For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for December 23, 2022

I live in the Northwest in Washington whereas my maternal grandparents lived* in the Southwest in Arizona. We didn’t visit them every Christmas nor did they us. As for my paternal grandparents in the Mountain West in Wyoming, they had already passed on before my parents were married and before my older brother was born.

*They’ve passed on in 2007 and ’08.

Nice to see, Phil, again. I have been wondering about him ! ! !

I wish I could step back 60 years for a do-over.

My family, both sets of grandparents, and all my mom’s and dad’s siblings and their families lived in the same town until I was in high school. You can imagine the get-togethers all through the year but they paled in comparison to Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was glorious and I know how lucky I am to have those memories.

Today’s comic is very emotional and sentimental because when your parents or grandparents lived far away at a time when they likely didn’t have video skype phones or video messengers or even facebook, (1993?), gosh, you couldn’t see them unless they took still pictures and sent them in Christmas cards by snail mail if they couldn’t make the trip in person! How times have changed since this was originally published!

Enjoy the family elders while you can….

The best gift: still having one’s parents around.

I MISS YOU PAPA JIM

Traveling cross country for Christmas, or any holiday, is a luxury we sort of take for granted these days. Not sorry.

“I wish we didn’t have to do this at MY house every single year. How come you and Georgia can’t host some thing at least once??”

Bring on the nostalgic memories and a tear or two.

Get this. I have not seen my siblings in over 40 years. I have tried and tried to get us all together, but no one wants to. Far too many unresolved issues from my parents passing. I have three sisters and four brothers. I probably not recognise them even if I did see them.

My father always said, “If wishes were horses; beggars would ride!” (Very, very old idiom!)

Never take it for granted.

My Grandmother had 7 brothers and sisters, and they all lived within a few blocks of each other in SF, including one sister who lived down the street

To me there’s nothing like family,sure miss mine!

I worked with my parents in the family business for over 20 years, I didn’t always like it, but I am so thankful that I did get to spend so much time with them as they passed in 2005 and 2013.

My mother died in 2006 and my dad in 2009. I still miss them terribly.

Ellie, Phill, the time for wishing is past. Now is the time for action. Sit down with them and have a discussion with them about their lives and how making some changes would be good for them as well as the both of you.

I won’t move away to a warmer climate because of family. When I got up for my dog’s morning walk, it was so windy that my garbage that I put out last night to be picked up was gone – but no one else’s was. I have no idea where it is, but I hope it gets picked up. It took me longer to get dressed for the weather (windchill -18F) than my dog actually spent outside. I hate the cold with a passion but won’t leave my child and her family for anything. The actual temperature now is 1F. Snow blowing sideways or upwards all day so far. Other than the dog’s needs, I am not leaving the house today.

Sad to say but I lived far enough away not to see them unless we wanted to drive 50 or so miles. They bickered a lot and I hated to have my kids see them that way so I only went there on special occasions.

We have relatives in Saskatchewan and they can’t get out due to the storms. It will be a fun NYE instead.