plate of food: Browse The Strips

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Lynn's Comments: We were cautioned against letting Farley get too heavy, as this would add pressure to the already stressed hip joint. Putting him on a diet wasn't easy--he would beg for table scraps and I hated to waste them.

Wednesday March 21, 2018

Lynn's Comments: In a TV sit-com, you can get away with changing a character with a haircut or a hair colour because the character is a real person. In a comic strip, the art often reflects an artist’s style to the point where hair, posture, and even clothing are used to clearly identify the character. Charles Schulz once told me, "If it wasn't for hair and clothing, all my characters would look alike!" He drew them all in his own unique style.

Monday May 21, 2018

Lynn's Comments: Here’s a strip that should have ended at the third panel. Sometimes I’d send off something I was sure of. Then, when I saw it in the paper later, I’d see how it could have been improved.

Sunday February 17, 2019

Lynn's Comments: The TV tray was invented, of course, as soon as the television became a household necessity. Like an indoor commode, every home HAD to have one. My mother, who ruled the roost, hated the thought of us sitting in front of the TV to eat, so we missed all kinds of good shows. They all seemed to come on at 6:00. One afternoon, my dad was late coming home from work. He was always home by 5:30 but this time he was not only late, but had arrived in a delivery van straight from Sears. My brother and I watched through the window as he unloaded a thin rectangular box, waved his thanks to the driver and headed into the house. Inside the box was a set of aluminum TV trays; a wonderful sight to behold. My mother conceded her fight and (depending on the show) allowed us all to eat dinner in front of the television. This was one of the very few times my father defied her. I thank Gunsmoke and Walt Disney for that one significant victory.

Wednesday June 19, 2019

Lynn's Comments: Readers were always suggesting I give Elly a more modern hairstyle. They were right…she really did need a change. The trouble is it's hard to change a cartoon character's established "look." Elly's hairstyle was part of her trademark; her recognizable image. Even in sitcoms, the characters tend to keep their "look." I managed to placate the critics by giving Elly a bun or a French roll from time to time, but her hair remained long for the length of the strip!

Monday November 18, 2019

Lynn's Comments: When I was offered the opportunity to do a syndicated strip, Universal Press asked me to send 3 weeks of dailies as an example of my work. I was expecting my daughter, Katie, at the time, so pregnancy was on my mind. One of the strips I sent was me, well-rounded and trying to play the guitar. It was resting against my bouncing belly and I was saying to the baby inside, "What’s the matter, you don’t like Vivaldi?"

Monday June 29, 2020

Lynn's Comments: I came from a staunch British family. It was considered bad form to call anyone at dinnertime—between 5:30 and 7:00. If the phone rang, my mother refused to answer, even if it was me calling!

Friday December 10, 2021

Lynn's Comments: My grandfather used to say the longest grace when we were all sitting in front of a holiday meal—hungry and desperate to begin. Because he never went to church and rarely talked about the bible, we were sure he did it for the fun of making us wait.

Sunday March 9, 2025

Lynn's Comments: My brother and I had eating lessons. Our mom sat us at the table with a yardstick down the backs of our shirts to keep us sitting up straight. Then, with a children’s book under each arm, we ate using the fork and knife a certain way, taking small bites and chewing well. She monitored the entire meal. When it was over, we’d grumble about how stupid it all was. Later, as we went on dates and had meals with employers, we realized how valuable that instruction was!