Dreamflower
· 3 July 2006
· Chapter 4: Weekend Warriors, Part II
Uh-huh. Paint in the hair and on the clothes and well, I've never experienced it in my "foothair", LOL, but on my glasses--I do know how poor Bilbo feels. And it *does* take days to get it all off. It's a shame they don't have blue tape and automatic rollers in the Shire!
Author's reply
ROTFL!!!!!
I KNOW!!!! I started writing and thought, wait a minute Bilbo has no 3M Blue Painter's tape. AHHH!! What is a hobbit to do!!
My inspiration for Bilbo's paint job was ... MYSELF. I was painting a very narrow closet recently and I stepped back into the wall I'd just painted. I got paint all on my clothes, which I didn't care because it's my painting outfit, but I also got paint in my hair. My ponytail was white and it took a week's worth of shampooing until it all came out finally (can you imagine dealing with foothair). I haven't gotten any on my glasses yet though (crosses fingers, knocks on wood, etc). I almost stepped into my paint tray too. I'm not exactly the most graceful person there is.
Dreamflower
· 3 July 2006
· Chapter 3: Weekend Warriors, Part I
Ah, Bilbo, you clever fellow.
Yes, right now that Ring is nothing more than a handy trinket, useful for getting away from unwanted relatives. Such a shame it could not have stayed that way.
You've an interesting choice of witnesses: some of them are the same as Gryffinjack and I chose for the same document--it does seem that on this score, our minds think alike, as Bilbo would choose those who could be the most useful in supporting Frodo's rights in the future.
Now, on to the next chapter...
Author's reply
He is a clever little bugger, isn't he.
That's all Bilbo will ever see his magic ring as being, a handy trinket ... until he see his dear beloved nephew almost dead upon arrival to Rivendell. Even then, he doesn't realize the full power of the Ring until he sees the Ring and wants it back.
I laughed when I first saw your choice of witnesses ... because they were very similar to those I had choosen too! I chose my witnesses primarily based on their relation to Frodo. I think Bilbo would have chosen the Master and future Master of Buckland (who's most assume is also Frodo's guardian), the Thain and future Thain, and the next highest status Baggins, which would have been Dora. She actually serves 2 functions: she is the eldest matriarch and the next eldest Baggins in line, but also the eldest surving direct relation of Frodo's father ... so I thought she would have some legal say in her nephew's care. In his Letters, Tolkien states that females and males can both inherit land and titles, which strongly implies equal rights in the Shire.
I chose Griffo because he is the husband of Frodo's only Baggins first-cousin. He and Daisy are younger and if Bilbo, Dora, and Dudo suddenly all died off, they would be the closest Baggins relation to Frodo. I chose Porto for nearly the same reasons. Other than Frodo, he is the only other male Baggins that can produce heirs without hyphenated names (like those pesky S-B's.)
As for the next chapter, I sincerely hope you enjoy it, Dreamflower. I wrote it and added it in just for you, based on an idea you gave me in one of your reviews.
~Julie~
harrowcat
· 3 July 2006
· Chapter 4: Weekend Warriors, Part II
Hm I just got this bizarre image of Bilbo Baggins as an Ancient Briton rubbing blue woad into his hair! What fun!
Author's reply
Snort! Now you've got ME picturing the same image. It does seem to fit with Mad Baggins' image, doesn't it? Now _there's_ a plot bunny for someone! LOL!
harrowcat
· 3 July 2006
· Chapter 3: Weekend Warriors, Part I
Oh yes! Magic rings can be so useful! It doesn't seem quite fair that Bilbo got all the usfulness and Frodo all the grief of this particular ring!
Author's reply
No, it certainly wasn't very fair, was it. I think Bilbo (movie Bilbo, especially) felt very guilty over that aspect of the Ring when he came to realize.
Antane
· 1 July 2006
· Chapter 2: Flip this Smial
I love this story! It's so sweet and loving all the trouble Bilbo is going through to make sure everything is just perfect. Nothing but the best for the best and friendship with the bestest - little Sam. :)
Namarie, God bless, Antane
Author's reply
Thank you, Antane! I'm glad you're loving it. Little Sam will be making a couple more appearances, so you haven't seen the last of him yet. Bilbo's going all out here to make sure Frodo feels at home.
Namarie!
shirebound
· 1 July 2006
· Chapter 2: Flip this Smial
Bilbo had a feeling that Frodo was going to befriend the younger hobbit children in the area, just as he had done with the little ones at Brandy Hall.
Why just the other day during his lesson, Sam had carefully printed out a list of all the fun things he and Master Frodo could do together! Little Samwise appeared to be as excited as the Master about Frodo coming to live at Bag End.
