It Must Be Nice to Be Little: Browse The Strips

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Lynn's Comments: My spouse enjoyed big events. He was comfortable at conventions and other public gatherings, but when it came to having folks over to the house, he preferred a very small group. I guess it's because there was less to clean up!

Friday, December 30, 2011

Lynn's Comments: The pharmacist hosted the first New Year's Eve party we ever attended in Lynn Lake. Because the liquor store was in the pharmacy, libation flowed. It didn't take long before my husband was leaning dangerously. Fearing we'd make a scene in front of the town's professionals, I insisted we walk home. As we shuffled the six blocks between houses, we heard a truck behind us. It was the pharmacist and all the guys from the party. They were hanging out the windows... wildly cheering us on!

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Lynn's Comments: The day after the party, my husband was really under the weather. Surprised by how miserable he was, I asked him if he remembered the good ol' university days when drinking was a sport and the results taken for granted. His response was "I've never been drunk before! This is the first time!" I guess he was saving the worst for last.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Lynn's Comments: There were times when we did pull the silent treatment on each other. I don't know if it was a kind of punishment or an effort to think before saying anything else that might hurt. With so many things on our minds, small concerns like this were soon forgotten and life returned to normal.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Lynn's Comments: This bit of dialogue is word for word from my first marriage. When my husband refused to talk about a problem, I sarcastically made up both sides of the conversation. His response was "You have NO idea what I'm thinking!" and my reply was: "Then, TALK to me!"

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Lynn's Comments: I knew the kids suffered any time we fought. We didn't disagree too often, but when we did, Kate and Aaron felt it was somehow their fault. We usually don't talk to them about the issues, we don't explain what's happening and why we're mad, so kids try and unravel the puzzle the best way they know how. To a child, the world revolves around them--and if this is the case, it must be their fault if the world leaves it's axis and gets wobbly sometimes! I tried to show that here.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Lynn's Comments: Since the temperature up north did dip well below --20 degrees C, going for a walk to "cool off" wasn't a bad idea. You either resolved your mental conflict in a hurry or wound up at a friend's place for a beer.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Lynn's Comments: The worst thing about having a kid in hockey is the gear. The odd hours of practice, the driving and the butt-numbing seats in the stands were a pleasure compared to the fitting, loading, dressing and stench of the required gear. Hockey moms go unappreciated until a kid grows up and becomes a hockey parent themselves!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Lynn's Comments: After all the hockey I've watched, after all of the news clips and interviews and hockey related trivia I've had to endure ...I still don't really understand the rules. A pile up like this, to me, might just as well be part of the game. How un-Canadian!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Lynn's Comments: Being part of a team meant a lot to Aaron. He loved the camaraderie, the excitement and getting together with all the participants after a game. The kids felt a real kinship. Being in "uniform" gave them status and worth. It was important, therefore, to teach them that no matter how padded and colourful, the uniform does not make the man!

We had to make sure the kids maintained their good manners, even though they imagined themselves hitting the big leagues, then hitting the bars, and hitting each other! The contrast between the confident team player and the immature little boy was enormous--it was hard not to "parent" a youngster who was trying so hard to be a man.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Lynn's Comments: Whenever I've needed a serious change in my life, I've changed my hair. For some reason, hair that has been fine for ages suddenly becomes ugly and HAS to be restyled. I don't know why they call it "the crowning glory"--to me, it's less of a crown and more of a barometer!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Lynn's Comments: This dialogue never took place. Neither did I hit the sack with my face dredged in wrinkle cream. I just took a line of thought, stretched it into whatever space it would fit, and came up with this. No wonder my in-laws would say "Why are you so mean to Elly and John"?

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Lynn's Comments: I don't remember having class outings at all when I was in elementary school, and the Lynn Lake environment didn't provide much in the way of field trips unless one toured the mine. I imagined, then, what it would be like to take a group of children to an average city gallery and see how they'd react to the experience.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Lynn's Comments: Since Michael had visited an art gallery and had been exposed to some sculptural "exposure"...I wanted to have some fun with his snowmen. This strip got me into some hot water, but not enough to melt the scene. Fortunately, my easy-going readers thought it was a funny idea and the editors agreed.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Lynn's Comments: These words came directly from my mother's mouth and later from mine. Seems to me that kids enjoy being in on the local gossip as much as we do! Trouble is they, too pass it on!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Lynn's Comments: Here's another example of how to bring readers up to date with a few underlying story arcs. In the first panel, you catch up with what's going on in two relationships and still get a kid-fuelled smart remark as a punch line. I loved this ploy!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Lynn's Comments: Some strips require no explanation; no example of how it came to be. "It's MINE" played out between my brother and then, naturally, between my kids. This is one of those timeless scenarios which parents are so used to, that the only intervention considered is on behalf of the TOYS!

Friday, January 27, 2012

Lynn's Comments: Atari and Pong were the two big video games of the day and my son, Aaron, played them endlessly. The beep, bop, zap sounds drove me crazy...but compared to the earth-shattering sound effects of today's offerings, these were musical interludes!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Lynn's Comments: It was my brother who played Atari until his legs fell asleep. The TV was on a stand, too far from the couch to allow for serious and intense interaction, so players sat on the floor in reverent communion with the screen. After a marathon of gaming, Alan couldn't walk and Aaron had forgotten to go to the bathroom. Both staggered up the stairs in search of relief and I took advantage. Another strip was in the bag!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Lynn's Comments: Rod was away often, as he worked in the isolated villages in Northern Manitoba one week out of every month, so it was a treat to be able to go to a convention once in awhile and stay in a nice hotel. On one occasion, Aaron was told that his dad's absence made him the MAN of the household which was a serious position with a lot of responsibility. As Rod left, he asked Aaron if he had any questions. Aaron thought it over and said, seriously; "What will you bring me?" I used this punchline instead!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Lynn's Comments: When I'm working, I will make the same faces as the characters I'm drawing. It was funny for the kids to watch me--especially if the face I was drawing was screaming or just plain mad!