I missed my own LJ anniversary! Carp!
Yesterday, was my Live Journal anniversary and I completely missed it! So, I'm having it today.
Happy Live Journal Anniversary to me!
I got my Live Journal account on 04-14 (or for this year, let's pretend it was 04-15) of 2004. I can't believe I haven't been asked to leave by now. I started a Live journal so I could post comments on 'marigoldg's Challenges' without showing up as 'anonymous' every time I reviewed someone's hobbit story and because a RL friend, mollys_cousin and I, were messing about with the idea of making a webpage. We wound up doing this instead. I miss 2004! It was a good year. I have always liked beginnings.
Here's a couple of silly little fictions for all of you that are still around from 2004 and to all of you that have turned up since then. Thank you for friending me and making me feel welcome here.
I wrote these after a discussion with llinos about fish bowls in Middle earth. (Yes, that was a real discussion via email. I am not making that up.) And in keeping with my nostalgic mood, the stories aren't
beta'd. (I had no idea what a beta was in 2004 and my earlier stories are the proof of that.)
The stories are behind the cut (also something I had no clue how to work in 2004). Happy anniversary to me and Happy Fro-day to all!
Fish Bowls of Middle earth: Part one: Frodo, Sam, and Bilbo at Bag End
Bilbo watched quietly as young Samwise Gamgee peered at the object with complete fascination. The child kept both hands in his pockets in an effort not to reach up and touch the thing which currently held his interest. As Frodo rounded the corner and came within Bilbo’s reach, Bilbo stuck out his arm to halt his nephew’s progress and then pointed toward the child. Frodo grinned broadly and walked over to stand behind the lad.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” Frodo said softly so as not to startle Samwise.
“I suppose so,” the child said carefully. “I don’t reckon as I’ve ever seen one o’ them before. What is it?”
“It’s a fish bowl,” Frodo said.
“What’s it for?”
“Well, you keep fish in it. See? You put colourful stones in the bottom of the bowl and sometimes marbles for decoration and then you put your fish in the bowl. This one has two fish in it at the moment but I think it might be large enough for a third fish. It‘s a rather large bowl.”
“I see them in there goin’ round and round in circles and swimin’ all around that big crystal in the centre there but, beggin’ your pardon, Mr. Frodo, I still don’t have no notion at all what it’s for. Do the fish taste better if you cook ‘em after they’ve circled the bowl a time or two?”
Bilbo chuckled softly as Frodo met Sam’s curious gaze.
“You don’t eat *these* fish, Sam,” Frodo said startled by the notion that anyone might consider dining on his pets.
“Well, if you don’t eat them, then what do you do with ‘em?”
“You watch them swim,” Frodo said slightly annoyed.
“They don’t go nowhere,” Sam said missing or possibly ignoring the irritation in Frodo‘s voice. “They just go round and round and round in that there bowl all day. Makes me a bit dizzy just watchin’ ‘em. Do you think fish get dizzy?”
“I hadn’t really considered that,” Frodo said. He leaned down next to Sam and together they watched the fish for a moment.
“I’d get bored if I was them,” Sam said. “Don’t nothing change and no matter how fast they swim, they never get anywhere. Where’d you get this thing, Mr. Frodo?”
“My cousin, Esmeralda Brandybuck, gave it to me when I was leaving Buckland to come here and live with Bilbo,” Frodo said. “It was a sort of going away present.”
“I guess she don’t like fish much to do that to ‘em. Poor things,” Sam said shrugging.
As the ten-year-old walked off, Frodo continued to watch his fish circle the bowl. “Well, it‘s official. I‘m no longer in Buckland,” Frodo sighed. “Bilbo?”
“Yes, lad?”
“Where is the nearest pond? I think I’d like to set these fish free before they die of boredom.”
GW
02-07-2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fish Bowls of Middle earth: Part Two: Pippin, Merry, and Saradoc at Brandy Hall
“Peregrin Took, what have you done?”
“Nothing.”
“What do mean? You’ve done something. I can see it plain as day, so you better explain it to me now before your Aunt comes in here and sees.”
