So Estelle thinks all she needs is a crash course in "veterinary lingo" in order to present at the conference? How about a nice "polydactyl" smack in the kisser, Estelle? That platypus waddling away could definitely send you landing on your gluteus maximus. That should impress those poorly educated veterinarians. Talk like hers could put off the invitees Ed is planning to add to the wedding guest list. What a dip this woman is....
@KitKat -- to follow up on Tiny Fork's post, when you want to post a comment and you see a COLLAPSE ALL COMMENTS prompt or link or whatever, click on it. You will get to the comment box much more quicklier (at the expense, of course, of skipping over all our previous brilliance). This should work unless we're operating in different mysterious digitalverses. -- Scottie
Miss Scarlet: You must be confused. That was not the cocktail selection for Estelle’s wedding—-that was the list of beverages I was drinking that evening.
Judging by the number of ghostly purple people in the background, Santa Royale must have a lot of veterinarians. If they’re all at the convention, who’s handling any emergencies? Is it all on Jared?
Oh, I like the look of Dr. See. She’s probably accomplished and level-headed, the anti-Estelle, if you will. This could get interesting—or as interesting as MW ever gets, but I’ll take it.
So you're Ed's fiancee?! I occupied that spot once, but then I learned his idea of a 'day out' was going to a veterinary convention, and I found myself a nice HVAC repairman to snuggle up to.
So, cat got your tongue, Estelle? You didn't know women could become vets? Women can also color their hair and go braless. (thanks for pointing that out, @hmmm).
I am intrigued by the hesitant "Er." Why on earth would she say that? Something's up. I'll bet Estelle just became insanely jealous. We'll see. -- Scottie
Fun fact: Ed and Estelle’s love language is Pig Latin. Estelle was just about to say: ‘Er-hay air-hay is-way eird-way” when Ed pokes her sharply in the ibs-ray.
What kind of veterinary convention is this? It started at 11 a.m., and everyone's standing around making small talk, drinking coffee, and, judging by Ed's tiny plate, what appears to be one strip of bacon. After a bathroom break, I suppose they'll have lunch. Is there no programmimg? Why is no one reading his/her dull paper? Where are the panel discussions? Where are the vendors trying to drum up vet business for their products while giving away ball-point pens, samples of dog treats, etc.? Meanwhile, Dr. See contemplates throwing the contents of her cup in Larry's face after he made an off-color remark.
Once again, any potential drama nipped in the bud. No real plot here, rather it’s become more like a series of brief tableau’s illuminating Estelle’s insecurities, all quickly extinguished before they become engaging.
Insecurities is right! It's not like these two are young. Did Estelle think Ed had never dated anyone else? Whew! Missed a bullet there - or we might have some other questions for Mr. Ed.
@Please KitKat; the last thing we need is a boring vet paper. This is dull enough already.
Pet Care Magazine is too popular and nonprofessional. Why not publish in something like the New England Journal of Feline Opthalmology, Dr. See? (See what I did there?)
Good grief, Estelle's acting like met her boyfriend's former girl friend at the sock hop. What a bundle of insecurities! No wonder she was easy pickings for an online romance scam.
Labor Day is not a holiday in Santa Royale. Happy Labor Day to all of us in the rest of the nation!
Why can't the Kents take their Rottweilers to Dr. See's clinic themselves? Does Ed offer animal transportation to his clients? Does he have insurance in case of an accident? (I realize this is KM's clumsy way to get Estelle and Sheila together again, where something will happen to trigger Estelle's insecurities.)
All these people showed up for a half-day convention? What, are they selling the answers to the veterinary licensing board exams or something? -- Scottie
Little does Estelle know that Rottweilers Killa and Dilla Kent were among the canines rescued from the dognappers last year. They still remember Noodle/aka Greta fondly, and have been seeking her ever since . At last! A clue! The smell of Charterstone and its denizens is strong to their Rotty noses. And when they get in Stell’s car, the scent is overwhelming! Crash, Bam, Bang! I am sorry to inform you that Meg’s brain has just been involved in a dangerous crash. This story has been discontinued. This is a recording.
@meg, you have a greater grasp of KM's plots than KM herself. I suppose that's damning with faint praise, but I for one am impressed!
Animal Hospital is a mess, with overcrowding and farming animals out to other vets - eesh. And look at the untrained people who work there! The Santa Royale Veterinary Association should investigate instead of wasting time with monthly "conventions" where they stand around gabbing.
Something is definitely going to happen with Estelle and the Rottweilers, but it won’t be the pups’ fault, because, as we all know, dogs are good. It will, however, be embarrassing for Estelle and Dr. See.
I think somethings gonna happen with Dr. See. The dogs are just a vehicle to get Elaine to See's vet practice. Then what?
See says she still is in love with Dr. Ed? See make a pass at Estelle? Dr. See, Estelle and the dogs have a fore-some? Dr. See offers Estelle a job? Estelle gets lost on the way and never makes it to Dr. See's office?
Dr. Ed's practice doesn't have room for Rottan and Wiella because instead of keeping track of his patient load, his nitwit assistant has spent all her time picking out costume beagle ears and owl beaks. -- Scottie
Maybe Estelle should take a nap because, since nothing else is happening, I could really use one of her nightmares about now. Maybe one where she and Ed have a baby, but it’s a puppy with Dr. See’s face and has a giant diamond ring on its tiny paw.
Grateful for the comments today: I laughed out loud!
Ooh, an Estelle nightmare sounds promising, @Tiny fork. Maybe Arthur/Arther could have a cameo.
Procedures at Dr. See's seem awfully lax. No information taken on the Kents' dogs? Will they just be kept indefinitely in the back room? Will the Kents ever see them again?
"Well, Estelle, Ed and I are friends with benefits. Why do you ask?"
