I know just how she feels. I went through the same thing with my son and Transformers back in the 80’s. Somehow word got out that I had gotten the toys that were not available in our area and started getting orders from people I didn’t even know. Soon I was running a Transformer Underground making nightly runs all the way around the DC Beltway.
Um…. This strip is from 1986….yes, this was before Amazon… and before most people had heard of the internet…. but let’s not get carried away!
Businesses that could spend several thousand dollars had computers like this 1985 Dell:
They mostly ran in CPM or DOS, maybe Microsoft, maybe a competing one…some even had Windows 1
In 1985, my nephew, a couple of years older than Michael in this strip, begged for a computer for Christmas…. The family got one to share….a Commodore 64.In 1986 I bought my first home computer… a Commodore 128,
Commodores cost a few hundred, not thousands…. and ran their own software, neither windows nor Dos…No modem, so of course no internet…. which barely existed anyway….
I was thrilled. But within a few years, I wanted a computer that ran “real” programs…and by the early 90’s I was going to the library to get on the internet, on a blue screen with white text and no pictures.
When the first Cabbage Patch dolls came out, I was caught up in the frenzy like everyone else. I managed to score one for my daughter just before Christmas, but then my sister-in-law called to say there were no dolls available in Winnipeg until after Christmas, and could I find just two more. Word came that a shipment of dolls was to arrive at a local store in North Bay, and it would be first come first serve. I ran to the store and stood in line hoping to get a doll that wasn’t too ugly. They were ALL ugly! I bought two blonde C-dolls, and mailed them off to Manitoba just in time for the great glut of Christmas. Apparently, I had saved the day. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that such a strange looking doll could have made such an impact, and that I waited crazily in line for two of them! This series of strips was my “revenge.”
I was on a vacation in FL when I saw the first CP dolls. Then they were all nylon and definitely ugly. Who knew they would market into such a frenzy. I have no kids but I give gifts to friends kids, silver coins. I mean what is your Elmo doll or Teddy Ruxpin worth now? To my nieces and nephews, I give various things but always activity books because it makes them think and that is worth a lot.
@Susansunshine. Thanks for the memories. I forgot all about Commoodore computers. What a hoot!
To Kind and Kinder: yes this strip is running in rerun mode from the beginning. The author Lynn Johnston retired some years ago. Keep coming back though because she does age her characters and keeps adding more. If you want, go to the calendar and go thru the last two years. You will see all the family grown up, married and Michael has two kids of his own. You will enjoy!
One of my sons would suddenly announce 3 days before Christmas that all he wanted was a rocking horse, a BIG bear or a desk with pegs and such. It was difficult to always find the item but when we did, we had to buy the store model so there was no assembly at all. Teddy R was more difficult and I remember driving through a snow storm to get him with no sleep. I just bought his daughters’ gifts this week with no input at all as I’m not waiting until next week.
We had a Commodore 64. It was fun to program our own stuff, but we did manage to find a few programs on those 5 1/2" floppy disks. (The disk drive was a separate purchase, as was a monitor – the 64 was only a keyboard with the CPU inside of it.)
I remember a poster on Etiquette Hell wanted an Easy Bake Oven, which was the hot toy that year. She told Santa but didn’t mention anything to her mother until the day before Xmas. Cue Mom & Dad spending a frantic Xmas Eve driving from store to store searching. Wound up persuading somebody to sell them the display model off the floor. Guy should have known better than to tell a determined Mama no.
I could find 1 cabbage patch doll that year, I had 2 daughters, the younger one(2) got the fake one. She knew it and tried to switch with her sister every time she could. I waited in line for 12 hours to get that one.Watching Nancy Reagan giving 2 little children from the veitnam boat people just made my blood boil. Everyone knew that those dolls were sold as soon as they got home, while I had a crying little girl for weeks over that. The kids did not understand why Santa didn’t give them both one, when the rotton kids down the street had them(thier parents paid $100 each, I could not afford that).
This would be a good time for Elly to cash in her chips. All Elly needs to do is to look at a time Elizabeth misbehaved. Braiding the ties at the store is a good one. Elly could simply say “Elizabeth, I saw what you did at the store when you braided those ties. For touching things that did not belong to you and making extra work for the salesmen who work hard to feed their families, your punishment will be no Space Babe for Christmas”.
Elly would not try to get out of her problem of trying to find the toy by telling Elizabeth she was bad. That sounds like something that Peg Bundy, the archetypical welfare queen, would do.
legaleagle48 about 9 years ago
Every parent’s Christmas nightmare!
nosirrom about 9 years ago
Silly Elizabeth. Space Babes are for dads.
Kind&Kinder about 9 years ago
Amazon,dear lady, use Amazon! Pay for quick delivery.
Nubmaeme about 9 years ago
I know just how she feels. I went through the same thing with my son and Transformers back in the 80’s. Somehow word got out that I had gotten the toys that were not available in our area and started getting orders from people I didn’t even know. Soon I was running a Transformer Underground making nightly runs all the way around the DC Beltway.
SusanSunshine Premium Member about 9 years ago
Leslie Barks….
