How To Get Along With Elly
The two items on my predicted list have come true. In today’s For Better or For Worse, Anne Nichols is the caterer (or catering manager, if you prefer), and yesterday Josef Weeder was the photographer. Poor Moira Kinney and Beatrice Alfarero have reached the point where they are now referred simply to as “the girla at the bookstore”. I guess this means that this reference is their last hurrah! I now have no one left in my mind to provide something for the wedding. Lynn has hit everyone of my predictions, plus some.
Anthony’s mom is mentioned as a cake baker and naturally she gets along with Elly. I think that if Mira Sobinski were a better cook, then she would be perfect too. When Anthony’s mom finally makes an appearance, I wonder if it will be as the curly-headed woman who was present at Anthony’s wedding and baby shower.
Elly’s explanation of the importance of the mother-in-law for her, may ring true for some; but not really for me. Between my wife and me, we have 4 sets of parents. They have all met each other at our wedding and the baptism of my kids, but never altogether since. It is completely unimportant that they get along. It was actually far more important that my wife got along with my mother, than my mother with her mother; because that occurs much more often.
We have seen the strip long enough to know that Elly and Mira Sobinski have butted heads time and time again. Why? The very first Christmas strip after the birth of Meredith, Mike and Deanna visited Elly and then visited Mira. It was an equal distribution of time and seemed fair to me. In the Dallas area, where my wife has 2 sets of parents, I try to make sure that both sets of parents get equal time with their grandkids by themselves. But the Pattersons complained bitterly on that Christmas that Mike had to leave. So, the next year and every year since, Mira and Wilf Sobinski come from Burlington to the Patterson house in Milborough over Christmas and are forced to interact with Elly and her crowd.
The other occasion for disagreement came when baby Robin was born, and Michael intentionally informed the Sobinskis much later than he did his own mom, so Elly and company would have more time to visit without the Sobinskis being there. Once they got there, they were pissed because Elly had already been there. And Elly was pissed, because the Sobinskis came in and demanded equal time with the baby and mom.
The moral of the story is: Elly Patterson does not like to share. Anthony Caine’s mom has already established that she does not get invited to Christmas dinner. Apparently Anthony has no trouble spending Christmas dinner with the Pattersons instead of his own mom. If she is not demanding equal time, then it’s no wonder Elly likes her. Today’s For Better or For Worse, shows us in a humourous fashion that Elly is self-centred. There has been considerable proof of that over the years, but it’s good to get confirmation from Elly herself.
Anthony’s mom is mentioned as a cake baker and naturally she gets along with Elly. I think that if Mira Sobinski were a better cook, then she would be perfect too. When Anthony’s mom finally makes an appearance, I wonder if it will be as the curly-headed woman who was present at Anthony’s wedding and baby shower.
Elly’s explanation of the importance of the mother-in-law for her, may ring true for some; but not really for me. Between my wife and me, we have 4 sets of parents. They have all met each other at our wedding and the baptism of my kids, but never altogether since. It is completely unimportant that they get along. It was actually far more important that my wife got along with my mother, than my mother with her mother; because that occurs much more often.
We have seen the strip long enough to know that Elly and Mira Sobinski have butted heads time and time again. Why? The very first Christmas strip after the birth of Meredith, Mike and Deanna visited Elly and then visited Mira. It was an equal distribution of time and seemed fair to me. In the Dallas area, where my wife has 2 sets of parents, I try to make sure that both sets of parents get equal time with their grandkids by themselves. But the Pattersons complained bitterly on that Christmas that Mike had to leave. So, the next year and every year since, Mira and Wilf Sobinski come from Burlington to the Patterson house in Milborough over Christmas and are forced to interact with Elly and her crowd.
The other occasion for disagreement came when baby Robin was born, and Michael intentionally informed the Sobinskis much later than he did his own mom, so Elly and company would have more time to visit without the Sobinskis being there. Once they got there, they were pissed because Elly had already been there. And Elly was pissed, because the Sobinskis came in and demanded equal time with the baby and mom.
The moral of the story is: Elly Patterson does not like to share. Anthony Caine’s mom has already established that she does not get invited to Christmas dinner. Apparently Anthony has no trouble spending Christmas dinner with the Pattersons instead of his own mom. If she is not demanding equal time, then it’s no wonder Elly likes her. Today’s For Better or For Worse, shows us in a humourous fashion that Elly is self-centred. There has been considerable proof of that over the years, but it’s good to get confirmation from Elly herself.
posted by howard at 3:54 AM
10 Comments:
howard,
The moral of the story is: Elly Patterson does not like to share. Anthony Caine’s mom has already established that she does not get invited to Christmas dinner. Apparently Anthony has no trouble spending Christmas dinner with the Pattersons instead of his own mom. If she is not demanding equal time, then it’s no wonder Elly likes her.
And what's more, it's presented as being one of her good points. Since Mrs Caine will pretty much roll over and play dead just to be on Flapandhonk's good side, I'd say this Liz isn't going to be able to object too much to anything Anthony might do later in life. The same Elly who was enraged at being treated like a child by Marian will have no real problem acting like Liz's reasonable complaints about Assthony's eyeballing every young woman in sight as the rantings of a child. In short, she'd better get used to being called a picky-face.
There's some other factors at work here, too. Mrs. Caine has her granddaughter, Squiggly C, all to herself, as there's not the slightest indication the Pattersons welcome her.
So it's only fair that when Elizabeth starts popping out sprogs, they will belong to Elly as grandmother. Mrs Caine has the consolation prize already, and she can keep her.
What I'm wondering about is the schizophrenic nature of the bio retcon. Let's see, the reason we have never, ever seen Anthony's parents is because they consisted of an icebox father and a treacherous mother whose abandonment of Anthony left him with a crippling case of blandness and some kind of compulsion to repeat the past.
