For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 01, 2017

it seems to me the kids have no sympathy when it came to their mother going to their neighbor’s waking and burial

It has to. How can one have sympathy for someone hardly known or not known at all? That is how humans deal with it. Much easier when they have little or no emotional connexion. That is how most humans are.

Wisest answer to least wise answer:

1.John. He says nothing and so he does not get dragged off to the cemetery with “old Ed”. If he had questioned why Elly said, “old Ed”, when they don’t have any other characters in the strip named Ed, he might have been brought along. No answer is the best way to go.

2.Elizabeth. She says she wants pizza and for Elly to get some pizza. This request automatically means that Elly will be out longer, she doesn’t need to rush back to make supper and Lizzie doesn’t have to suffer with her mother’s cooking for a change. Her only problem is that she doesn’t specify what kind of pizza, so Elly may be bringing something back loaded with healthy vegetables.

3.Michael. He wants Elly to pick up some videos. I will take a moment to remember fondly the no-longer-existing video stores before I say to Michael, “What are you thinking? You need to be specific about what videos you want.” We have seen Elly’s taste in movies before and she doesn’t like anything made after 1950. Michael is going to be in for an evening of Shirley Temple, Lassie, or Andy Hardy movies.

The work of a Mum is never done. Even when our focus changes and we slow down for what seems to be the inevitable, we still can not disconnect from our role or duties in our family. I shared this cool Pizza Fries recipe on Abornewords. Comfort food always taste good. You can read it here https://www.abornewords.com/blog-pleasure/abornewords-delicious-making-food-fun-with-a-pizza-fries-recipe #SuperMom

So true, Elly, life goes on.

And if you remember, the kids had their own little memorials once they knew she had died and wept for her…

Kids grieve more intensely,but get over it quickly and move on to more important matters such as food and entertainment.

I’m tired of this dark theme running for so long. Move on, please. I hate that she calls him “old Ed” like that is who he is. Don’t call me “old summerdog”, ever! I am more than that, thank you very much.

The answer to both kids is “No. I am not going downtown.”

My answer to the kids would be…“hand over the money for your treats!” Sometimes, you just run out of pizza money.

They could come with her…

I think that Ed is just going to visit the grave site. Mrs. B was probably buried a while back.