Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for April 18, 2013

Nancy still has doubts.

heheheh I KNEW Nancy wouldn’t be fully “on board” with this

It’s OK Toni! BREATHE!

No need to panic Toni – you’ve just got to get used to Nancy’s sense of humor; you’ll learn to love it.

Hey Nancy, you’re gonna have decent looking grandkids now- be happy!

Toni’s lips always look like a duck’s bill from that angle (panel 3)

OK, Nancy, I misjudged you. My bad.

UN-BE-LEVIBLE,

You Know, Tom Hanks once said it BEST in the Movie “Saving Private Ryan”:

“We’ve CROSSED some Strange Boundary here. The World has taken a turn for the SURREAL.”

When is it going to be announced that Shannon is her kid??

Relax, Toni. Nancy’s only kidding!

I’d still like to know why my parents married on April first.

Well, this seals that Toni really IS genuine! To me, her reaction is one where you’re not sure how you’re being taken, and you want to leave no doubt…..And Nancy’s sense of humor is showing!

Nah. It’s okay for Toni to let Nancy see her with her guard down. In fact, Nancy was probably hoping for exactly such a reaction.

Soooooo…when does Luann find out? After all, it’s her strip.

Nancy is just teasing Toni. Poor dear is so worried.

Nah. No doubts fronm Nancy. It’s Toni learning the arcane pas de deaux all bride to be’s have to get down with Momma Bear.. When she does, Brad won’t stand a chance, I know I don’t. Shannon is the daughter of her brother and Ann Eiffel.

Best wishes and condolences to the residents of West, Texas today.

Okay, T.L.C. and Tenderly….

In case you didn’t see, I apologized and chastised myself, after seeing the combo of chartreuse and puce together… your picture helped cinch it! I also saw a copula pics on the net with it…. I guess I just automatically wrote puce off, but I want to reform and not be chromatically prejudiced, any longer…..

When my wife and I were registering for our wedding at a modest department store, we had such fun going up and down the aisles, scanning and zapping for the registry, all excited with the anticipation of having this stuff for our own place, for just us…. and the stuff we registered wasn’t expensive or too elaborate (the 2nd most expensive thing was the microwave, at under 80)…. but what’s the ONE THING that we got the MOST of? Dishes! Everyone (or so it seemed) must’ve thought they were doing us a favor in getting dishes… (some mustve skipped the registry sticker we put in the invites as a reminder)….We didn’t have a microwave to put the food in (only for the first week, and there WAS the stove, too, heh heh), but we sure did get PLENTY of dishes… we laugh about it, still… we also had a lot of other fun and exciting adventures (and ooone or two stressful things, but not many) leading up to the nuptials….. I hope B&T can have such fun, or even more……

Her April fools was that it wasn’t a joke.

Partial kidding, partial still can’t believe it.

would be a good joke

Just because it’s Luann’s strip doesn’t mean she gets to read it.

Gee,

Do you think that Toni is nervous much?

Well, it looks like it’s going to take a while before these two are totally comfortable with each other.

We are going on three weeks on this story arc and still no Luann. Let’s hope Greg is saving the best reaction for last.

“Well, it looks like it’s going to take a while before these two are totally comfortable with each other.”

- They are mother-in-law and daughter-in-law (in spe), for heaven’s sake! How could they be comfortable together?

My parents eloped on April Fools day in 1960. My Dad said that if you are going to do something as foolish as get married, pick the perfect day for it. They were married for 45 years. I miss them.

While I wanted to see more Toni-Nancy fireworks, my desire has been slaked. Glad to see these two are patching things up and having an adult talk.

So, will we get to see more of Toni’s family besides her brother and niece?

@Brdshttthanks for the link to the article yesterday :) so maybe we have another twenty years or so of luann…

Hey, considering the events which happened today near Waco taking the lives of many first responders, there but for the grace of God go Brad or Toni. My thoughts and prayers go with those who selflessly attended the disaster to help preserve the lives of those in the ‘line of fire’ only to be consumed by the following events which are yet to be fully accounted for. Godspeed to the emergency services.

I don;t know about this. My doubting nature thinks this will take a turn to the dramatic.

Hmmmm,

I’m reminded of this strip from 3/20/2010:Nancy had a hard time forgiving and forgetting Toni’s earlier treatment of Brad, but Toni has now proved her worth to her. She appears eager to put it all in the past and move on.

In a strange way, however, the roles have reversed. While Nancy has forgiven Toni and is moving on, it is obvious that Toni is having trouble doing the same with Nancy. She remembers well Nancy’s mistrust of her, and she is still very nervous around her.

