Elly: Browse The Strips

Friday February 17, 2017

Lynn's Comments: As a hockey mom, I saw some interesting stuff. Parents who dropped off their kids and left never knew how important it was for those young players to see supporters in the stands. Some of the parents who did attend were so determined to see their kid be a star that they also ruined a great game. Kids were shouted at and bullied from the stands, and volunteer coaches were criticized. I'm hoping things have changed since I was a hockey mom.

Sunday February 19, 2017

Lynn's Comments: I didn't learn to skate until I was over 35! What gave me the courage to try was a really good pair of skates and the lure of a rink made by the neighbours on Trout Lake outside of North Bay, Ontario. It was one of those perfect days. The ice was thick and the snow was fresh. Just a few passes of the snow blower and a small private rink was cleared. The kids both had skates that still fit, and my mom-in-law had borrowed skates for the rest of us. She’d made hot chocolate in a big thermos and the Harrisons, whose house we were visiting, had built a fire in the pit down by the dock.

For the first time since I was a kid, I strapped on skates (dull rentals) and shoved off from the snow bank. To my surprise, I discovered the bite of a sharp blade and was actually scraping my way forward. That’s it. I never went again, past those surprising few turns around the ice, but it was enough to let me know how it’s done and why some people become champion skaters. You just have to experience this exhilaration when you're young!

Friday February 24, 2017

Lynn's Comments: If I was doing the strip today, I’d be even more intrigued by the ability to talk almost subliminally in coded texts and abbreviated comments. Today, it is communication as fast and as simple as it can be, but nuances and subtlety are lost along the way. I wonder how many serious misunderstandings occur now, because people don't use or don't know enough good words to be able to express themselves!

Sunday February 26, 2017

Lynn's Comments: While making a big cuddly fuss over the dog one day, I noticed a wistful glance from my husband. Whether he was cringing at the "dog-ma" of mother and dog or a bit jealous, I didn't know. The scene made for a good Sunday page!

Monday February 27, 2017

Lynn's Comments: Living with teenagers is a challenge for all parents. Living with adopted teens must be an incredible challenge. I tried hard to imagine it.

Tuesday February 28, 2017

Lynn's Comments: My friends used to go to my mother for emotional help. They’d pour their hearts out about everything from boyfriends to schoolwork, to their relationships at home. As a teenager, I found my mother awfully hard to talk to, and I couldn’t understand why my friends went to her for guidance!

Thursday March 2, 2017

Lynn's Comments: Interesting to read this now. I am 69 and I still look in the mirror and wonder who the heck is staring back at me!

Sunday March 5, 2017

Lynn's Comments: Man, I was happy with this punch line. Now and then a great one comes along, and when it does, you kinda look around to thank the spirit that handed it to you. I rather think the line came from a famous player–someone who played hard but played fair. I wonder who it was.

Monday March 6, 2017

Lynn's Comments: When my kids were small and I had babysitters, I enjoyed the conversation and the company of teenaged girls. They were smart, reliable, and always up for a visit. Living in an isolated community meant sparse shops, one hairdresser, and little to do on a Saturday night. It was fun for me to do their hair, experiment with nail polish, and talk about the boys they liked. It was a privilege to have their confidence, and on more than one occasion, I was asked for advice. That, I considered the best compliment of all.

Saturday March 11, 2017

Lynn's Comments: The problem with this strip is that it wasn't clear who did the "YEAAGHH!" Some readers thought it was Michael and didn't understand. I had hoped that the old adage, "Ignore something and it will go away." would be obvious and carry the joke, but not so. We're running it again anyway!

Monday March 13, 2017

Lynn's Comments: As I recall, I, too, left my room in an unruly mess. Thing is, in those days, there were some pretty harsh punishments, and I had to decide if going against the matriarch was worth the risk!

Tuesday March 14, 2017

Lynn's Comments: If I think about it, I can still feel the sensation of having a loose tooth; the pop and sting of it being pulled out, and the metallic taste of the hole it left in my jaw. Losing my teeth meant a surge ahead: another leap towards independence!

Wednesday March 15, 2017

Lynn's Comments: There was a guy we knew in Lynn Lake, Manitoba who had a front tooth missing. Into the gap, he would push a cigarette so he could talk and smoke at the same time. I liked this guy. Some folks disappear into the pit of your subconscious. Others you remember for the rest of your life!

Saturday March 18, 2017

Lynn's Comments: Right now, my grand daughter is living with a fairy in her house. The fairy is happily waiting for a second tooth to be hidden under Laura’s pillow. The first tooth was replaced by a two dollar coin! Fairies are more generous these days.

Sunday March 19, 2017

Lynn's Comments: This strip began with the Garfield pin. We had gone to visit Jim Davis (creator of Garfield) and his family, and had returned with some treasures–one of which was a tiny Garfield pin. I can't remember if I ever told Jim that the pin had been lost and found, and that a Sunday page had been the result. Thanks, Jim!

Monday March 20, 2017

Lynn's Comments: This really happened. So many times, the strip was a documentation of the things that happened, almost word for word, in our home.