Lynn Johnston’s Mother’s Day
What an odd Mother’s Day strip. I think for the first time that I can recollect in For Better or For Worse, the mother presented is not portrayed with her children. Moreover, I cannot help but notice that the life of Elly today is probably very much like the life that Lynn Johnston has right now, divorced and with both kids out of the house, except for the part about brushing the dog, which Lynn does not have.
My mom’s life is somewhat like Elly’s on Mother’s Day, except she has my step-dad living with her. She hasn’t had any kids living in the house since my youngest sister graduated from university in 1988. So it’s been 20 years. None of her kids have lived close to her since then, having scattered ourselves across the country. I can imagine her on Mother’s Day, grocery shopping and cleaning and cooking and doing laundry and taking out the garbage; while waiting for her children to call her up and wish her Happy Mother’s Day. Actually, my mother usually goes to church on Mother’s Day and shows off her Mother’s Day corsage, which I have delivered to her every year (southern U.S. tradition), and then my step-dad takes her to a Mother’s Day lunch. Then she goes home and waits for phone calls from her kids.
As my kids are 10 and 12, I have a few more years before they depart the house; but it will not be long. I wonder how I will adjust when I get to that point, where Father’s Day means for me maybe a gift and a phone call. Will I do a lot of work around the house and then collapse into a bubble bath? Probably not. I am not really a bubble bath kind of guy. Judging from the drawing of Elly in the bath, neither is Lynn Johnston. Her bubble bath bubbles look more like she is unusually flatulent than a real bubble bath. Also, considering she has been working like a dog all day, I think she needs a little help on the definition of the word “lazy”.
The oddest part about this strip is that Elly Patterson has all her kids in close proximity now, so Mother's Day should be a big deal with all the Patterson children and grandchildren gathered around and giving her great praise for her wonderful mothering skills. For the second year in a row we have had with all the Patterson kids living close, that situation is avoided. Last year, we had the very odd strip with Deanna taking her kids by herself to see a dog with puppies; and the main point of the strip was how rotten Meredith and Robin were and how lucky Deanna was she didn't have more than 2 kids.
I get the impression Lynn Johnston does not like Mother's Day very much, don't you?
My mom’s life is somewhat like Elly’s on Mother’s Day, except she has my step-dad living with her. She hasn’t had any kids living in the house since my youngest sister graduated from university in 1988. So it’s been 20 years. None of her kids have lived close to her since then, having scattered ourselves across the country. I can imagine her on Mother’s Day, grocery shopping and cleaning and cooking and doing laundry and taking out the garbage; while waiting for her children to call her up and wish her Happy Mother’s Day. Actually, my mother usually goes to church on Mother’s Day and shows off her Mother’s Day corsage, which I have delivered to her every year (southern U.S. tradition), and then my step-dad takes her to a Mother’s Day lunch. Then she goes home and waits for phone calls from her kids.
As my kids are 10 and 12, I have a few more years before they depart the house; but it will not be long. I wonder how I will adjust when I get to that point, where Father’s Day means for me maybe a gift and a phone call. Will I do a lot of work around the house and then collapse into a bubble bath? Probably not. I am not really a bubble bath kind of guy. Judging from the drawing of Elly in the bath, neither is Lynn Johnston. Her bubble bath bubbles look more like she is unusually flatulent than a real bubble bath. Also, considering she has been working like a dog all day, I think she needs a little help on the definition of the word “lazy”.
The oddest part about this strip is that Elly Patterson has all her kids in close proximity now, so Mother's Day should be a big deal with all the Patterson children and grandchildren gathered around and giving her great praise for her wonderful mothering skills. For the second year in a row we have had with all the Patterson kids living close, that situation is avoided. Last year, we had the very odd strip with Deanna taking her kids by herself to see a dog with puppies; and the main point of the strip was how rotten Meredith and Robin were and how lucky Deanna was she didn't have more than 2 kids.
I get the impression Lynn Johnston does not like Mother's Day very much, don't you?
posted by howard at 11:51 PM
12 Comments:
No, she does not. It's a reminder of how "ungrateful" her children are, what with their not living the lives she'd planned for them. Add in the fact that her husband skipped out on her without "adequate warning" and you have a recipe for hatred.
I agree, Lynn doesn't seem to like Mother's Day very much.
I seem to recall Lynn mentioning that she does have a dog now--I forget whether this was a recent interview or whether it was mentioned somewhere on the website. I think it was the latter.
dreadedcandiru2,
It's a reminder of how "ungrateful" her children are, what with their not living the lives she'd planned for them.
I know that in interviews, when she was asked the question how she felt about her children taking different careers than she would like, particularly after she set up Michael and Elizabeth in those careers, she said she was happy with the choices her children had made. However, these Mother's Day strips fly in the face of those statements.
aprilp_katje,
I seem to recall Lynn mentioning that she does have a dog now--I forget whether this was a recent interview or whether it was mentioned somewhere on the website.
Well that explains why we have had so many Edgar dog-brushing sequences in the last few years. It may also explain why Dixie has dropped off the face of the earth except for when April visits Grandpa Jim, if she only has one dog.
By the way, Happy Mother's Day to you.
By the way, Happy Mother's Day to you.
Thanks! Same to your wife. :)
Every year, my husband takes our son to the dollar store and lets him pick out a gift for me. This year he picked out a large coffee mug (like the kind you get a latte in at a coffee shop). He knows I love coffee!
Howard, I do agree with your analysis of this strip. Yes, it is strange that Elly is home alone.
With no one home, why is she so busy cleaning and baking?
Anon NYC
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"Her bubble bath bubbles look more like she is unusually flatulent than a real bubble bath."
When my sister saw this strip in the paper (and before I saw it), she warned me that in the last panel, Elly was in the bath and stink lines were coming out of the bath.
aprilp_katje,
With my family, I also bankroll my kids’ purchases for Mother’s Day, with little input from me, unless they want to buy something very expensive (or obviously for them and not their mother). Then they usually do some arts and crafts thing with their homemade Mother’s Day cards.
Anon NYC,
With no one home, why is she so busy cleaning and baking?
Well, the strip makes it look like Elly cannot enjoy her bubble bath without feeling that she deserves to take it, due to her cleaning and baking, even when she is home by herself. It’s a little crazy, but very Elly-like.
Muzition,
When my sister saw this strip in the paper (and before I saw it), she warned me that in the last panel, Elly was in the bath and stink lines were coming out of the bath.
Your sister and I think along the same gas lines.
I do not like Mother's Day very much either. My son and husband make it a wonderful morning, but then in the afternoon I have to deal with my mother - this totally wrecks the day for me. My brothers live far away and my mom always wants to have lunch or dinner and I have to take her (and step dad) out. My husband and I just don't get along with them and it is like torture to spend time with them. I don't think I will get to enjoy Mother's Day until my mom is gone. I know that sounds very harsh and unfeeling, but it is true. Family obligations can be a bitch sometimes.
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