Again, Happy Monday. I always look forward to every Monday. They’re my 52 Chances a year, in which I get to share Memories of My Mom with you.
Last month was National Humor Month but it can still be celebrated this week, as tomorrow is National Cartoonists Day and cartoons happen to be a great source of humor. In my humble and biased opinion, Mom was a very talented cartoonist, as well as writer and storyteller and so much more.
In the 1960s and 1970s, before she started her groundbreaking copycat recipe business, Mom was writing and syndicating satirical columns, aimed at the struggling homemakers like herself; as well as drawing a series of cartoon panels, entitled Full House – As Kept By Gloria Pitzer.
They were first published in a couple of local Michigan newspapers, The Roseville Community Enterprise (Roseville, MI) and The Richmond Review (Richmond, MI). Like the chicken-and-egg analogy – I’m not sure which she developed first, the cartoon panels or the columns, as many matched in subject matter but a lot of my copies aren’t dated.
Either way, both were usually inspired by all the little things that were happening in our family. Mom thought these events would probably be of interest to other working homemakers like herself. “Write what you know” is a commonly known quote from Mark Twain for writers. The same could be applied to cartoonists.
There was never a dull moment in our full house. As a young, working wife and mother of five kids, Mom found her hectic, yet laughable, family life to be the best subject about which to comedically write AND draw. She was so creative and funny – she could see humor in almost anything.
Our silly life events kept Mom’s cup over-flowing with subject matter from which to write and draw and make a good living, doing so, for many decades. She was always very resourceful, artistic and satirically funny in her interpretations and presentations of those special occasions in our lives.
Mom often made fun of herself when it came to cooking and housework. In her cartoon panels, she created her own caricature that struggled at both, while working and raising 5 kids and a husband. She often wrote and drew cartoon panels about her and Dad’s matrimonial “bliss” with five children, using satirical twists.
My mom had a way of taking our family’s everyday life events and turning them into exaggerated “fishing stories”. Speaking of which, that reminds me of a funny cartoon Mom drew in 1971 (pictured below), based on my love for fishing and how that irritated my brothers.
Mom designed all of her newsletters and cookbooks to be like warm, comfortable quilts. They were uniquely put together, with love and devotion, creating functional works of art; as Mom wanted them to be displayed and read just as easily on the coffee table, in the living room, as they were on the counter, in the kitchen.
She skillfully combined her unique copycat cookery recipes for “Eating Out At Home” with her humoristic cartoons and drawings, household hints, gardening tips, cooking tricks; as well as including her “Food for Thought” ideas, “Food for the Soul” philosophies, and “No Laughing Matter” editorials.
On a side note, Mom’s initial career, as a satirical columnist and cartoonist, in various newspapers, during the 1960s and 1970s; was very similar, in many ways, to today’s blogging on the internet. An old adage claims, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
That was almost four decades before home computers became commonplace. Mom often said that she made a living with her writing but it was her writing that made living worthwhile. I believe her cartoons made her living worth while too. Mom didn’t just doodle – as she claimed – she could draw really well. She was a gifted humorist, cartoonist and more.
FROM MOM’S MEMORIES…
Excerpts by Gloria Pitzer, as seen in…
My Cup Runneth Over and I Can’t Find My Mop (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Dec. 1989, p. 52)
THE CARTOONS
THE CARTOONS, WHICH I will tell you about later on, had been the very beginning of my work in newspapers, as I provided The Roseville Community Enterprise and, later, The Richmond Review [and John McPartlin] with a cartoon panel I called ‘Full House, As Kept By Gloria Pitzer’.
The cartoons were published every week for four or five years. At the same time, I was also giving another paper a panel entitled ‘Could Be Verse’, which was three or four lines of rhyme or bumper-sticker-type logic.
One, for instance, read: ‘All marriages are happy… Love songs and laughter – What causes all the trouble is the living together AFTER!’ They were silly verses but fun to do with the time.
