daily: Browse The Strips

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Lynn's Comments: I never did leave my brother alone in the house with Farley, but if I had, he would likely have talked to him like this. As kids, we'd never had a dog. We had budgie birds, turtles and a chameleon, but nothing big and fun and responsive. It took us awhile before either of us was comfortable with a dog. Where do they like to be scratched? How do you handle one? We tended to talk to them as if they were other adults - and come to think of it, other dog owners talk to their dogs like this, too!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Lynn's Comments: Twenty minutes is forever when you're a kid. We sat in the train station trying to keep Aaron occupied until we could board and get settled in our rooms. Katie was an easy traveller. If she was restless, you could settle her down with a book or a puzzle and she'd often fall asleep. Aaron on the other hand was a ball of pent up energy and required all of our attention, patience and creativity.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Lynn's Comments: I thought I had booked two bedrooms, but in error I'd booked "roomettes". These tiny spaces had a bench seat, which converted to a single bed for sleeping, under which - inconveniently stored - was...the loo. I had planned for the "boys" to share one compartment; Katie and I would share the other. The roomettes were so confining, however, that in order for us all to fit, the kids were exchanged. Kate stayed with her dad and Aaron stayed with me.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Lynn's Comments: Despite watering both kids before bedtime, they both had to use the facilities during the night. This meant we had to leave the privacy of the compartment, lift the bed up, expose the lavatory, close the door and "go." The process was reversed when everyone got back into bed. I was not the most popular "travel agent" and heard a lot about what I "should have done" before booking something so irritatingly small!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Lynn's Comments: Aaron was extremely social and enjoyed walking up and down the cars, talking to the other passengers. He was well behaved and didn't get into trouble until the novelty wore off. His favourite place was the dining room where, if he was lucky, he'd score an extra dessert before the second seating.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Lynn's Comments: The bar car was also the observation car and even though kids weren't supposed to be in an area where liquor was served, there seemed to be a double standard on the train. Kids sat with their parents and when it got too dark to enjoy the scenery, youngsters watched the grown ups lose their cool and happily act like children!

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Lynn's Comments: Sharing a tiny compartment with my son was a challenge. The only time he really fell asleep was when the train was in motion. The rocking and the click of the rails nicely put him under - but as soon as we stopped on a siding, he was ready for action, wanting to know where we were. I remember lying pressed against the wall of the compartment with Aaron crouched at the window talking a mile a minute as I tried to doze. I thought "Some day, he'll grow out of this and have regular sleep patterns like other people!" At the age, now, of 39... my son is still a night owl!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Lynn's Comments: We were on the train for several nights. Even though the kids were the best they could be, they tossed and turned. And their constant up and down to the toilet made each night a real challenge. We also met others in the hallway as they reorganized themselves into these confined spaces - and more than once we heard "why didn't you a book a compartment instead of a roomette?"

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Lynn's Comments: The dining car was, by far the highlight of the trip. At the time, CN Rail was still into "elegance". We had tables with cloths, nice dishes, good cutlery - and even the children behaved better in this classic and refined dining room. This is one of the rare strips in which I showed them being more of a hand full than they really were!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Lynn's Comments: For a number of years, the passenger train was scheduled to go through the Rocky Mountains late at night. This astounded us as the most breathtaking view in Canada is here and we didn't want to sleep through it! Eventually they realized they were making a mistake and changed the schedule. Over time, we eventually forgot the discomfort of the small sleeping quarters - but we'll never forget the view!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Lynn's Comments: Aaron did not put a marble in a man's mouth - but he thought about it. He was standing on a seat, looking into this snoring aperture. It was an open invitation to neatly drop something in. I caught Aaron's eye just before he let go of the marble he was holding. We both smiled. It was almost too tempting to resist, but resist he must...and we both laughed out loud just thinking about it.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Lynn's Comments: Aaron wasn't really all that interested in going to visit the engineer, but his father was. Rod had loved trains since his childhood in Lynn Lake. Sometimes when you really want to do something but are too shy to ask, it's nice to have a child to hide behind!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Lynn's Comments: All told, the trip by train was a great adventure. We had spent quality time together in an environment of constant change and we saw our country from a different perspective. It's something I hope we can do again one day, but next time... I'll know the difference between roomettes and cabins!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Lynn's Comments: My parents had a cottage in Hope, BC. I believe we got off the train in Hope and drove to Kawkawa Lake with them. We saw my parents perhaps once a year, but the kids always remembered them. Even though "they were not going to be spoiled", Aaron and Katie were the center of attention and had a wonderful time.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Lynn's Comments: We were totally beat by the time we made it to my folks' place. It was such a relief to turn our two busy offspring over to healthy, active grandparents. Mom and dad weren't used to having such busy kids about, but they soon managed to get into the swing of things. It was fun for me to see them being parents again - from the vantage point of being a parent, now myself!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Lynn's Comments: Having a long distance relationship with my family was difficult. I was getting to know my in-laws very well and the kids were at home with everyone on "the other side of the family", but I missed my own. Both of my parents were creative and would have been happy to play a larger role in the children's lives, but time and the cost of travel separated us. Every visit was filled with activities and the time always flew by far too fast.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Lynn's Comments: My mom did say things to make me feel like a kid again. I felt as though she was watching everything I did; wanting to correct me or give advice. I had been living on my own, coping with all kinds of challenges and I wanted to feel like her equal. It didn't take long before the old sandpaper formed between us and we had to make sure there were no match heads in the middle!

