For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 07, 2017

oh, that’s a nice start, John

18 years? Doubtful. We have some continuity issues here. According to the on-line biography of the Pattersons, they moved into their house when Michael was 4 years old. Based on Michael’s recent 12-year-old birthday, it means they have been in the house between 7-8 years. If Elly goes back 18 years at this point in the story, she is going back not only to a time before she lived in the house, but before she married John.

There are a few other continuity issues. In the 1981-04-20 strip, Elly got a new dishwasher. In the 1981-04-07 strip, Elly got a new electric can opener. In the 1980-02-28 strip, Elly got a new toaster.

It looks like Elly is exaggerating the age and condition of her kitchen to make a point. What that point is, we have yet to see.

Just a thought. John bought himself that great sports car. Elly could use that in an argument to get a new kitchen.

HOWTHEDUCK- just because they haven’t lived there 18 years doesn’t mean the house isn’t that old.

@susansmith: I agree. At 10 years when they moved in, it probably didn’t look too dated. After another 8 of family living – kids, dogs, typical let it slide husband – the wear and tear simple accelerated the process.

Speaking of the use of the term dated, on a recent home buying show, the buyer’s wife commented that kitchen and bathrooms looked so dated. The salesman replied the house was 2 years old. Guess the lady was reading from a script for a different reality show.

The queen of the kitchen can’t go out on her own to buy a new toaster? Get a four slicer while you are at it.

John got a sports car, Elly gets a kitchen. Only fair.

She said SOME changes, John. Not ONE change.

Kitchen remodeling has been grounds for divorce, in some cases.

Of course, the murder of a kitchen remodeling contractor has been, on occasion, ruled justifiable homicide !

We are second owners of our house, and we’ve done a lot of maintenance but little upgrading. In the 35+ years we’ve been here, our appliances matched twice, but as certain things break more often than others, I found that buying them at very reduced rates one can’t have color match, so now we have a stainless steel fridge, cream colored stove, and black dishwasher. The cupboards were refinished once during this time, and they are in better shape than next door neighbor’s ones. I don’t care, in the end if appliances match, as long as they work. We’ve replaced the sink once, and the faucets at least five times…I suppose, if one day we would have to move, they might do a staging, and match up the whole kitchen to make it saleable, since from my reading about real estate, it is the state of the kitchen that sells the house.

John you cheapskate! You’re a dentist for heaven’s sake! You make good money. There’s no reason why Elly should have to put up with all these inconveniences. If I were Elly I’d order you to do the cooking for one week and see how you like it. Especially after treating yourself to that new sports car.

Seems to me there was a segment where she had to beg for a new can opener, and several days later thousands of dollars worth of stereo equipment were delivered?

It’s a start.

Can anyone answer me here? What is the total fascination with having granite counters and stainless appliances? I’ve watched people literally turn their noses up at anything less.

Inferior desecrators. – Frank Lloyd Wright