From that came the weekly column entitled ‘No Laughing Matter’, which ran weekly for about six years; and, during some of that time, it was being syndicated by Columbia features out of New York.
At the same time, I was also giving another paper a panel entitled ‘Could Be Verse’, which was three or four lines of rhyme or bumper-sticker-type logic. One, for instance, read: ‘All marriages are happy… Love songs and laughter – What causes all the trouble is the living together AFTER!’
They were silly verses but fun to do at the time. From that, came [my] column entitled ‘No Laughing Matter’, which ran weekly for about six years; and, during some of that time, it was syndicated by Columbia Features out of New York.
To accomplish the various steps and stages of a complete day in our home, and the office within, meant having to make every minute count for some good. I can remember feeling guilty about just sitting in the evening in front of the television set when the family might have been watching something special.
I had to have magazines to clip from on my lap or a card table. Or I would be filing jokes and clever sayings to use in the newsletter or with the cartoons that I included in the newsletter.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF CARTOONS & HUMOR
Mom’s humorous stories and cartoons are funny and make me happy. She had quite a talent for “spinning a yarn”. Her stories and cartoons always bring a smile to my face and a laugh to my lips. Did you know that there are health benefits to be attained from laughing?
Scientists have found that, when you smile, your brain releases dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. Smiling also activates brain molecules that are designed to repel stress. When we laugh, it requires a larger breath of air than normal. This flows more oxygenated blood through our bodies, which improves vascular function and circulation.
Laughter increases our heart rate and decreases heart disease. Fifteen minutes of laughter is said to burn 10 to 40 calories, depending on one’s weight and the intensity of the laughter. It’s also said to equal the benefits of two hours of sleep. Moreover, scientists theorized that, for every 15 seconds of laughing, we can add about two days to our lifespan.
A good belly-laugh is known to relieve physical tension. Laughter reduces stress hormone levels and increases health-enhancing hormone levels, as well as the number of antibody-producing cells. Laughter can also enhance the efficiency of T-cells and that boosts our immune system. Obviously, cartoons, in general, amuse us.
They also entertain, educate, and persuade us. Sometimes they have lessons in history or geographical elements, from which to learn. Most times, though, they tend to have moral and social lessons imbedded within; teaching us that the little things like family, friendship, teamwork, and determination are what truly matters in life.
I’m amazed by the timelessness of many of the issues about which Mom once wrote in her columns and illustrated in her cartoons. I guess it’s true, what “they” (whoever “they” are) say: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
We still need to fix the roads and there’s still corruption in politics. Every now and again, we face a food crisis or another inflation. There are always natural disasters like hurricanes, tornados, wild fires, floods, or draughts just to name some.
History continually tends to repeat itself in new forms of old events and cartoonists continually find ways to capture family life, work life, hot topics and public issues and turn them into educational or humorous viewpoints. Cartoons are clever ways to make memorable and insightful or profound observations about daily life, politics, social trends, values and more.
Cartoons also often highlight our general strengths and weaknesses (or flaws), in a mocking manner. As another old adage says: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Thus, cartoons and humor go together, like peanut butter and chocolate, to tell funny, short stories.
MORE FROM MOM’S MEMORIES…
As seen in…
My Cup Runneth Over and I Can’t Find My Mop (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Dec. 1989, p. 75)
THE CARTOONS AND FAMILY TALENTS
I DIDN’T “DRAW”. I doodled. The rest of my family could draw. My uncle, Earl Klein, is a celebrated artist in Southern California, who has spent most of his professional life with Walt Disney, Hanna-Barbera and other wonderful studios.
His own company, Animation Inc., produced the milk commercials for TV that included, ‘Daddy, there’s a cow in the bedroom!’ Another of Uncle Earl’s commercials was the Faygo commercial, ‘Which way did he go… Which way did he go… He went for FAYGO!’
He even did the Cocoa Wheats commercial with the cuckoo clock. One of my mother’s other brothers, Herb Klein, was also an artist and had his own advertising agency in Detroit for many years.
