Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for December 11, 2017

If anything’s worked out well for Brad, it’s listening to TJ’s advice.

you asked you, T.J.?

This is where things get complicated …

Toni runs down to the doggie day care and checks out the Germanshepherd she left there last week. She then finds the zipper and removes Shannon from her forced concealment.

And now for “The Gift of the Magi” as written by Evans.

Well here we go, who knows better the heart of a woman, a woman who happens to be married to a friend, or the friend? Plus is the errand something that might lead to something, like a pregnancy? Finally, TJ may or may not give good advice, but keep in mind he is a good and caring friend. So back to the heart of a woman question?

TJ isn’t usually this tone deaf. Toni was 100% happy that she and Brad had a quiet little anniversary celebration in the privacy of their own bedroom, but along comes TJ to suggest that Brad should have done somethilng else. MYOB, TJ, or move out…

This one really has me going!

Is Toni going to retrieve some big surprise to Brad as a token of her undying love? That sure would take the role reversals in this relationship even further, but it would match her behavior last week.

The only other thing I’ve thought of is that she’s actually hurt over something Brad should have done, like flowers and dinner plans. But she’s just hiding it, and planning to disappear for a while. This theory would seem astounding, and yet it would fit in with TJ’s remark. Otherwise, I don’t know what to make of TJ’s remark.

Brad should have bought Toni some blue panties ;-)

let me guess TJ, keep it simple is not good, HAS TO be big and a huge production. shakes head and does facepalm

I guess that makes two of us. Is she expecting? She was never obvious about it in any way. Or so I think.

Yup, TJ saw something Brad missed. TJ noticed Toni’s uncharacteristic behavior and figured something out. Brad sees her uncharacteristic behavior at face value but TJ sees something else. I doubt it is anything diabolical or hurtful…it could be a surprise which could be anything. Tomorrow, TJ will tell Brad why he is clueless and that Toni is up to something, a surprise of a sort.

No, T.J., you’re the clueless one today. Time for you to skedaddle and give the anniversary couple some alone time!

Well, Brad – this time it was Toni’s turn to run off and leave you there.

Well, he is related to Frank, after all.

They really need their own place! Who needs TJ constantly horning in with his unasked for opinions?

Uh oh – Toni’s preggers! TJ can see right through her little ‘errand’, or should I say, ’doctor’s appointment’?

Don’t listen to TJ this week, lets have a simple week

He could have at least brought flowers! That’s simple and sweet. Looks like he did nothing.

Off to pick up a pregnancy test?

Wait. WAIT a Damned Minute!

After a Week of Mushy Romantic Build-Up, Toni’s so “HOT” for Brad that She’s gotta “Run An Errand,” FIRST?? Jeeeeeze!

Toni, was there something wrong with running that errand (Which Could WAIT, I Might Add), while You two were in the car and on the way Home?

First it was Toni’s INSISTENCE on Working on that Stupid “Budget” first, earlier this Year, Now THIS!

And the Mad Puppteer, Old Smiley, has NOW been Clued into the Evening’s Plans thanks to Loud Mouthed Brad.

Who NEEDS Shannon, when You got THIS Stuff Going On?This Marriage is in “trouble….,”

That’s some days, for ya! Your wife calls you “The Sweerest Man On Easrth”…then somebody comes around to call you the “Dumbest, Most Clueless Man On Earth”. That’s almost “The Life Of Norm Peterson”!

In light of the previous strip re horrible work schedules, maybe the preggo wishers will get their Christmas wish.

“Opposites Detract”

“A Conflict, Of Interesting Proportions”

“It’s Divergent-Vergent!….” (♪)

“…And Along Comes Contrary…” (♪)

“Hypothetically Antithetical”

“It’s A Clash Test, You Dummy!”

“A Fail, In Two Cities”

“The Whizzer Of Odd”

“I Differ, On Your Deferral!"

“A Family Of Clashing Ties”

“The Sound Of A Compact Discrepancy”

“In A Full House, Nothing Beats A Paradox”

or

“Save The Last Variance, For Me” (♬)

Can I ask WHY people think it’s a pregnancy test? Am I missing something? It didn’t even occur to me, and it would seem like a really weird thing to call a “quick errand” and interrupt a romantic anniversary to go and do.

Brad remembered. What more should Toni want. TJ has a long history of being wrong and having “vast plans based on half vast ideas.”

There is also a long history in comics and other related places that the husband forgot their anniversary and the wife is pissed. Brad did not forget.

Have a bad feeling about this and hope it’s not going where I think it is. Getting the feeling it’s building up to some kind of tragedy, like a car accident or something. Kind of like the build up on the Quill thing and then the breakup. Too many of these type strips are becoming soap operas. For some reason the artists think they have to mirror everyday life. They overlook the fact that people read comics [and watch TV] to escape from everyday life for a while. Hope I’m wrong…

T.J. gets it.

Another week of this crap? Seriously.

Everybody needs a second opinion.

Thank you TJ, oh ‘Planter of Seeds of Doubt’! It may be that Toni’s gonna run that ‘errand’ to get Brad a nice little anniversary gift, right??

There’s an inference or two here that Toni may have already gotten a case of the ‘wandering eyes’, but I don’t think it’ll be that bad – perhaps ol’ TJ is going to say, “Hey, pal, she’s REALLY saying she’s wanting something REAL special their first year anniversary, so you better DO something!!”

