That is Priceless by Steve Melcher for January 31, 2024

The van Moerkerken’s toddler daughter was already developing her own style.

/// Hartogh holds out his watch to Sibilla.

They do not have much more time until a

maid will come fetch their son.

Unless posing’s soon done,

he’ll get cranky, and scream like Godzilla.

Finally after 2 years Van Moerkerken proposes to his girl friend.

“Your child swallowed my ‘tablets’.”

“Look Mr. Bosch, I don’t care if you’ll give me the watch, you’re still expected to take you daughter home from the daycare at the end of the day!”

You have exactly five minutes to convince me that this puppet act will fly or you can start looking for another agent.

I didn’t come here for speed dating after the speed ravishing.

Gerard Jr. actually enjoyed wearing his sister’s clothes.

Here, use this light to have a look for yourself. You’ll see; nothing in there.

“Good News, Elsa! I have invested our entire savings in order to corner the market for Mexican Jumping Beans! Aren’t they cute?”

Compo Simmonite’s great grandfather showing off what’s inside the matchbox for the very first time.

Whadda about that baby-hat? Baby does NOT look cute in Puritan-Momma’s hat.

Elsa looked askance, with deeply scornful eyes

At Bertram’s latest get-rich enterprise

This time the investment is so secure,

He says their prosperous lives he’ll now ensure.

But so often his plans success denies

.

She loves the fool, despite his fruitless schemes,

His oft-dashed hopes, his shattered hopeful dreams.

But daughter Lizzie needs much more care

Than plans provide can be thinly spun from air.

One chance more, then she’s off to kin in Reims.

“Check it out, babe; I found your ear!” (I think artists hate ears, they do everything they can to hide them.)

You’re a little late with the push present, Gunther.

For Hartogh, everything had to be done on time. He clocked every event and always hastened to make sure everyone was on schedule and each task completed with no waste of precious time.

Unfortunately, for his wife, Sibilla, this clock-watching and time-saving obsession included their sex life.

Aw, isn’t he pwiceless.

It may have taken a very long time, but I finally found your pills.

I’m not saying she wasn’t the brightest bulb in the tulip planter, but she demanded a maternity test to make sure she was the mother.

This painting by Gerard ter Borch/

Have got to be viewed with a torch./

He’s depicted a room/

Swathed in darkness and gloom:/

Perhaps he could paint on the porch ?/

“According to the apothecary, its time for us to, ahem, engage in marital congress if we want another child. I promise to be remorseful afterward.”

Oh Dude! I totally forgot I left them in the buggy. You rock, man!

Just like the early Ford cars, black was the only clothing color you could get.

About time he put a ring on it.

Man hypnotizing his wife getting her to believe that the wooden doll is actually their child. She had been so distraught after so many miscarriages.

The Three Moerkerkeers.

- Dumas’ first but unknown novel.

“30 minutes! See?!? 30 minutes and still she hasn’t pooped.”

After all these years….an engagement ring!!

The Van Moerkerken Family : 

Paste (including the quote marks) 

"Category:1650s portrait paintings from the Netherlands" Wikimedia 

(syntax supported by the Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ecosia, and Yandex search engines) in the browser address bar (or search for it using one of those search engines) and choose the first Category: found and once there find the text string DP146463, and click its link for info and links that point to more info about this roughly roughly jumbo envelope size painting. Source in the Summary section points to the painting’s museum webpage which, along with a description, includes a 1m27s audio. 

Again, a larger strip image is shown by (Ctrl- or right-) clicking the image in Mr. Melcher’s MASTERPIECE #3262 (January 31, 2024) blog entry, accessible by the Check out the blog! box after the last comment, and using the dropdown menu. I have added a comment there pointing to my blog comment and reply pointing to info about this artist I used to point to here. So far, 15 works by him have been used here (17 times, including 2 repeats), the May 11, 2022, strip being the prior (a repeat).

“If you give the kid one of these immodium tablets you won’t have to carry him around with that potty seat perched on his head.”

“You’ve been teaching junior how to be a pickpocket again, haven’t you”?

The central character’s expression resembles that of yesterday’s societaire.

When you’re trying to skewer a moose /

You’d best have a good excuse:/

These Indians do:/

They’re in that canoe/

Cause you just gotta feed the papoose.