(Strip Number 7211, Original Publication Date, 16 March 1986)
Panel 1: We find ourselves watching Elly get Lizzie prepped for a hair-cut as she coos about having our chair, our towels and our scissors of getting Lizzie teased about looking like she stuck her head in a pencil sharpener.
Panel 2: The conflict arrives rather early when Lizzie yells that she doesn't want her hair cut.
Panel 3: Given Elly's problems with recognizing when she should pick her battles, she ignores the rather obvious warning sign on Lizzie trying to squirm her way out of this mess and whines about just wanting to trim her hair a bit.
Panel 4: Lizzie is bad because she yells NO!! instead of submitting meekly to a really bad haircut and 'proving' that she loves her mommy.
Panel 5: Elly really freaking irritates me by ignoring the fact that her child is weeping in terror and barking "SIT STILL."
Panel 6: As could be predicted, we're supposed to sympathize with Elly/Lynn when she's furious at her child after having scared the shit out of her.
Panel 7: Scowling Imbecile Elly takes Lizzie for a walk somewhere.
Panel 8: Said somewhere is a hair salon called the Style Shoppe.
Panel 9: Elly stands there all gobsmacked by the fact that Lizzie is sitting calmly for someone who knows what she's doing and is also friendly and patient.
Summary: It should come as no surprise that we have notes and that they're all about how Lynn's children were bad because they fled in fear from her showing her great big love by trying to cut their hair but instead preferred to spend her money and hang out with a harem because men. This sort of thing makes me miss Coffee Talk like crazy because a strip like this gave us something to look forward to: people defending Elly and not wanting to admit that if a child is screaming and trying to squirm away from something, she usually has a good reason.