Given the tense dynamic that often occurs between a wife and her mother-in-law, this is going to take some time before Toni can put Nancy’s former mistrust of her in the past and feel comfortable around her.

I have a feeling a lot of you are reading into this what you want to see. Nancy says that she has no problem with Toni and you all read Nancy has a problem

I’m sure Nancy has fully accepted Toni. Lots of parents realize when their child is dating “the one”. It’s only a matter of “when”, not “if” they’ll get engaged.

Noticed that it was five years ago, 2 April 2008, that Brad and Toni had their first kiss. Plus the sham proposal last year, but the real one this year. Greg sure likes April 1st for turning points!

Whoa. That stone is almost as wide as her finger. That means it’s a ROCK.

Ahem……….just to make a point (and at the risk that this point has been made already, even maybe a year ago)…….both Brad and Toni made their wedding proposals at dinner time, no? As anybody knows, April Fools expires at NOON on April first. And then you get to recite the ditty:

“April Fools is gone and passed and you’re the greatest fool at last!”

“I thought of using some of them for trapshooting.”^^Ha ha! Good Idea! And if anybody complains, you can ask them-would you rather I re-gift them? You see me using them!

I don’t wish to put too much emphasis on this. The point I was trying to make is that Nancy used to have some serious misgivings and concerns about Toni. However, she’s had several years now to watch her and Brad together, see how close Toni and Luann have become, and observed Toni’s unselfish caring of Shannon. Combine all that with them now being engaged, (with Toni initiating the final phase) and Nancy is good to go. She has no more concerns.

Toni, on the other hand, doesn’t quite trust Nancy yet. Witness that sudden defensiveness in the last panel. Nancy was making a small humorous reference to the irony of the date, and Toni immediately rushed to make sure that Nancy knew it was for real. Nancy knows it’s for real, but Toni still is nervous around her. She still remembers all the coolness with which Nancy treated her. She hasn’t gotten past it yet.

That is what I meant by the situation is being reversed. It used to be Nancy being the one not fully comfortable with the other due to prior history. It is now Toni not fully comfortable with Nancy due to prior history.

Like Mom, Like Brad.

“I’m pretty sure that’s how we got some of them”^^yeah….. that is so true… I guess it’s the world’s second oldest pyramid scheme…..

They will never live April Fools Day down.

We didn’t get any dishes that I recall, but we did get four or five sets of glasses, and two toasters.

Today’s strip is as painful as a root canal.

“It saves me the headache of choosing an approprate gift, and the receiver gets to pick exactly what she/he wants. I have never received complaints” Exactly!

Continued from yesterday…^The Brad & Toni Saga – 2006^Jan 16-21^Frank advises Brad on Toni, comparing women to cars.^Jan 23-28^Brad and Toni both win awards for their recrod toy drive results. Toni kisses Brad for the first time, but as she points out, it’s a chaste kiss on the cheek in front of an audience, so it might not be that romantic.^Jan 30-Feb 4, Feb 6-11^Dirk starts up his own yard care service, so he’ll “just happen” to spend a lot of time with Toni at her firestation while he takes care of its yard.^Feb 13-18^Brad forgets about Valentine’s. ^March 6-11, 13-18^Luann, Brad, and Toni help Mrs. Horner move from her house to her retirement home…and get some unexpected “help” from Dirk.^April 22, 24-26^Brad helps Luann entertain at Mrs. Horner’s retirement home.^April 27-29, May 1-6, 8-13^Dirk shows up at Brad’s firestation helping Toni fix Reddy. This is the last straw for Brad, who calls the police and has Drik arrested for violating his restraining order against Brad. Brad and Toni break up.^May 29-June 3^Brad’s moping around the house, still not over Toni.^Aug 28-Sep 2^Brad and Toni try to do one more Reddy school presentation, but it degenerates into a bitter quarrel. Brad requests to be off the Reddy program.^Brad’s storyarc for the rest of the year involves his parents buying Mrs. Horner’s old house, Brad agreeing to rent it, and the family remodeling it. While this is where Brad and Toni reunite, it won’t happen till the next year.

To the Bird55 – sounds like you parents have a great sense of humor!

Also to Litle Contessa – ditto about the great sense of humor – good to hear about marriages that last – just like you, miss my parents everyday – I wish I was nicer to them!

Nancy & Toni look almost like sisters today!

PMark, yesterday you asked whom I meant when I said “we” try to be courteous by not posting a large amount of pictures. I guess the answer is

1) People who downsize the pictures they post.2) Mature posters.3) It’s an editorial “we”4) An unnamed secret gang of lowlifes organized to infilitrate the very bowels of our rudeness!

