Agnes by Tony Cochran for July 29, 2014

I used to only know the date by rembering what date was on my Sunday School lesson and add the number of days since then.

“Your eyelids need dusted.” That doesn’t make sense. Your eyelids need dusting? Still doesn’t make sense.

Does the last panel go with this strip? It sounds like a response to something else. Not that I’ve ever screwed up at my job; let me count the ways.

I don’t know how “regional” it is (I live near Baltimore) but I’ve heard people omit to “to be” lots of times. The table needs set, the dress needs shortened, the grass needs mowed. It drives me nuts.

Here’s a source that says phrases like “needs dusted” are a Scots-Irish contribution to American regional speech, centered around Pittsburgh. http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/needs-washed

Go back to sleep, Agnes. If you get up, you’ll only have to fold laundry again.

You should have said, “Go back to sleep Agnes. If you’re awake you only have to explain this joke!”

Its a summer lie in. … get up tomorrow.