Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for October 01, 2012

“One less bell to answer,one less egg to fry”

i think she is talking about being an empty nester.any idea of how old A&J are supposed to be? if they are boomers they have to be knocking on 60 anyways. they have talked about retirement in past strips.

Time to get a dog. It is like having a permanent toddler around the house!

It ia fact that the characters in comic strips age at a slower reate than us mere mortals, Janis is bemoaning is tat Gene no longer just her little boy, but now he is really grown up with his own spouse, daughter (I don’t think Gene could love “Shrimp” any more), nd house. Gene’s home is there, not with “A&J”

Time to adopt? Start over? Maybe twins…

baby boomer= born between 1945-65, it says.that makes them at least late forties but I’ll guess early 50’s with Gene arriving as they had settled into careers- or faced up to realities vs dreams of organic farms, ie the practical 30’s. now is a time they could re-invent their world or find continued satisfaction where they are as they watch Gene and family grow and enjoy their quiet lives together.

Most parents with a child who recently graduated from college are between about 45 and 60. (Yes, there are exceptions. I said “Most”.) I’d put Arlo & Janis in the younger half of that range.

Go take a class in empty nester sex.. It’s way better than you ever thought it could be.

Time to travel, to do everything you didn’t get to do when Gene was home.

Baby boomers are post war babies, means the same thing, war babies were generally babies of wartime relationships.

I believe " boomers" are from 1946-1964. It has been said that right after WWll there was a boom of babies born. 1946 being the highest only slightly less each year until 1964. I am a ’boomer".

i believe “war babies” were after WWl.

The Statler Brothers song sums it up for me: I grew up A Child of the Fifties….

What most of you miss is that this strip, on a day-to-day basis, essentially has no plot. So it’s back to sitting on the couch, watching sports on the boob tube, interacting with Luddy, taking walks. I like it that way. What do you guys want? An adventurous tale of them sailing around the Earth or the excitement of being baby-sitting grandparents?

To give an age to the characters – I entered Auburn University in the fall of 1974 as a freshman. JJ was the sports editor of The Auburn Plainsman campus newspaper that scholastic year, His girlfriend/first wife was the editor of The Auburn Plainsman (Rheta Grimsley). I am now 56 – do the math. My son (32 last November) was married this past June. War Eagle Arlo and Janis. They will know what I mean! This strip has mirrored our lives. My husband & I have been married 34 years – and still feel just like Arlo & Janis. Gene – good luck. You have a good head on your shoulders!