I love your explanation as to why Frodo might have felt more comfortable among the young 'uns!
Author's reply
Thank you, Shirebound!
Looking at the hobbit family trees in the Appendices, other than Lotho, Reginard Took, and the two older Gamegee lads there were no other hobbit children born around the same time as Frodo (in his "immediate" family at least.) All of Frodo's cousins were born much earlier than he and many were having children by the time Frodo was a teen/tween. These cousins, were therefore much younger than Frodo and he became the one in the middle, so to speak. I think Frodo would have found them to be more eager playmates for him than his older adult cousins.
I have to laugh because my family, although very small by hobbit standards, is the same. For 22 years, I was the baby of the family ... until my oldest first cousin had twin boys of her own. To me, it was weird at first having someone younger than me around, but now I'm the one the twins and their sister want to come and play with them.
Sorry to ramble on so, but thank you for reading/reviewing as always.
harrowcat
· 1 July 2006
· Chapter 2: Flip this Smial
Yeah! Enthusiasm gets you only so far and then the reality of hard work really kicks in. That is why there are so many DIY rescue programmes on the TV after all. But Bilbo isn't one to give up on a job just because it is hard!
Author's reply
Although Bilbo may not know much about home repair, etc. he is most willing to learn in this case.
Nope, Bilbo is certainly not one to give up so quickly. He is a Baggins, after all. :D
Thanks Harrowcat!
Dreamflower
· 1 July 2006
· Chapter 2: Flip this Smial
This is just delightful!
I love the way you have Hamson and the Twofoot son helping with moving the furniture, and the Gaffer's reluctance to remain in the kitchen was very much in charracter.
Bilbo's reflections on the young hobbits in the area, and the general lack of company his own age are very much in line with my own.
Bilbo's working hard--I love the way he has that gentle fantasy of reading to Frodo...
I saw your comment on my own little mathom about Folco. Yes, when I was working on Folco's backstory, it seemed logical to me that the only place for him to be placed was as Daisy and Griffo's son--much later, I discovered in Peoples of Middle Earth that JRRT had him descended from a different line of Boffins, and that his father's name was--get this--Vigo! LOL! But I don't consider it a canon error for him to be Daisy and Griffo's son, because all we had to go by was the *actual* Family Trees as they appear in Appendix C, and in which Folco does not even make an appearance. I do, however, have the Boffins residing in the area called The Yale, not far from Budgeford.
As for "Simply Quilts" it's a show about quilting, and comes on fairly early in the morning on HGTV just before the Carol Duvall Show. Where I live, it's on at 7:30AM.
Author's reply
Thank you so much, Dreamflower! I'm really glad that you are enjoying this so.
Bilbo finally realized he did need some help after all when it came to moving the existing furniture. And the Gaffer was most certainly not as comfortable in Bag End as Sam would be.
As I wrote Shirebound, in the Family trees in the Appendices, there are virtually no hobbits born around the same time as Frodo in his family. The only ones closest are Lotho (eewww), Reginard Took, and the two olderst Gamgee lads.
I would think Frodo would find it much easier to relate to his younger cousins than his much older ones and the young ones certainly looked up to him.
Bilbo is working very hard, isn't he. His little fantasies of what life might be like when Frodo arrives help him to get through a stressful day.
Wow, I never knew that about Folco's heritage. Vigo ... now _that's_ funny!! I can't tell you more about where I have Folco, Daisy, and Griffo living, etc because that truly is another story for another day (my Dora story.) I think I like where we both have placed Folco in relation to Frodo much better.
Thanks for reading/reviewing, Dreamflower! I have to go read the latest on Miss Dora now. ;)
Dreamflower
· 29 June 2006
· Chapter 1: Divine Design
Oh, this is so funny! Somehow, I never thought of Bilbo doing his own decorating/remodeling. When I had him remodel a room to make it over for Gandalf's use, he hired the Gaffer's brother-in-law to do it.
But it's going to be interesting seeing him try! I loved his running to the shops--and your little snippet about the Tools and Materials Shop, and how the sons ran it now was just the right sort of little detail that makes a fic come alive!
Looking forward to more. Hmmm...*thinking of show titles*...Room by Room...maybe...Desiger's Challenge? Weekend Warriors? Decorating Cents?...hmm...maybe if Aunt Dora or Lobelia try to butt in--Designing for the Sexes?...he'll need a bedcovering..."Simply Quilts"? If he runs into trouble, there's "Take Over my Make Over"...hmmm...
