday April 8, 2009 »

I am one of those millions who were so disheartened when Lynn chose to end the series as it was - I fully understood her reasons, but oh it was like seeing the end of a rich, rewarding, life-long relationship!

However, I still 'tune in' and got such a laugh over today's (Sat/Arp.4)episode: the 'result' of Elly & Johns last real date was Elizabeth!! I love how you take a moment from our lives and create a sweet, humorous scene!

Lynn,I hope you are enjoying creating your look back in time as much as you did the first part. Kudos for a continued excellent series that we get to enjoy all over again with you!

Jody M, Pincher Creek AB

Saturday's strip referring (I think) to the date of Elizabeth's conception made me laugh because my husband and I made a fancy dinner date (at the suggestion of a friend who offered to babysit our two year old) many years ago at a time when we had agreed to get started on baby # 2. It was a lovely dinner, but it became obvious part way through that "what we're trying to have happen tonight, already has". Although the first courses never got digested, I went ahead and enjoyed desert.

Since Elizabeth is a creation of Lynn's imagination, her age can be adjusted to the needs of the strip just as it was the first time around.

According to Q&Eh, in the "Characters" section, Elizabeth was a toddler and Michael was 3 or 4 when the strip first started in 1979. Later they became five years apart, the same as the Johnston children; and also their ages were held back until the real children were three years older than the comic strip Patterson kids.

I think this means that there are a lot of strips which we will not see again this time around because there are more in the files than are needed to get Michael and Elizabeth to the point where he is going into second grade and she has just had her second birthday. I figure after these events they will continue to age in real time until her wedding. (If there are any more time adjustments other than making holidays fall on the right day of the week, I haven't figured them out yet.)So whether John & Elly's conversation continues and includes a clue as to how old Elizabeth is right now, I offer the following guess: - She is currently one year and nine monts plus a bit and will stay that age for twelve months after which she will progress to her second birthday on June 26, 20l0. She can walk and has already spoken her first sentence (March l) and may speeak some more sentences but probably not very many.I like it that her first sentence this time around was "Nizzie want in t!
here" to get in the bath rather than "Him hit Nizzie" or "Want toy". Even though she looked a bit small in the strip where Elly asks "Why can't they be born speaking English?"(Febrary 16 2009), I was touched that that strip was included this time around. I remember how it felt trying to read my babies" minds.

Amy D, Vienna VA

I've been an enthralled reader of the strip since I don't know when. Sometimes early this year my local paper dropped the strip. The replacement isn't growing on me.
FBoW was like extended family. My wife and I would wait for the other to finish the comics just to see what Emily and the family were up to and would talk about them like they were real. Heh! I loved the detail in the strip yet wasn't really all that disappointed when Lynn went retro. The family was still intact and her do over kept the strip fresh.
I'm really ticked at my local paper. I miss Lynn's art, wit, wisdom and ticklers.
BTW, Jim Davis is a local. Our town has several Garfield statues scattered around. And a man who sometimes did his Sunday strip, Eric Reeves is a neighbor and acquaintance. We like that strip, too.

Mike M, Marion IN

FBorFW is my favorite comic and I read it religiously. While I must say that I miss the misadventures of April and her friends and Elizabeth and her dating drama's. I am enjoying the travel back in time. Michael and Elizabeth are(in the time travel) the same age as my girls. I just hope that some day we get to see what happens to Elizabeth and Anthony after they got married and everyone else too.

Leeandra, KS

Kudos for continuing the strip, in whatever form. FBorFW always makes me grin or groan (at the punishment), laugh and think. Somewhere in each of my busy days, I visit your website for a strip 'fix'. Thank you for not completely retiring!

I hope your days are full of many joyful and silly moments. Aloha from a long-time Hawaiian reader

Sandra K, Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii

Today's strip was sad and disappointing. I wonder if Elly will boot the kids out the door for their messes?! I volunteer with a pet rescue organization and see it time and time again... people need to be realistic about their expectations with their pets and realize that they are not perfect. We've all been frustrated with our pets, but such treatment of dogs should not be promoted.

Amanda L, Richland, WA

Dear Elly and Lynn, I just finished reading your last (sob) book and it brought tears to my eyes!! I know you have heard this so many times but my daughter has your family! Her first child was a son Andre (Andy) and second a girl, Nicole (Nikki) They thought the family was complete but on April 9, 1986, four years later along came April! Her son is married and her older daugter just got engaged! I so much love your drawings. My older daughter, who unfortunately died in 2007 of a severe Rheumotoid disease, was a great artist, too. Her best drawings were comics but she never did anything with it. When she was very young, she started drawing and her sense of perception was always so great. That is what I like about your drawings. So life like. Thank you for allowing us to enjoy you for so long and a fond farewell!

Marion P, New Market, MD

Today, Sunday, Palm Beach Post (April 5, 2009) your strip is a disgrace. Never never never depict someone doing what you did to any animal. That was just wrong --"boot" and in no way funny. Today is the day I stopped reading the strip and you owe your readers an apology.

Ceilene C, Palm Beach

Wondering when you will return to following the patterson's current life. I am anxious especially about Elizabeth and Anthony. Why did you decide to go back in the past? Why in this current setting does John Patterson seem to be painted as such a macho jerk? For all the years I have been enjoying your strip I never got the feeling he had ever been like that.

Claudia, Chicago