“I didn’t think *anyone* would come in here,” the eight-year-old said frowning. “I’m taking a bath. It’s private. Pearl says that folks aren’t supposed to bother you when you’re bathing. It’s rude.”
“And what would Pearl say about this?” Saradoc asked looking down into the bathing tub. “Does she have any words of wisdom that might help us with this topic?”
“What’s a topic?” Pippin asked blinking water from his eyes.
“I’ll explain that later. Right now, I would like you to explain why-”
“Hey, Pip, you’ve put fish in your bath water!” Merry interrupted his Father as he came into the room. “Where did you get them?”
Pippin stood up, water dripping from his thin frame and scowled at Merry. “I’m bathing in here. This is private! You didn’t even knock. At least Uncle Doc knocked but you didn’t knock, Merry. That’s rude. Can‘t you see that I‘m naked?”
“You’re supposed to be naked when you bathe,” Merry said. “Sit down in the tub before you fall and crack your head open.”
Pippin sat down with a giggle.
“What’s funny?” Merry asked.
“That fish swam under my leg and it tickled,” Pippin grinned.
“Peregrin Took, you are not supposed to have fish in the bathing tub,” Saradoc said sternly.
“Why not? This is a big tub and there’s plenty of room.”
“That has nothing to do with it.”
“I’m not hurting them. They won’t drown cause fish can’t drown, can they, Merry?” Pippin asked.
“No,” Merry grinned. “Fish can’t drown.”
“Where did you get these fish?” Saradoc asked hoping that a change of tactic might help.
“These are the ones from the two fish bowls in the big parlour,” Pippin said. He pointed to the corner of the bathing room. “I carried the bowls in here one at a time and dumped them into this tub. I didn’t take the fish out of the water because I know that kills them. I kept them safe.”
“That explains the trail of water down the hall between the parlour and the bathing room,” Saradoc said.
“The bowls were full to the top and with the fish in there, they slosh when you walk with them. Some of it spilt out but it’s only water so it will just dry,” Pippin reasoned. “I didn’t drop a single fish.”
“That’s gotta count for something,” Merry said.
“Stay out of this,” Saradoc warned his only child.
Pippin, what’s in that bathwater?” Saradoc asked.
“Just me and these fish.”
“No soap or bath salts? The water looks a bit dark.”
“No, I didn’t want to make the fish sick,” Pippin said. “I figured I could just wash off with water this time. I wasn’t very dirty.”
Saradoc looked at the slightly muddy water. “The tub appears to have a bit of dirt in it.”
“I think those fish really needed a bath, Uncle Doc,” Pippin said. “The water was fine till I put them in it. Aunt Esme needs to keep the fish more cleaner. Maybe she needs me to bathe them more often. I could do that. I don’t mind at all and I’ll be here all month so I could do it every day for you.”
Merry sniggered. “He’ll be here all month.”
Saradoc sighed. “No, I think this one bath will be enough for them during this visit. Merry, since you find all of this so amusing, why don’t you help Pippin get the fish back into the bowls and put the bowls back into the parlour.”
“He got them in here by himself,” Merry objected.
“But I might need you for this, Merry,” Pippin said. “I tried to catch one of them a minute ago and it was too fast. I think they swim faster when they’re cleaner or something.”
“That’s probably it, Pippin,” Saradoc said. "Now that they are clean, they will be harder to catch." He smiled at Merry.
Now, Merry was the one scowling. "I still don't see why I have to help him with this."
Pippin giggled.
“What?” Merry demanded.
“The big fat one just swam between my feet and it tickled me,” Pippin grinned. “Bathing fish is funny. Who does it when I’m not here?”
“I do believe that this is their very first bath,” Saradoc said.
“No wonder this water is so dirty!” Pippin frowned. “Since this is Buckland and you lot live by a whole river of fish, I’d think you’d know how to keep them clean. If Pearl were here, she‘d think that was disgusting how you don‘t bath your fish regular."
"The next time you visit with us, Pippin," Saradoc said, "It might be a good idea to bring your sister Pearl, with you so that she can keep us in line."
"After this, you're going to let there be a next time?" Merry looked surprised.