OMG, she actually did it! Wow. Well okay, she already asked Ed if there's anything going on, and now she's asked Sheila if there's anything going on. Soon she'll be hiring Keith Willend to investigate the entire town to see if there's anything going on. Normally she'd save money and just ask Mary to snoop around, but she knows that Mary would just try to foist Wilbur back on her. -- Scottie
Estelle must have been so blinded by the sparkle on her left hand that she's lost all ability to filter conversational speech. What will Sheila say?
How dare you! What are you implying? Oh, you are just as dumb as Ed said you were. After my relationship with Ed, I decided to be a lesbian. Good luck! My husband and I do have Ed over for the occasional three-some.
As the world’s homeliest cat (sorry, Libby, you’ve been dethroned) looks on while awaiting her appointment to have her embarrassing cat handle adjusted, Dr. See seems to know something not good about Dr. Ed. Well, whut izzit? Is he the Zodiac killer? A Morris Dancer? A Red Sox fan? A snoring schnorrer? Or just gassy? I can’t wait!
There's nothing clients like to see more than vets standing around engaging in personal chit-chat while they're waiting for their animal to be examined.
@meg, I agree, that is one ugly cat. In the cat's defense, that Cleveland Browns sweatshirt must have shrunk eleven sizes when the cat's owner kept it in the dryer for three hours on the hottest setting. I expect when that guy and his cat finally see Dr. See, the guy will say, "Doctor, Hortense is struggling to breathe!"
"But Stell...how well do you REALLY know Ed? Has he told you he used to be called Edwina?"
Dr. See does understand the use of the thought bubble, and now we have the fun of speculating about Ed’s deep dark secret. Is he into kinky cosplay? A serial jaywalker? Spends his Saturday mornings in footie pajamas, eating Cocoa Pebbles and watching VHS tapes of his favorite cartoons? Or is he just a workaholic who never really has been present in relationships.
Oh, @ fauxprof, as much as I love the footie pajamas and Cocoa Puffs scenario, I think you've hit it with the workaholic label. Estelle doesn't know this because she works with him all day anyway, and thinks that she's with him then. Ed doesn't know how, or care to, take time off. If Estelle works in his office and sleeps in his bed, all of his needs are cared for. Hope Estelle doesn't mind. Maybe she won't actually notice.
For goodness sake, Dr. See and Estelle, speak louder! The receptionist is only hearing 75 percent of what you're discussing, and the people sitting near the door can barely hear anything.
Yes, I expect that Ed is married to his job. There's also the fact that Estelle's hair reminds him of a sheepdog he had as a boy. (Sheila's hair reminded him of a skunk he had as a pet in veterinary school.)
Sheila: Yes, Estelle. Even after Ed and I parted and I found my true soulmate, he and I remained great friends. We're so close that it gives me great pleasure to ruin whatever bit of happiness he now finds.
Judging by Estelle’s bug-eyed shock in the final panel, this is not welcome information. “Ooooh Noooo! I want all the attention on Meeeeee!” Bet she gets in her car (now covered in Rottweiler hair and drool) and runs straight to Mary. I can smell the underbaked muffins from here.
Sheila is "on good authority" - whatever that means. I don't suppose that Estelle will want to talk about this with Ed. I'm not sure about a visit to Mary. Are they really that close? Mary may end up saying, "Ed who?".
The frankness of Sheila and Estelle's discussion has made Sheila's earrings migrate onto her cheeks.
Yes, Estelle, Ed does a bang-up job balancing his professional and personal lives. Just recently he tuned you out as you were blathering about your bizarre wedding plans. Everything is great! When you return to the overcrowded Animal Clinic, be prepared to take a St. Bernard to another clinic 47 miles away.
Hey, where is everyone? Has this riveting plot lulled you to sleep? Aren't you leaping out of bed each morning to read what Estelle is thinking? Today she even tossed in an equine play on words, with Ed giving her the reins. Funny, yes?
Is Estelle's car supposed to be a Saab? Will the wedding venue she's visiting be the Santa Royale Zoo?
Estelle thought balloon: "Maybe he'll join me later on."
Ed thought balloon: "Well, Ed old boy, you dodged another one. But pretending you're busy can be almost as exhausting as actually being busy." -- Scottie
Wedding venues…this could get fractious. It may have to be the parking lot at the vet clinic. Unless the Karaoke bar is available. I guess a church is out of the question?
Estelle to fancy reception place hostess: ‘You look strangely familiar. Do I know you?” “I get that a lot. You must have met my twin brother Larry at the veterinary convention on August 29.”
Why is Estelle looking so startled? Of course a wedding venue requires a deposit. I realize she blew all her savings on Arthur/Arther, but did she expect Ed to pay for the Major Nuptials? (This is my new favorite term for Big Wedding.)
Fauxprof I like your take on the nuptials. I predict General Chaos will be there. Meg, good catch. Sorry I haven't posted much. I have to use my phone. Take care all.
I believe that Estelle established her status as rich widow when she was explaining to Mary that she could afford to send Arthur/randomspelling $10K and it was none of Mary’s dern business and she could just stuff it up her muffin if she (Mary) didn’t like it. Mary then swore under her breath and put a curse on Estelle and introduced her to Wilbur, even though that’s just repeating myself.
Thank you @Meg. That makes so much sense now! I must say the speed that the which wedding prep is going is giving me a head rush. Lemon! Whew!
Anyway, who paid the venue deposit? Having married off a couple of sons in the last few years, that can be very tricky, especially with covid and work-aholic vets.
Estelle, you should not be making these decisions, your wedding planner, the one that you forgot to hire, should be handling all of this for you so you can focus on being a bride. If you can’t afford a wedding planner, find someone with time on their hands who loves to meddle…I mean, help people to do it for free. There must be somebody.
Wonderful comments today, everyone! The Snark Meter is setting record highs!
