That is Priceless by Steve Melcher for November 23, 2023

“I woke this morning and he was gone! He left the letter on the table! I thought he was going to marry me, but it turns out he’s already married!

To the readers in the US: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

/// The suave conman who had her in thrall

sent a “Dear Jeanne note” after the Ball.

After taking Jeanne’s gold

he left; now her world’s cold,

so she’s wearing a rug as a shawl.

I told you not to watch as dad slaughtered the turkey. Not if you’re expecting to eat it

My original comment: "I told you not to eat the romaine lettuce.” (there was some tainted romaine lettuce at that time)

So, it’s true. It’s possible to put too much bourbon in the gravy.

Alicia is in despair/

She’s glad that her friend is there../

“This cannot be mine-/

I’m just twenty nine!”/

She’s discovered her first gray hair..

The title of this painting is “After the Ball”. It is also the title of an old popular song. See the lyrics to “After the Ball” in the following link:

https://historymatters.Gmu.Edu/d/5761/

I like old sentimental songs from the 1890s and through the 1920s.

One of my favorite music CDs is “After the Ball; Plus Highlights From Vaudeville”, as performed by William Bolcom (piano) and Joan Morris (mezzo-soprano).

https://www.discogs.Com/release/13891997-Joan-Morris-William-Bolcom-After-The-Ball-Plus-Highlights-From-Vaudeville

Chorus:

“After the ball is over, after the break of morn,

After the dancers’ leaving, after the stars are gone,

Many a heart is aching, if you could read them all—

Many the hopes that have vanished after the ball.”

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There are a number of old songs on this CD of which I had known only the melody and the title. I heard them in early childhood, and they nested in my brain waiting to hatch again. As soon as I saw the title of Stevens’s painting they once again emerged! This has truly cheered me up (temporarily) from my annual Holiday Blues.

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I have almost every recording Bolcom and Morris made together, plus as many of his compositions and lyricist collaborations as I can find in sheet music. (Of the latter, I recommend “Cabaret Songs: Volumes 1 – 4.)

https://bolcomandmorris.Com/joan-morris

(sobbing) “I can’t BELIEVE he said my turkey breast was dry”!!

Well, the experts say that it is difficult for a complete cook on stuffing, and you may get sick. Go with dressing instead.

I’m sorry, but you’re a big girl now and you have to sit at the adults’ table

“Your boyfriend’s right. You do smell like fish down there.”

I told you that you should put Gray Poupon on the table!

Some of the original comments:

Bilan Stop being such a drama queen. Everybody has to go see their family during Thanksgiving.

Strob Their forbidden love remained unconsummated, as they could not locate their bodies in amongst all the fabric.

Call me Ishmael “Forgive me ! I knew that the occasion called for simple, classic white, but my hot, passionate Mediterranean blood overwhelmed me, and I foolishly chose this exuberant, colorful garment in a moment of madness !”

epaphus8 “Yes, it’s embarrassing that the in-laws have seen your dress before, but I TOLD you to use the curtains from a different room this time.”

epaphus8 “You’re right — I can hear the ocean!”

Funny_Ha_Ha A full body search of all dinner guests and the salad fork never was found.

Why does Aunt Clara always insist on bringing that disgusting sugar-free pumpkin souffle every year?

Ishmael sends best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving to all and sundry ! (I hope to meet Sundry someday..)

“Tish! You spoke French! Mwah, mwah, mwah….”

“Please Fairy Godmother no more pumpkin coaches with mice. Do you know how bad I smell?”

He said he could not come for Thanksgiving Dinner because he’s a vegetarian!

Have a good holiday, everyone!

“No, no, dear, relax. You are not being evicted. That is called an overdue electricity bill. It was sent to the wrong house because you don’t have electrical service yet!”

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate! And have a wonderful Thursday to everyone!

After the Ball or Confidence: 

Paste (including the quote marks) 

"Category:1870s interiors in art" Wikimedia 

(syntax supported by the Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia search engines) in the browser address bar (or search for it using one of those search engines) and choose the first Category: found, and once there find the text string After, and click its link for info and links that point to more info about this roughly jumbo envelope size painting. 

Again, a larger strip image is shown by merely clicking the image in Mr. Melcher’s HAPPY THANKSGIVING! THROWBACK THURSDAY: MASTERPIECE #2086 (11/21/18) (November 22, 2023) blog entry, accessible by the Check out the blog! box after the last comment. I have added a comment there pointing to info about this artist I used to point to here. So far, 5 works by this artist have been used here (6 times total, including this Throwback Thursday repeat), the November 21, 2018, strip being its first use. The May 21, 2021, strip has the prior by him. 

Happy Thanksgiving in the US!

I’ll never get a man, by the time i get all these dresses off he’s done.

Great one, absolutely disgusting, you win…

No Friday strip.