My [two] younger sisters are accomplished artists. Paul and I are glad to see even our children are blessed with this artistic gift, as our son, Michael, has gone through the Pasadena arts Center to become [AN] art director for many fine advertising agencies over the years…
Our daughter, Laura… Is just as talented as her brother, but she has had not a smidgen of special training. Her illustrations are currently with the Center for creative arts here in St. Clair and also at the Mortonville Shoppe across from the old Morton Salt Company plant in Marysville.
My doodles can hardly fall into a class with either of our children, but they are fun to do and also pleased the family over the years.
Mom used to joke, in some of her cartoons and columns, about how Americans honor silly things like pickles for a whole week, while mothers are celebrated for only one day. I’d also like to know why such oddities are observed for a week or even a month, while our very “givers-of-life” only get one special day of honor.
Moms, in general, are perceived as probably the most influential and compelling people in our lives – not only in how they impact us, personally, but also in how they leave their footprints on the world, one child (and future adult) at a time.
Mother’s Day is coming next Sunday. Usually around this time each year, I write about honoring our mothers every day, regardless of the day. In fact, I’ve often advocated for a nationwide campaign to make May be National Mother’s MONTH. If you agree, share your thoughts on social media, with #NationalMothersMonth.
LAST THOUGHTS…
Thanks for visiting! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my memories of my mom, her memories, and other related things. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at therecipedetective@outlook.com. You can also find me on Facebook: @TheRecipeDetective. I look forward to hearing from you!
IN CLOSING…
In honor of May, being American Cheese Month, here are two of Mom’s secret recipes for “Cheese Wish” from her “Blender White Sauce”; as seen in… Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective (Balboa Press; Jan. 2018, pp. 137 & 273). [A revised reprint of Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; May 1983, 3rd Edition)]. As always, I’m asking only for proper credit if you care to re-share them.
P.S. Food-for-thought until next Monday…
The month of May celebrates… Better Speech and Language Month, National Asparagus Month, National Stroke Awareness Month, Older Americans Month, National Barbecue Month, National Egg Month, National Get Caught Reading Month, National Hamburger Month, National Photography Month, National Preservation Month, National Recommitment Month, National Salad Month, National Salsa Month, National Strawberry Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and more.
This week celebrates… Small Business Week, National Wildflower Week, and Screen-Free Week. It’s also… National Pet Week, which is the 1st Sunday through 2nd Monday of May.
Today is also… National Star Wars Day, National Weather Observers Day, National Orange Juice Day, National Candied Orange Peel Day, and National Bird Day. Plus, as the start of the first full business week in May (4th-8th for 2026), it’s also the start of… Teacher Appreciation Week, which runs through Friday.
Tomorrow is… National Totally Chipotle Day, National Hoagie Day, and Cinco de Mayo. Plus, as the Tuesday of the first full business week in May (for 2026), it’s also… National Teacher Appreciation Day.
Wednesday, May 6th, is… National Nurses Day, National Beverage Day, and National Crepe Suzette Day.
May 7th is… National Packaging Design Day, National Paste-Up Day, and National Roast Leg of Lamb Day. Plus, as the first Thursday in May (for 2026), it’s also… National Day of Reason.
Friday, May 8th, is… National Coconut Cream Pie Day, and National Have A Coke Day.
May 9th is… National Moscato Day, National Butterscotch Brownie Day, and National Sleepover Day. Plus, as the 2nd Saturday of May (for 2026), it’s also… Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day.
May 10th is… National Clean Up Your Room Day, National Shrimp Day, and National Washington Day. Plus, as the second Sunday in May (for 2026), it’s also… Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day to all moms!
Additionally, as the start of the second full week in May (for 2026), it’s also the start of… National Salvation Army Week and American Craft Beer Week. Furthermore, it will also be the start of… National Bike to Work Week (for 2026), which is the week of National Bike to Work Day [always the 3rd Friday in May (on the 15th for 2026)].
Have a great week!
…18 down, 34 to go.