GW
02-07-2011
Sheep!
Happy Live Journal Anniversary to me!
I got my Live Journal account on 04-14 (or for this year, let's pretend it was 04-15) of 2004. I can't believe I haven't been asked to leave by now. I started a Live journal so I could post comments on 'marigoldg's Challenges' without showing up as 'anonymous' every time I reviewed someone's hobbit story and because a RL friend, mollys_cousin and I, were messing about with the idea of making a webpage. We wound up doing this instead. I miss 2004! It was a good year. I have always liked beginnings.
Here's a couple of silly little fictions for all of you that are still around from 2004 and to all of you that have turned up since then. Thank you for friending me and making me feel welcome here.
I wrote these after a discussion with llinos about fish bowls in Middle earth. (Yes, that was a real discussion via email. I am not making that up.) And in keeping with my nostalgic mood, the stories aren't
beta'd. (I had no idea what a beta was in 2004 and my earlier stories are the proof of that.)
The stories are behind the cut (also something I had no clue how to work in 2004). Happy anniversary to me and Happy Fro-day to all!
Fish Bowls of Middle earth: Part one: Frodo, Sam, and Bilbo at Bag End
Bilbo watched quietly as young Samwise Gamgee peered at the object with complete fascination. The child kept both hands in his pockets in an effort not to reach up and touch the thing which currently held his interest. As Frodo rounded the corner and came within Bilbo’s reach, Bilbo stuck out his arm to halt his nephew’s progress and then pointed toward the child. Frodo grinned broadly and walked over to stand behind the lad.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” Frodo said softly so as not to startle Samwise.
“I suppose so,” the child said carefully. “I don’t reckon as I’ve ever seen one o’ them before. What is it?”
“It’s a fish bowl,” Frodo said.
“What’s it for?”
“Well, you keep fish in it. See? You put colourful stones in the bottom of the bowl and sometimes marbles for decoration and then you put your fish in the bowl. This one has two fish in it at the moment but I think it might be large enough for a third fish. It‘s a rather large bowl.”
“I see them in there goin’ round and round in circles and swimin’ all around that big crystal in the centre there but, beggin’ your pardon, Mr. Frodo, I still don’t have no notion at all what it’s for. Do the fish taste better if you cook ‘em after they’ve circled the bowl a time or two?”
Bilbo chuckled softly as Frodo met Sam’s curious gaze.
“You don’t eat *these* fish, Sam,” Frodo said startled by the notion that anyone might consider dining on his pets.
“Well, if you don’t eat them, then what do you do with ‘em?”
“You watch them swim,” Frodo said slightly annoyed.
“They don’t go nowhere,” Sam said missing or possibly ignoring the irritation in Frodo‘s voice. “They just go round and round and round in that there bowl all day. Makes me a bit dizzy just watchin’ ‘em. Do you think fish get dizzy?”
“I hadn’t really considered that,” Frodo said. He leaned down next to Sam and together they watched the fish for a moment.
“I’d get bored if I was them,” Sam said. “Don’t nothing change and no matter how fast they swim, they never get anywhere. Where’d you get this thing, Mr. Frodo?”
“My cousin, Esmeralda Brandybuck, gave it to me when I was leaving Buckland to come here and live with Bilbo,” Frodo said. “It was a sort of going away present.”
“I guess she don’t like fish much to do that to ‘em. Poor things,” Sam said shrugging.
As the ten-year-old walked off, Frodo continued to watch his fish circle the bowl. “Well, it‘s official. I‘m no longer in Buckland,” Frodo sighed. “Bilbo?”
“Yes, lad?”
“Where is the nearest pond? I think I’d like to set these fish free before they die of boredom.”
GW
02-07-2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fish Bowls of Middle earth: Part Two: Pippin, Merry, and Saradoc at Brandy Hall
“Peregrin Took, what have you done?”
“Nothing.”
“What do mean? You’ve done something. I can see it plain as day, so you better explain it to me now before your Aunt comes in here and sees.”
