Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for May 07, 2015

“You’re smearing me with goop!” Don’t… go… there….

You want a better solution, Tiffany? Go with insect repellent BEFORE you went on this excursion with Gunther.

Seems those ants are making Tiffany cry “Uncle!” – Now, Tiffany, Gunther could stop with the mud pack- something that some spas “charge for” – and then it’d be back to the itching, painful version of “athlete’s…everything…” – I guess she wouldn’t want to hear a song by Muddy Waters….

Reminds me of the old joke, way before cell phones, where two sisters, Sue and Anna, had a picnic on an ant hill and one got bit up pretty bad. Had only enough money to send a telegram of six words: “Anacin hospital. Adamant bitter asinine places.”

“Parks And Wreck”“Dirty Rock”“I Spa”“Mud About You”“The Grody Bunch”“The Facts Of Strife”“Full Grouse”“McFail’s Gravy”“Matte Lock”“So Jacked”“Get Smarterer”“The Ants From U.N.C.L.E.”or“The Dutchess Of Hazzard”

Fire ant bites are much more painful than “ordinary” ant bites, and being bitten by a lot of them can be deadly. I remember as a kid when the local farmers used to pour kerosene ontp fire ant mounds and set them afire, because it would be disaster for a cow to step onto a mound.

Poor sweety. I guess if he was paying attention like she had hoped this wouldn’t have happened

Maybe dress more appropriately next time

Gunther, previously a nerd, has come a long way.

Anyone notice Tiffany’s dress got LONGER as she sat down?

Geez. What an INGRATE! No WONDER She HASN’T Got a Man.

Gunther! Lather Some of that Mud into Little Miss Whiner’s Face. Then Perform that Photo-Shoot She ASKED for.

Then Send Some Copies to Luann so She can Take to Her Idiot Art Professor’s Class the Next Time He Asks What “Art” Is. She’ll Get and “A”.

And DON’T Forget to Post the Rest of the Photos to Facebook….,

I see this leading, potentially, to a “Ghost” moment…

Well, so many of you called it yesterday, an emergency mudpack to the legs. I really want to see if Tiff catches herself and shows a little gratitude tomorrow. I think she will:)

Hmmmm. Did the ants really crawl that high up her leg?

Here it comes,Gunther’s goop.

yep, totally gonna hook up.

OK, this seems to be a fair resolution to the immediate issue. Tiff gets all better, Gunther gets to solve the problem for her, and it’s all “legit” (no hanky panky). ;-) He even got Tiff’s permission, first! No wet dress, etc. no “modesty issues,” all is well. And, perhaps, they may even gain a bit of respect for one another. We’ll see.

FIRST brush the ants off or they just keep biting.

I don’t know what “dressing appropriately” would have done for her against fire ants. Seems like having them up her pants would make it even worse since they would be harder to remove. Also if someone told me we are going to a lake to find salamanders I wouldn’t assume bushwhacking was involved. Lakes tend to have roads near them since people like water normally there would be a nice grassy area and picnic tables.

Gunther goes international – Roman hands and Russian fingers.

And, when completed, “he’s a finish?”

I won’t mention that other “last” component…. ;-PPP

I’ve been trying to find anyone online who recommends mud for fire ant stings and hasn’t found any. In fact I would suspect mud would be a bad thing as it would increase the chances of infection. In any case most recommend against water as it will do nothing to neutralize the venom. Bleach is apparently pretty good on the other hand not that they are likely to have any. But usually in situations like this people get in trouble for doing the wrong thing rather than failing to do the right thing. Best thing Gunther can do is attempt clean the wound and get her some Benadryl. If she can’t walk out then use your phone and call 911.

