In 1972, when my dad had cataract surgery at the age of 50 he wasn’t supposed to apply any pressure to his face, so therefore couldn’t shave. He had a full beard and mustache when we visited my grandparents (his parents) for Thanksgiving. Grandma took one look at him and said, “A beard? Didn’t I raise you better than that?” lol
Mike’s not wrong – I could see such a change in my little sister even just after I’d been away for school for six weeks. It’s amazing how much a younger sibling straightens up when she’s suddenly the only kid in the house!
Don’t worry. He’ll eventually (I’m guessing) meet up with his (ex) girlfriend (from the grocery) who will not like it and Mike will be clean again. It’s always for the girl.
Now April has a new doll house with an elevator, and Mike the Hippy has returned home these last few days before Christmas!
Isn’t that a valiant and amazing attempt by Johnston to divert the reader’s attention away from last week and Elly’s doggone determination not to let April get her only Christmas wish of wanting the new puppy! What a horrible mother Elly is!
That is very true. When my son left for Army Basic training, he had long hair and would not look at people he was talking to. A typical surly teen. When he finally came home just before heading off to Korea he had short hair, stood up straight and looked at the people he was talking to. Quite the change. 21 years later he retired as an E7 and thankfully never deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan
The opposite happened to a family I knew. They had a long haired son who went away to West Point. He returned home shorn of the long hair, now in a high & tight!
Mothers seem to have the hardest time recognizing their “little baby” has a mind of his own, and cannot fathom the fact that their children may have thoughts that differ than that of their “mommy”. Case in point: She still expected him to come home a “clean cut teenager… but now-” Yes, Elly….he’s different than what you imagined him to be.
There really is an elevator on the side of the dollhouse, with a crank to raise and lower it. My only question is why are the doors on the outside instead of (or in addition to) connecting doors into the house? That’s an awful long first step out…
This does not seem like the forum for Elly to make a fuss.
When push comes to shove for Michael in regards to his career, that will be time for Elly to let Michael know how in the real world we are judged by our appearance.
Asharah 5 months ago
He’s home Elly, just be glad.
charliefarmrhere 5 months ago
A Hippie is born!
Macushlalondra 5 months ago
And how!
Argythree 5 months ago
Ironic that Michael says exactly what Elly is thinking…
Terminal Frost Premium Member 5 months ago
Much ado about nothing. So he grew facial hair and let his hair grow. Big &((((#(( deal.
snsurone76 5 months ago
Michael is just doing his “Jesus imitation” for the holiday season.
howtheduck 5 months ago
Michael playing with and spending time with April. No wonder Elly is shocked! Before he left for the university, only Farley did that.
Lyrak 5 months ago
In 1972, when my dad had cataract surgery at the age of 50 he wasn’t supposed to apply any pressure to his face, so therefore couldn’t shave. He had a full beard and mustache when we visited my grandparents (his parents) for Thanksgiving. Grandma took one look at him and said, “A beard? Didn’t I raise you better than that?” lol
janis nerowski 5 months ago
I thought he was only gone for 6 weeks? Looks more like 6 months.
KageKat 5 months ago
Mike’s not wrong – I could see such a change in my little sister even just after I’d been away for school for six weeks. It’s amazing how much a younger sibling straightens up when she’s suddenly the only kid in the house!
Robert Williams @ Williams Web Solutions 5 months ago
Don’t worry. He’ll eventually (I’m guessing) meet up with his (ex) girlfriend (from the grocery) who will not like it and Mike will be clean again. It’s always for the girl.
Wren Fahel 5 months ago
I remember last year when my older, brunette daughter came home blonde. (My younger daughter is so low-maintenance…she doesn’t really change.)
hwaynemorgan 5 months ago
Really really really tired of that kid talking like a baby still.
markkahler52 5 months ago
I’d be asking Michael to lose the beard. He looks like a dirty wizard
fuzzbucket Premium Member 5 months ago
Hair grows about 6 inches a year. How long has he been gone?
More Coffee Please! Premium Member 5 months ago
I put my mom through the same thing – I suspect most of us did. We mostly grow out of it, though. Right?
ladykat 5 months ago
I love the expression on Elly’s face in the last panel.
The Pro from Dover 5 months ago
For some reason Michael reminds me of Uncle Phil
grocks 5 months ago
Cool dollhouse!
eced52 5 months ago
Mind Reader, now bring on Rhetta.
Thomas Scott Roberts creator 5 months ago
My brothers and I didn’t have that wide an age spread as between Michael and April. We were four, with six years between oldest and youngest.
jconnors3954 5 months ago
He needs more money for razors and haircuts!
dcdete. 5 months ago
Now April has a new doll house with an elevator, and Mike the Hippy has returned home these last few days before Christmas!
Isn’t that a valiant and amazing attempt by Johnston to divert the reader’s attention away from last week and Elly’s doggone determination not to let April get her only Christmas wish of wanting the new puppy! What a horrible mother Elly is!
freewaydog 5 months ago
SO cute, the way he picks up April!
jarvisloop 5 months ago
He was a typical, clean-cut teenager? Wow.
Such creatures have never existed in this area, and that includes the time in which I grew up. Unfortunately, I never escaped my hometown.
Daltongang Premium Member 5 months ago
Apparently on the date this first premiered it was National Irony day.
mckeonfuneralhomebx 5 months ago
At least he is home from college and not prison.
pheets 5 months ago
Don’t they! The phrase ‘growing pains’ comes to mind. Hard/takes time to accept and adjust to the changes that sooner or later time lays on all of us.
Rose686 5 months ago
Oh the irony
timbob2313 Premium Member 5 months ago
That is very true. When my son left for Army Basic training, he had long hair and would not look at people he was talking to. A typical surly teen. When he finally came home just before heading off to Korea he had short hair, stood up straight and looked at the people he was talking to. Quite the change. 21 years later he retired as an E7 and thankfully never deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan
USN1977 5 months ago
The opposite happened to a family I knew. They had a long haired son who went away to West Point. He returned home shorn of the long hair, now in a high & tight!
rebelstrike0 5 months ago
Dixie Mafia comes to Canada!
BJDucer 5 months ago
Mothers seem to have the hardest time recognizing their “little baby” has a mind of his own, and cannot fathom the fact that their children may have thoughts that differ than that of their “mommy”. Case in point: She still expected him to come home a “clean cut teenager… but now-” Yes, Elly….he’s different than what you imagined him to be.
MuddyUSA Premium Member 5 months ago
College does that………..
raybarb44 5 months ago
You could say that…..
ednorton130 5 months ago
When the Cunninghams kid went to college he was never heard from again.
kamoolah 5 months ago
Clean cut teenager?
How involved was Michael with hockey or other sports?
How much effort did Michael put into academics while in high school?
Was Michael in Scouting? If so did he earn the paramount rank of Eagle Scout?
mindjob 5 months ago
He’s well versed in Ginsburg and Kerouac
JanLC 5 months ago
There really is an elevator on the side of the dollhouse, with a crank to raise and lower it. My only question is why are the doors on the outside instead of (or in addition to) connecting doors into the house? That’s an awful long first step out…
cranefriend 5 months ago
That’s a pretty nice dollhouse, I wish we could see John making stuff more often.
rebelstrike0 5 months ago
This does not seem like the forum for Elly to make a fuss.
When push comes to shove for Michael in regards to his career, that will be time for Elly to let Michael know how in the real world we are judged by our appearance.
John Jorgensen 5 months ago
An eldebator, huh?
Seed_drill 5 months ago
I didn’t wait for college to grow my hair out. Never cared much for facial hair, though, plus the stache was always too thin in the middle.