“I didn’t think *anyone* would come in here,” the eight-year-old said frowning. “I’m taking a bath. It’s private. Pearl says that folks aren’t supposed to bother you when you’re bathing. It’s rude.”
“And what would Pearl say about this?” Saradoc asked looking down into the bathing tub. “Does she have any words of wisdom that might help us with this topic?”
“What’s a topic?” Pippin asked blinking water from his eyes.
“I’ll explain that later. Right now, I would like you to explain why-”
“Hey, Pip, you’ve put fish in your bath water!” Merry interrupted his Father as he came into the room. “Where did you get them?”
Pippin stood up, water dripping from his thin frame and scowled at Merry. “I’m bathing in here. This is private! You didn’t even knock. At least Uncle Doc knocked but you didn’t knock, Merry. That’s rude. Can‘t you see that I‘m naked?”
“You’re supposed to be naked when you bathe,” Merry said. “Sit down in the tub before you fall and crack your head open.”
Pippin sat down with a giggle.
“What’s funny?” Merry asked.
“That fish swam under my leg and it tickled,” Pippin grinned.
“Peregrin Took, you are not supposed to have fish in the bathing tub,” Saradoc said sternly.
“Why not? This is a big tub and there’s plenty of room.”
“That has nothing to do with it.”
“I’m not hurting them. They won’t drown cause fish can’t drown, can they, Merry?” Pippin asked.
“No,” Merry grinned. “Fish can’t drown.”
“Where did you get these fish?” Saradoc asked hoping that a change of tactic might help.
“These are the ones from the two fish bowls in the big parlour,” Pippin said. He pointed to the corner of the bathing room. “I carried the bowls in here one at a time and dumped them into this tub. I didn’t take the fish out of the water because I know that kills them. I kept them safe.”
“That explains the trail of water down the hall between the parlour and the bathing room,” Saradoc said.
“The bowls were full to the top and with the fish in there, they slosh when you walk with them. Some of it spilt out but it’s only water so it will just dry,” Pippin reasoned. “I didn’t drop a single fish.”
“That’s gotta count for something,” Merry said.
“Stay out of this,” Saradoc warned his only child.
Pippin, what’s in that bathwater?” Saradoc asked.
“Just me and these fish.”
“No soap or bath salts? The water looks a bit dark.”
“No, I didn’t want to make the fish sick,” Pippin said. “I figured I could just wash off with water this time. I wasn’t very dirty.”
Saradoc looked at the slightly muddy water. “The tub appears to have a bit of dirt in it.”
“I think those fish really needed a bath, Uncle Doc,” Pippin said. “The water was fine till I put them in it. Aunt Esme needs to keep the fish more cleaner. Maybe she needs me to bathe them more often. I could do that. I don’t mind at all and I’ll be here all month so I could do it every day for you.”
Merry sniggered. “He’ll be here all month.”
Saradoc sighed. “No, I think this one bath will be enough for them during this visit. Merry, since you find all of this so amusing, why don’t you help Pippin get the fish back into the bowls and put the bowls back into the parlour.”
“He got them in here by himself,” Merry objected.
“But I might need you for this, Merry,” Pippin said. “I tried to catch one of them a minute ago and it was too fast. I think they swim faster when they’re cleaner or something.”
“That’s probably it, Pippin,” Saradoc said. "Now that they are clean, they will be harder to catch." He smiled at Merry.
Now, Merry was the one scowling. "I still don't see why I have to help him with this."
Pippin giggled.
“What?” Merry demanded.
“The big fat one just swam between my feet and it tickled me,” Pippin grinned. “Bathing fish is funny. Who does it when I’m not here?”
“I do believe that this is their very first bath,” Saradoc said.
“No wonder this water is so dirty!” Pippin frowned. “Since this is Buckland and you lot live by a whole river of fish, I’d think you’d know how to keep them clean. If Pearl were here, she‘d think that was disgusting how you don‘t bath your fish regular."
"The next time you visit with us, Pippin," Saradoc said, "It might be a good idea to bring your sister Pearl, with you so that she can keep us in line."
"After this, you're going to let there be a next time?" Merry looked surprised.
GW
02-07-2011
Sheep!