Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for April 17, 2020

Mr. DeGroot ain’t much of doing domestic chores, is he?

Like the Everready bunny – still going!

There’s always a downside. ✨

Frank, say “I am excited, Nancy , with your enthusiasm, the Fuse turn a profit!!!!!!”

It’s something to do besides dwaddle down toward late middle age. The vest fits!

Luann can do those things to pay for her board!

I guess this means that we will see a new era where the comic strip will revolve around the Fuse and its workers, TJ, Ox, Tiffany and Nancy.

…because doing laundry is like rocket science, and poor Frank could NEVER learn to master such a skill! Tip: Don’t mix the red laundry with the white.

Okay, Frank. Here’s an answer, but first, a mouthful from me. You are being clueless, especially about the fact that today, many wives are working outside the home and many more men are now doing household chores. You’re NOT in the 50s anymore! So get with it!!! Now for my answer: you and Luann take on the chores. You guys wash the dishes, do the laundry, and clean the house. You’ve got two good arms and legs, so do your share of the chores. It’s not gonna kill you to do that!

uh oh – I think we are witnessing another clueless, chauvinistic male character study. sigh

Nancy, no. You can do better. Just hire some college girl for the job and find something better. Some 8 to 5 job so you can be home with Frank in the evenings. Be patient. Wait for something better in the ADs. Join Linkedin. Join Facebook. Advertise that you’re looking for a job.

Modern Times, Franky Boy!!!

Frank, " it is not a dream", no more Moony University storylines. Hilarity set to the maximum at the Fuse bar storylines!!

The only two story arcs I never liked in this strip are the ones with Aaron Hill (thankfully long in the past, despite a couple of recent scares) and Toni’s niece. But since those constitute a small portion of the action overall, I’m sticking with it! Fuse is fine and dandy by me.

Frank, to paraphrase from a “Cosby Show” episode “Are your hands broken???”

Frank, find Nancy a job at the car wash before you lose it.

Frank – What happened to the cuddle time?

I thought The Fuse was just beer & wine. Nancy mentions Mai Tais. Some places with no hard liquor license make weak Bloody Marys, Margaritas & Mai Tais with Soju – a half strength Korean liquor. They taste OK.

I still think Tiffany will get the extra room. She’ll tearfully ask Nancy to rent it to her.

“… but you will find it’s just as much fun as you have been led to think.”

Boy do I love Nancy’s response.

Heck, I do about 85 to 90% of the cooking in our home. Not that my wife cannot cook, it is just that I love to cook. I learned a lot when I lived in Spain…

yee hah…

Okay, so she wants to be the replacement Pru. I won’t say what I’m thinking but I think you know what that implies …. LOL

And to inter act with Ann Eifel. Whooo Who!

It would seem that the last calendar Frank bought was in 1958.

What, Frank, did you expect Nancy to still do all of the chores if she got a job outside of The Fuse?

Time to step up to the plate, Frank! If you’re good, maybe you’ll get a gold star on the chore chart that you and Luann will share!

I love where this arc is going! Nancy has every right to go outside the house and work. I’d like to see Frank do the household chores.

Frankly, the answer may not be to his liking…

In the meantime, while Nancy works through her midlife crisis, who covering Pru’s position at the Fuse?

Have you ever bartended before? No. So don’t do this. Hire somebody.

Ohhhhh Boy. With Nancy always “on the scene,” I think a lot of the “hi-jinks” that go on there will come into question. Maybe it will be good for people like Ox, who will get more “strip time,” etc. I think TJ might be safe but he better be careful. Of course Tiff, Lex etc. really need to be careful with “the boss” on the scene all the time! THis should prove quite interesting.

eh, I’m already over this weeks strip but have a feeling it will continue into next week too

Looks like Nancy is having her midlife crisis and want ro prove to herself to be able to do new and complicate things. I hope she’s really able and this will end well. But everything seem to ad to a disaster, and maybe also to a marriage crisis.

Do I wanna ask which decade that man is living in? Because it’s the ’20s…. the 1920s. Arrogant old fart sticks up for the patriarchy ….thanks Evans.

Who does Frank think she is Phyllis Schlafly?

Dinners have always been a big part of their lives. That’s going to be tough the housework is easy to share and will give Luann something to keep her mind off her nonexistent love life. Evenings will be a lonely time for Frank

Bro I love to cook but only breakfast foods. You want some crepes or pancakes or something I got you. I ain’t no Charlie Brown

Frank’s reaction is pathetic. Why does he even need to ask? Nancy can manage to do her work at the Fuse AND cook clean and do laundry at home. And since working at the Fuse will be her passion, she will of course give Frank her salary. Anyway, with this busy schedule she wouldn’t have time to spend the money she earns. It’s a win win situation. (This message is dedicated to live2read and BJShipley1 and might not be entirely serious).

She owns The Fuse, and she hasn’t been doing anything to keep it running? Unbelievable! It is about as believable as her considering working anywhere else.

Welcome to 2020, Frank!

I knew that’s where this strip was going but this doesn’t actually solve the DeGroot’s financial situation much. Unless, Nancy’s work can generate more income than Pru did.

