Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson for December 03, 2023

I HATED oatmeal growing because I never had anything other than the crappy instant kind. It wasn’t until I was in my 30s that fell in love with it after trying rolled and steel-cut oats for the first time.

“Extra lumpy” How about extra crunchy, like peanut butter? With licorice?

Save the box Alice’s favorite cereal came in and just refill it.

I never understood why so many kids dislike raisins. My cousin referred to them as old dead grapes. I liked them as a kid, and I still do.

American instant oatmeal has been purified and bleached and “fortified” until every last bit of natural flavor has been extracted, which is why they had to come up with all those imitation flavors to make it semi-palatable. When I visited Scotland in my thirties, I tried the porridge — their version of oatmeal — and was blown away by the wonderful nutty, earthy flavor. I haven’t had instant oatmeal in nearly thirty years.

My dad’s mother made him oatmeal every day… that was in 1915. He taught me to love hot cereal, especially Corn Meal Mush!!! I never understood why The Little Rascals or Our Gang never like corn meal mush. It’s delicious!!! Especially with butter and brown sugar on it.

Nice innocent kid face in that last panel, Alice

Good job, Madeline. ☺

Just keep the old Hyena brand box and put the bag from Jolly Os into it. Everyone happy.

I love her mother! :D

My poor mother. I was a difficult child. I remember (I was probably 4 or 5, and yes, I have a lot of memories of that time) her fixing me toast for breakfast and me asking her if it was “Golden brown, just like Trigger?” (that would be Trigger, Roy Rogers’ Palomino horse) and her patient answer, “Yes, it’s golden brown just like Trigger.” (In my defense, even back then I had a touchy stomach.)

Madeline’s psy-war option quickly changed Alice’s tune! Tastes are quirky and apparently malleable….

The cats can be suspicious that way too, if you don’t serve exactly the same brand and flavor of store-bought food as usual. But they’re given the choice to take it or leave it, and it’s gone by morning.