restaurant: Browse The Strips

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Lynn's Comments: I took my kids to fast food joints. I knew the value of cheap, fast, and fried, and it had everything to do with convenience. Tiled floors and washable seating, disposable plates, cups, and cutlery offered respite from kitchen duties and the possibility of communicating with another adult (with kids the same age). It also meant my offspring would eat everything on their plates. It might not be with sustenance, but their stomachs would be full. I ushered my charges, unapologetically, into plastic indoor playgrounds. I ordered the specials, the biggies, and meals--which came with toys. I too ate with gusto, knowing that what I was doing was addictive, that I was introducing my children to substances I wanted them to avoid. Still, the positive outweighed the negative: an hour of freedom vs. a hassle at home. I plead guilty to falling for an easy solution to lunch.

I can't remember the last time I went to a fast food joint, but I know the time will come when I will fall off the wagon again. I look forward to sitting at one of those colourful plastic tables with burgers, onion rings, and a rot-gut pop while my granddaughter romps in the plastic kid-proof play area, her stomach full of fries. I'll count the useless calories in the grub that I'm eating and try not to feel guilty for enjoying every bite!

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Lynn's Comments: A friend of mine was working as a volunteer in a school, helping kids who had trouble reading. It was her observation that the kids thought to be slow to learn were often the fastest to make good decisions and show good judgment. I thought this was a nifty "so there!" to the "smart" kids who teased them!

Friday, March 28, 2014

Lynn's Comments: When I was ignored in a restaurant by a waitress more interested in a table full of gents, I retaliated by doing a strip about it. Once a waitress myself, I knew that, even if you're busy, it's still possible to be courteous!

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Lynn's Comments: Tipping is always an issue when the service is poor. It was designed as a gesture of thanks, but it's become an obligation. With this in mind, I think some service folks forget that being prompt and considerate is still part of the job!

Friday, August 8, 2014

Lynn's Comments: My first husband used to come home from work, look around the house and say, "What did you DO all day?" The house was tidy, the laundry done, dinner was prepared and the baby was clean, fed and sleeping. I felt I had put in a full day's work--plus overtime!

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Lynn's Comments: Here's where the "soap opera" comes into FBorFW. There had to be some romantic conflict in the story, so when Connie moved away, I enjoyed exploring some of the "what-ifs." Would people like John and Ted meet and talk like this in real life? Maybe not. Still, it was a way to answer some of the questions a sympathetic fly on the wall might ask: What if Ted felt badly? What if he realized his mistake? Exploring questions like these gave me the incentive to produce and to stay on deadline.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Lynn's Comments: My mother-in-law stayed at my house, looked after the children, and answered the phone. My brother-in-law stayed at his parents' house with his dad who was in constant touch with Search and Rescue. He had the map on which Rod had recorded his flight path and destination. Having been a prospector, Tom knew the land well. He also knew that Rod was with a group of experienced outdoorsmen, and if anyone knew how to survive an accident, they did. He was calm and reassuring, but inside, he was prepared for the worst. We all were.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Lynn's Comments: I was often asked to champion women's rights in the strip; to reinforce feminism. I never felt comfortable with the word "feminist "; it's a word that to me suggests a negative attitude towards men. Rather, I preferred the word "equalist, " and I thought Elly and her friends were smart and independent and funny enough to show they were indeed equal to the men.

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Lynn's Comments: In reality, we could take the kids anywhere. They were always respectful and well behaved--or else! The restaurant "time-out" was to take the offending child to the car and sit with them until they saw the error of their ways. The hard part was knowing my own meal was getting cold as the rest of the family sat inside.

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Lynn's Comments: Here is another real life situation. My dentist husband was cornered, from time to time, outside his office and asked to give his expert opinion on someone's dental work. As a new practitioner, he would do this as a favour and I often saw him at parties, for example, with his fingers in someone's mouth! Eventually, he refused to do this and asked folks to please make an appointment. The nuisance, the intrusion, and the possibility of saying the wrong thing eventually made him realize that the clinic was the best place to do a check-up! Nothing was more convincing, however, than the above scenario! This really happened and it was fun to recreate the scene in the strip. If the culpable lawyer ever read the comics, I doubt he'd have recognized himself!

Wednesday November 23, 2016

Lynn's Comments: In order to inject a little intrigue into the story, I made John's Doctor friend, Ted, a very bad influence. Although he was completely fictional, I was often asked who he "really was."

Monday April 3, 2017

Lynn's Comments: Aaron made some wonderful friends during his short-lived hockey career. Truly the best part of the game was the camaraderie. I just wished the coaches and the parents weren't so determined to win!

Sunday August 26, 2018

Lynn's Comments: Ahhhh, 39. It seems so long ago. A friend of mine has just turned 40 and I told her that she is beginning the best years of her life: "You're mature and confident, you've found your career, your children are old enough to feed themselves, you're still young and active and you still recognize yourself in the mirror!" Yes, 39 was a great year, turning 40 is fine, too…and you have 10 years until the dreaded 5-0. Amazing how quickly those 10 years will fly by!

Monday May 6, 2019

Lynn's Comments: This is so close to the bone, I hardly want to comment! Ah, but I'm into this now, so here goes. I had a real crush on Calvin, a boy in my class. After school, he delivered the paper on East 5th street (my street), so I'd wait for him and walk with him as he folded and tossed the papers onto porches—house after house.

Friday May 10, 2019

Lynn's Comments: It did rain. I was wearing a light blue coat and the red colouring dripped down onto my collar and shoulders. I didn't want to spoil our walk, so I didn't run home until the colour ruined my coat.

Saturday May 11, 2019

Lynn's Comments: Calvin did show my notes to his friends. I can still see them laughing. I can still feel the humiliation, but I still liked him. A lot.

Many years later, when I was well into the comic strip and a bit full of myself, I saw Calvin in a restaurant. He recognized me and stood up for a moment to say hello. He said he knew my work. He said he was driving racecars for a living and I told him I'd love to watch. We haven't seen each other since, but now and then, I do wonder what he's up to and if he ever thinks of me. Yes, anyone who says there is no such thing as young love has never been young and in love. The first time is unforgettable!