Um…. This strip is from 1986….yes, this was before Amazon… and before most people had heard of the internet…. but let’s not get carried away!
Businesses that could spend several thousand dollars had computers like this 1985 Dell:
They mostly ran in CPM or DOS, maybe Microsoft, maybe a competing one…some even had Windows 1
In 1985, my nephew, a couple of years older than Michael in this strip, begged for a computer for Christmas…. The family got one to share….a Commodore 64.In 1986 I bought my first home computer… a Commodore 128,
Commodores cost a few hundred, not thousands…. and ran their own software, neither windows nor Dos…No modem, so of course no internet…. which barely existed anyway….
I was thrilled. But within a few years, I wanted a computer that ran “real” programs…and by the early 90’s I was going to the library to get on the internet, on a blue screen with white text and no pictures.
Atewl about 9 years ago
Lynn’s Notes:
When the first Cabbage Patch dolls came out, I was caught up in the frenzy like everyone else. I managed to score one for my daughter just before Christmas, but then my sister-in-law called to say there were no dolls available in Winnipeg until after Christmas, and could I find just two more. Word came that a shipment of dolls was to arrive at a local store in North Bay, and it would be first come first serve. I ran to the store and stood in line hoping to get a doll that wasn’t too ugly. They were ALL ugly! I bought two blonde C-dolls, and mailed them off to Manitoba just in time for the great glut of Christmas. Apparently, I had saved the day. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that such a strange looking doll could have made such an impact, and that I waited crazily in line for two of them! This series of strips was my “revenge.”
ghek about 9 years ago
I want the green slave girl from Orion
mourdac Premium Member about 9 years ago
Socks and underwear never go out of fashion for your kids.
NeedaChuckle Premium Member about 9 years ago
I was on a vacation in FL when I saw the first CP dolls. Then they were all nylon and definitely ugly. Who knew they would market into such a frenzy. I have no kids but I give gifts to friends kids, silver coins. I mean what is your Elmo doll or Teddy Ruxpin worth now? To my nieces and nephews, I give various things but always activity books because it makes them think and that is worth a lot.
crazyliberal about 9 years ago
@Susansunshine. Thanks for the memories. I forgot all about Commoodore computers. What a hoot!
To Kind and Kinder: yes this strip is running in rerun mode from the beginning. The author Lynn Johnston retired some years ago. Keep coming back though because she does age her characters and keeps adding more. If you want, go to the calendar and go thru the last two years. You will see all the family grown up, married and Michael has two kids of his own. You will enjoy!
Grutzi about 9 years ago
One of my sons would suddenly announce 3 days before Christmas that all he wanted was a rocking horse, a BIG bear or a desk with pegs and such. It was difficult to always find the item but when we did, we had to buy the store model so there was no assembly at all. Teddy R was more difficult and I remember driving through a snow storm to get him with no sleep. I just bought his daughters’ gifts this week with no input at all as I’m not waiting until next week.
JanLC about 9 years ago
We had a Commodore 64. It was fun to program our own stuff, but we did manage to find a few programs on those 5 1/2" floppy disks. (The disk drive was a separate purchase, as was a monitor – the 64 was only a keyboard with the CPU inside of it.)
marshalldoc about 9 years ago
Ontario??? After reading this strip for several years I’d never tumbled to the fact that it is evidently based in Canada!
rekam Premium Member about 9 years ago
Hubby bought an IBM desk top sometime in the early to mid 80s. With everything, it cost us over $4,000. Of course it ran on DOS.
Caldonia about 9 years ago
As imaginary products go, “Space Babe” is pretty hilarious. I’m not even sure it wouldn’t be a hit.
Asharah about 9 years ago
I remember a poster on Etiquette Hell wanted an Easy Bake Oven, which was the hot toy that year. She told Santa but didn’t mention anything to her mother until the day before Xmas. Cue Mom & Dad spending a frantic Xmas Eve driving from store to store searching. Wound up persuading somebody to sell them the display model off the floor. Guy should have known better than to tell a determined Mama no.
route66paul about 9 years ago
I could find 1 cabbage patch doll that year, I had 2 daughters, the younger one(2) got the fake one. She knew it and tried to switch with her sister every time she could. I waited in line for 12 hours to get that one.Watching Nancy Reagan giving 2 little children from the veitnam boat people just made my blood boil. Everyone knew that those dolls were sold as soon as they got home, while I had a crying little girl for weeks over that. The kids did not understand why Santa didn’t give them both one, when the rotton kids down the street had them(thier parents paid $100 each, I could not afford that).
USN1977 about 9 years ago
This would be a good time for Elly to cash in her chips. All Elly needs to do is to look at a time Elizabeth misbehaved. Braiding the ties at the store is a good one. Elly could simply say “Elizabeth, I saw what you did at the store when you braided those ties. For touching things that did not belong to you and making extra work for the salesmen who work hard to feed their families, your punishment will be no Space Babe for Christmas”.
Elly would not try to get out of her problem of trying to find the toy by telling Elizabeth she was bad. That sounds like something that Peg Bundy, the archetypical welfare queen, would do.