I admit, I’m feelin’ for Tiff here. When I had red ants crawling up into my pants legs and biting ME, I wasn’t very polite either! :-o

This goes back a bit, but about her father – he comes across as not very good for her, but it occurred to me that isn’t HE the one insisting on her having an education, “just in case”? That would be a good and caring thing, right? Maybe, as Tiff gets older, she’ll find that he loves her greatly and thinks very highly of her, but has sucked at showing it. Or, he could be like an older woman (80’s) I know, in which case she’ll be lucky to escape not TOTALLY messed up! :-/

Was the assignment to collect salamanders from different locations (hence the GPS) and compare them? Apparently they had been assigned a specific place (or places) to get the salamander(s). Maybe they’re studying environmental effects on salamander development, from different ponds. Anyway, since they knew ahead of time just where they were going (instead of just “into the woods somewhere until we find a salamander”), then they could have made more thorough preparations in advance than they apparently did.

Gunther, you need to take advantage with this mud smearing thing. Think Higher.

Typical Tiffany – gets herself in trouble then blames the person who is trying to help!

She’ll have painful itchy welts for weeks. Mud doesn’t solve the problem, it only dulls the pain a bit. The worst is yet to come for Tiffany

Sorry… Not takin’ the bait today, RB. Just a little busy…. ;-)

I’ve seen folk skin out of their clothes in this same situation to escape the ants but this is a ‘G’ rated strip….

Thick pants and heavy shoes would have possibly delayed her noticing the ants swarming about her lower extremities.

I’d take that any day over them actually touching skin and biting. They might be crawling over the extremities, but they won’t get in to the skin.

Gunther!! watch where those hands are going!

I wholeheartedly endorse some of today’s posts. As far as today’s strip goes, we’ll have to see of Tiffany gets off Gunther’s rocks.

Those ants don’t care about bug repellent.

So rub some dirt on it works..?

I have a product called “after bite” – main ingredient is ammonia. Bought a half-gallon jug of ammonia and keep it handy. I’ve only gotten on the wrong side of fire ants ONCE, but that’s totally enough!

I am GLAD Gunther (on days I tend to approve of his actions, I call him “Gunther,” on days he is (to me) being an annoying character I call him “Gunthie”) is trying to be helpful to Tiffany and is being nice to Tiffany. I was a bit worried that with some of his new personality traits, he would be laughing FIRST and then MAYBE helping or just being snarky.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++I am really hoping that Gunther and Tiffany become close friends through this. I am not opposed or in favor of a romantic relationship for the two of them. But, I do think at least a deeper friendship would be important growth for both of them.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++I think, in my own hopes for the story arcs for these two…. a) I hope Gunther quits moping around, shows the strength and potential he has, picks an interesting educational goal and starts becoming a real leader (and lets his scruff grow out into a real beard an moustache), …. b) I hope for Tiffany that she becomes more realistic about her own goals and starts to have more fun at Moony and if she sticks with Theater as her major, that she delves into it full-force and we see her actually grow and deepen as a potential actress.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++While I know that there seems to be two “factions” here who like to bicker back-and-forth about the invalid nature of each other’s comments…. I would like to state that I for one find both “factions” to be offering interesting, often insightful comments. They may be polar opposites of each other, but both groups do imbue what to me reads as honest, sincere interest and thought into the comic. The bickering itself may get a bit tiresome, but the thoughts from both groups about the story Greg is weaving are BOTH very interesting.

What a ditz?

Looks like Gunter is getting a tingle up HER leg. Chris Matthews, take note.

Gunther is finally near his goal.

Hey! Some women paid good money to be covered in mud.

G-man, shouldn’t you first squash the ants on her legs? Just covering them up will give them incentive to start a new walking colony there.

I once said Luann, Quill and the paper-mache mask was the worst-ever bit of foreplay. I was wrong; this is much, much worse.

You call this foreplay?

She would not like what he would do if she was stung by a jellyfish…

Well, Tiffany, what did you expect? The dress you’re almost wearing, and you probably perfumed yourself up; however, you do have Gunther rubbing your feet albeit with mud, and you’ve been bitten by fire ants. So far I just see so much win here. I don’t think the outcome will be quite what you wanted.

I know the feeling of tiny red ants suddenly covering my skin, and me running into the house crying. I can’t remember what Mom used to stop the pain, but she quickly got them all off of me. I feel sorry for Tiffany.

How should I feel? Oh my!

Like I said yesterday… Now her legs really match her dress.

