For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for December 18, 2017

I would have read her the riot act. I need my beauty sleep-and sure there’s hotcakes on the griddle but I’ll cook my own breakfast later thank you very much, you unctous sow!

can’t argue with Elizabeth’s cousin there on that statement

The farm, where no one sleeps past 7 am and where the tractor parts store opens before 7 am.

I definitely wouldn’t like living on a farm. Up too early and down too early. Living is too farm-centric – focus and energy entirely on the farm, not much else. There is too much to living, things to see, places to go. Leave the lifestyle to who enjoys dedicating whole life to it. It’s said farming is a clean lifestyle and there’s not much crime and all and that’s probably true, but I will take the city, crime and all.

For a moment there, I thought Lizzie had doubled and was talking to herself. I must be tired.

And welcome to the realities of farm life, Elizabeth!

Welcome to the farm.

“Holiday?” The animals don’t know the word.

One of the many, many blessings of growing up on a working ranch or a farm is that you not only learn self-sufficiency at a very early age, but you learn how to use your imagination, and to improvise.

Mike’s already up? But I guess he smelled Grandma’s cooking.

Anyone who wakes me up at 7 in the bloody morning when I don’t actually have to be up that early has accepted the risks they’re taking.

So true!

Sorry, I despise people like this. It’s not just that they expect you out of bed and at the breakfast table in the 6-zone, but the self-righteous, unspoken “Our way of life is better than yours” “What is it with you city folk anyway, thinkin’ it’s so cool to stay up past 9:00 at night, watchin’ that new-fangled telly-vision?” Hey, they’re your guests – not your farm slaves. You could’ve at least given all of them a heads-up the night before: “Look, we know you hosers don’t adhere to our crazy schedule back where you come from, but ‘round here Uncle Jeb is up at 4 AM to feed the hogs and Granny Fritzie will be servin’ hard tack for breakfast at 6 sharp, eh?”

Lynn’s Notes:

True enough. Nobody works harder than a farmer.

I can’t believe how worked up all these city folks get over “farm life” being imposed on them. In the city you have to deal with vegetarians, as well as vegans. (When I visit, you have to cook for me. When you visit you have to eat like me). Have they ever seen stars? Light pollution in the cities makes it impossible. Fresh air? You jest! Gangs? Two hour commutes? Constant traffic noise. Status seeking snobs. The list goes on ad infinitum, ad nauseaum. No thanks!

People who are biorhythmically unattuned to a farm schedule tend to gravitate to where they fit. Usually, the cities offer the shift diversity to accommodate different sleep requirements.

I’m not very impressed with this farm arc of Johnston’s so far.Her stereotypical characters seem to be from the early 1900’s,( I’m still waiting for Johnboy to make an appearance) I’ll be spending Xmas on a farm in SW Manitoba close to where this storyline takes place,and no one gets up much before 8 am ( unless there’s a calf to pull that is) much less cook hot cakes and bacon.These days,there’s on-line cattle auctions, video survalence of livestock,travel to ag-conventions,and visits to Granny and Gramps at their condo in Palm Springs!

Excluding corporate agriculture, most farmers have to work in town in order to make enough money to continue farming. Oligopoly and olisipy are doing them in.