Now that same mother babysits. Has there been some kind of epiphany, some Dr Phil kind of reunion?
Now, Mrs Caine, mother-of-the-year, is Elly's new best friend, without the slightest note of astonishment that this could be the same woman.
DreadedCandiru2,
The same Elly who was enraged at being treated like a child by Marian will have no real problem acting like Liz's reasonable complaints about Assthony's eyeballing every young woman in sight as the rantings of a child.
We have not seen Anthony eyeballing other young women before, but he is said to be like John Patterson, who has a long history of doing that in front of his wife. If Anthony’s mom gets along with Elly and makes a cake contribution to the wedding, I think it is fairly safe to say she is on Team Anthony as far as the Thérèse and Anthony situation goes. If that’s the case, then any complaints by Liz will fall on the deaf ears of Mother Caine.
Thursday Next,
There's some other factors at work here, too. Mrs. Caine has her granddaughter, Squiggly C, all to herself, as there's not the slightest indication the Pattersons welcome her.
And if you compare the Mira / Elly situation, their main issues have to do with control over the grandchildren. As long as there is only little Francie in common, then there should be no conflict between Elly and Mother Caine. Mother Caine may have issues with Thérèse’s mom, who wanted a grandchild, even if Thérèse did not.
So it's only fair that when Elizabeth starts popping out sprogs, they will belong to Elly as grandmother.
Elly managed to have little Francie over for Christmas dinner, but we don’t know if Mother Caine protested. What we do know is that if she did protest, she lost.
Mrs Caine has the consolation prize already, and she can keep her.
What I'm wondering about is the schizophrenic nature of the bio retcon.
Let's see, the reason we have never, ever seen Anthony's parents is because they consisted of an icebox father and a treacherous mother whose abandonment of Anthony left him with a crippling case of blandness and some kind of compulsion to repeat the past.
Now that same mother babysits. Has there been some kind of epiphany, some Dr Phil kind of reunion?
Apparently so. The strip has precious few mentions of Anthony’s parents. They consist of:
a. January, 2002 – Anthony mentions the New Years’ Eve party is one where the people there are his father’s business associates, so he doesn’t feel bad about leaving early with Elizabeth.
b. July, 2002 – Anthony mentions that Thérèse works for his father and he wants Elizabeth to meet her sometime.
c. August, 2003 – A lady with curly hair is shown giving Anthony a motherly kiss at his wedding.
d. March, 2005 – The same lady with curly hair is shown sitting on a chesterfield at the baby shower for little Francie.
e. August, 2005 – Anthony mentions his mother is taking care of little Francie, so he has the time to tell Elizabeth he has no home and to wait for him.
If the lady with curly hair is Anthony’s mom, then they would have reconciled before Anthony got married. We don’t know her reaction to the divorce, but it appears she still supports Anthony.
Now, Mrs Caine, mother-of-the-year, is Elly's new best friend, without the slightest note of astonishment that this could be the same woman.
In the bio snippet we got, Mrs. Caine does leave the family, but we have hints that it is because of the father’s workaholic nature. Normal she attends Anthony’s school functions and the father rarely does. Where we could be headed is: Mom = good and Dad = evil.
This whole thing is really about Elly poor listliss Liz is just the vehical being used to heap praise on her. In fact it wouldn't surprise me if Mike's speech was not about Liz and Anthony but about what a great mother Elly was to have raised a daughter worthy enough to marry the much admired Anthony Caine. It really tells me something about how Lynn views the people in her own life, a simple means to bring adulation to herself and if someone disagrees with her she demonizes them via her strip. I know Lynn's daughter Kate came back for a while after the divorce but if these strips are any indication of their relationship now it makes me wonder.
ruth,
In fact it wouldn't surprise me if Mike's speech was not about Liz and Anthony but about what a great mother Elly was to have raised a daughter worthy enough to marry the much admired Anthony Caine.
I know that idea sounds crazy, but I believe that Elly will very much be the focus of Mike's speech.
It really tells me something about how Lynn views the people in her own life, a simple means to bring adulation to herself and if someone disagrees with her she demonizes them via her strip.
Absolutely. For more proof, we have suffered through a whole year of reprint strips in the hybrid style picked out for no other reason than to demonize her ex-husband and the son, who has obviously sided with him.
What makes you say that Aaron has sided with Rod?
BTW, also wanted to say that I very much agree with your assessment of today's strip. Elly likes Mrs. Caine because she is going to stay out of her way. Also, I think if we do see Mrs. Caine, we will find that she flatters Elly and defers to Elly's every opinion and whim.
qnjones,
What makes you say that Aaron has sided with Rod?
The selection of reprint strips.
Also, I think if we do see Mrs. Caine, we will find that she flatters Elly and defers to Elly's every opinion and whim.
Absolutely. Moreover, especially since the strip has gone into a "praise Elly" mode.
Anne asks, "What's she like, Elly?"
Let's review the facts, shall we?
1. Elizabeth and Anthony went to junior high and high school together and were boyfriend and girlfriend for several years.
2. Anne is one of Elly's closest friends, and Elly lived next door to her when teenager Elizabeth was dating Anthony.
3. Anthony has always lived in Millborough except for when he was away at college.
4. Elizabeth and Anthony have been going steady for over a year and have been engaged for almost six months.
It's hard to believe that Elly has never talked with Anne about Anthony's mother. Unless the now-vanished story on www.fbofw.com that purported to be the beginning of Anthony's biography were true, Elly must have met Anthony's mother years ago and would presumably have talked with Anne about her at the time. Regardless, it is implausible that Anne and Elly haven't had a discussion about the subject in the past few months.
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