@meg, I knew we could count on you. I had a vague recollection of some explanation when KM brought in Estelle, but I didn't remember if she was a widow or a divorcee. I do remember that she was an airhead from Day One, and that hasn't changed one iota. Unlike Mary, who still mentions Dear Jack every now and then, Estelle remembers the wedding cake but practically nothing about Old What Was His Name.
Hey, gang, did I miss something? Did they ever set a date? If not, is she asking the venue and the bakery to reserve all the dates in the next six months? Tiny Fork is right, a wedding planner would be a help. Also a couples counselor.
Estelle may have forgotten that she already talked about this with Ed and he told her to “take the reins”. Talking to him again isn’t likely to change him, but it might cause Estelle to rethink this whole deal. Maybe she just wants to be a vet receptionist with benefits.
A wedding planner AND a couples counselor? Just call Mary. She'll even bake mini muffins for the human guests and treats for the animal attendants. I expect that Pierre is going to walk Estelle down the aisle, and Libby will be the meow of honor.
@fauxprof, you're right about no discussion about the date for Major Nuptials. Maybe that's part of Estelle's taking of the reins. Trouble brews when the date Estelle chooses conflicts with yet another convention of the Santa Royale Veterinary Association.
I see that Estelle has now moved on to Costume Store and she's talked two of the personnel into demonstrating how it is possible to eat cake while wearing masks.
On Friday, September 13, 2024, 15:27, mtrehub@aol.com wrote:
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
On Friday, September 13, 2024, 15:21, mtrehub@aol.com wrote:
W hen Estelle met Ed, he’s perfect she said! I wonder if he’s single and ready to mingle. L ove can be tricky, but I’m not too picky. B ut after previous bad dates, I want a good mate! U nless someone better comes along… R eally, Mary can help me, she’s never wrong.
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
On Friday, September 13, 2024, 15:21, mtrehub@aol.com wrote:
W hen Estelle met Ed, he’s perfect she said! I wonder if he’s single and ready to mingle. L ove can be tricky, but I’m not too picky. B ut after previous bad dates, I want a good mate! U nless someone better comes along… R eally, Mary can help me, she’s never wrong.
@meg, look at the mountains, eat some chocolate, and enjoy yourself. And compose some more poetry, we’re not getting anything poetic from KM via Estelle.
@meg, you get the Above and Beyond Award for commenting from Europe! Switzerland must have inspired your poetic muse. Please continue composing! I visited Geneva and places around it many years ago (in the previous century) and did not want to leave (sigh).
@Scottie, "Dithers" - hahahahaha!
Shouldn't Grover be blue with a pink nose?
Yes, Estelle, now would be an ideal time to call Ed and give him a piece of your mind, especially since he missed out on a piece of cake. If you're lucky, he'll be suturing a St. Bernard at the time.
As this dreary storyline continues, I’m going to throw a rose to June. Today she drew a cute little dog, who has no purpose other than to be a cute little dog. The nose on its owner is a bit much, but, hey, artistic license.
Thanks for the encouragement, fauxprof and KitKat, but you’ve interrupted my Swiss indoctrination session…..’cows are good. Chocolate is good. Mountains are good. Watches are good. Milk is good. Cheese is good. Trains are good. Dirndls…yodeling…’
Is Ed trying to run the place on his own? Doesn't he have any veterinary technicians? Who's caring for all the animals in his overcrowded facility? Animal Hospital should be investigated.
Hmm, a neighbor at Charterstone to accompany Estelle in her wedding planning. How about Wilbur? Sampling catered food, wedding cake, and booze would be right up his alley. Or how about Mary? Hilarity would ensue when she and Estelle are mistaken for an engaged couple.
Ed's pink lab coat makes him look so cuddly and cute.
Oh boy, Estranged Cousin Pam is coming to town! Apparently the family she's visiting is not related to Estelle, who had never mentioned any family anywhere until Pam's name came up. I hope that Pam is a femme fatale (some of us remember Entertainer Esme, right?) who makes a play for Ed, who reciprocates.
Will it just be Ed, Estelle, and Pam at the engagement dinner? Or will Wilbur and Mary show up? How about Toby and the Prof? Is there an Engagement Dinner Restaurant? So many questions.
@KitKat Cousin Pam making a play for Ed would certainly work for me. However, as Moy seems to have developed an aversion for extending any potential drama for more than two or three day, I am not kicking that football that Lucy is extending yet again.
Will the engagement dinner wind up conflicting with a commitment Ed’s has already made to some work-related activity? It’s a tossup.
I'm really hoping that Pam will turn out to be a veterinarian. Maybe specializing in exotic animals. No way will Estelle be able to keep up with that lingo.
Hmmph! Ed the great animalitarian, only treats small animals (even the twin Rottweilers looked pretty skimpy to me). I’d like to see him treat some large farm animals like the vet at the farm across the way from our Swiss rental. Why, that vet is stripped to the waist and has his big brawny arms all greased up, and he’s approaching a mammoth heifer’s hindquarters, and…oh, I think I just got this confused with All Creatures Great and Small and Me. Meanwhile, back to Tricki Woo’s emergency gall bladder surgery…
Yes, @meg, don't confuse Ed Harding with Siegfried Farnon. Speaking of Ed, was "Wouldn't you rather we get ready together at MY place?" an offer to play footsie? How awkwardly put, in more ways than one.
I wonder if Estelle will run into Mary at Charterstone. "Why Estelle dear, you're all gussied up! What's the occasion?" "Gussied up" makes me think of Minnie Pearl. Estelle should wear her straw hat with a dangling price tag.