She’s a co-owner of the business, and she hasn’t worked there yet? Her husband still thinks wives are mainly domestic servants?

“I wanna tap beer, mix mai tais, serve tables, meet customers and book bands!”

Yes, Nancy, and we wanna get you drunk and see what’s rockin’ under that vest.

Actually I think it’s great that Nancy wants to and I hope does work at the Fuse, after all they own it, or at least a part, and working couples do as well as so-called traditional one, where the wife is home and the husband works. Except that those couples are the exception, not the rule, and that has been the case probably since the 70’s. My wife and I both worked in our professions since we got married in 1975, and we raised two fine children and had all kinds of wonderful family and married life experiences. I am not worried about her ability, but either way it goes, shall I say, “hilarity will ensue” at various points.

What did I tell you guys? FRANK IS THE PROBLEM. He’s like a 1950s husband expecting Nancy to do everything. On top of that he’s a total POS trying to charge people for the air they breathe.

Depending on what “Paperwork and ordering…” entailed, this could give her experience observing the daily management part of the business. Slap together examples of order software used… a couple solid examples of how she saved money…example of handling personnel problems, and she’s set. Plus she’ll be a good bulwark against any more questionable events being booked.

Okay, the suggestion of mixing Mai Tais raises a question. Given that the staff of the Fuse or k2, or whatever its called are, for the most part, Luann’s former classmates and TJ, just who, other than TJ is old enough to serve drinks at the tables?

I mean is there a small horde of over 21 wait staff who much like the kitchen staff are named Michael McNevershowninthestrip?

Further, if the clientele of the place are, as has been shown for the most part, to be Luann’s age, often her former and current classmates and very occasionally their parents, (1 who are they serving drinks to and (2 is having one of their mothers tending bar a good idea business-wise?

“Oh, Jenny, I haven’t seen you since Luann’s 6th grade play, how’s your mother… And isn’t that boy a bit old for you?”

Poor Frank, even Rip van Winkle had to wake up, eventually.

Ok, Frank threw the snowball pitch so Nancy got to do the gag-line; everybody should be happy since this is the expected order of things. Nancy says something, Frank does set-up, Nancy delivers the quiet dig. As for Nancy going to work, good for her! I still contend she’s been working. I suspect she didn’t charge for her ours spent ordering and doing other things for the Fuse, sucked it up as an owner. I’ll be curious to see how many arcs we see her working (I’m projecting 2 moderately sized ones. First she’ll be a little overwhelmed, the second will be a successful show for the Fuse). I’d be interested in seeing the types of shows she brings in vs. those Pru brought in given differing tastes people have in acts.

Too bad all the bars are closed.

Erm.. doesn’t being a proper bartender require a license? And requires a steady, daily commitment. I get wanting to stay busy, but it’s not a great idea to jump into a full-time, mostly evening position on a whim. It’d be better for Nancy to stick to event planning and hire a bartender.

Oh, c’mon! She was doing the bookkeeping & payroll for the club already and they didn’t include at least a nominal line item for the value of that work? With business planning like that, the Fuse will burn out before Covid quarantines kill it!

Wow and I thought Frank couldn’t get more stupid. His character never had much to offer and now its offensive.

Okay Frank. I got the answer. Hire Gunther to do the cooking and cleaning. He already does it ALL at the Gulag due to his worthless roommate. And your daughter might like having a spotless room for a change. Gun’s pricey but good.

Just Speak to his business manager, Bets. And don’t let her come in contact with Luann……,

It isn’t the cooking, cleaning and laundry that you should be worried about. It is whether she will always be “to tired” after the lights go out.

Atta boy, Frank! Looks like your application is on top of the pile!

If Luann is going to inherit all these chores – this may prompt her to start planning to go on her own. She’ll need a better job – or at least two jobs like the pre school job.

Nancy may discover working at The Fuse isn’t all fun and games.

Nancy yes! Go for it and enjoy a chance to do something because you choose to do it! Frank’s a grown man; he can handle a few evenings alone. Heck, he should already be helping with the housework. If you really want to work at the Fuse, you should do it.

singalong for Nan..

Yo, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want

I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want

So tell me what you want, what you really, really want

I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna

I wanna really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

1. Don’t you need a license to be a bartender?

2. Does this mean that she might book the The Alan Parsons Project in the club?

And just like that, Frank reveals himself to be a Neanderthal. Disappointing. I hope he manages to redeem himself.

I don’t get why The Fuse needs a bartender, since we never see any alcohol served there.

If Frank doesn’t want to cook dinner for himself, he could go to the restaurant he owns.

Well everybody is spun up on who does the household chores! Every marriage settles into some kind of accommodation. I’d venture that no marriage is actually 50-50! Problems can occur when the possibility of a new accommodation needs to be worked out, as in this strip.

In the comic strip trope world, how much is “killing ‘monster’ spiders” and “taking out the garbage” worth.

Here we see two fantasies; one rooted in the past, the other in the future.

