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Hi Lynn! I just wanted to say, don't feel bad that you announced the Farley project so early. Like you mentioned, it gave us all new perspective on the process and probably helped to build up giddy excitement, like kids waiting for Christmas morning! :)

Rachel, IL, USA

I thought the fish's name was Fred, not Frank. I could have sworn it was Fred when I began reading the replayed strip. Did anybody else catch this?

Becky K, Birdsboro, PA, USA

You are entirely correct. The fish's name was Fred. I made an error and I bow to your good sense of continuity. This is one more reason for me to end the newrun material soon so that I can forget less important things! Thanks for the great editing job! Lynn J.

Too bad about Frank. Next time, Elly, you might want to try Guppies. The “feeder“: grades sell for as little as 10 cents a fish, and the little males are still colorful while the females are ready to “deliver�. All you need in addition to a bowl and a bit of gravel is a cheap little air pump and a rinse-able sponge filter that won’t suck up the babies. The only “maintenance� required besides feeding and “top-ups� is the drawing off. and replacing. of 3 inches of water every month or so….Tough, prolific, and in constant motion, guppies are interesting, entertaining and even profitable…Michael might enjoy selling the “surplus� for 25 cents a baggie!

Anna M, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Looks like Elly is having a meltdown trying to write an overdue letter to her mother and give the kids attention at the same time. She must have been putting all her attention and creative energy into doing the homework for her class. We know Elly writes well and coherently - we read her monthly letters to friends last year. We bean spillers even felt she was writing to us and some us wrote back. But now she can't put together a coherent sentence to her mother. She's not only distracted but just plain wiped out. Her class seems designed (it is a new class after all) with her specifically in mind and it's my guess she couldn't help putting in more time and effort than she could spare. She probably lost some sleep too. I can definitely relate. There are some things no matter how well you do them you fall short somewhere else and you can't help seeing it. Her meltdown made me laugh and hope she pulls herself together soon.

Amy D, Vienna, VA, USA

You know I glimpsed through some of the other posts and here are my thoughts.

1. I truly commend Elly for going back to school. It's difficult to do so when you have youngs kids at home and are the main homemaker. I've tried doing that and unfortunately it didn't work out for me. Go Elly!!

2. Halloween candy: Kids do not need to gorge themselves on the bucket or bag full of candy they get every year. I think they should be limited to the amount of candy they get to eat. The fun is going door to door dressed in your best costume. You get to compare what you got with your friends or siblings and keep the best pieces. The pieces of candy that my girls don't want are thrown away. They get 2-3 pieces a day until it is either gone or they don't want anymore. Personally, I would limit them more, because I just don't want the dentist bill that will come.

Lynn, thanks for all you give to us unworthy readers. You continue to give us your best through all the criticism. I truly enjoy your strips and do my best to take them for what they are. A little piece of humanity sprinkled with a dash of humor and sarcasm.

Janice, CA, USA

Not to go back to the halloween candy thing, but I really think Elly was being smart, and NOT mean!
I mean I know it's halloween, and kids should have candy. I also know I'm not a parent, but I'm smart enough to know that if you give a kid enough candy they start to "bounce off the walls!" don't you guys think that's the real reason elly doesn't want her son to have so much halloween candy? maybe she should've only taken it away from him, and NOT have thrown it completely away, but I really think she meant more good than harm. Plus, too much candy is bad for ANYONE, even on Halloween!!!

Meg, ME, USA

I am still a fan and reader of FBorFW, but dearly miss the original saga that ended last year. The on-going story about the Patterson's world was a great pleasure in my life, the plots and characters became part of me.

Still getting used to the new format, thankfully, my newspaper publishes FBorFW back to back with another favorite of mine, "Zits"!

Thank you Lynn for all the love, suspense,laughter and introspect you give us. And most of all, may your dreams come true.

Bruce B, Keeling,VA, USA