For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for January 31, 2024

Despite food shortages, the vegan section at the supermarket normally remains unscathed….

When did he agree to anything Elly?

Why does he stay married to this?

Hey! Just what I guessed yesterday, fried chicken!

Evangelical vegetarians are the pits!

He tried it… He never said he intended to switch permanently. INNOCENT!

The sad truth is nobody agreed to vegetarian except Ellie.

The lucky clucker? It wasn’t so lucky if it ended up in a bucket waiting for someone to take a bite!

John, will you EVER grow a backbone regarding that wife of yours??

All mothers have this ability.

I would definitely recommend against it it, John.

When you’re in trouble, lying is one of the most effective tools you have for digging the hole you’re in even deeper.

That’s what she gets for that kind of behavior. I don’t blame him one bit.

Subterfuge the kind of skill where practice makes perfect, so I’m favorably impressed by John’s inability to hide his guilt.

Hmm I don’t remember everyone agreeing on trying, wasn’t it just Ellie’s one-sided decision?

Did they agree?

No, He and the kids didn’t agree to go veggie. You decided for everybody else. He and the kids should start eating meat in front of her. Best way to cure a vegan.

“We agreed” one to imposing a new, unwanted lifestyle, one to peace.

HE didn’t agree to being vegetarian! You’re pushing it on the whole family!

I love the names Lynn comes up with for stores and people. Some are really funny.

If Pattersons didn’t eat like debased pigs, he might’ve gotten away with the “just went in for coffee” thing. Otherwise, maybe John has never had an extramarital affair, but he obviously thinks about it.…

I’m with John. He and the kids should still have meat and Elle can go vegan herself. Watch how long Elle will be able to stick with vegan then!

I wonder where she’s eaten….you know how this is going to end right?

Hey, the chicken eats corn and grains, I eat the chicken. I’m a vegetarian by proxy

What a shrew.

I wasn’t sure if it would be this or evidence of going to a burger place.

What is wrong with you? Who died and made you boss?

“We” agreed? What you mean “we,” Kemosabe?

I think it’s time for her to face the facts, no one likes what she’s cooking, (only the cook), the rest are tired of that diet!

I thought chicken and salmon were on every diet menu.

Beans Mr. Patterson , Beans Mrs. Patterson !

To feed a vegan, ALL the bugs, birds, rodents and assorted herbivores have to be exterminated. So… nobody wins the argument.

always have the left hand not know what the right hand is doing, he left the chicken evidence so she would never realize that his lunch date was his new dental assistant.

One shouldn’t need reminding…

No Ellie, it was you who decreed that everyone be a vegetarian.

No man can hide from a woman’s guilt radar. Give up.

Heck! SHE is the one who imposed vegetarianism on the rest of the family, and didn’t give them any choice in the matter. >:-(

Hate to get some of THAT on my sleeve…

WE didn’t agree, you just TOLD us one day WE were going vegan.

Good grief. They don’t have a life outside this comicstrip I guess.

Vegan? That’s your choice – not mine. You do what you want, but don’t shove it down my throat – literally.

In dunno. If an affair ever seemed appealing this could drive him to it.

Cool it down Elly! It is only fried chicken grease on his sleeve.

What would you do if it was lip stick on his collar?

And it ain’t the brand of lipstick that you buy!

When I was a kid my mother decided, unilaterally, to switch us all to powdered skim milk (Carnation® Instant Skim Milk Powder to be exact). "It’s “healthier” she said. “IT’S FREAKING BLUE” the rest of us said (and it really was). “AND IT TASTES LIKE SH*T” we said (and it really did). We boycotted milk until she came to her senses (about a week). That’s when I learned the power of a strike. It’s also when I started drinking coffee. I was 9.

ANYBODY………if they carry an idea TOO FAR can be annoying. I can remember when some ’women’s libbers’ got ‘overly boisterous’ and made themselves unpopular just like Elle is doing now ! ! !

