John: Browse The Strips

Wednesday June 7, 2017

Lynn's Comments: So many personal truths were told in the strip. As I reread everything, I see just how close to the bone some of my stories were.

Thursday June 8, 2017

Lynn's Comments: This was the truth. It seemed that no expense was spared on things outside the house….but, the kitchen, where so much of my life was spent, didn't need improvements.

Friday June 9, 2017

Lynn's Comments: Once I had decided I needed a new kitchen, however, I realized the whole dining area needed to be remodeled, as well.

Monday June 12, 2017

Lynn's Comments: My husband was certainly capable of remodeling the kitchen, but it might have taken years. In order to keep the marriage stable, we decided to get help. The dismantling, however, we did ourselves.

Wednesday June 14, 2017

Lynn's Comments: The trouble with design books is…they all seem to think you live in a tidy environment. They seem to overlook the fact that a space has to be lived in, and living means junk and clutter. I needed storage. Lots of it!

Sunday June 18, 2017

Lynn's Comments: I recently found a birthday card I’d made for my mother. She'd saved it in a photo album, something I hadn't opened for years. I had forgotten about the card. It said, "When you're very mad at me, you're awful for a mother, But even if I had a choice, I wouldn't want another." I think I was 8 when I made the card. She and I didn't get along well and I wondered why she’d kept it. I think I was trying to rewrite history here. The strip often had a sweetness to it that wasn't part of my own childhood experience.

Friday June 23, 2017

Lynn's Comments: Here’s where Annie’s husband, Steve, had a small role. Until now, he had just been a shadowy figure. I’d alluded to his infidelity, but had never gone into that story. It was a rather daunting one, and I wasn't ready. I did, however, see him as a bit of a hoarder, so when the Pattersons did their renovation, he was there to salvage their cast-off materials. At the time, I could see Annie and Steve’s garage crammed with stuff and all of the ensuing family squabbles it might cause. I imagined all of the interesting side stories this would generate…but in the end, I had only one statement a day to work with and my readers spent less than 30 seconds reading it! I never developed the "hoarder" side of next-door neighbour, Steve. There wasn't time.

Tuesday June 27, 2017

Lynn's Comments: Yes, I realized as we were dismantling the kitchen that this would be the perfect time to remodel the dining room, too. This meant removing a wall between the kitchen and dining room to create an "open concept." Open, much like my husband’s mouth when I made the suggestion.

Wednesday July 12, 2017

Lynn's Comments: We did get a new fridge, but it was delivered and installed by professionals. During the delivery, I wondered how we’d have managed on our own. Asking myself, "What if?" was always a great way to start a series of strips.

Tuesday July 25, 2017

Lynn's Comments: This was another serious comment. I have always wondered how a mother would feel if she lost her child to war. In jest, I could voice an opinion in very subtle ways.

Sunday July 30, 2017

Lynn's Comments: I had a lot of fun making up funny lyrics to these imaginary tunes…but readers focused on their objection to the word "crud". Today, this word would be conservative. How times have changed.

Sunday August 6, 2017

Lynn's Comments: King-sized beds were invented for a reason. Our bedtime habits truly establish our tolerance threshold. If you are OK with your partner’s sack-time etiquette (or lack thereof)…then you might be destined for a long lasting relationship. If not, you are doomed. King-sized beds and separate bathrooms have been touted as saving graces. I wouldn't have dreamed of separate bathrooms until this luxury presented itself in my most recent living space. Yes…give me a home where the buffalo roam, but make the privy a two-holer!

The strip you see here was inspired by a friend of mine. He once complained to me about his wife’s ability to swipe all the blankets in her sleep: she would roll toward him, tucking the blanket under her side. Then she would clutch the top of the remaining blanket and roll the other way, pulling everything with her. He called it "The Russell roll." (Russell is her maiden name). I thought it would make a great strip…but this is how the muse made it turn out.

Tuesday August 8, 2017

Lynn's Comments: Because the Patterson house was a combination of two houses I had lived in, it was a real challenge when it came to renovating. The real house on which this aspect of the cartoon house was based had a bedroom on this side, and there was no room for an addition anyway. My head sometimes spun with the decisions I made, and the storylines I fabricated.