The New Hobbit Hole

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The New Hobbit Hole
Concerning Hobbits
The New Hobbit Chronicles

This is a continuation of the infamous thread New Zealander Builds Hobbit Hole originally posted on January 26, 2001 by John Farson, who at the time undoubtedly thought he had found a rather obscure article that would elicit a few replies and die out. Without knowing it, he became the founder of the Hobbit Hole. For reasons incomprehensible to some, the thread grew to over 4100 replies. It became the place for hobbits and friends of hobbits to chit chat and share LoTR news and views, hang out, and talk amongst ourselves in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

In keeping with the new posting guidelines, the thread idea is continuing here, as will the Green Dragon Inn, our more structured spin-off thread, as soon as we figure out how to move all the good discussion that has been had there. As for the Hobbit Hole, we will just start fresh, bringing only a few mathoms such as the picture above with us to make it feel like home, and perhaps a walk down memory lane:

Our discussion has been light:

It very well may be that a thread named "New Zealander builds Hobbit hole" will end up being the longest Tolkien thread of them all, with some of the best heartfelt content... Sorry John, but I would have rather it had been one with a more distinguished title!… post 252 - HairOfTheDog

However, I can still celebrate, with quiet dignity, the fact that what started as a laugh about some wacko in New Zealand has mutated and grown into a multifaceted discussion of the art, literature, and philosophy that is Tolkien. And now that I've managed to write the most pompous sentence of my entire life, I agree, Rosie… post 506 - JenB

Hah! I was number 1000!! (Elvish victory dance... wait, no; that would be too flitty) … post 1001 - BibChr

Real men don't have to be afraid of being flitty! Go for it. – post 1011 – HairOfTheDog

Seventeen years to research one mystical object seems a bit excessive… post 1007 - JenB

Okay...who's the wise guy who didn't renew Gandalf's research grant?… post 1024 – Overtaxed

To the very philosophical:

…Judas Iscariot obviously was a good man, or he wouldn't have been chosen to be one of the Apostles. He loved Jesus, like all of the Apostles, but he betrayed him. Yet without his betrayal, the Passion and Crucifixion would never have occurred, and mankind would not have been redeemed. So without his self-destruction infinite good would not have been accomplished. I certainly do not mean this to be irreverant but it seems to me that this describes the character of Gollum, in the scenes so movingly portrayed above… Lucius Cornelius Sulla

To fun but heartfelt debates about the integrity and worth of some of the characters…

…Anyone else notice how Boromir treats the hobbits? He's very fond of them but he seems to think of them as children - ruffling Frodo's hair, calls them all 'little ones'. He likes them, but I don't think he really respects them… post 1536 - JenB

Yes... Tolkien told us not to trust Boromir right off the bat when he began to laugh at Bilbo, until he realized that the Council obviously held this hobbit in high esteem. What a pompous dolt… post 1538 - HairOfTheDog

…I think almost every fault of his can be traced directly back to his blindness to anything spiritual or unseen. He considers the halflings as children, because that is what they look like. He considers the only hope of the ring to be in taking it and using it for a victory in the physical realm. He cannot see what the hobbits are truly made of, he cannot see the unseen hope of what the destruction of the ring might mean--the destruction of Sauron himself, and he cannot see the unseen danger that lies in the use of the ring itself… I just feel sorry for Boromir--he is like a blind but honorable man, trying to take the right path on the road but missing the right path entirely because he simply cannot see it… post 1548 - Penny1

Boromir isn't a jerk, he's a jock… post 2401 – Overtaxed

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Oh, I think by the time Frodo reaches the Cracks, he's not even himself anymore! I think he's not only on the brink of a dangerous place physically, he's on the brink of losing himself completely during the exchange with Gollum. But for some reason, the take-over isn't complete till he actually has to throw the Ring in. The person speaking to Gollum is not Frodo, but the "Wheel of Fire" that Sam sees. After the Ring is destroyed, Frodo not only comes back to himself, but comes back with the unbearable (to him) knowledge of what it's like to be completely without compassion. I think that's why it's so important to him to be compassionate in the Shire… post 2506 - 2Jedismom

…Regarding Frodo's compassion... it's a little too much at the end. Even Merry tells him that he's going to have to quit being so darn nice. But you're right. He's learned a lesson about evil that very few ever learn since it wasn't an external lesson but an internal one. (Those kinds of lessons have the greatest impact) Not only did he totally succumb to it, but he was rather ruthless to my little Smeagol… post 2516 - carton253

Well that Frodo was a big mean bully! (to Smeagol)… post 2519 – Overtaxed

So as you can see, everything JRR Tolkien (and Peter Jackson) is welcome here in our New Row, our soon-to-be familiar New Hobbit Hole…; philosophy, opinion, good talk and frequent silliness.

[2Jedismom]

Hey Hair...what is the Bute? A pill? Spray?

Poor beast. At least he seems to be doing ok. I would feel really bad if something like that happened to one of my boys and I know how much you care about those 4-legged kiddos of yours.

