For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for March 20, 2021

Good call, Elly, on that last remark.

Bet you’re wishing you are going to be as strong as she is when you reach her age, Ellie! ;D

I feel you, Elly. I lost my mother young and my mom never got to be old. My mother-in-law was 43 when I married her son. She was in her prime, young and vivacious. As we are approaching our 30th anniversary, I watched my mother-in-law get old, slow down and less active. Heck, she hiked down the Grand Canyon in her late 40s-early 50s and camped at the bottom. Hiked to Devil’s Bridge in Sedona. From that woman to this frailer and slower and softer woman I see today, it’s a kind of sad I can’t describe, and I think this is because I know I will be her one day. It is hard to watch parents age knowing you will be down this same road yourselves.

I watched my 2 dear grandmothers as they grew frail and older. Years later my mom (in her 80s) had Alzheimers. I desperately missed the hugs and kisses and the “I love you” that only moms can give. Like Capricorn wrote, we are going down this same road some day. Enjoy who you have while you have them.

So we have two grandmother compliments in a row — one from Elizabeth yesterday talking about how grandmas don’t complain and today Elly compliments her mother for complaining, I mean, being strong.

Panel two, almost word for word when I noticed my mom slowing down.

Hmm, the strong grandma looking frail story line. So that was what grandpa meant yesterday when he said she hasn’t been well for some time. A subtle buildup into the frail story line.

Yeah I’m not here yet (my mother still runs in her 60s and my dad is a gym nut), but I dread it coming on. They had to wait so long for grandkids and I fear they’ll be gone before any of them graduate college.

Never underestimate the contents of any package.

Lynn’s Comments:

I actually used photographs of my own parents when I drew Elly Patterson’s parents.

I don’t know if I can handle this storyline. It’s only been 3 years (this month) since I lost my mom, and she was “strong” right to the very end. The last time I saw her, she was in hospice. We knew it was near the end, and there was a huge bunch of us in the room…and she was pretty much “holding court”.

Look at that detail in the first panel of Liz and April going up the steps! Just look at it. Even April’s body position is right.

Just because my PC is dusty, it doesn’t mean I can’t use Google.

Elly’s mother is frail physically but hearty mentally. A charming person there.

NOW we know why Elly hasn’t visited her mother in a long time.

No standing around within Mom’s sight!

Nice detail on the first panel!

Reminds me of my own mom, she looked frail but when angered she could speak or do it. Once she got mad at my hubby and tried to take a broom to him, she then was told by other brother-in-law he was doing nothing wrong. My mom also loved to walk, as she got older notice more dementia and then cancer got her. Those was the days.

I was so lucky to have had the last few years of my Mom’s life to share with her. I moved in with her after my divorce and ended up staying to help she and my aunt stay independent as long as possible. By the time Mom passed she was still mentally strong and very much the Mom I’d always known. She died in my arms, but no tears. Just gratefulness at having had the opportunity to share her life with her. She was as much my best friend as she was my Mother.

I know what you’re going through, Elly.

I thought Elly’s dad later on is the one who needs more help.

It is always hard to watch a much beloved parent decline physically. My own mother had Parkinson’s Disease and physically became more and more frail and finally bedridden. However, she was mentally and emotionally the mom I knew right up to the last day. My memories of her are so precious, even the later ones from when she was in nursing care.

I can’t see the problem with your comment. maybe they misread the word compliments for complaints in your first sentence.