Estelle truly is dense as a box of rocks. Perhaps her months? (years?) with Wilbur warped her sense of expectation. It seemed obvious long ago that Ed is a workaholic. If Estelle had any insight, she would have scheduled the wedding at the end of a yoga session, accompanied by their beloved pets and would have had said pets provide the witnesses for their event. Getting married seems less of a tribute to her and Ed's relationship and more of a trophy for Estelle to fling at anyone who comes near. Figuring Wilbur is waiting in the wings to pick up the pieces when Ed ends the engagement, having to run out to treat an animal community bout of stomach flu..
In spite of Lucy holding that proverbial football, I think the party will be all set on Sunday, the cousins all assembled, but Ed will have to attend to Tricky Poo’s emergency toe nail extraction. Sobbing will ensue, with Pam gleefully looking on.
We're all shocked -- SHOCKED! -- that Ed's going to be MIA at the engagement party. Who could have seen this coming, other than everyone other than Estelle? Apparently there are no emergency animal hospitals in Santa Royale. The SR Vet Association should discuss this at its next convention.
Estele's going to have a hard time walking if she continues to try to put her shoe's heel strap on top of her foot.
Ed, of course, never shows up, and all the cousins are embarrassed for Estelle. Except Pam. “Oh, sure, Estelle, you’re engaged to a handsome veterinarian. Like we haven’t heard all that before.” (Pam is soon to be re-estranged.)
Mitzi Fitz, the poodle? Hahahahahahahaha etc. What is Ms. Fitz's given name, maybe Trixie? KM has flipped the script from imitation "All Creatures Great and Small" to canine "Call the Midwife."
Estelle, it's time to give back the ring and say bye-bye to Ed.
I don't know, KitKat. I think we're still tuned in to All Creatures Great and Small. After however many weeks (months?) of Estelle hysterics and Ed stoics, will we find Estelle helping Ed deliver Mitzi's puppies. Estelle will be covered in happy tears and puppy ick, but finally agreeing with Ed that puppies are so much more important than cousins. I hope her little black dress is washable.
We’re burying the lede here. Ed makes house calls? I can understand a vet having to go out to a farm to treat a large animal, but that’s really going above and beyond.
Just noticed: could “Ms. Fitz” equal Misfits? Can’t imagine what that would imply unless she has a secret (or not so secret) yen for Ed who does not feel the same.
You're correct, @fauxprof. House calls? I have seen advertisements for some mobile vet services who come to homes for routine exams and services, but Ed speeding to a client's home like this is preposterous. I guess KM's middle name is Preposterous.
“Ms Fitz is hysterical! You know she’s always brimming with madcap humor and creative Mitzi Fitz puns, getting to see her improv during her poodle’s premature labor is an opportunity not to be missed! It’s gonna be a goldmine of material for my new book which is totally not based on All Creatures Great and Small. Anyway, just order a Bloomin’ Onion for the table, I should roll in around 11.” Estelle, the only stall tactic that could work here is to get a table next to a literal horse stall, ideally where the occupant is a mare in heat stricken by an emergency case of mastitis and mud fever.
2,314 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 2201 – 2314 of 2314So Estelle thinks all she needs is a crash course in "veterinary lingo" in order to present at the conference? How about a nice "polydactyl" smack in the kisser, Estelle? That platypus waddling away could definitely send you landing on your gluteus maximus. That should impress those poorly educated veterinarians. Talk like hers could put off the invitees Ed is planning to add to the wedding guest list. What a dip this woman is....
@KitKat -- to follow up on Tiny Fork's post, when you want to post a comment and you see a COLLAPSE ALL COMMENTS prompt or link or whatever, click on it. You will get to the comment box much more quicklier (at the expense, of course, of skipping over all our previous brilliance). This should work unless we're operating in different mysterious digitalverses. -- Scottie
Miss Scarlet: You must be confused. That was not the cocktail selection for Estelle’s wedding—-that was the list of beverages I was drinking that evening.
@tiny tuba at 1:12 p.m. yesterday, thanks, and keep posting! Your posts most certainly are "worthy," as Mary Worth herself would remind you!
Haha, that Larry is such a card! He can come to the wedding wearing a hyena mask.
I think it's significant that Ed does not mention his fiancee's name.
First, Ed's idea of a day out is going to a convention? Estelle wasted no time announcing the upcoming wedding. These two deserve each other.
Judging by the number of ghostly purple people in the background, Santa Royale must have a lot of veterinarians. If they’re all at the convention, who’s handling any emergencies? Is it all on Jared?
@Meg; save some for me!
@KitKat; I love the idea of Larry wearing a hyena mask. Let's introduce him to Wilbur. Seems like a match to me.
Ed is popular! Who'd a thunk it?
@KitKat hooray!
That off-panel, “Ed!” could mean that the long-awaited monkey wrench is about to bonk Ed and Estelle. The tension is barely noticeable.
Uh oh...Whoever shouted "Ed" is likely to be his vet school girlfriend...
@Miss Scarlet, Wilbur came to my mind also when I saw Larry. I bet Larry likes fish.
Ed: "Sheila, this is my volunteer receptionist, uh um um, Ste..., Ste...."
Estelle: "Er, nice to meet you. What the heck happened to your hair?"
Oh, I like the look of Dr. See. She’s probably accomplished and level-headed, the anti-Estelle, if you will. This could get interesting—or as interesting as MW ever gets, but I’ll take it.
Well, how will Estelle color code THIS situation?
Too late to tuck in your bra strap, Estelle. Dr. See saw it.
Great call on Estelle's bra strap, @hmm. Eagle eye!
Dr. Sheila See: Sees all, knows all, especially about Ed Harding.
So you're Ed's fiancee?! I occupied that spot once, but then I learned his idea of a 'day out' was going to a veterinary convention, and I found myself a nice HVAC repairman to snuggle up to.
So, cat got your tongue, Estelle? You didn't know women could become vets? Women can also color their hair and go braless. (thanks for pointing that out, @hmmm).