Gunther trans forms into Daniel Boone ?

Yeah, I suppose Quill could be of help. Might make Luann mad, though.

Ooooohhhh…… Naughty Naughty…… ;-PPPP

How’s the view from down there, Gunther?

my Dad served in the army with a guy named Brdsht during the Korean war, any relation?

Tiffany is likely to fall in love with Gunther after this one…maybe. Helping someone out of a tight spot in a non-judgemental way can do that to a girl (who may have already had the hots for the guy). But it’s not clear that Gunther wants the flipside of that. He’s doing what he can to solve the problem so that they/he can move on with the assignment. Gunther may have learned a few practical survival skills while in the mountains of Peru (though flora and fauna there would be totally different… not something that Evan’s really thought about). I like Gunther as a character. I even liked his snarkiness when tramping ahead through the woods. But I’m still having trouble liking Tiffany and don’t want one of my more favored characters to be paired up with one that I dislike.

LOL, when you said cardboard, I was referring to how Quill is equated to a cardboard cutout. Therefore, it makes him a piece of cardboard.

Not quite sure where your mind went with that one… :P

Precisely where yours went! ;-PPP I, too, thought you meant “cardboard cutout.” I was “naughtying” you for the “political incorrectness” of labeling Quill a “cardboard cutout!” He actually has his moments, especially when Lu is in a “compromising position” (i.e. taking snaps when she’s climbing over the fence, etc. etc…)…;-PPP

Gunther is a gentleman, but I would have fed Tiff a mouthful of mud.

Are you trying to Sweden the humor pot?

Not that much! ;-PPP

I was referring to a corny, but classic “politically incorrect” joke involving various patrons of the local “cat house,” and their ethnicities. Brd mentioned the “Russian…” I countered with the “Finnish,” and let’s just say, the third one involves a certain mountain range near Nepal… ;-P

And so, in a very respectful and clinical way, Gunther lays hands on Tiffany. Once past her initial panic, she will appreciate the soothing mudpack and Gunther’s effort on her behalf. Then, what? Will Gunther have an introspective moment of revelation? Will Tiffany decide that neo-Gunther is worth a second look?And what of poor Oxford?

Fire ants are a big prob here in Florida so I’ve had to study up on this. And since our condo association doesn’t help us out on this stuff, I’ve actually burned a couple of mounds I found in our ‘common area’ myself.

Did the C.A. give you any flak for doing that?

I know my (soon to be “former” C.A.) would… Liability risk of starting a fire in a common area.

@argythree, I’m glad you mentioned this, because guess where I’m living now??? <sigh>

In my opinion, fire is better/safer because the poisonous ant bait can affect a lot of other critters as well, including humans. The baking soda/vinegar idea is a good one though if fires are utterly verboten.

The Doors had a song for that: ♫ Come on baby, light my fire… ♪

Or, their worthy alternative,,, “C’Mon..C’Mon…C’Mon..C’Mon now Touch me Babe….” ;-PPP

Mystic mud, an old Peruvian aphrodisiac. When the pain subsides, Tiffany will slide off her rock, straddle Gunther, and crush him with gratitude, and for the first time in his life, Gunther will actually get turned on.

That was from Green Acres. Arnold Ziffle sang that to his sweetie…

Careful…. RB will think you’re calling Tiff a ….. you know….. ;-PPPP

Even if you don’t tuck your trousers into your socks to keep fire ants off you, it’s a good idea anyway on account of chiggers. Generally speaking, chiggers aren’t a big problem in Southern California (where Moony Uni is located) since the varmints like a humid as well as warm environment. However, this is a wetland, so there well may be chiggers in the grass there as well as fire ants.-Oh, what’s the difference. If Gunther were to get bitten by fire ants because he dint’ tuck in his pants, everyone would be thinking “Oh, poor Gunther! Luann (or Rosa) should visit him and sooth his pain,” whereas when Tiffany gets bitten because her legs were exposed, the reaction is “Serves her right!”

One the pain stops, Tiff’s going to fall in love with Gunth for saving her.

