Yeah, the way Miriam talks and how you sometimes see her lying on the couch in a hangover-style were good hints that Helga had an alcoholic mother.
And speaking of Miriam's voice, Dexter and Dee-Dee's mom on "Dexter's Laboratory" isn't too bright either (the speaking of thing is because Kath Soucie voiced both characters using a very similar voice. It'd be funny if the Patakis and Dexter's family were related!) I mean, look at the infamous "Parrot Trap" episode. She's making something, she follows the recipe with two eggs and one stick of butter, then half a cup of sugar: she puts half of the sugar in the container into the bowl! Then Dexter's mechanical parrot comes around and it goes like... Then it's like...
Dexter's Mom: A pinch of cinnamon.
Parrot: A cup of cinnamon.
Dexter's Mom: A cup of cinnamon.
Parrot: A quart of peppers.
Dexter's Mom: A quart of peppers.
Parrot: A box of olives.
Dexter's Mom: A box of peppers.
Parrot: "Yup, yup!"
Dexter's Mom: A block of cheese.
Parrot: A block of cheese.
Dexter's Mom: A gallon of milk.
Parrot: (inside refrigerator) A gallon of milk. (mom grabs parrot) Are you sneakinguponme?!
Dexter's Mom: ("pours" invisible liquid from parrot into mixing bowl) A cup of coffee.
Parrot: A cup of coffee.
Dexter's Mom: Beans! (a bean can goes flying from her)
Parrot: Beans! (cookies go flying) COOOOOOKIEEEEEES.
Dexter's Mom: Cookies!
Parrot: "Worms and plastic minnows!"
Dexter's Mom: Now wait just a minute here! (gives pensive look) Where am I gonna get worms and plastic minnows?
Parrot: "...the Florida Everglades!"
(Mom drives off in the car!)
I lampooned this hilarious scene in my funny YouTube Poop on the episode, managing to keep the original gag intact, but sort of like...
Dexter's Mom: ("pours" invisible liquid from parrot into mixing bowl) A cup of coffee.
Parrot: A cup of coffee.
Dexter's Mom: Beans! (a bean can goes flying from her)
Parrot: Beans! Beans! Beans! Beans! (cookies go flying) COOOOOOKIEEEEEES.
Dexter's Mom: Cookies!
Parrot: "The bagel!" "The bagel!" "The bagel!"
Dexter's Mom: Now wait just a minute here! (gives pensive look) Where am I gonna get worms and the bagel?
Parrot: "Well, like they say in Brooklyn..."
(Mom drives off in the car!)