It’ll be interesting to see how Lynn deals with the subject of Alzheimer’s. One of my grandmothers had it, and it was heartbreaking.
Thanks for the link, Rilchiam; I hadn’t seen today’s strip yet. Earlier this week, the grandfather got lost in the dental office suite rooms, so I had been wondering if this might be beginning stage of Alzheimer’s.
Lynn Johnston does not flinch in dealing with reality, as has been shown in FBoFW through the years: the reveal of Michael’s friend as gay (which caused many papers to drop the strip) and the death of the beloved family dog Farley (while rescuing the baby April from certain death). This is why this strip has remained one of my very favorites. The only problem I have had, and this has been recently, is the use of some terms unfamiliar to those readers here in the US! 
Lynn has already led her readers through the sickness and passing of the grandmother, Jim’s first wife, and I guess now we’ll see the effect of Alzheimer’s on Jim. I’m certain it will at least be an interesting and probably educational journey for her readers.
Yeah. I was afraid this was where it was going. It will be interesting to see how she deals with this. It’s bound to be difficult times ahead.
I’m curious - what terms do you find unfamiliar? I thought she uses pretty general language?
“Make strange”, for one.
“Beer tickets” was another that was discussed here, I believe.
funny I’m in the US and I’ve heard make strange… my pediatrician uses it.
Yeah today’s strip is sad. We’re dealing with Alzheimers personally (my husband’s grandfather is in a nursing home and his father was diagnosed with early onset just last year 
Lynne Johnson deals so eloquently with so many difficult issues. We discuss her strip in my house like they are good friends of ours. I will miss her stories when she retires the strip!
Yeah - I have a feeling the strip is going to strike pretty close to home with this series.
As Tanookie mentioned my grandfather (in his 80’s) has it and my father (mid 50’s) has been diagnosed with early-onset. It has been scary to see what has been happening to both of them over the last few years.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the strip.
Cafe Society, I suppose.
You know this strip is a conundrum for me. I enjoy the storyline and the characters but I rarely ever laugh.
I suppose that could be said of 90% of the comics I read nowadays…sad really.
Just thought I would share.
Carry on.
Many of the story lines are based on her actual family and life so it’s quite possible she’s drawing from her own experience.
I’ve liked watching Michael and Elizabeth and their struggles in growing up since I’m just in between their ages.
Not that I doubt the strip is going in that direction, but…not all senility is Alzheimer’s.
Good point.
Anyway, she’s switched to a different storyline, so it appears not to be Jim’s moment of reckoning just yet.