News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
| About Us News Resources
Login
Become a member
Help
Search
|
|
|
| Miss Dora Baggins' Book of Manners by Dreamflower | 188 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 11/3/2009 |
| Dear Miss Dora, My dearest Friend suffered a Bereavement in her Family Recently. I too have Lost loved ones. Thank you for helping me know what to Write to others who may Suffer such Losses. Your reader, Kaylee Arafinwiel Author Reply: My Dear Miss Kaylee, My Condolences to you and to your friend in your Sad Loss. I am glad if my Words have provided any Help at a time like this to you. Sincerely, Miss Dora (((hugs))) Dreamflower | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 11 on 11/3/2009 |
| Dear Miss Dora, I have not been to many Weddings, nor am I Married yet; I have not even been Properly Courted. But I know well the Dangers of putting the Dessert before the Main Course and would under no circumstances Do So! I believe that Someday I will find the right Person to spend the Rest of my Life with. Of course, if one has Certain Problems, as I do, one may Question whether it is Appropriate to Wed or Bear Children; I admit being afraid that my Conditions may hurt any potential Children of mine. I want a Family of my Own very much, but also Fear for any Potential Problems. What would you advise, Miss Dora? Kaylee Arafinwiel Author Reply: My Dear Miss Kaylee, It is not Unusual for Young Persons in your situation to Worry Overmuch about the Future and what it will Bring. When one is young, there is so very much Time and so very many Possibilities (both Good and Bad) that Loom Ahead. As you Grow Older you will Come to Realize that such things cannot be Predicted, nor can they be Forced. If you are Meant to find True Love and to Wed and start a Family, then it will happen without your Fretting. And keep in mind that not Everyone is meant for Wedded Bliss. I myself am Quite Content in my Spinsterhood, and I have a Bachelor Cousin who (though I would not Dream of telling him so) has made an Excellent Parent to our Orphaned Cousin. There are more ways than One to have a Family! Sincerely, Miss Dora Kaylee, I can only echo Miss Dora here. If something is Meant (as Gandalf puts it) it will happen no matter what! (((hugs))) Dreamflower | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 11/3/2009 |
| Dear Miss Dora, Once Again I have reviewed Two Chapters at Once. I will merely say I find Hobbit customs quite Sensible and will try to employ more of Them! Your Reader, Kaylee Arafinwiel Author Reply: Dear Miss Kaylee, I am convinced that you are a Young Person of Remarkable Good Sense, and that you are able to recognize Good Cusoms when you see them! I am very pleased with you! Sincerely, Miss Dora Miss Dora is quite convinced now that you will show more interest in Hobbits than in those Odd Elves! I told her not to count on it, but she just sniffed. Dreamflower | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 9 on 11/3/2009 |
| Dear Miss Dora, I will take this Advice on Gift Giving, and though I admit among my people it is Usual to Give Gifts for Birthdays and Weddings on the Actual Day, I think at my next Birthday (I shall be Twenty-Five) I will make a Point of Giving Gifts to my Guests instead. Yours Loyally, Kaylee Arafinwiel Author Reply: Dear Miss Kaylee, Yes, I recall a Certain Baggins Cousin of mine told me that other Races recieve Gifts on their Birthdays rather than Give them. While I find that Odd, I can understand that Some People may have Different Customs. Still, I am glad that you are considering Adopting the Hobbit Custom. It is a good way to show Gratitude to all those Friends and Family who Care About you. Sincerely, Miss Dora Miss Dora has told me that if you should wish to give Her a gift on your Birthday, she will gratefully accept it. ;-D Dreamflower | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 11/3/2009 |
| Dear Miss Dora, I see I covered my response to Both Chapters in the Last One! I hope that does not offend. I will merely thank you Once More for the Excellent Advice on Being a Guest! Your loyal reader, Kaylee Arafinwiel Author Reply: My dear Miss Kaylee, Far be it from me to Take Offense at your Sincere Admiration for my Advice! I am Most Gratified, in fact! (Although in spite of what my Scribe has said, I am Not at All Puffed Up!) Sincerely, Miss Dora For some reason, Miss Dora is a little cross with me. Dremaflower | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 11/3/2009 |
| Dear Miss Dora, Indeed, Hospitality is a thing not to be Squandered! Thank you for teaching me the proper way to Receive Guests and how to Be a Proper Guest as well. I will put this Advice to good Use when I have the Occasion (and Time) to go Visiting. Loyally as ever, Kaylee Arafinwiel Author Reply: Miss Kaylee, It is Gratifying to know that my Advice will be Helpful to you! It just goes to show that there are People of Sense in every Race. Sincerely, Miss Dora Kaylee, Miss Dora is in danger of getting a little Above Herself from all your flattery! She can be a little vain about her advice giving! Dreamflower | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 11/3/2009 |
| Dear Miss Dora, As my Schedule is so Busy with School, I have not had much Time to attend Occasions such as These. However, I do like Festivals and other Parties very much, and will keep all these in Mind for the next time I may Attend One! (Forgive me the shorter Reply, my Ride to School shall be coming soon.) Your Loyal Reader, Kaylee Arafinwiel Author Reply: My Dear Miss Kaylee, I hope that your Ride is Prompt, so that you may be able to get such Meals as you are Allowed! My Scribe has informed me that it is not Quite so Dreadful for Men to miss an occasional Meal as it is for a Hobbit, but I still do not think it can be a very Pleasant Experience. I hope that once your Education is complete you will have the Opportunity for many Pleasant Social Occasions! This clearly shows the Superiority of the Hobbit way of Doing Things. Our Young People do not need to miss such Occasions in order to become Educated! Sincerely, Miss Dora Kaylee, Miss Dora is still a little worried about your eating habits, but I think I've made her understand a little better about human customs... Dreamflower | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 11/3/2009 |