I am intrigued by the hesitant "Er." Why on earth would she say that? Something's up. I'll bet Estelle just became insanely jealous. We'll see. -- Scottie
Fun fact: Ed and Estelle’s love language is Pig Latin. Estelle was just about to say: ‘Er-hay air-hay is-way eird-way” when Ed pokes her sharply in the ibs-ray.
Testing…
What kind of veterinary convention is this? It started at 11 a.m., and everyone's standing around making small talk, drinking coffee, and, judging by Ed's tiny plate, what appears to be one strip of bacon. After a bathroom break, I suppose they'll have lunch. Is there no programmimg? Why is no one reading his/her dull paper? Where are the panel discussions? Where are the vendors trying to drum up vet business for their products while giving away ball-point pens, samples of dog treats, etc.? Meanwhile, Dr. See contemplates throwing the contents of her cup in Larry's face after he made an off-color remark.
Once again, any potential drama nipped in the bud. No real plot here, rather it’s become more like a series of brief tableau’s illuminating Estelle’s insecurities, all quickly extinguished before they become engaging.
Open and honest communication is a great thing in real life, but it doesn’t do much for the storyline of a soap opera strip.
@Meg; Pig latin!! I love it!!
Insecurities is right! It's not like these two are young. Did Estelle think Ed had never dated anyone else? Whew! Missed a bullet there - or we might have some other questions for Mr. Ed.
@Please KitKat; the last thing we need is a boring vet paper. This is dull enough already.
Pet Care Magazine is too popular and nonprofessional. Why not publish in something like the New England Journal of Feline Opthalmology, Dr. See? (See what I did there?)
Good grief, Estelle's acting like met her boyfriend's former girl friend at the sock hop. What a bundle of insecurities! No wonder she was easy pickings for an online romance scam.
Maybe Dr. See’s article was about how to craft matching ear and necklace jewelry out of cat treats.
Now we have an insecure geriatric Bridezilla. Mary’s spidey-senses must be tingling. Somewhere, out there in her web, a major meddle awaits.
@fauxprof, Mary is currently attending the Santa Royale Meddlers' Muffin Squad convention, which is in the ballroom next to the vets' convention.
Labor Day is not a holiday in Santa Royale. Happy Labor Day to all of us in the rest of the nation!
Why can't the Kents take their Rottweilers to Dr. See's clinic themselves? Does Ed offer animal transportation to his clients? Does he have insurance in case of an accident? (I realize this is KM's clumsy way to get Estelle and Sheila together again, where something will happen to trigger Estelle's insecurities.)
All these people showed up for a half-day convention? What, are they selling the answers to the veterinary licensing board exams or something? -- Scottie
KitKat, I imagine the conversation was:
Ed: Take the Rottweilers to Dr. See.
Estelle: Why?
Dr. Ed: They are much too healthy for me to put down.
Oh oh! Dr. Ed told Estelle to give the tranquilizers to the dogs, but it looks like Estelle took them instead.
Little does Estelle know that Rottweilers Killa and Dilla Kent were among the canines rescued from the dognappers last year. They still remember Noodle/aka Greta fondly, and have been seeking her ever since . At last! A clue! The smell of Charterstone and its denizens is strong to their Rotty noses.
And when they get in Stell’s car, the scent is overwhelming! Crash, Bam, Bang!
I am sorry to inform you that Meg’s brain has just been involved in a dangerous crash. This story has been discontinued. This is a recording.
@meg, you have a greater grasp of KM's plots than KM herself. I suppose that's damning with faint praise, but I for one am impressed!
Animal Hospital is a mess, with overcrowding and farming animals out to other vets - eesh. And look at the untrained people who work there! The Santa Royale Veterinary Association should investigate instead of wasting time with monthly "conventions" where they stand around gabbing.
Something is definitely going to happen with Estelle and the Rottweilers, but it won’t be the pups’ fault, because, as we all know, dogs are good. It will, however, be embarrassing for Estelle and Dr. See.
I think somethings gonna happen with Dr. See. The dogs are just a vehicle to get Elaine to See's vet practice. Then what?
See says she still is in love with Dr. Ed?
See make a pass at Estelle?
Dr. See, Estelle and the dogs have a fore-some?
Dr. See offers Estelle a job?
Estelle gets lost on the way and never makes it to Dr. See's office?
Yes, I do know how to spell 'for, 'four', 'fore'.
Dr. Ed's practice doesn't have room for Rottan and Wiella because instead of keeping track of his patient load, his nitwit assistant has spent all her time picking out costume beagle ears and owl beaks. -- Scottie
Estelle: "He surprised me with this gorgeous ring!"
Sheila: "It's beautiful! It's remarkable how sparkly cubic zirconia are nowadays."
Estelle: "He surprised me with this gorgeous ring!"
Sheila: "It's beautiful! It's almost as big as the one he gave me."
Something has to happen, right? I mean, how long can a story go absolutely nowhere…oh, sorry, I forgot that this is Mary Worth. Never mind.
Maybe Estelle should take a nap because, since nothing else is happening, I could really use one of her nightmares about now. Maybe one where she and Ed have a baby, but it’s a puppy with Dr. See’s face and has a giant diamond ring on its tiny paw.
Grateful for the comments today: I laughed out loud!
Ooh, an Estelle nightmare sounds promising, @Tiny fork. Maybe Arthur/Arther could have a cameo.
Procedures at Dr. See's seem awfully lax. No information taken on the Kents' dogs? Will they just be kept indefinitely in the back room? Will the Kents ever see them again?
"Well, Estelle, Ed and I are friends with benefits. Why do you ask?"