Author's reply
LOL!!! You've got me thinking (which can be dangerous) and my fingers itching to type. I LOVE the idea of Designing for the Sexes ... you may just be surprised in a few chapters since I can't get this idea out of my head now.
Yes, normally such a wealthy hobbit would just hire to get the task done. But, for Bilbo this is part of becoming a parent. He _wants_ and personally needs to do this for Frodo.
I'm glad you enjoyed Bilbo's little outing to Hobbiton's local Home Depot, er Tiggs Tools. I thrive on the little deatils like that, both writing and reading them. It's one reason why Tolkien is my favorite author--he wasn't afraid to put in all the little details that help make the history of Middle-earth seem real.
You may see some of those titles you mentioned (wink, wink.) Hmm, I've never heard of 'Simply Quilts' ... but that IS another story for another day (one that was my first multi-chaptered story written, but it won't be posted until the fall/winter.) Tease, I know. LOL!
Thank you for such a great review, Dreamflower, and making ME laugh too!!
shirebound
· 29 June 2006
· Chapter 1: Divine Design
Having decided on a replica of his own desk and chair in his study to be made for Frodo’s use
He enjoyed haggling over the prices, offering the poorer merchants much more than they would normally ask and making sure to give the wealthier merchants less than they deserved
I just love these little details! I'm enjoying this immensely. :D
Author's reply
I'm glad you're liking it so much, Shirebound! There's much more to come!
Thank you!
harrowcat
· 29 June 2006
· Chapter 1: Divine Design
Good preparation is half the battle and Bilbo seems to be well on with that. All going well so far! But no brush cleaner??? *g*
Author's reply
Bilbo is very well prepared ... but is so enthusiastic that he forgot his brush cleaner and is running back to Tiggs as we speak. Of course, having no brush cleaner will be a problem in a later chapter, but probably not in the way you are thinking of. LOL!
lovethosehobbits
· 27 June 2006
· Chapter 0: Do It Yourself
ooo...I love it! Can't wait to see what Bilbo comes up with ... more soon?
Author's reply
Oh yes, more very soon. Thanks for reading and the review!
harrowcat
· 27 June 2006
· Chapter 0: Do It Yourself
Well do we know the Baggins stubbornness but I am guessing that not all is going to go smoothly.
BTW I have a few odd jobs awaiting a talented DIY-er. Send him over when he has finished Bag-End will you please?
Author's reply
LOL!!! You're going to have to wait in line, Harrowcat ... Bilbo has to finish helping me with my apartment first!
No, not all will go as smoothly as planned ... that's all I'm going to say for now.
Thanks as always for reading and reviewing.
shirebound
· 27 June 2006
· Chapter 0: Do It Yourself
Bilbo had the impression that Frodo would sleep outside in the Gaffer’s tool shed if it meant being away from the noisy bustle, and crowds of Brandy Hall for any length of time.
Bilbo wanted to create the same sort of refuge he once had as a young hobbit for Frodo--Frodo, who wanted for nearly everything and yet asked for nothing.
What the Master of Bag End did have (besides enormous riches and a kind, generous heart) was ninety-nine years of life-long experience to draw from and the fact that he was still going strong despite his old age. He had the memories of how his own parents had raised him; he had the full support of Frodo’s current guardians and many others of the Brandybuck, Took, and Baggins families. And most importantly, he had the practical Gamgee family living right down the lane, in Number 3 Bagshot Row.
How sweet and loving! And the Baggins determination and stubbornness is about to be put to the test.
:D
Author's reply
Bilbo's determination and stubborness may be put to the test, but it's all out of love for Frodo, so he doesn't mind.
Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Dreamflower
· 27 June 2006
· Chapter 0: Do It Yourself
*grin* Now *this* sounds very promising. EM:Home Edition is probably my favorite show, followed closely by HGTV staples like Designer's Challenge, Landscaper's Challenge; House Hunters; Designing Cents and Design on a Dime...
Well, it's a shame Bilbo won't have Ty and the crew to come ship him off somewhere lovely while they take over the job--but considering what Ty gets up to sometimes, perhaps it's just as well. It's only Frodo's room needs the makeover--not the entire smial, LOL!
Author's reply
ROTFL!!!!
No, Bilbo will indeed _not_ be whisked off to Rivendell or anywhere else while Frodo's new room gets done. Then again, he does want to do it all himself ... don't worry, there _will_ be a few snags along the way.
I've been wanting to write this one for a while and it's finally completed. This comes from watching too many home makeover programs on HGTV while making over my own apartment in a house built in the 1860s. (makes me sometimes wish I had a crew to help me like they do on tv)
I certainly hope you enjoy the rest, Dreamflower!!