newspaper: Browse The Strips

Monday, December 16, 2013

Lynn's Comments: The one thing I remember about my brother's cast (he had injured his knee playing soccer), was the way it itched and how he used Mom's knitting needles to reach into the cast to scratch. By the time he went back to the doc for a check up, the cast was full of holes--and he had to have a new one!

Friday, February 14, 2014

Lynn's Comments: My mom made the best cookies in the world. Her decorated sugar cookies could have won prizes for flavour and design. I haven't mastered her wonderful skill--because I just don't have the patience. Or, maybe it's just hard to see a work of art chewed up and swallowed!

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Lynn's Comments: When you work with the public all day you save your rants for the folks at home. I worked at home and ranted elsewhere. Perhaps this was a good thing!

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Lynn's Comments: A question like this would have made my parents get out the encyclopedia and look up the answer. My mother especially enjoyed teaching us stuff about plants and animals and would easily pick up a snake or a spider to show us it was something to admire. She was responsible I'm sure for my brother's degree in biology and my years working as a medical artist!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Lynn's Comments: This strip was done well before the advent of electronic readers and iPads. It's interesting to see that we continue to wonder how the printed page will survive, and if books as we know them will still be the pleasure they once were--and the best gift ever.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Lynn's Comments: I did this Sunday page after I was squeezed in half by a sadistically designed lawn chair. I brought the chair into my studio and drew the exact position it was in when it maimed me. I felt relieved and vindicated even before the art was published. This job came with unlimited and curative benefits. I was jubilant when I took the chair to the dump.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Lynn's Comments: Having gone on several Medical Missions to Honduras and Peru, I am well aware of how little some people have and how much we in North America take for granted. When my kids said they were "starving," I was grateful that they had no idea what "starving" meant.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Lynn's Comments: This was one of my father's "tricks of the trade." He had many ways to make tears disappear. He had stories and sayings and jokes and songs. He made faces, he danced and clowned--we had our own private vaudeville show complete with costumes, music, mime, and verse. He could be silly. He could delve into fantasy as easily as we could, and he saw things through our eyes, something few grown-ups have the imagination to do. Dad was like another kid who sometimes sided with us--against Mom. I remember her telling us and Dad to, "Please--GROW UP!!!"

Monday, December 8, 2014

Lynn's Comments: At this time, my parents lived in Hope, British Columbia. To get to North Bay was quite a haul: a two-hour drive to Vancouver, a flight to Toronto, and another to North Bay. With two kids, it was even more hassle for us to go to them. The few times we did get together for Christmas were much-celebrated events.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Lynn's Comments: One of our traditions at Christmas was to clean out the fireplace. This was a good thing. We'd have forgotten otherwise. This is a pretty accurate illustration of our living room in Lynn Lake--complete with the crud on the rug.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Lynn's Comments: My dad talked a lot about the war, and any time the subject came up in the strip, I received letters from veterans happy to see it mentioned.

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Lynn's Comments: This part of the story was entirely made up. This is what's fun about a comic strip storyline--the possibilities are endless. This is where the ability to fantasize comes in: a fantasy could take me completely away from reality--to places I didn't even know I could go!

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Lynn's Comments: When this strip appeared, I was criticized for stereotyping the Enjo family: they were Asian, therefore they were intellectuals. It was interesting to note that the complaints didn't come from people of Asian descent!

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Lynn's Comments: They told us at the kennel club (we were members of The Old English Sheepdog Association) that we needed to be persistent, authoritative, and to take charge. Having no children at the time, we had time to learn how to train a dog and considered this good practice for parenting later on!

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Lynn's Comments: In grade one, it's cool to be at the front of the line. This coveted spot was fought over. Kids nudged and jostled each other until one held the spot--undisputed. I wanted to be first in line so badly I couldn't stand it. One day, I made it to about sixth, and just as we all stopped shoving, the first kid in line brought up his lunch. The next kid turned green and went to the back of the line and so did the next. This went on until I was first in line. I couldn't believe my luck! I didn't care about the barf, in fact, I leaned over and shouted to everyone, "Guess what! It was macaroni and cheese!" At this, two other kids threw up. "Weaklings," I said to myself as the doors opened. The line began to flow around the offensive patch and into the building with me in the lead. From then on, I claimed first place whenever I wanted it. I'd earned the right.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Lynn's Comments: When we first arrived in North Bay, Ontario, the local theatre had just been restored to its original beauty. I was asked if I'd join the board of directors, which I did with enthusiasm. For several years, I worked on fundraising, advertising and sponsorship, and I learned a great deal about managing a small community theatre. It's a heck of a lot of work. I have great respect for the folks who keep these wonderful resources open and operational, and I wanted to draw some attention to them in the strip.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Lynn's Comments: My dad did say I had puny tails, and it was no joke. Ponytails were a big deal in those days. Long hair was admired. I wanted long hair so badly, I cried every time my mother cut it.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Lynn's Comments: POP!!!! The piercing gun made the first puncture in Kate's right ear lobe. She winced, blinked, looked straight at me, and howled! Her brother was delighted. When she'd regained her composure, Kate refused to have the left ear pierced. She'd had no idea it would hurt so much, and wasn't about to go through the procedure again. We had a problem. She could have the first stud removed so the ear could heal over, she could live with one pierced ear, or she could put up with another "pop" like the first one. Kate's tantrum continued. Mr. Roberts suggested we go home, think it over and come back later. The three of us left the building. Katie walked ahead with Aaron who pranced with glee at his sister's dilemma. Half way down the street, Kate suddenly turned and pulled me back in the direction of the store. "Let's do it." she said. The second stud was placed without a fuss, and off we went to get ice cream and groceries. "What made you change your mind?" I asked her. "He did." she said flicking her thumb in her brother's direction. "He was enjoying this too darned much!"

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Lynn's Comments: When the first Cabbage Patch dolls came out, I was caught up in the frenzy like everyone else. I managed to score one for my daughter just before Christmas, but then my sister-in-law called to say there were no dolls available in Winnipeg until after Christmas, and could I find just two more. Word came that a shipment of dolls was to arrive at a local store in North Bay, and it would be first come first serve. I ran to the store and stood in line hoping to get a doll that wasn't too ugly. They were ALL ugly! I bought two blonde C-dolls, and mailed them off to Manitoba just in time for the great glut of Christmas. Apparently, I had saved the day. Looking back, it's hard to believe that such a strange looking doll could have made such an impact, and that I waited crazily in line for two of them! This series of strips was my "revenge."

Monday, March 14, 2016

Lynn's Comments: As a child, I used to think about this. I would wonder where in the world was the man with whom I would spend my adult life. He was wandering about somewhere, minding his own business, blissfully unaware that he would eventually wind up with me! The irony is that after 68 years--I have yet to find that man.