For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for July 17, 2010

If Elizabeth were a little older to understand her father’s remarks, she too would have that serious, stern look like on her mother’s face.

The first panel concerns me. Anyone wanna lay odds they’re in the wrong cabin? lol ;)

I would be looking for the closest motel, with a pool. It’s the only solution to save this trip.

I hope people are correct when they say that men used to have this attitude when the strip was first written, a lot more than they do now.

If I remember correctly….I think they were in the wrong cabin.

I agree….i believe their on the wrong side of the lake. Ted cabin is a real nice place on the other side.

OK, folks, time for the Standard Sitcom Stupid Husband Checklist:

Forgets to take the map… check. Assumes the rundown shack is his friend’s luxury cabin… check. Doesn’t notice that the key he’s been given doesn’t really fit in the lock… check. Manages to insult his wife as soon as they get inside… check.

C’mon, Lynn–this is the script for a bad Disney flick (think Dean Jones) from the ’60s! You can do better than that!

When I was a child in this situation, my mother rolled up her sleeves and put on an apron.

The rest of us had a great vacation.

The only woman’s touch that you’re going to get, John, is upside your thick head. (okay, I know the comic is an exaggeration from 25 years ago, but still.)

Give him credit, he at least responded well to the “askance look”. If it had been Ted, he would have said that over his shoulder as he went out the back door with a beer and a magazine.

X-D LOLs! On the last panel, I love the way Elly glared at Jon furiously after he made terrible remarks. TSK! LOLs!

IN the last panel, Jon’s mouth looks a LOT like Elmo’s or some of the other Muppets … almost as if his head could flip backwards hahahaha

ooowwa, good save

Anyone ever see Doris Day’s movie “Calamity Jane”? She and another female character cleaned, repaired and painted an old cabin (worse than the above) while singing “A Woman’s Touch”. I can hear that song in my mind now. It’s one of my favorite movies.

I wouldn’t stay-would not want to spend my vacation cleaning.

JanCinVV, I may have to Netflix Calamity Jane to see the scene you referenced.

My favorite “woman’s touch” redo of a cabin was in the first episode of The Bionic Woman, with a close second to the episode of Bewitched where Samantha does a number on Larry Tate’s run-down cabin.

I guess you can tell that I’m the impatient sort…lol

Good news and bad news here:

The bed news is: I’ve never seen this arc before but I’d say that they’ve most likely broken into the wrong cabin, which is why the keys didn’t fit the lock very well.

The good news is: The real owner(s) of that cabin will have a VERY pleasant surprise waiting for them the next time they come for a visit (unless they come now and find unwanted, uninvited strangers in it!) … the place will be clean and maybe a few broken things will be fixed!

Meanwhile good save, John, you big doofus!!!

This happened to a friend of mine with a car once. Same make and model and the key went in but wouldn’t turn and as she’s messing with the lock, trying to figure out what’s going on with her door, someone demanded to know why she was messing with their car. lol Her car was a couple of cars over and the keys were very close so the key would go in but wouldn’t turn. She was so red in the face. She’d had such a long day and didn’t notice it wasn’t her car. lol This is the reason for distinctive antenna balls and mail boxes. Then people KNOW they’re at the right place!!

El, Some of these husbands just love wearing their foot in their mouth. They will ask some of the dumbest questions , that you will ever hear coming out a humans mouth. And the bad part is your sons will grow up the same way. All I can say is thank GOD I have a daughter !

Just pondering John and El briefly, since I started on the archive I’ve been repeatedly pissed at John for his idle sexism, but also at El for her shrillness around her family. Without spoilers both of these improved as the story progressed. Now, in the initial run it was easier to remember that the characters were ‘of their time’, neither of them would have been all that out of place in a family show from the late 70’s. In this strip we see John doing his regular, lazy, ‘needs a woman’s touch’ type statement and our reaction is ’he’s just a lazy almost-mysogynist’ but it’s not like he’s generally just sitting back and letting El do all the work. He runs a business which keeps him on his feet all day working hard, he presumably is doing the business’ paperwork at home, he does most of the home maintenance. It’s not like he’s not doing his share of the work, it’s more that tends to underestimate the amount of work that El has to do as part of her daily life. Here endeth the rant.