What a most excellent memento! I too wish you still had the pens. But at least you have that letter!

Wow. I am officially impressed. Even more than I was before! I never met Mort Walker, but felt like I knew him, his sense of humor was the kind I grew up with. I remember really getting a kick out of Hi and Lois -- even though I was just a kid. I love how even the package has a cartoon on it!

Most excellent photo, Jim. Even more excellent memory

Very funny. I read it aloud to myself (in my head, but you know what I mean) and you write just like you speak. Amazing. And compelling. Wonderful!

How hilarious! And how timely! One of my friends, Durrell Godfrey, just published her second Grownup Coloring Book, the name of which I've forgotten (!) But her first one was called 'Color me Cluttered'. I'm not sure I could get into it, even with whiskey. But I do like to support my friends, so I bought one anyway.

OMG! You guys! So perfect. In fact, I went to a friend's book signing a couple of weeks ago. Guess what her book was/is? 'Color Me Home' (or something). Seriously good. But I'm with you. Coloring? And INSIDE the lines???

OMG! Intellectual AND hilarious! Go, Isabella!

Hahahahahahaha!!!!!

Wow. Well, I just have to say that, having voted -- and voted with great pleasure and satisfaction not just today, but every single election since I've been eligible -- I certainly appreciate their efforts. And I certainly appreciate this cartoon, as well. Brava, Isabella!

Absolute Parental (and hysterical) Genius!!!

This made me laugh out loud. But then all your pieces do! Fun footnote for you: my Haircutter Guy also cuts male celebrities' hair. (He 'does' Woody Allen and John Tuturro, for example.) Anyway. He was approached by The Donald's 'people' early in the campaign about a hair makeover. Once he told them that he would have to assess la Trump's locks in person, the deal was off. I guess somebody was afraid to expose what -- if anything -- was under there. Or, as I told Haircutter Guy as he snipped away on my own personal locks, 'branding is all; they wouldn't DARE change that hair!'

Love love love this one. If one wishes, one can read tons (hah) of political significance into it as well.

Yes, I cringe when I think of this today. You Buffalo Kids must have been a more humane bunch. It was one of my brother's friends from California who admitted to doing this -- and thus reminding me. And yes, we did have a fab 4th! Thx!

Oh wow. Not only is this cartoon funny, but it brings back memories. When my brothers and sister and I were small, we used to catch fireflies. (Or 'lightning bugs', as we called yhem in Southern Illinois). The lucky ones ended up in mason jars. The unlucky ones decorated our ring fingers as 'diamonds'.

Hah! this is not only very funny, but also a great comment on the overblown weddings people seem to have these days -- I've heard of cakes that cost thousands of dollars! (the Dude and I had a Carvel wedding cake; tasty AND economical)

Hah! The Dude says this kind of thing all the time about The Child (!) I tried explaining that young beauties don't wear makeup because they need makeup; it's fashion, and it's playful. Even for racoons!

I wish my Weber had a steer head stencilled on it (!) I'm eager to follow the renovation process on this spiffy grill!

Delicious AND cute! Save some for me.

What a perfectly lovely card, Jim. Isabella is right; the watercolor is exquisitely done. How old was she? She looks so young in the photo (which, incidentally, looks a lot like you, except for the pageboy haircut, of course). Happy Birthday, Jim's Mom! You did a beautiful job with your son as well as your card.

Like a perfect doll. And the shadows are very Lady From Shanghai, don't you think?

Wow. What memories! And what a gorgeous postcard. So glad your mom saved it. How did she get it back from her grandmother? Merry Christmas!

I will have to ask my nephew, who is 3/4 Swedish (!) This reminds me of the tradition of the swans. Did you know that in England, all the swans are owned by the Queen?

Wow. Gobsmacked by memories seeing that heating grate. I think I may have already mentioned that the old Henry Homestead had those. We cousins used to gather around the one upstairs so we could eavesdrop on the grownups playing poker at the kitchen table directly below us. Those grates were good at conducting sound, too!

And I love the way you still have all those marvelous Svenska Stamps!

I love this one, Jim. It's sort of like if Van Gogh were a Swedish kid. Merry Christmas!!!