OMG, she actually did it! Wow. Well okay, she already asked Ed if there's anything going on, and now she's asked Sheila if there's anything going on. Soon she'll be hiring Keith Willend to investigate the entire town to see if there's anything going on. Normally she'd save money and just ask Mary to snoop around, but she knows that Mary would just try to foist Wilbur back on her. -- Scottie
Thought bubble, Estelle, thought bubble! That’s what it’s there for, so you don’t say the quiet part out loud.
Estelle must have been so blinded by the sparkle on her left hand that she's lost all ability to filter conversational speech. What will Sheila say?
How dare you! What are you implying?
Oh, you are just as dumb as Ed said you were.
After my relationship with Ed, I decided to be a lesbian. Good luck!
My husband and I do have Ed over for the occasional three-some.
As the world’s homeliest cat (sorry, Libby, you’ve been dethroned) looks on while awaiting her appointment to have her embarrassing cat handle adjusted, Dr. See seems to know something not good about Dr. Ed. Well, whut izzit? Is he the Zodiac killer? A Morris Dancer? A Red Sox fan? A snoring schnorrer? Or just gassy? I can’t wait!
There's nothing clients like to see more than vets standing around engaging in personal chit-chat while they're waiting for their animal to be examined.
@meg, I agree, that is one ugly cat. In the cat's defense, that Cleveland Browns sweatshirt must have shrunk eleven sizes when the cat's owner kept it in the dryer for three hours on the hottest setting. I expect when that guy and his cat finally see Dr. See, the guy will say, "Doctor, Hortense is struggling to breathe!"
"But Stell...how well do you REALLY know Ed? Has he told you he used to be called Edwina?"
Dr. See does understand the use of the thought bubble, and now we have the fun of speculating about Ed’s deep dark secret. Is he into kinky cosplay? A serial jaywalker? Spends his Saturday mornings in footie pajamas, eating Cocoa Pebbles and watching VHS tapes of his favorite cartoons? Or is he just a workaholic who never really has been present in relationships.
Seeing that Ed and Estelle have been together for a year and a half, wouldn't you think any major flaw of his would have become evident by now?
Estelle does not know the word "tact".
Oh, @ fauxprof, as much as I love the footie pajamas and Cocoa Puffs scenario, I think you've hit it with the workaholic label. Estelle doesn't know this because she works with him all day anyway, and thinks that she's with him then. Ed doesn't know how, or care to, take time off. If Estelle works in his office and sleeps in his bed, all of his needs are cared for. Hope Estelle doesn't mind. Maybe she won't actually notice.
For goodness sake, Dr. See and Estelle, speak louder! The receptionist is only hearing 75 percent of what you're discussing, and the people sitting near the door can barely hear anything.
Yes, I expect that Ed is married to his job. There's also the fact that Estelle's hair reminds him of a sheepdog he had as a boy. (Sheila's hair reminded him of a skunk he had as a pet in veterinary school.)
“But at the same time…he doesn’t always come when called, and I couldn’t keep him off the couch.”
It turns out that The Big Reveal is a Big Nothingburger [zzzzzzzzzzzzz].
Sheila: Yes, Estelle. Even after Ed and I parted and I found my true soulmate, he and I remained great friends. We're so close that it gives me great pleasure to ruin whatever bit of happiness he now finds.
Judging by Estelle’s bug-eyed shock in the final panel, this is not welcome information. “Ooooh Noooo! I want all the attention on Meeeeee!” Bet she gets in her car (now covered in Rottweiler hair and drool) and runs straight to Mary. I can smell the underbaked muffins from here.
Sheila is "on good authority" - whatever that means. I don't suppose that Estelle will want to talk about this with Ed. I'm not sure about a visit to Mary. Are they really that close? Mary may end up saying, "Ed who?".
Mary not know Ed? Mary has the white pages from every town in California, and studies in the religiously.
The frankness of Sheila and Estelle's discussion has made Sheila's earrings migrate onto her cheeks.
Yes, Estelle, Ed does a bang-up job balancing his professional and personal lives. Just recently he tuned you out as you were blathering about your bizarre wedding plans. Everything is great! When you return to the overcrowded Animal Clinic, be prepared to take a St. Bernard to another clinic 47 miles away.
Hey, where is everyone? Has this riveting plot lulled you to sleep? Aren't you leaping out of bed each morning to read what Estelle is thinking? Today she even tossed in an equine play on words, with Ed giving her the reins. Funny, yes?
Is Estelle's car supposed to be a Saab? Will the wedding venue she's visiting be the Santa Royale Zoo?
Estelle thought balloon: "Maybe he'll join me later on."
Ed thought balloon: "Well, Ed old boy, you dodged another one. But pretending you're busy can be almost as exhausting as actually being busy." -- Scottie
Wedding venues…this could get fractious. It may have to be the parking lot at the vet clinic. Unless the Karaoke bar is available. I guess a church is out of the question?
Estelle to fancy reception place hostess: ‘You look strangely familiar. Do I know you?”
“I get that a lot. You must have met my twin brother Larry at the veterinary convention on August 29.”
@meg, I knew that Wedding Venue woman looked familiar - bingo. She has Larry's sense of humor, too - she's hiding a hamster in her hair.
The negotiations for booking the wedding are speeding along. Estelle hasn't even seen the interior.
When Estelle returns to Animal Hospital: "Ed, I used your Visa card for a deposit at Romance Rendezvous. It's $10,000."
Why is Estelle looking so startled? Of course a wedding venue requires a deposit. I realize she blew all her savings on Arthur/Arther, but did she expect Ed to pay for the Major Nuptials? (This is my new favorite term for Big Wedding.)
Fauxprof
I like your take on the nuptials. I predict General Chaos will be there.
Meg, good catch.
Sorry I haven't posted much. I have to use my phone. Take care all.
Did Estelle already put together a guest list for Major Nuptials? She's making decisions at a frantic pace, costs be damned.