| My Dear Miss Dora, I am well pleased to see that my Mealtime Manners are quite Correct, though I blush to think I have already missed First Breakfast and only had a handful of chocolate Biscuits for Second Breakfast (which is not a proper Breakfast at any rate!) I also missed Elevenses, much to my consternation. Well, it is 11:38, so perhaps I may find something for a bit of Elevenses Late, and be excused on that ocunt? At any rate, I need Something to eat, as my Classes begin promptly at One (giving me no time whatsoever for Luncheon) and run straight through to Five O' Clock (though I have a break in which I may take Tea or nibble on Something, from Three to Three-Thirty). I then must wait for my Transportation to arrive to take me Home, as I live too far from my School to walk there. It arrives between Five and Five-Thirty when on Time, but possibly Later. As such, my Meals are most horribly Interrupted, and though I do my Best to take them Properly, I fear I am most Inadequate at it. Please Advise me how to Proceed in this Case! (I am not permitted to Eat between One and Three, or between Three-Thirty and Five, except for the occasional Sip of Water. The Classroom does not permit Food otherwise. At All.) Your loyal Reader, Kaylee Arafinwiel Author Reply: My Poor Dear Miss Kaylee! How dreadful! I can't Imagine what your People are Thinking! To coop Young People up All Day and then not Allow Proper Meals! I am so Sorry I can think of no Helpful Advice in such a Horrible Situation! Men are a Very Strange Race! Oh, this is Simply Awful! Sincerely, Miss Dora This has really upset Miss Dora. She thinks you must be starving to death, and she is very worried about you! Dreamflower | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 11/3/2009 |
| Miss Dora, I myself am Twenty-Four, so this information on Tweenagers is most interesting! I trust that when my Elfling reaches his own adolescence, he will be reined in so as not to cause any Problems. He will be Prince by then, and Because of his Station many Expectations will be His. I hope he will Survive! Your devoted reader, Kaylee Arafinwiel (P.S. Dreamflower, I'm 24 in human years of course *wink* I forget what that is in Elven so I didn't translate it...it's 24 x 2.33...Math hates me this morning. ~Kaylee) Author Reply: Miss Kaylee, My Scribe informs me that at Twenty-four years in the reckoning of Men, you would be about the same as a Hobbit of Thirty-six! Most certainly an adult and of age, but still young and new to your responsibilities! I do not know about Elves-- I have been given to understand through a Disreputable Cousin of mine that they mature at an even Slower Rate than Hobbits! Still, Adolescence is Adolescence in any Race or Time, and I am sure that the Turmoil of Leaving Childhood Behind is the same as well. Sincerely, Miss Dora I can't figure Elf ages, either, Kaylee! *grin* Dreamflower | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 11/3/2009 |
| Miss Dora, I write once again to you and your esteemed scribe Dreamflower. This chapter was one of my favorites, as it covers the period now being written into the elfling's Tale. I find it very useful, and so does our elfling's Great-grandfather (He has, in fact, written a quite Similar Volume!) Indeed, children at this stage of life ought to be quite old enough to play alone.I must inquire, however, what to do if such a child is Teased. (I know, of course, you have covered this, but I had a particular Question.) The particular Elfling in question is a child of the Sindar, whilst his Tormentors are children of the Noldor. Their fathers and his are both Advisors of their King. (Let us say for comparison, if the Thain's Heir and the Master's Heir were not in Accord with one Another.) The elflings' Fathers also do not get along well, and so there is no one who can solve the Problem Amicably. What would you suggest, Miss Dora? Your faithful reader, Kaylee Arafinwiel Author Reply: Miss Kaylee, What a sad situation! It would be Unthinkable to find such a sitation among Hobbits! Indeed, while they are still very Young, the Thain's Heir and the Master's Heir are very Close, more like Brothers than Cousins and Friends! It is Quite Inconscionable of the Fathers of these lads to allow their own Personal Animonisities affect their children! If neither of the Adults can be made to see the Sense in Putting Aside their own Prejudices in order to bring their children To Heel, perhaps a third Person could be found who can Shame them into taking their responsibilties to their children Seriously. Is there an older Female Relative who can bring her Authority to bear upon them? I know not how such things are Reckoned among Elves, but an Aunt or Grandmother, or perhaps even a distant Cousin who is Reckoned as Wise might be able to make them Understand Their Duty! Perhaps even this King of theirs or his Queen might intercede on the children's Behalf! Sincerely, Miss Dora Kaylee, Miss Dora was quite incensed at your question, and it was all I could do to keep her from rushing off to deal with the matter herself! However, I reminded her she would have to go Outside the Bounds of the Shire, which would make it an Adventure. This horrified her enough to calm down. Dreamflower | |