For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for December 30, 2017

Oh, I thought Mike was blowing his nose due to the cold weather making his nose runny.

Really, Mike? You slept in the hallway, sat on a stank toilet, stayed in a house that is probably cold, and shared space with too many people and pets, did chores on the farm and got booted outside for yelling at Laura. Are you sure you are only sniffing from the leaky nose? That’s be more believable and better than claiming you had a good time. I just don’t see it, Mike. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.

Michael has come to appreciate the important things in life. It doesn’t matter if you have to go in a bucket or eat ancient meats or have your good clothing ruined by calf food or have your foot stomped by your cousin or have to sleep on the floor in the hall or be forced to stay outside in the cold. What is important is remembering the good times when your aunt realized you were miserable and stood up for you. That makes it all worthwhile.

On the upside, we did finally learn what John has been doing all this time and why Auntie Bev had to leave one morning to get a tractor part. It appears the farm folks have to depend on John the big city dentist to fix their equipment and unfreeze their pipes.

The entire time they were there, Michael showed not one bit of pleasure. So it’s far from believable that he would consider the trip to be a ‘good time’ that was over too soon…

I miss the good old days, ‘cause I wasn’t good and I wasn’t old!

I used to enjoy my time on my aunt’s farm.

WHAT???

Typical contrary young teen!

I think many of us forget what it was like to be a teenager with the roller-coaster of hormones and emotions ruling your body. I remember family vacations when I was 13-15 and not wanting to go, just knowing I’d have a miserable time because I was away from the boyfriend or potential boyfriend. And then actually having fun on said vacation, but because I made such a big deal about not enjoying it, I had to “save face” and pretend that I was having a terrible time. I know at least a few of you had to be contrary teenagers at one time!

Huh? Seems like a non sequitur.

And here, you didn’t want to go in the first place, Michael!

And here I thought he was sniffling because he caught a cold.

Cheer up, Mikey. You’re heading home. Martha will be waiting.

It’s a good time to be leaving Manitobe,-45c windchill this morning.They’re lucky the car started so they could make their escape!

Five words…..“There’s no place like home.”

When are we going to see Beverly and Daniel come to Elly’s house? Will that be next summer?

Would have been more interesting if a teen farmer girl was there for him.

Lynn’s Notes:

Visits to the farm are among some of my best memories!

If it weren’t for the expression on his face, I would have thought he was being sarcastic.

My reaction reading this: AS IF!!

This is just more of Lynn Johnston’s “children are flighty & hypocritical” act. Mike hated every minute of this trip while it was going on. Perhaps, after quite a bit of time has passed, he might begin to get nostalgic about aspects of the trip, but this turnaround came way too soon, even for a doofus like Michael.