The Brad & Toni Saga – 2007^Feb 19-24, Feb 26-March 3, March 5-10, 12-17, 19-24^Brad moves in to the old Horner house, Toni drops by while he’s moving, and leaves behind her glove.^April 9-14, 16-21^Toni drops by for another visit.^April 30-May 5, May 7-12, 14-19^Tiffany kisses Brad to get at Luann, Toni sees it.^June 18-23, 25-30, July 2-7, 9-14^At TJ’s urging, Brad invites Toni for dinner at his place, with TJ cooking.^Sep 3-8, 10-15^TJ becomes Brad’s roomate.^Oct 22-27, Oct 29-Nov 3^Brad, TJ, and Toni make Brad and TJ’s place into a haunted house for Halloween.^Dec 10-15, 17-22^Brad and Toni’s firestations have a competing food drive, which Brad’s station wins. Brad dresses as Santa with Toni as his helper for a food bank. Toni kisses Santa!Brad, leaving Brad to wonder which one she’s kissing.^Dec 25^Santa!Brad and Helper!Toni wish you a Merry Christmas.

“Here’s the ring to prove that I’m no joker.”.Always a pleasure to meet another “Rocky” fan.

The Brad & Toni Saga – 2008^Jan 21-26, Jan 28-Feb 2^Brad attends a seminar with Toni.^March 3-8, 10-15, 17-22, 24-29, March 31-April 5, April 7-12^Brad takes Toni on a date, meets her bratty niece Shannon, and he and Toni have their first real romantic kiss.^May 12-17^Brad starts to grow a gaotee to impress Toni.^May 26-31, June 2-7^Brad with his goatee has a date with Toni, who’s babysitting Shannon. Toni and Shannon promptly shave it off.^June 16-21, 23-28, June 30-July 5, July 7-12, 14-19, 21-26, July 28- Aug 2, Aug 4-9, 11-16, 18-23, 25-29, Sep 1-6, 8-13, 15-20, 22, 27, Sep 29-Oct 4, Oct 6-11^Brad and TJ’s house catches fire, and Brad and TJ have to move in with Brad’s family. This is a long inter-connected story that Toni moves in and out of throughout. She shows up as a firefighter to help put out the fire. When TJ sells Luann his stick shift car, Toni teaches her how to drive it. Toni gets a tattoo and both Brad and Luann want one. It all culminates with the making of a hot firefighters calender which Toni photographs for and is the only female model.^Oct 20-25^With all the photos taken, the hot firefighters calender is getting made.^Nov 10-15^With the hot firefighters calender being made, it’s now getting sold.^Dec 8-13, 15-20^Brad wants to give Toni a Christmas presents. TJ offers what turns out to be a very inappropriate gift.

I’ll post some more of these tomorrow.

thebird55:

Probably the same reason my wife and I married on Feb 29…

“Here’s the ring to prove that I’m no joker…”

It’s astounding!

@ Litle Contessa:

My Dad passed away in ’84, 20 years to the day after his mother; Mom passed away on their 60th anniversary, in ’06.

And at 58, I miss them very much.

I don’t think we have any wedding gift left. They’ve all been used up, or given away. We still have most of the set of Lustre Craft cookware my wife had purchased for her hope chest before she had even met me, but everything else is pretty much gone.

I don’t see it happening. She was moved to propose seeing her ex, and that is not a good omen! Nancy will save her negative comments for after Brad and Toni go home.

I’m glad for them, but there’s a little doubt still due to her decision so close on the heels of seeing Dirk and his new family.

no tension between characters equals no interest for reader

" But after the ratings spike to record levels the lack of the earlier drama before the marriage equals low ratings and the shows go off the air as a result"^^My comment was meant to show that not everyone will be interested, but the fact that I’m responding to you and you keep waiting around for another shoe to fall from the sky shows that while you and others may be losing interest, your very commenting and checking daily shows that you are (or I guess it should be have been) still willing to stick around. Usually, people that have lost interest will move on, (Or in the case of Rhoda. Happy Days, Love Boat and the like, change the channel.) For people who claim it’s not interesting, they sure do still hang around commenting, and one must assume still reading….

Breathe, Toni, breath girl.

Oh Nancy, that last hold out hope, eh?

Calls to mind one of the famous Yogi Berraisms, about a particular restaurant: “Nobody goes there any more… it’s too crowded!”^^Spot on!

why do some people get so concerned over the lack of “realism” in the strip? Of course it’s not real, and a girl like Toni would never marry a guy like Brad in real life…….but a mouse would never talk in real life, nor a man have super powers, nor people never age……if comics always mimicked real life, what would be the point? It’s an escape from reality….relax and enjoy!

can’t wait til Luann finds out will she be happy?…that’s the problem

Luann is a happy child lately