It is Saturday when I write this recap. The weather is not simply dreary, it is unpredictably dreary. Cold and gray, it snows a bit; then stops. After a while it snows a bit more, then stops again. Is that the sun I see trying to peek out of the overcast? Yes, for a moment. Now gone again. As I said, it’s unpredictable. And that is a fair description of the current story.

Mark and Cliff seem to spend more time away from the Woodsman Olympics than participating in it. In fact, Mark’s interview with the Solar Project manager the week before took up so much time that they missed the log-cutting event. We began the week with Cherry and Rusty at the log-cutting event, searching in vain to find Mark and Cliff. That’s the last we saw of them this week. When Mark and Cliff finally arrived, it was apparently at another location, and just in time for the Log Camp Boxing Event. Tad Crass was on site as the event moderator. He decided to change the contest on the spot to a “Tag-Team” boxing event, pitting Mark and Cliff against the Grungey Boys. His expectation was clearly to see Mark and Cliff publicly humiliated.

Mark sent Cliff into the ring first, no doubt to test the waters. And the waters proved too deep for Cliff, who was quickly overcome by a tag-team dirty trick. Mark jumped in to take over, facing off against Honest Ernest. But Tad Crass didn’t like the way things were going (that is, Mark was not getting hammered by Ernest), so he immediately changed the event on the fly once again to an “Extreme Boxing” match, involving everybody fighting in the ring at the same time. Just keep throwing things to see what sticks.

I know what you’re thinking. Well, I know what I am thinking, anyway. All of the planning and setup for this Olympics; all of the money spent on resources and bringing in contestants; and here is Tad Crass, turning it into a grudge match of personal retribution. One might think that Rivera is layering in a subtle satire on our political situation. But I can’t expand on that, in large part, because this is not a political blog and will not become one. Wait. I just stepped on my …er, let’s just get some fresh air and explore the Sunday nature topic, shall we?

Mark could be more consistent. Bluebirds are cool! Bluebirds are not cool because they drop down on their prey. Which is it!? I’m nitpicking, because I think these Sunday strips would be better if more space was spent on the subject and less space on Mark and his puns. Not needed, Jules! My unsolicited recommendation is to go with the old standard: Limit Mark’s appearances to only the first information panel and maybe the last panel. Mark delivers only one joke (okay, Mark’s line in the last panel wasn’t bad). Also, keep doing the custom title panels!