For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for August 29, 2024

Good move, John!

45 isn’t middle age anymore as people are now reaching 85-90s. Harrison Ford is 82 and still making movies. Clint Eastwood is 94. Today middle age is more 50-55

John knew the right thing to say…

Today (not when this strip was written) a 45 year old can expect to live to age 79, with a 24% chance of reaching 90. The middle of 90 is 45. The middle of 79 is 38. Even if you say age doesn’t start until adulthood, they’re well into middle age. Been there; done that.

I remember a Happy Days episode when Marion was upset that a couple they knew divorced and he married a younger woman. She got all insecure that Howard was gonna dump her for a younger woman because she was middle-aged. His response “Well of course you’re middle-aged. And so am I. And my plan was always that we would grow old together.” The episode also the one where she dressed up as a belly dancer because Fonzie told her if she was worried they were in a rut, maybe she could try doing something different.

Smooth move, John. That nearly brought a smile to Elly’s face!

John, do you honestly think you can live with her for 20 more years??

From Lynn’s Comments: I once gave each of the girls who worked for me the gift of a professional glamour portrait. I told them that someday they’d look at these photographs and be glad they had them. It’s 20 years since I did this. I hope they look at those portraits from time to time and see how lovely they were.

Well, they better get started ‘spiffing up’! It takes much longer to ‘spiff up’ as one grows in age.

45? 46? Just young whippersnappers.

Sometimes he does say the right thing.

John Patterson, you softie!

Oh dear, our older two boys are 45. You know what that makes us – geezers!

Finally got it right, Jon!

That is the truth!

When we moved to current house, I let my husband place pictures where he wanted, he retired from 36 years of work, me I was working PT I never got a full time job, well he did, I do not think my husband does like John did, current picture to past pictures, I do and notice difference. Our engagement picture 43 years ago to now. I was much slimmer back then.

Just hope Elle does something with her ‘frumpy’ hairdo ! ! ! !

As good a milestone as any, John.

I have a photo of my SO and me from about 20 years ago on a bookshelf. Not only do we look younger, we look thinner too.

We have a similar photo at marriage ages 20 and 18. Hilarious now.

Elly is thinking to herself “If only the portrait were to get older but I stay the same!”

There’s an aphorism that goes, “Old age is halfway between your age and one hundred.”

And as a rule of thumb, that works pretty well.

That’s a really good idea! I’m trying to get a portrait session scheduled for my daughter’s senior photos; maybe hubby and I should get a portrait too. :-)

John is a man still in love with a beautiful woman. Age is a number, nothing more.

boy, ain’t that the truth.

Do adults still have portraits taken?

Also, laugh at the silly memories that you both had that were just silly mistakes.

42…the answer to Life and Middle Age is always….42….

Actually I’m thinking that in twenty years they’ll be 36 and 37. At least that’s how it worked the first time around.

Photographs and memories

Christmas cards you sent to me

All that I have are these

To remember you

Memories that come at night

Take me to another time

Back to a happier day

When I called you mine

But we sure had a good time

When we started way back when

Morning walks and bedroom talks

Oh how I loved you then

Summer skies and lullabies

Nights we couldn’t say good-bye

And of all of the things that we knew

Not a dream survived

Photographs and memories

All the love you gave to me

Somehow it just can’t be true

That’s all I’ve left of you

But we sure had a good time

When we started way back when

Morning walks and bedroom talks

Oh how I loved you then

I like that idea! I’m 66, and have a portrait of me when I was forty, with my daughter, who was seven and our GSD hanging next to my computer where I can look at my beautiful young self whenever I want! haha

Don’t wait until you are 77!

Yup, these are the good old days.

My wife and I are in our mid 70s. We look back on pics from 30 years ago and think exactly what John and Ellie are thinking.

Yeah, this whole age storyline seems dated to me, give people credit OK, the world has changed. Right now a lot of those helicopter Mommy & Daddy Baby Boomers are having kids John & Elys age moving home with them !

When my brothers, cousins, and I were getting into our mid-30s, my Uncle Nick (r.i.p.) would say “Even the kids are getting up there.” He was righter than he knew!

He is absolutely right!

We had portraits made in 20+ years ago, and they’re still in the envelope. When we got them, I saw a fat woman and he saw an old man!

Ooga Farley!

Booga Farley!

Googa Farley!

Wooga Farley!

There ya go! You said what she needs to hear!

Yup.

Oh to be 45 again

As long as his hANDS DON’T SHAKE WHILE HE’S WORKING ON SOMEBODY’S TEETH….