John, if Ellie keeps acting like this, you might just consider an affair, or divorce.

You really can’t force your vegetarian beliefs on the family

She’s hired!!! She can cook for me any time!!!

No KFC’s in Canada?

Affair? Heck, I’d be afraid to wash my own clothes

Lucky Clucker! That’s the one. Lynn Johnston had said that had she continued the comic strip instead of stopping it in 2008, she would have taken revenge on her ex-husband (avatar is John Patterson) by having John crushed under the weight of the sign falling off the Lucky Clucker restaurant.

That’ll teach him to wear his smock home. Supposed to have a fresh one everyday.

Let’s face it, Elly…you’re a c a r n I v o r e.

You’re in the doghouse now, John!

unhealthy also

I laughed at every single frame! My husband thinks I’ve lost my mind.

Oh man, I hope Elle doesn’t get on the Green Earth train, too.

She should have been a P.I.

There is no, we in I..

Everyone doesn’t like vegan, Elly. Especially when you took the family hostage because it’s something that YOU wanted to try!

Well, I can no longer resist: Vegan – old native American word for poor hunter.

Elly’s sharp eye and sense of smell would make Sherlock Holmes green with envy.

Coming soon: John’s heart attack.

I try vegetarian. There is a serving of baked potato next to my steak. Love ’em both!

I try to help vegetarians….I eat the cows that eat their food.

Yankee bean soup… tuna surprise!!

Tomorrow,Garfield The cat smuggles in lasagna

Vegans!

You’re speaking to the wrong male, John. Now you’re raising one of his results.

Sometimes diet is not just a personal choice, it can be a physical choice for folks too.

I eat all kinds of food, but legumes make me slightly nauseous and when I don’t eat at least some meat (it’s expensive) my skin and hair get very dry and I lose energy. I pay attention to what my body tells me.

I worked/delivered organic produce back the late ‘70s. Rarely met the ’evangelical’ vegan or vegetarian, most were chill but have to say it was the fructarians that concerned me, though I never said anything, they always looked under-nourished.

These days we are all are far more informed about nutrition (if we want to be) and have much wider choice.

Idea for a funny strip:

Elly is at an amusement park

Announcement: Attention Mrs. Patterson, security has detained your son for rambunctious behavior.

Elly glowers

Elly{talking to herself}: Michael!

Annoucement: Attention Mrs. Patterson, we also have your fatter son.

Elly’s eyes bug out

Elly{talking to herself}: John?!?!

Ok, YOU want to be vegetarian, but maybe he doesn’t so get over it.

Forcing her vegetarianism on everyone.

Elly is a “big picture” person. She puts Canada above herself. She demands her family eat healthy so that they will not be yet another drain on OHIP, which has long lines and even longer wait times thanks to unhealthy people.

Wow, what overwhelming CIRCUMSTANTIAL evidence.

Of course you THOUGHT Liz and John agreed, you never even asked them, just agreed with yourself! This is Cru-Elly in a nutshell. Whatever possessed John to marry this Nazi car alarm, I’ll never understand!

Just call me a sinner and get it over with and l will just commiserate with the Colonel….

I could never have had an affair was and am a terrible liar. Wife always said she would know immediately,lolol. Luckily there was never ever a reason to stray great wife and mom..RIP love

I wonder if she would be as upset?

Did they agree? Or did Ellie just decide for the whole family?

No Elly, YOU agreed to try Vegetarian. You never gave them a chance to object.

You thought they agreed… wishful thinking. Quit trying your unappreciated diet experiment on your unwilling family.

Elizabeth will probably be annoyed he didn’t give her any extra money for beef burrito day at school.

To take the unpopular position, I can somewhat see Elly’s point of view. I was at an all-you-can-eat restaurant one night and never saw so many fat people in one location. Got me to thinking that while tobacco is on the decline, there are going to be three serious threats to health in the 21st Century: drug abuse, extramarital sex, and gluttony.

Ironic given the reality.

Boy would I give her a mouthful