Let the Comedy of Errors begin!! :)

I have to admit to being a bit disappointed that it’ll be another BradandToni week. Last week seemed to establish, pretty clearly, that “the kids are OK.” We don’t need another week of that, or at least I don’t. And Toni getting Brad (and a whole lot of others) very much “in the mood” and then interjecting an errand she “forgot” doesn’t make much sense. So I’m thinking this must be the start of a new story arc. Normally I enjoy watching how the strip unfolds and don’t carp much about story lines, but I was hoping we’d get back to one of the other ongoing stories this week.

Then again, I guess we are down to just two other story lines – Annie Awful’s lingerie party and Tiffany’s woes – so maybe it is time to throw another squirrel into the mix…

I was getting tired of the mushy stuff and was ready for a new arc. But the Evans’s have renewed our interest with Toni’s errand and TJ’s remark.

I notice it is mostly the guys in here who don’t want Toni to be pregnant. Why is that? It is a natural course of life. People get into relationship, find intimacy with each other, they want something that demonstrates their love, and that is children. For some couples, they don’t want that kind of life which is fine. It is clear Brad and Toni like children – they adore Shannon (some people apparently miss that and say she is a burden. She is not a burden – Jonah is). My bet is they will not the childless couple.

7

Pipe and coffee commentary today:

1. Yeah, it is going to be a more humorous week with Brad & Toni now that TJ is in the picture! I am glad!

2. Again…. nothing at all is wrong with the previous “lovey-dovey” week with Brad & Toni…. in fact, it is what would be hoped for and expected…. it is just that it was not the most interesting plot “development”, IMO.

3. My presumption is that TJ will “coach” Brad into “realizing” that Toni “really” wants a big, showy, extravagant celebration of their 1st Anniversary. If this comes to pass, then it will likely involve all sorts of humorous missteps and humorous hi-jinks before Brad eventually realizes that he should have just listened to Toni in the first place.

4. As TJ typically is very adept at thinking “outside the box” and sometimes even “outside of normal reality”….. the silliness and craziness to ensue is something I am looking forward to!

5. I am hoping and thinking Toni’s errand is simply that…. and is just an activity that gives TJ enough time to “school” Brad into what he “should” be doing. :)

Pipe out and coffee consumed, now back to work for me.

OK Really for the last time. People need to understand that last week’s comics took about as long as the dialogue did to read, eith possible time allowed ( in our minds) for the walk to log some distance. Saturday was the arc that presumably led to their ‘intimate encounter’. Today’s strip is a different day or atht the very least later that same day or evening. Brad and Toni are not even wearing the same clothes they were wearing in the ‘park arc’.

OK on a lot of this stuff. We shall see how it all pans out! But what I want to know is when did her idiot brother come back from lord only knows where and re-connect with his daughter? There is a big, broad door there for a really fine, tender, heart-stringy story thread. Where will Shannon be spending her Christmas this year? And if her dad hauls her away, how long will it be before he sends her back?

They are in love, they speak the truth, no ulterior motive.

Toni is off to meet Dirk…

Not too many “I’m bored” complaints today.

With Christmas around the corner, are we getting a take on the “Gift Of The Magi” story?

well the “lingerie party” turned out to be nothing more than, well, a lingerie party, so don’t expect much more from this story line. Yaaawwwnnn. Wake me up next week, maybe something interesting will happen.

Oh, and TJ, no matter how right you may (or may not) be, don’t get judgmental about someone else’s marriage.

A secret errand? Maybe she is slipping out to get Brad a box of donuts…..his first love.

“A little less TJ! A little more Toni!”

I hope Toni snags a Nice Surprise for Brad, that Brad does his manly duty, and that TJ gets lost!

She’s a woman! That means she claims she want it simple, but actually wants him to do something fancy as a surprise. He took her literally, so probably she’s off to make the “plain & simple” not seem so plain & simple to him. So TJ probably is right (well, “as dumb and clueless as most men” would be more accurate).

She’s a woman! That means she claims she want it simple, but actually wants him to do something fancy as a surprise. He took her literally, so probably she’s off to make the “plain & simple” not seem so plain & simple to him. So TJ probably is right (well, “as dumb and clueless as most men” would be more accurate).

Over 200 comments all indicated I Q less then zero

Still happily married. Just keep her happy Brad. A happy wife is a happy life. There’s much truth to that!!!

It’s a puppy!!

I think the result in this comic will be bad. Greg has made us endure a week of banter between the two lovebirds and it was rather boring. Most people saw this arc going nowhere. But now with an intriguing comment by Tj, and the fact that its the 2nd week of the arc, we know something big has to pile up enough for Greg to give one of his infamous cliffhangers, so most likely it will be bad, because that’s the most interesting

Consider this: if Toni is pregnant, she wouldn’t give birth (in our calendar time) till more than half way into 2019, which gives the Evans a lot of fodder for arc and plot. But their 1st anniversary didn’t take two years to arrive, so who could know? TJ is definitely more observant than Brad and he may have picked up on certain cues (not detailed here) over the past few months that could suggest she is pregnant. That said, I don’t know what Brad did to keep their anniversary simple. But it may have been just a little too simple.

Okay where is my original comment?

We’re never going to learn about the lingerie show, are we?