Since when is getting a job to make ends meet and contribute to household and family expenses considered a ‘midlife crisis’, which so many here have used to characterize Nancy. What people (and Frank) here seem to be objecting to is Nancy’s sense of energy and mission. Midlife crisis? no, meeting needs and rising to the challenge of them? yes. As I mentioned in a previous reply, Nancy is the ‘realist’ in this household. While the others talk about making the extra room into a gym or a VR lounge or who will pay for Luann’s college tuition, Nancy is the one who is coming up with solutions. Cooking, cleaning, laundry?? those are basic life skills; we all do these things.

Frank may pick up some household chores (since he too has a day job). But I would venture they wouldn’t be done like Nancy did them. I hope she’s ready.

After my wife’s surgery I did all the cooking, laundry and dishes. But my outlook is that the machines are here for my convenience; not the other way around. I didn’t necessarily wait for the dishwasher to be “full.” If there was only a few dishes in it and I needed them for b’fast, then heck, it had a short cycle. Didn’t wait for a “full” laundry load either. And I tended to wash clothes that would dry at same rate. (Yeah, yeah. I knew about colors bleeding from my college days.) I kept the laundry loads to manageable fold-and-put-up size time-wise.

And yes! I am an engineer (retired). So I naturally know a better way! 8^ D

What Frank should have asked was “Do you have any training or background as a bartender that I don’t know about?” There is much more to the job then pulling a tap and listening to customers complain. Does she know how to mix drinks? A good bartender, like a good chef, also has the creativity to come up with signature drinks for their establishment and improve on existing recipes.

One question. Why is everyone in this comic drawn as being totally oblivious and unaffected by the upheaval caused by the corona virus crisis and the massive unemployment situation, especially in California? The FUSE would have been shut down. The only thing Nancy will be doing is staying home and cuddling up with Frank.

Nancy wants to join the working class.

they own it, she can set her own hours.

Time to step up at home Frank!

Help me out here. I can’t recall Frank ever actually going to or being at work. Lots of you say he has a job, but what is it?

I’ve enjoyed seeing Nancy and Frank the last few weeks. It is a nice break from whiny Gunther and clingy Bets and controlling Bernice.

What the heck? What husband would actually say this in 2020? What couple can’t get extremely basic housework done if one of them gets a new job? What did I actually just read??

Get off your azz Frank and learn how to run the washer

At least in the short run, Nancy taking over Pru’s duties makes a lot of since they are shorthanded right now. Placing ads, interviewing, and hiring the right person takes time. If hiring a person who is currently working, you can add their two weeks notice to the the time they will be scrambling to cover the jobs. Also, they might find a good bartender that can’t handle Pru’s other duties or vice versa.

Imagine if Luann & Frank had the Enthusiasm of Nancy!

I just realized she should love the fact that the vest that fit a slender thespian fits her, a middle aged mother of 2 perfectly.way to keep your shape!

I wonder if all these people would be saying “no, you should stay home with your spouse in the evenings” if it was FRANK that wanted to take over Pru’s job.

Frank – go look in the mirror to get the answer to your question.

Man, this sounds like a fun job!

Gee a new ‘hate group’ seems to be emerging: a HateNancy (or, at least, a ‘DissNancy’ group) What fun (not). News bulletin to the Charter Members of DissNancy Club (Eric and Aladar30 and whoever I missed): when a married woman who has not only taken care of family and household, but also worked ‘behind the scenes’ in a family business wants a paid job, this is NOT evidence of a so-called ‘Mid Life Crisis’. The Mid Life Crisis used to be an ailment suffered by a man who had reached a point in his life where his kids were thinking about going off to college or exciting jobs, and he realized he was stuck in a job he no longer liked and had no prospect of a promotion, and also his wife had a few gray hairs. So he would go out and buy a fancy sports car and have an affair with a woman half his age. Nancy isn’t doing anything like that.

And to the newest members of the ‘HateLuann’ club (“rozita riot act” and Creative Chef [too bad, I like your screen name], among others): if you look at Luann Againn occasionally, you’ll see her carrying laundry baskets around lots of time while her beloved brother sits at the kitchen table eating everything as soon as Nancy cooks it. Luann may not clean up her room, but she has participated in household choirs. Older brother Brad (before he became a first responder) and Frank? Not so much…

“I Am Woman, See Me Pour”

“Tap Dance”

“Server Girl”

“You Don’t Wanna Know, You Don’t Really Wanna Know (♪♫)”

“Working Mom”

I was just thinking…

Perhaps the first band Nancy books could be the one where Hair is the drummer!

Nancy wants to book bands. Have we seen any evidence yet of bands at The Fuse?

I was just about to ask, does Mom DeGroot have a Bartending license? The Fuse seems like a dead end for arcs.

“if you gotta ask , you don’t wanna know” Can’t wait for the look on Frank’s face when he gets the answer to his question. But I think tomorrow will move us farther forward than that.

What exactly does Frank DO? I mean, does he work, or is he retired or what? On that same note, what exactly does LUANN do? Around the house, I mean. I can’t blame Nancy for wanting to take a break from being chief cook and bottle washer in this family.

Frankie, Frankie! Where have you been for the last 50 years? Never heard of Women’s Liberation? Learn to cook, fast, or starve!

Sounds like fun!! You go girl!

You and Luann Frank. It would be about darn time.