Friday, August 12, 2011

Lynn's Comments: There's nothing like being at the lake to keep kids happy. Aaron and Katie learned to swim at Kawkawa and even though the fishing was limited to minnows, it was exhilarating just to catch one and let it go. "The boys" would go out in my dad's old canoe and if they were lucky, there'd be something to photograph and some tall tales to tell. It was a wonderful time and the kids never wanted to leave.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Lynn's Comments: Despite his penchant for causing trouble, Aaron was a sweet and sentimental little boy. The bond he shared with my mother was very strong. The two of them seemed to have a secret between them and my dad thought he should spend more time with Katie to make up for it. Katie didn't seem to notice a discrepancy, though. Maybe she knew that Aaron needed the extra attention my mom gave him.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Lynn's Comments: I remember the face-licking, body-slamming, seat-wagging welcome that Farley used to give us after he'd been left on his own for a while. It was a greeting so filled with joy and expectation, that you couldn't fault him for almost knocking you down!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Lynn's Comments: After living in my garage for more than a year, my brother, Alan got a job with the Stratford Festival Theatre and moved to Stratford, Ontario. My room mate, Fran, moved to Calgary to continue her studies and I was suddenly alone in the house. I helped Alan move to his new apartment and wished him well. Although I was happy to have the place to myself again, I missed their company terribly.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Lynn's Comments: I was a bit jealous of Alan. He was still living in the land of the free. His friends were unmarried guys who travelled and partied and had few responsibilities other than coming up with rent and food money and I wished I could be as unrestricted as they were. Meanwhile, he was wishing he had a little more stability and thought I had the right idea. The grass was always greener somewhere else, it seemed.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Lynn's Comments: I don't remember if Alan was seeing someone in Dundas when he left for Stratford. My efforts to pry had never been too successful. I looked forward to visiting him and seeing him perform at the Festival Theatre. I didn't show this in the strip, but one of his jobs was to appear in a green velvet Edwardian suit and play the herald trumpet from an outdoor balcony!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Lynn's Comments: Coming up with lines based on sayings is especially fun. Take any saying, twist it around, change the lettering and see if you can make it work as a punch line! Most certainly, this one has been used by someone before me. Great minds shrink alike. But if you can do something different, you're golden- and I was always quite chuffed when I came up with a gag like this.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Lynn's Comments: Good dialogue makes a comic strip work. It has to flow like poetry. If you're lucky, someone will come up with a smart remark and this becomes the punch line. Here was an opportunity to think like a kid who wanted summer to last forever and still be his mom who was thinking in real time. Michael was able to counter her argument with something that worked, and I thanked the muse - again - for helping me come up with another daily.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Lynn's Comments: For some reason, stinking socks are funny... much like burps and toots. In truth, the fact that kid's footwear did give off noxious gasses surprised me. But, then again, kids and odors go together like dogs and fleas. My son could wear a pair of socks until they were stiff and no amount of washing could restore the colour, no matter what it was. I dragged dirty socks into the text several times and each time readers reacted with comments like; "Whoa! this happens at your house, too?"!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Lynn's Comments: This exchange is, word for word, from my own childhood. I knew if I said to my mom "do you think I'm some kind of servant?" she'd go completely off her nut. Why did I say it? I don't know. I have always enjoyed a punch line - even if it meant getting a punch in return! So, I said it and she swatted me and put me in my room. I hoped that when she saw this strip, she'd be vindicated... once more!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Lynn's Comments: I absolutely hated cleaning my room. I couldn't see the point. Why make my bed just to sleep in it and mess it up again? Why put stuff away when I'm just going to get it out again? Nobody lives in my room but me, and if I don't care... None of my arguments held water with my mom who would stand at the door like a jailhouse warden and watch me tidy up. "There", she'd say, "isn't that better?" Honestly, I couldn't say that it was. *Sigh* The things you have to do to please your parents!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Lynn's Comments: I think I got a dollar a week. If I did extra stuff, I got a more. I remember saving my earnings to pay for a new bicycle seat and when I did, I was so proud I told all my friends that I'd bought it myself. Giving us an allowance was such a good way for the folks to teach us about saving and being responsible. It was augmented and reduced according to grades and behaviour and when times were tough, we could even chip in. Even though values and circumstances have changed, I hope parents continue to make an allowance pay off!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Lynn's Comments: It's hard for a young artist to get her work published anywhere, so I volunteered a lot in the early days. I did posters, bookmarks and signs for the library. I learned about borders and lettering and ways to get the most from two plates on the press. It was an opportunity to learn and to make up a good folio. When I hear people complain that they have to volunteer I remember my dad saying "You pay for an education, don't you?" Well, this was an education and I was getting it for free!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Lynn's Comments: I imagined Elly accepting the opportunity to write a column for a local paper just to see her work in print. She is aware of how much she will learn. She is looking forward to working with others and to practising her skills - and she is not embarrassed to admit she needs the outlet and the change. It's easy to question someone's direction and motives - until you see the world through their eyes!