Reviews (197)

Author's reply

This did get a bit more angsty than I thought it would; it was only a matter of time before some angst managed to sneak it's way into this series. ;) Good luck with your story! I look forward to it. :) Long before Sam was protecting Frodo on the Quest, Frodo was looking out for Sam. Frodo sees Sam as not only a friend, but as a replacement of sorts for the close bond he had with Merry before moving out of Brandy Hall to live in Hobbiton. Gaffer always wanted to do right by his wife as much as he could. Halfred's persistance was just what he needed to get him to see this last wish through to the end. I wish that my Bell could have lived a little longer also, but I have my reasons for placing her death so early in Sam's life. Thanks so much for reading and for the review! :)

Author's reply

Halfred wasn't about to give up. That, as much as everything else, is part of the reason that Gaffer finally caved in. Had Halfred figured out the solution sooner, it wouldn't have had quite the same resonance if Gaffer hadn't seen just how much it meant to Halfred for Sam to learn. He really couldn't argue, not after he told Halfred the truth of the matter, and he'll come to pride Sam's learning in time. Sam is just the sweetest hobbit there is. Sleeping in that bed all by himself must have been terribly lonely for him and that's likely the only reason Halfred won't be apprenticed off for another year or so, to give Sam time to grow up a bit more and get accustomed to the idea. That slate was the best gift Sam had ever gotten up to this point and he was very proud of it. He's likely to wear Bilbo out with his thirst for knowledge. ;) Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

I've read quite a few of those variations myself and I was tempting to use Frodo's argument for making the Gaffer cave in at last (it was inspired by one of the variations that I've read) but, as Halfred pointed out, those blasted post messengers just made that argument impossible. Up to the very point of Gaffer's confession, I really had no clue how this was going to resolve itself and I was beginning to fear that Sam might never get to learn to read! I haven't done a story about Bell's death yet, simply because I don't think even I can handle that much angst. This brief glimpse was sad enough, but it does make it clear why Halfred would want to see his mother's wishes fulfilled, especially after he learns the reason that Bell wanted it in the first place. Thanks for reading and for all your lovely reviews! :)

Author's reply

I'm so glad this was able to remind you of something in your own life. ^_^ Scavenger hunts are a great way of keeping kids occupied and out from under foot, especially when you put things on the list that will be difficult to find. Those parents are pretty tricky, but the Gamgee kids pulled through. ;) LOL, that song should sound familiar, as it's modeled after our own kissing song. I figured that hobbits would have some form of that song that they could tease their older siblings with. Thanks for reading and for the lovely review! :)

Author's reply

Halfred is the picture of Gamgee stubbornness. He wasn't about to give up finding a solution and so I had to keep on writing even though I had no idea what the solution was! Frodo wanted to see Sam learn just as much as Halfred did, but the real clincher for him was hearing that it had been Bell's wish. Having lost his own mother so young (and at nearly the same age as Halfred was when Bell died), Frodo would understand Fred's desire to fulfill one his mother's last wishes. Bell had a valid reason for wanting all the children to learn their letters, and it's easy to see why she held on for so long on Sam being allowed to learn. The Gaffer might have been able to dismiss her concerns while she lived, and afterward, he had more important things to worry about, but now he really cannot argue that what she was worried about is unlikely to happen. It's already happened, to a degree. He just needed Halfred's not-so-gentle prodding to get him to admit to that. Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

I've been trying to figure out for months now why exactly Gaffer would let Bilbo teach Sam his letters, and even when I started writing this story I still didn't have the answer, which is why this was originally going to just be about Sam's first reading lesson, *after* the Gaffer was talked into it. But Halfred was truly persistant and made me write this story, even though I was as stumped as he was for a solution and I was sincerely hoping those other gardeners and workers would come up with one. Those blasted post messengers indeed! I wanted to strangle them by the time Halfred was moping by the river. And as it turns out, Gaffer had the exact reason he needed the whole time! I can well imagine Sam sneaking out that slate and chalk and writing his name for practice every time he had the chance. He'll make the most studious pupil Bilbo has ever taught. Thanks for reading and I'm so glad you enjoyed it! :)

Author's reply

Halfred may be the self-proclaimed "trouble maker" of the bunch, but his heart is always in the right place. He wants nothing more than to see all his siblings (and his dad) have everything they could ask for. Even though he knows that isn't a practical possibility, he wanted Sam to have this chance and he eventually found the way to make it happen. Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

We've always had cats and dogs in my house, but it was years before I had a cat of my own. I couldn't imagine *not* having a cat, and now, the Gamgees couldn't imagine it either. Nibbler worked his way into their hearts and lives so quickly, as kittens are prone to do. Not even the Gaffer was immune to his charms. :) Thanks for reading! I know how busy you are and it always means a lot when you squeeze in the time to read my fics. *hugs*

Author's reply

That's what you get when a Californian writes about snow! LOL The snow is more like slush at this point. It *is* melting and spring *is* starting, just too slowly as far as the overly-bored kids are concerned. I doubt the basket for the berries or the bouquet were very big. :) Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

Poor sterile Nibbler. :P Unless, Daisy was wrong. ~_^ Gaffer couldn't have resisted the kitten's charms forever. Sam knew what he was doing when he put the kitten in his father's lap. A very obvious, but effective, trick. And seeing how happy his kids were with it, and how attached Sam and Goldie became in particular, gave him even more reason to let them keep it. Besides, cats do pretty much take care of themselves, a crucial selling point. :) Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

Gaffer has to be both mother and father to his kids, and so they adore him all the more for it. He's the central most important person in their lives and they simply can't imagine taking a day off and leaving their father behind to work while they're having fun. Gaffer might have protested, but he also can't imagine going an entire day without his kids about. Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