Aha, so there IS a former marriage in her past. We demand the details, KM! Deliver flashbacks and floating heads!
I believe that Estelle established her status as rich widow when she was explaining to Mary that she could afford to send Arthur/randomspelling $10K and it was none of Mary’s dern business and she could just stuff it up her muffin if she (Mary) didn’t like it. Mary then swore under her breath and put a curse on Estelle and introduced her to Wilbur, even though that’s just repeating myself.
Thank you @Meg. That makes so much sense now! I must say the speed that the which wedding prep is going is giving me a head rush. Lemon! Whew!
Anyway, who paid the venue deposit? Having married off a couple of sons in the last few years, that can be very tricky, especially with covid and work-aholic vets.
Great comments. Estelle should look on the bright side. She will get the wedding she wants while Ed works to pay for it. Win-win.
Estelle, you should not be making these decisions, your wedding planner, the one that you forgot to hire, should be handling all of this for you so you can focus on being a bride. If you can’t afford a wedding planner, find someone with time on their hands who loves to meddle…I mean, help people to do it for free. There must be somebody.
Estelle, those color coded folders aren't much help now, are they?
Missed a comma on that last sentence, but it’s also seems true (fish burial at sea, etc.) the way it is.
Sigh, I meant, a comma is missing from the next to the last sentence of my first post today.
Wonderful comments today, everyone! The Snark Meter is setting record highs!
@meg, I knew we could count on you. I had a vague recollection of some explanation when KM brought in Estelle, but I didn't remember if she was a widow or a divorcee. I do remember that she was an airhead from Day One, and that hasn't changed one iota. Unlike Mary, who still mentions Dear Jack every now and then, Estelle remembers the wedding cake but practically nothing about Old What Was His Name.
Hey, gang, did I miss something? Did they ever set a date? If not, is she asking the venue and the bakery to reserve all the dates in the next six months? Tiny Fork is right, a wedding planner would be a help. Also a couples counselor.
Trouble on the horizon as Estelle interviews bands: polka, DJ, cover band doing oldies from the 1980s? Animal themed music? So much to decide!
Estelle may have forgotten that she already talked about this with Ed and he told her to “take the reins”. Talking to him again isn’t likely to change him, but it might cause Estelle to rethink this whole deal. Maybe she just wants to be a vet receptionist with benefits.
A wedding planner AND a couples counselor? Just call Mary. She'll even bake mini muffins for the human guests and treats for the animal attendants. I expect that Pierre is going to walk Estelle down the aisle, and Libby will be the meow of honor.
@fauxprof, you're right about no discussion about the date for Major Nuptials. Maybe that's part of Estelle's taking of the reins. Trouble brews when the date Estelle chooses conflicts with yet another convention of the Santa Royale Veterinary Association.
I see that Estelle has now moved on to Costume Store and she's talked two of the personnel into demonstrating how it is possible to eat cake while wearing masks.
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
Begin forwarded message:
On Friday, September 13, 2024, 15:27, mtrehub@aol.com wrote:
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
On Friday, September 13, 2024, 15:21, mtrehub@aol.com wrote:
W hen Estelle met Ed, he’s perfect she said!
I wonder if he’s single and ready to mingle.
L ove can be tricky, but I’m not too picky.
B ut after previous bad dates, I want a good mate!
U nless someone better comes along…
R eally, Mary can help me, she’s never wrong.
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
On Friday, September 13, 2024, 15:21, mtrehub@aol.com wrote:
W hen Estelle met Ed, he’s perfect she said!
I wonder if he’s single and ready to mingle.
L ove can be tricky, but I’m not too picky.
B ut after previous bad dates, I want a good mate!
U nless someone better comes along…
R eally, Mary can help me, she’s never wrong.
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
Sorry for the multiple comments. I’m in Switzerland, and they’re monitoring me!
@meg, look at the mountains, eat some chocolate, and enjoy yourself. And compose some more poetry, we’re not getting anything poetic from KM via Estelle.
Estelle's maiden name must be Dithers. -- Scottie
Ed has a job and you do not, silly Estelle.
It seems the "Major Nuptials" may be reduced to the rank of "Private Nuptials".
@meg, you get the Above and Beyond Award for commenting from Europe! Switzerland must have inspired your poetic muse. Please continue composing! I visited Geneva and places around it many years ago (in the previous century) and did not want to leave (sigh).
@Scottie, "Dithers" - hahahahaha!
Shouldn't Grover be blue with a pink nose?
Yes, Estelle, now would be an ideal time to call Ed and give him a piece of your mind, especially since he missed out on a piece of cake. If you're lucky, he'll be suturing a St. Bernard at the time.
As this dreary storyline continues, I’m going to throw a rose to June. Today she drew a cute little dog, who has no purpose other than to be a cute little dog. The nose on its owner is a bit much, but, hey, artistic license.
She says, “my wedding” not , “our wedding.” Ed, there’s a bullet with your name on it that you need to dodge.
@LouiseF -- Ha ha, you nailed it. And she will be able to blame it all on General Apathy. -- Scottie
Thanks for the encouragement, fauxprof and KitKat, but you’ve interrupted my Swiss indoctrination session…..’cows are good. Chocolate is good. Mountains are good. Watches are good. Milk is good. Cheese is good. Trains are good. Dirndls…yodeling…’
@meg, fondue and raclette are good, too!
Is Ed trying to run the place on his own? Doesn't he have any veterinary technicians? Who's caring for all the animals in his overcrowded facility? Animal Hospital should be investigated.
Hmm, a neighbor at Charterstone to accompany Estelle in her wedding planning. How about Wilbur? Sampling catered food, wedding cake, and booze would be right up his alley. Or how about Mary? Hilarity would ensue when she and Estelle are mistaken for an engaged couple.
