For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for July 17, 2024

It’s positive that she won’t be doing the work she is foisting on him

And then ‘we’ can remodel the kitchen… And then we can…

And the porch/stairs refinishing will make the living room curtains look shabby. Which will make the lamps and sofa cushions look shabby. Which. . . .

Hire somebody!!

OOPS!!!!!

It is all the dog’s fault.

“Oh, yes—we’ll need an exterminator to deal with all the flies and mosquitos that’ll come in that open door.”

Betcha Elizabeth can help you, John—unless the idea of a “mere girl” doing carpentry is appalling to you!

Well, get to it then!

OK, first off, if it’s tape glue, it won’t sand off very easy at all-it’ll clog the sandpaper. And if the tape pulled off the veneer, I’d just get a new door.

Business is low for the dentist?

Never paint the bathroom ceiling, next thing you know you will be doing the whole house. I know from experience.

You’re right Elle, have at it.

That’s not a bright side for John

Then YOU pay for it, El!

Oop, John just expanded the Honey-Do List. Now a four – five hour job will take the whole weekend.

Every little home repair project has a tendency to grow!

I’m betting my top dollar that the thought of helping John re-do the porch and stairs never even flitted across Elly’s mind. And if by some miracle she does help with such a project, she’ll reconsider just what a great idea it’ll be the next time such an idea occurs to her!

The irony is Elle created the door work by not thinking through her carpet on the door idea, and now she’s giving him even more work.

I completely agree. “Hey John, I messed up. I have a great idea: You fix it, and while you’re at it, here’s some other stuff you can do!”

Noticing something needs fixing and fixing things can have a domino effect.

Aren’t they worried about letting in flies?

Hand her a sander.

My endodontist years ago had to give up his practice when he cut his hand badly on his table saw. I have no idea what he’s done since then but John should be very careful.

Edgar’s starting to feel guilty about this…

Oh,I should have seen this coming. Sheesh.

division of labor… one noticer, one fixer.

Wind and rain coming up…..and Edgar wonders what he can do to drive his owners crazy TOMORROW….

Problem oriented vs solution oriented…..just sayin !

That one was already done. When Elly’s father broke the ceiling to Michael’s bedroom, John fixed it. Elly then “noticed” how there were other ways to remodel the house.

I would have started with Jasco paint remover

One job at a time.

This brought to mind a commercial I hate. They run it ad nauseam during Medicare open enrollment season. A particularly unpleasant woman is chastising her husband (who is just trying to read a book by the fire) for not calling about some Medicare Advantage plan. I always wish he’d say, “If it’s so darn important to you, then you call them!”

Elly: “John, is there any chance you could refinish the porch and stairs?”

John: “Yes, there are two chances.”

Elly: “Two chances?”

John: “Yes — slim and no!”

Funny how women find making work for men is the positive side.

LOL… the “honey do” list lives on !

hand her the tool box.

One project begets many other related projects.

And so it begins!

Things are going excellent for Elly. Edgar stopped scratching, John is helping out around the house and now Michael’s beard is history.

Get an apron and here’s a sander, have at it. I have teeth to pull.

I try to keep my wife from looking too closely at things.

THEN ROLL UP YOUR LAZY SLEEVES, DUM-BELLY!

Let me know when you get the the positive side.