The Gamgees are the best, so cuddly and fluffy. :) They couldn't imagine not including their father, and Gaffer was rather pleased that they did; he'd be mighty lonely without them about for an entire day. I'll probably start writing more post-Quest once I'm finished with the two stories I'm currently working on. I'll jot this idea down and see what happens. ^_^ Frodo is ever at the mercy of aggressive lasses! lol He's just so polite and just shy enough around them that he really doesn't stand a chance. Sam doesn't understand why Frodo doesn't want to be around her, but knowing that she makes Frodo uncomfortable is reason enough for him. Sam's always looking after his master. :) I thought about letting the Gamgees lose. Certainly, if Sam hadn't remembered about the rocks, it would have been a very close race. The rocks were included in the list because the adults figured they would be hardest to find and so the kids would be gone all day trying to locate them. But Sam *is* resourceful and found the rocks, so even with the berry crisis, they won in the end. Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

Thanks Dreamflower! (((hugs))) All the Gamgee children are just so caring of each other, and very good at figuring things out. They each have their own role and they excel at that role brilliantly.

Author's reply

I figure that "Gaffer" is equal to "Dad" amongst the working class hobbits, and so the very youngest children would call their fathers "Gaffy" just as much as they would "Daddy". :D 90% of 'calico' cats are female, and the males are indeed sterile. So either the Gamgees have themselves a very rare cat, or Daisy was mistaken. hehe Imagine Gaffer's surprise if that cat turns out to be female and has kittens one day! He *did* think he was likely to regret his decision to keep it. ~_^ Thanks for reading, and for that plot bunny you unintentionally sent my way. :)

Author's reply

Oh yes, pouting works on even the toughest father's heart. They have their Gaffer wrapped around their little fingers. :) lol, if they *had* found the owner for that kitten, the Gaffer would have had to go out and find another one. He couldn't really take the kitten away, not after seeing how happy his children were with it, and certainly not after getting a dose of its affections himself. That's a good trick, putting the kitten on his lap. It certainly worked on *my* dad every time. ^_^ Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

No one can resist a kitten, unless they're completely heartless, which the Gaffer certainly is not. And kittens are tenacious. They'll hunt around for attention until they get it, and little Nibbler wasn't about to give up on the Gaffer. I'm glad you've enjoyed these. If you haven't had quite enough fluff yet, you might want to check out my "Of Merry and Pippin" ficlets, also posted on this site. Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

The Gaffer is a big soft teddy bear beneath his rough and gruff exterior, and he's always sure to show it to his children. He has to be both mother and father to them, and that would have made him softer and more open during these quiet moments at home. And of course, any time the kids can hear stories of their mother, they'll listen, even if they've heard it a hundred times before. Thanks for reading and for the lovely review!

Author's reply

The hobbits believe in their ghosts. They may not believe outlandish stories from outside their borders, but they do believe that ghosts are sometimes the only explanation for things. :) Scalawag was actually based on a tv special I saw once about ghosts that supposedly haunt this ship (or maybe it was a hotel bar); one of them would blow of a woman's neck if there was a man standing behind her, lol. Blowing on necks is a bit too sensual for hobbits, but who doesn't remember some kid coming along and trying to depants a friend or look up a girl's skirt? It's just innocent enough for hobbits. :) Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

Feel free to teach your sibs the games. The name game (and many different variations of it) used to keep my friends and I entertained during those long bus rides going to and from band competitions, especially when we could find someone who didn't know the rules (or know that we had changed them!). The singing game was merely borrowed from "Whose Line is it Anyway?" ^_^ As for the song itself, if May hadn't sung her verse, the others would have kept it a bit more respectful, but when May, the stoic rule-keeper, went and got cheeky, it allowed everyone else to do the same. Good thing the Gaffer's a good sport. :) Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

A very typical family, reminiscent of many such mornings in my own home growing up. In this case, it's mostly because they're still adjusting to the loss of their mother, but it is in part because they are simply that young and will find petty things to argue about. It was always my impression that Bell died when Sam was very young. He never talks about her in the books, speaking solely of his father, and while he names nearly all of his kids after someone he knows, none of his daughters are named Bell. She may not have passed on *this* early, but I have a good reason for it in my fanon (and one day, I will write that story ^_^) At any rate, the Gaffer does his best to make up for the loss, and their neighbors and friends do what they can also. :) I do see Daisy as stepping up and taking over the "mom" role for her younger siblings, when she's not threatening May over the ribbon that is! I was the youngest in my own family and can remember many days when my sister would watch my brother and me while our parents were off doing something else. She was sort of a second mom to us. Thanks so much for reading and for your lovely review!

Author's reply

You can't get much fluffier than a little bundle of purring fur. :) Glad this was just what you needed to get you over the angst of your new fic (which I'm very eager to read, btw). Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

Sam knew what he was doing when he put Nibbler on the Gaffer's lap. He knew there was no way his father could resist its charms and he was right! I know it always worked on *my* dad at any rate. And that little trick with the head wriggling is one my cat uses on me all the time, when she feels she's being ignored. :) Thanks for reading!

Author's reply

And I remember what WaFF means! It's so nice to see the grouchy old Gaffer being sweet and mushy for a change. Thanks for the review!

Author's reply

Bell was a good match for steadfast Hamfast. Where he's strict, she's more lenient. Where he's practical, she's whimsical. All the children love hearing stories about their mother, hence why they know the story so well. It's unfortunate that the Fates took Bell away from her family so soon, but her memory will live on for many more years to come.

Author's reply

Kids are so serious at times, especially about playing games such as this. Sam is no different and all those stories of Bilbo's would have influenced the way he would expect this game to be played. At least he pays attention, even if his friends don't. ^_^