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah - I wouldn't trust my young dog either. I expect she would chase it. (She is half-dalmation remember ;~D).

I don't bring dogs on trail rides much as they would like to go. When on horseback I really don't have control over a dog when we come up on other hikers dogs and bikes, deer (or a bear) on the trail. If she decides not to listen to me, there is not a lot I can do about it.

Other interesting widlife I have seen only once was a bobcat. That was neat.

[HairOfTheDog]

It can be given as a shot, but what I have is a pill about the size of a nickel and thicker. They hate the taste of it. I mash it up and mix it with molasses and water and squirt it in his mouth with a turkey-baster. Even with molasses it doesn't make him like it.

After all this cleaning and medicating and doctoring today he ran away when I went out there just now which makes me sad because he is such a lover. I think the Bute he got in the mouth this morning was the final straw and he thinks I am abusing him.

He warmed up to me after a few minutes of scratching and petting... I had to try really hard to not look at his knees and wreck this regained trust. Till tonight when he gets another syringe full of Bute. Poor guy.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Almost an hour and no one has posted?

Slow day today, only 58 posts so far.

[Howlin]

[2Jedismom]

I've' had a very busy day. Really, now that it's starting to cool off a tad, we are going to get really busy. Lots to do and not too hot to do them.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

That was from the Mike Tyson fight, right?!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

it is relatively safe to go onto the news forum again

Why would I want to do that?

Slow day today, only 58 posts so far.

Pretty typical Sunday...

[Howlin]

Yes, I mentioned it to Overtaxed last night and wanted her to see it. I was telling her how hard it made me laugh!

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, he just got his evening cleaning and ointment, and the Bute in the mouth. He is sure I have decided to just be cruel to him. How do you explain to a horse that you are doing this because you love him?

I am wearing one of those super tight support socks for grannies on my ankle! - better than a pressure bandage!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

How do you explain to a horse that you are doing this because you love him?

I would recommend lots of TLC when you aren't treating him... petting, scratching, grooming (if he likes that), extra treats, etc. It should help reassure him that you aren't being deliberately mean to him... or at least it will confuse the heck out of him.

[HairOfTheDog]

That is what I am trying to do... I am trying not to be all business and take a bit of extra time to rub is face, which he likes. He just doesn't understand why I keep suddenly doing something mean right in the middle of it. LOL! It is rough... normally he gets one or two shots a year and wormer only every two months. Normally and there is lots of time between unfair abuses!

[2Jedismom]

I wish Joshua could love on him. Josh told me today on the way to church that he wanted to get a horse and put it in the bed with him to sleep with! I suggested he get the horse when he grows up and that he could have a cot out in the barn with the horse so he could indeed sleep with it if he so desired. This sounded good to him and he decided then to get two horses, one for Matthew and one for himself. He's a very thoughtful person.

Take good care of the ankle, Sis. Remember, anti-inflammitories are good. Advil is routinely given in the hospital at 600-800mg every 12 hours. If you are having discomfort, you can take 3-4 over-the-counter Advils twice a day for a couple of days. And Advil not only stops the pain, it diminishes the inflamation and helps you heal faster. Don't take it if you're allergic to aspirin, of course.

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm not allergic to anything... but I have a sortof knee-jerk psychosomatic reaction to pills... They make me feel ill no matter what they are. Could be vitamins, could be sugar pills. I haven't taken anything yet! - I know, I know.

You will laugh at this I think. I told my mom when I was a kid (before I had a horse) that I wanted to re-decorate my room to look like a barn, and put shavings on the floor. I really wanted this. She let me do it! The novelty of the shavings floor wore off after a couple weeks, and they were taken out. My mom was fun to let me try it. She didn't see how it could hurt anything!

[2Jedismom]

Well, if you don't take pills (I understand...I'm the same way...I hate even taking my iron pill every day) be sure and do the heat treatment. It needs a good blood supply right now. Soak in in a warm soak, apply a heating pad for 20 minutes at a time now and then. I saw that your vet (?!) instructed you to ice it down initially and this was good advice for the first 24 hours. I hope you took it! But heat's the thing now. And elevate it if you have any swelling.

What a cool mom to let you do that! I know that's a fond memory of her you'll always have. It's how I aspire to be. I want my boys to look back on me with amazement. ;-)

[HairOfTheDog]

My mom was definately a cool mom!

And no, I haven't done anything for my ankle that anyone told me to do, but it is healing in spite of me. Already I can bend it more than I could this morning, and with effort walk almost normally... Heat in the tub felt good, I think I will take another hot bath and then go to bed. This has been an exhausting (emotionally and physically) weekend. I need another weekend!

Good night!

[2Jedismom]

Good. Take two hot baths and call me in the morning.

I'm off to bed too...well, after I see what they are discussing on C&F.

'Night!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Good night! Keep your ankle elevated!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Good night! Enjoy your whistle talk!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

And good night everyone else... I'll just take this little Precious with me on my way out...