For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for November 15, 2023

Well, she’ll get some of those.

“hangster”. I think April means “hamster” “hangster” would be tough for a 3-year-old to say.

Anybody have a picture of a hangster? I haven’ been able to find one.

Future Veterinarian in the making.

So—she’ll be another Katy (from “Adam@Home”), who continually nags her parents for a pony.

Fortunately, I’m too poor to have pets.

Start with the hamster in a cage and see if she takes care of it. Then you can move up the line…except maybe the horse.

Typical of Elly to have that attitude. She clearly never wanted the four kids (the second youngest with four legs) she has now, judging from her behavior with them.

Cold, bored, wet, scared, disgusted, joyous, surprised, hurt… all the things that go with a normal life.

Hey, I thought it was “Nivabeff”, NOT “Livabeff”!

Hangster? Isn’t that what Wheel of Fortune is based on?

Maybe she means that she wants to keep Pat Sajak as a pet.

Good idea, mom. Maybe if she gets some more rodents – like a rat and a gerbil (maybe even a chinchilla) to go along with the hamster and the guinea pig – maybe she’ll change her mind and decide she doesn’t need to get all those other animals (especially the horse).

No rats , Ellie. You already probably have more than you want.

Rats are actually a pretty good starter pet for a child. They aren’t as nocturnal as some of the other rodent options, which makes them a lot less annoying in the bedroom and a lot easier to interact with. They’re also sociable, fairly intelligent, and trainable. Unlike mice or hamsters, their size makes it a little easier to contain and handle them without accidental injury (just remember not to ever pick an animal up by their tail regardless of size). On top of that, they generally will keep their enclosure reasonably tidy, selecting one location as a latrine. From a parental standpoint, it’s also a much shorter commitment than a dog, as domestic rats only live a few years.

Now, a horse on the other hand…..

Well April, you will someday learn that there is no Santa Clause as well, so now is the time to dream.

I saw that one in a Hagar the Horrible strip, where there were all these pets around their cottage.

Honi: Why do we have all these cats?

Hamlet: Mice?

Helga: Your father’s probably bringing them home next,

A hangster?

Rats to what, Elly? Just because she asks for all those things doesn’t mean you have to give them to her. In fact there’s a good chance she’ll never get around to asking at all.

Sure April. When you move out of your parents’ house and buy property with your name on the title, you can buy as many animals as you can afford and honor all the animal cruelty laws by seeing to the care and feeding of the animals, as well as getting them spayed, neutered or gelded as the case may be, of course you can do everything you just talked about.

Genuine horse fever takes the very young. Most horse lovers are general animals lovers as well : )

That last one isn’t too far away

Not sure if this is a good idea or another “Duh Elly” moment, but an idea she could have if she ever does something to ruin April and could try this to make amends.

Elly is in bed with John

Elly: April is still angry with me. It is hopeless.

John: Elly, you can’t look for a quick fix. If you keep showing interest in April, she will forgive you.

Elly: Ugg. I can’t deal with all this. You were right with that quick fix idea. Let us see, quick fix, quick fix. I got it! I will buy her that pony she has been bugging us about.

John: We cannot afford a pony.

Elly: With today’s gas prices, who can’t afford not to?

John: Let us be realistic Elly. A pony is very expensive. We have a hard enough time paying the bills as is and on top of that you just lost your job at the library and was rejected at Philpott’s. Please forget about this pony.

Next day. Elly is at a pet shop

Sign: All Creatures Great & Cheap. You Pet it, You Bought it.

Employee: What is that smell? Turns around and sees Elly Oh, it is you? Yeah, what do you want?

Elly: I am here to buy a pony for my daughter.Employee: Sure thing, right here. Shows Elly a cage

Elly{reading sign on cage aloud}: Scottish deer hound?

Elly{annoyed}: Hey, this is a dog!

Employee: You are smarter than I gave you credit for. You sure fooled me with that blonde hair! May I recommend the pony ranch on Route 11. Take a left at the rendering plant.

Every kid’s desire for a menagerie usually stops after the first two.

Yesterday was “National Pickle Day”

Tomorrow is “National fast Food Day”

well see, that’s THE WAY to get something more simple : a puppy! April unknowingly knows reverse psychology at such a young age!

April is a future vet…

And if memory serves… she eventually became a Veterinarian!

No, she said nothing about rats…..

Look at that, April discovered the letter “L”. Also why is “yeah” spelled properly when Liz says it and incorrectly when April says it? Are we to believe she actually says “Yah” (rhyming with “Ah”)?