For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 21, 2010

Oh Elly, so true…

We don’t even have real winters anymore.

Ah, but I’m with John on this one. I grew up in northern Utah, and spent 15 years in northeastern Ohio, as well as two years in New York City, so I’ve seen my share of severe winter weather in my lifetime. I always said that I had to have snow for that week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, but come January 2, I wanted it gone!

I’ve been living in Arizona (Phoenix area, to be exact) for the past six years now, and I can honestly say that I don’t miss the winter weather of my youth one little bit! :)

When I was a kid, my dad was stationed in Minnesota for 5 years, and I saw and shoveled my share of snow. A couple of weeks ago, here in Fort Worth, we had so much snow I had nightmares of my youth…

It’s good to be able to see Elly put things in perspective for once. Hopefully she will remember this the next time she finds a crumb on the counter, and stop herself before she flips out.

In Michigan winter is too short and summer too long……….

I like winter for the first month and a half, then I am all for spring. Unfortunately…I live in Western New York, where winter lasts FOREVER.

Nothing lasts forever, Spring is a month away. Easter is coming, then Memorial Day, then Summer. (nuff said)

\\//_

God is good.

Move to Florida already and quit whining.

Yes, Legaleagle, I moved to Phoenix from Chicago (Skokie actually) in ‘98 and LOVE it here! I don’t even want to do to Flag’ except in the summer-fun to ride the ski lifts when it’s really hot down here.

You couldn’t pay me enough to live in Florida or the southwest. I’ve been to both in the summer… too stifling and I don’t want to only stay in the A/C all summer. The southwest is too dry, it makes me feel constantly parched, but that may be because I grew up in a humid area and that’s what I’m used to. Florida is nice to visit though. Atlanta is the furthest south I will go and there are many summers when I’ve wanted to move, but jobs keep us here. Ideally, NC or VA would be perfect for me. A little cold and snow to make it fun, but not too much.

So true, dkram!

Elly has spoken the truth and John’s wishful thinking has always been this Canadian’s dream, in spite of the olympics. In Montreal we noprmally have 11 months of winter and july An aside comment about the olympics, I’m waiting for the snow shoveling competition . An event that would need a olympic driveway covered in snow to be shoveled by an individual, this person would be graded on speed, technique, and snow placement.

@Harvey Smith, you know perfectly well that trying to shovel snow too fast can lead to a heart attack.

It’s like Lynn read my mind. Those first six panels are almost exactly what I’ve been saying for years.

In a perfect world, there’d be a white Christmas, followed by seven months of spring with late sunsets, mild summer in the 70s and low 80s in August, three months of crisp, colorful autumn leaves and early dusk, then snowy December again. And we’d have a legal holiday to take off between President’s Day and Memorial Day.

Elly is right about keeping it in perspective. Others complain about the snow, but I don’t mind it unless it makes driving dangerous. It is beautiful. I do like a change of seasons, and am looking forward to signs of spring.

If John doesn’t like snow, why does he live in the great white North?

Don’t worry, Fish: the Republican gov. will solve everything.

That Repub governor is a Dem in everything but name. The only reason he calls himself a Repub is because of the connotations of the word Democrat in Austria.

dkram, up here in Canada, spring is not a month away - no matter what the calendar says. (Though to be fair, this February has be unseasonably “warm” here on the East Coast.)

And to those who are making a connection to the Olympics… really? The Pattersons live in “Milborough”, Ontario. That’s a loooong way from the Olympics. Record snowfall in Washington hasn’t helped the Olympics, nor would snow in southern Ontario.

howtheduck - this is not an anti-news strip. I’m pretty sure Elly is not referring to Olympic news. For her, the news serves as a reminder to count our blessings. Dealing with snow is nothing compared to dealing with wars, or earthquakes that flatten cities. This comic is a very thoughtful commentary on how we all tend to complain about things and forget just how good we have it.

ahh but if the grass was green - he’d have to go out and cut it -

Grew up in Arizona, lived in Texas, Utah, and the mid-west, and I’m tired of winter,but I’d rather be on the upper peninsula if my other choice was Phoenix (L. A. East), with the thick air and oddly colored sky.

I love it here, and though it IS work to keep the pool and waterfall all working, I never plan to move again. And I agree with Lorna that this strip is a reminder to count our blessings- I do every day! And when it gets really hot here it is SOO great to have a swim in the evening (I avoid the sun, as I burn).

Legaleagle48, I also spent my early childhood in northern Utah (born in Brigham City), then I lived in the Phoenix area for 20 years. I’m in Oregon now, and we actually have four seasons here!

LornaP, I think you are correct. Lynn loves to use the weather to make a point that we, with roofs over our heads (that aren’t collapsing), food on the table, etc, have an awful lot to be thankful for.

(This is a future strip but I don’t think it gives anything away) http://catalog.fborfw.com/indexid.php?q=6872&Submit=Search

Lynn said in a book this appeared in that she really had that conversation with a cab driver and it struck her so profoundly that she incorporated it into her strip. It’s my all time favorite and I’ve kept a copy around for those days when I’m thinking I just have the worst life ever. Then I remember this one and I think, well, maybe not so much. I think she was making that point again today.

Amazing how in a strip where Elly is obviously counting her blessings, people still manage vilify her. If the strip has previously appeared in a book, it is a reprint, and has nothing to do with the Olympics. Some people just love to hate, I guess.

I never realized just how much his wife’s complaining and constant sense of misery affected John. They really are made for each other. He never does anything, but when he does he lets everyone know how put upon he is, just like she does. Imagine if it were her shoveling the snow?

@Kaytebb: Thanks for the link. Very nice. Dramatic but realistic way to give perspective. I am thankful.

Amen, Elly (and Lynn.) Lovely strip today.

“A law was made a distant moon alone here, July and August cannot be too hot!

And there’s a legal limit to the snow here, in Camelot…”

Over here on the sunshine Coast of BC, Canada we have weather like that! All the bulbs are up, the trees are making leaves. It went up to 12 C today. This is paradise.

Oh quit whining. I’m from Alaska. We’re happy if spring comes by May.

Not alot of snow in Canada right now.

Finally, I second Elly/Lynn’s last panel;-)

I’m with jaeldid66 on this one. Used to live in Fairbanks, now in northeastern NY. We aren’t getting enough snow this year, but winter’s not over yet. You don’t know what cabin fever IS until you’ve lived as far north as Alaska.

She sees the bright side of things.

I’m 6hrs away from Vancouver and we haven’t had snow since 2 weeks before the olympics.

I live in Iceland and we’ve hardly seen snow this whole winter!