OOOps, meant to say ONCE the pain stops.

dirty girlwet girl=muddy girl

Did I just read the beginning of a porno?

Smartphone posters: have any of you posted a comment, only to see you double posted, so you delete the extra one, only to find you didn’t double post and just deleted your only post?

happens also with my PC … until I refresh the page, then the extra posting usually disappears.

I concur. I just refresh now, out of habit.

How does it feel Gunther? By the way, the ants are all over your face.

Wait until Tiffany tells Gunther that the ants have crawled inside her bra.

If the truth be admitted, most people who post herein feel that in fact it doesn’t really matter what Tiffany wore; she deserved to be attacked by ants simply because she’s Tiffany. That’s practically the motto of the “Luann” fan club.

https://youtu.be/it0V7xv9qu0

Oh my goooosssshhh! Ew. Ew. Ew. Eeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww! And the next video after that one . . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEWmynRcEEQ

—

The stuff of nightmares. I hate ants. One would have to be a f*tard idiot to do that to oneself.

Well done Gunther!

And maybe it does work: the mud works, Gunth gets to help poor lovely Tiff back to her car, and she appreciates his manly caring concern, and they have a nice little thing there, once the danger and stress subside, maybe not enough to fill a lifetime, ok, a kiss or a meaningful moment, they’re just young humans being in a battle against nature together, it’s a bonding experience, not so bad, is it? Kinda sweet really….

But what about the salamander project? Don’t get distracted as to what this venture was all about. You can’t go home without tracking the critters.

I’m not saying that Tiffany is an idiot, but she has shown a naivete streak this week. She apparently thought that dressing like a runway model is appropriate for any occasion.

I don’t think Tiff is anywhere near being an idiot. Far from it. She just has way different values in life and different objectives… and different means to achieve them. As Ron Weasley said initially of Hermione in Harry Potter I, “She needs to sort out her priorities.” I think she has the potential to be a fantastic human being and avoid all this schadenfreude, if she just rethought a few things… and realized what’s most important in life.

Here we go… please keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times.

“Tiffany was dressing for other reasons, not for hiking. That was her selfish mistake.”

What reasons would those be? I suggest that she just wanted to look pretty. She was probably thinking salamander hunting/photo shoot. Where is the evidence that she was dressing for selfish reasons?

As for the bilge-water regarding Tiiff ’deserving" to be bitten by ants … people stating that are not representative of all or even most “Luann fans”.

Fair enough… I will revise any earlier comments of mine to the following:

Perhaps, “deserve” might have been too strong a word. But Tiff chose to wear the clothes she wore. And she knew that she was going to hunt and capture salamanders. Where else was she expecting to find them? “In the mall,” as Gunther suggested? She made her choices, and must accept the consequences of them, as we all do for our own choices. Unlike humans, fire ants don’t know right from wrong. They don’t have moral values. They just know to attack if they are under threat, or if there is food nearby. In that case, it is us who bear the responsibility of protection against them.

Maybe Tiff is that naive and knows nothing about the outdoors or camping, or the wilderness. I haven’t done that much at all, myself. But some things just seem so bloody intuitive about the outdoors that it pains me that she can’t figure certain things out. As stated before, Tiff is absolutely not dumb. I find it very hard to believe that she did not know into what she was getting. Still, she had a certain objective, and she wore the clothing to meet that objective. She has to accept the consequences of that action.

All, I’ll be “in transit” tomorrow, so I won’t be much on the forum. I’ll catch up later. I hope this works out for the best for Tiff and Gunther.

It was fun….It was even more fun “not taking the bait!” ;-)))

somebody tell Gwineth Tiff sad goop!

“Let’s Make an Ordeal”^Ha ha ha!!!

Meant to share this earlier:

There’s also the joke of the patient getting ointment/salve on a small wound (nothing serious) He says: “That smarts!” And the doctor says: ‘Well, let’s try putting some of this on your head!"

And Tiff goes “boyscout” in one outing. :)

Insect bite remedy: double dose of antihistamine tablets, such as Benadryl, followed by one every hour for the next six hours. Results in decreased itching and fast healing.