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All the years I was growing up, my dad and grandpap did the same as John and the kids, bringing in fruits and vegetables from their gardens, u-pick orchards, or a roadside stand.

Inside the house, my grandma was captain of the kitchen, standing at a 6-burner stove, while aunts, mom, siblings, cousins and I would scurry around doing all the duties of "putting up" our food, sometimes a couple hundred jars a day.

When I got married and lived in a small student-housing apartment, I tried going up the road to buy berries from the farm stand and getting jelly into a few jars.

I discovered that all the fun in canning days of my youth were because most of our clan participated in some way. Doing it alone with a baby crawling underfoot just didn't have the same advantage.

Diane W, Normal, IL, USA

Haha! Elly's line in today's strip is, "Why does the car always run out of gas when I have it?" and at first I thought it meant that SHE had gas! LOL! I suppose either interpretation would account for the dark expression on the face of the attendant! :-D

Susan R, AZ, USA

I saw today's strip (oct 2) and had to laugh and write in. My Dad used to do the same to my Mom. Every time Mom got the car, she would have to fill the gas tank. And everytime, my Mom would complain to my Dad. Something else other than TP that men can't clue into. It's so fun to read these strips and bring back so many memories. Keep them coming Lynn and crew.

Lise C, Lakeville-Westmorland, NB, Canada

I enjoy going back in time as much as the rest of folks in my age group... but there is a whole generation of folks out there who will not get today's strip.... The generation that doesn't know that we had "full service" service stations. Today's generation have never seen a gas station that you didn't drive up and gas up yourself!

Ronda, AL, USA

I WISH gas was at the most $1.80 not $3.00 or more!

Michelle, NV, USA

Since everyone's down on John as a boor, why don't you run the strip in which he tells Elly "you look nice tonight"; to which she replies "I'm in my old jeans, my hair's a mess..."; his final line is "I'm not looking at your hair or your jeans, I'm looking at YOU and you look nice tonight!"... that ought to send those complainers for a loop!!!

Laura, Orillia, ON, Canada

LIZZIE!!! Give the razor back to Daddy! *giggle* Hope she didn't do too much damage to Farley and her own hair.

Lara B, Santa Ana, CA, USA

I was 14 or so when the Lawrence story came out of him being gay. I had been reading the strip for a few years by that time, but this was the first time it actually became personal to me. When the story started I would take the newspaper section and hide the fact that I was reading it from my parents because I was so conflicted. I just want Lynn to know that I appreciate what she did back then, even now so many years later, because it helped me deal with my feelings at the time.

James, Palm Bay, FL, USA

I don't know what i would have done w/ for better or for worse........ the family has been my family for as long as i can remember... whem elizabeth got married i cried.... I didn't want thr strip to ever end. then i remembered it didn't. because thanks to this site i can read it from the begining and i have some of the books... the laughter and the tears and the joy of sharing them w/ my family and friends is a treasured gift.... Thank you so much for that :)

Angelica T, Norwalk, CA, USA