For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for October 20, 2012

Just remember, Elly — they meant well.

It’s still better than shloshing in mud.

My dog Honey brings me leaves but won’t let me have them until I give her a treat in return. My husband says she has me well trained. It didn’t take but a couple of times for her to get the idea of what to do and now she won’t give it up.

Take a slow, deep breath, then hug ’em and say the leaves are beautiful.

Pull out the vacuum cleaner and let the motor do the work.

Ellie could just tell the ladies who come to her Grubberware party that she purposely decorated the house with colorful fall leaves to set the mood for buying fall- colored grubberware. From experience, I know the ladies will think the kids actions were delightful.

What is Farley doing with leaf in his mouth? Especially afterhaving just been to the vet.

It’s good you’re not that way, Susan.

You can’t have a clean house and happy kids at the same time. Take your pick.

Not directed exclusively to Susan, she just reminded me of it. Why do people read comics (and other things) that they don’t like? This is something I will never be able to understand. There were a couple of comics I didn’t enjoy, so after giving myself a few weeks to change my mind, I deleted them from my list. Haven’t missed them once. I just closed a book after three chapters and returned it to the library because the writing was making me nuts. Am I lacking some sort of perserverance gene?

And that is why I keep an electric leaf blower in the hall closet.

I don’t see either negativity or drama queen here. Just open-mouthed astonishment.

“I don’t have to listen to this just because it’s on NPR!” That’s a great motto to use in a lot of situations, such as whether to finish a “great” novel that’s a real forehead-slammer (your forehead slams onto table), flipping the mattress 2 X per year because Good Housekeeping said to, etc. (Incidentally, I like NPR fine, but some obscure music – click!)

, , , like some Philip Glass pieces. (Not that he’s obscure.)

Are you a mother yourself?

This just in: A headline from an undisclosed newspaper:“Total lunar eclipse will be broadcast live on Northwoods Public Radio.” Apparently this is in the northern Wisconsin area. Now that’s one program I’d listen to!

Broadcast an eclipse on radio?

@bevgrey – there is a difference between disliking a COMIC and a CHARACTER in it. Me – for the most part, I can’t STAND the ovebearing, overdramatic nag Elly, but I don’t mind the comic itself. I hate women like Elly, but in real life I can’t say it outloud; well I can hate on Elly as much as I like here :D

One day in the not-too-distant future, Elly will have a continuously clean house when her children are grown and gone . . . and she’ll be longing with all her heart for these wonderfully sweet, spontaneous moments back with them again even though it means re-cleaning a house that she just got done cleaning!!!!!

Why do you think they call them “leaves”?

Susan, if you hate Elly so much (and it’s very clear you do, given your posts on EVERY day’s strip, why do you still bother to read it?