Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen for December 22, 2023

Rhonda is about fed up with his hectoring.

and pass it by the enigma machine

Ionized salt! My goiter is killing me.

it seems that Hector is a conspiracy theorist.

Rhonda seems not to notice, but Hector is seriously creepy. First salt, then what? Your gallbladder?or left big toe? Shudder.

He fancies himself “the salt of the earth.”

Seriously, though, I have an etymology question. When I was little, there was an expression I heard occasionally for something that had not been experienced in a long time; “since Hector was a pup.” For example, “I haven’t had a real egg cream since Hector was a pup.” Well, I haven’t heard that expression used, if you’ll pardon the expression, since Hector was a pup. Anyone know the origins of the phrase? Who is/was the Hector being referenced?

Hector is trying to make peace with Rhonda. He’s proposing a Strategic Argument Limitation Treaty.

Pepper!

Hector should avoid run ins with Achilles

When it comes to spicing up their love-life… hector is striving for the mundane.

Hector has some bird tails he wants to salt.

“Sugar!”

“Not tonight, I have a headache…”

Essentials change over time. Today it’s salt, years ago it was beer and sex

What we don’t see, out of panel, is Hector rubbing his rear end, freshly bruised from an icy check of the mailbox.

The swirl of cartoon stars-and-planets in that area is truly a dazzling sight to behold, though. ; )

Good morning Balladeers!

“Sea salt?’

“Si, salt.”

I note that Hector is not lobbying for s-e-x.

Likes to spice things up in the bedroom, I see …

“He used to call me Honey (sigh)”

A salt with intent to ???

visitors to japan could be forgiven for assuming that the japanese phrase for “oh, honey” is “oy!” ‘cause that’s what a japanese guy says to get his wife’s attention…

No point in being salty, Hector!