KitKat,
Brilliant! I love the idea that Mary and Estelle are mistaken for the couple. Now excuse me while I clean the coffee off my screen.
I must say, I really hope she will pick Mary to accompany her. It would be hilarious..
Ed's pink lab coat makes him look so cuddly and cute.
Oh boy, Estranged Cousin Pam is coming to town! Apparently the family she's visiting is not related to Estelle, who had never mentioned any family anywhere until Pam's name came up. I hope that Pam is a femme fatale (some of us remember Entertainer Esme, right?) who makes a play for Ed, who reciprocates.
Ed has questions, and so do we. Why was Pam estranged? Estelle has family? What’s in these sandwiches?
I no longer care about Estelle, at all. Hey Estelle, what is your cat doing all day? Bring Libby along!
Will it just be Ed, Estelle, and Pam at the engagement dinner? Or will Wilbur and Mary show up? How about Toby and the Prof? Is there an Engagement Dinner Restaurant? So many questions.
@KitKat Cousin Pam making a play for Ed would certainly work for me. However, as Moy seems to have developed an aversion for extending any potential drama for more than two or three day, I am not kicking that football that Lucy is extending yet again.
Will the engagement dinner wind up conflicting with a commitment Ed’s has already made to some work-related activity? It’s a tossup.
I'm really hoping that Pam will turn out to be a veterinarian. Maybe specializing in exotic animals. No way will Estelle be able to keep up with that lingo.
Hmmph! Ed the great animalitarian, only treats small animals (even the twin Rottweilers looked pretty skimpy to me). I’d like to see him treat some large farm animals like the vet at the farm across the way from our Swiss rental. Why, that vet is stripped to the waist and has his big brawny arms all greased up, and he’s approaching a mammoth heifer’s hindquarters, and…oh, I think I just got this confused with All Creatures Great and Small and Me. Meanwhile, back to Tricki Woo’s emergency gall bladder surgery…
Yes, @meg, don't confuse Ed Harding with Siegfried Farnon. Speaking of Ed, was "Wouldn't you rather we get ready together at MY place?" an offer to play footsie? How awkwardly put, in more ways than one.
I wonder if Estelle will run into Mary at Charterstone. "Why Estelle dear, you're all gussied up! What's the occasion?" "Gussied up" makes me think of Minnie Pearl. Estelle should wear her straw hat with a dangling price tag.
Estelle truly is dense as a box of rocks. Perhaps her months? (years?) with Wilbur warped her sense of expectation. It seemed obvious long ago that Ed is a workaholic. If Estelle had any insight, she would have scheduled the wedding at the end of a yoga session, accompanied by their beloved pets and would have had said pets provide the witnesses for their event. Getting married seems less of a tribute to her and Ed's relationship and more of a trophy for Estelle to fling at anyone who comes near. Figuring Wilbur is waiting in the wings to pick up the pieces when Ed ends the engagement, having to run out to treat an animal community bout of stomach flu..
In spite of Lucy holding that proverbial football, I think the party will be all set on Sunday, the cousins all assembled, but Ed will have to attend to Tricky Poo’s emergency toe nail extraction. Sobbing will ensue, with Pam gleefully looking on.
We're all shocked -- SHOCKED! -- that Ed's going to be MIA at the engagement party. Who could have seen this coming, other than everyone other than Estelle? Apparently there are no emergency animal hospitals in Santa Royale. The SR Vet Association should discuss this at its next convention.
Estele's going to have a hard time walking if she continues to try to put her shoe's heel strap on top of her foot.
I don't see why Dr. See couldn't have seen to this emergency.
@hmmm…. Now where would the fun be in that? We can’t let Ed be late without fighting and weeping and a gloating Pam.
Ed, of course, never shows up, and all the cousins are embarrassed for Estelle. Except Pam. “Oh, sure, Estelle, you’re engaged to a handsome veterinarian. Like we haven’t heard all that before.” (Pam is soon to be re-estranged.)
Mitzi Fitz, the poodle? Hahahahahahahaha etc. What is Ms. Fitz's given name, maybe Trixie? KM has flipped the script from imitation "All Creatures Great and Small" to canine "Call the Midwife."
Estelle, it's time to give back the ring and say bye-bye to Ed.
I don't know, KitKat. I think we're still tuned in to All Creatures Great and Small. After however many weeks (months?) of Estelle hysterics and Ed stoics, will we find Estelle helping Ed deliver Mitzi's puppies. Estelle will be covered in happy tears and puppy ick, but finally agreeing with Ed that puppies are so much more important than cousins. I hope her little black dress is washable.
Mitzi Fitz is my new favorite drink. Melon liquor (Midori), gin, sparkling water and a lime wedge. By coincidence, it also stops premature labor.
We’re burying the lede here. Ed makes house calls? I can understand a vet having to go out to a farm to treat a large animal, but that’s really going above and beyond.
@fauxprof I think you may be on to something.
Enjoying all the comments here!
Just noticed: could “Ms. Fitz” equal Misfits? Can’t imagine what that would imply unless she has a secret (or not so secret) yen for Ed who does not feel the same.
You're correct, @fauxprof. House calls? I have seen advertisements for some mobile vet services who come to homes for routine exams and services, but Ed speeding to a client's home like this is preposterous. I guess KM's middle name is Preposterous.
“Ms Fitz is hysterical! You know she’s always brimming with madcap humor and creative Mitzi Fitz puns, getting to see her improv during her poodle’s premature labor is an opportunity not to be missed! It’s gonna be a goldmine of material for my new book which is totally not based on All Creatures Great and Small. Anyway, just order a Bloomin’ Onion for the table, I should roll in around 11.”
Estelle, the only stall tactic that could work here is to get a table next to a literal horse stall, ideally where the occupant is a mare in heat stricken by an emergency case of mastitis and mud fever.
Post a Comment