The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[Wneighbor]

Hmmm. I have 3 irons. None of which gets used more then 2 or 3 times a year (when I sew.) I need to bring you one to entmoot so you'll have one when Jr. moves out.

So, that's an iron, a stapler and salsa that I have to bring to entmoot. Who's keeping the list for me? I forget everything after 3 items.

[RMDupree]

Yes, it is new. I'm just in a playful mood today!

A friend of mine who works on my floor is a boardmember at the Miami Arena. She just came by and gave me (FREE!) 3 tickets for Dragons Tales tomorrow night. They are awesome seats too!

Becky is going to be sooooooo thrilled since she's been asking to go ever since they started running the commercials for the show. I didn't have the money to buy them, so once again, the good Lord has blessed me and provided a way!

I'm in a great mood!

[ksen]

Frog in your throat ksen?

Not anymore. All I needed was a glass of, uh, water....

[SuziQ]

had to chop it up before it could be shoveled...

Hey, those pick axes come in handy for more things than just 'delving in the deep places', right?

[RMDupree]

THE HOBBIT HOLE

Hidden within a well-known website
(Hint: Its politics lean to the right!)
Is my favorite place in the whole world to be
Filled with Dwaves, Elves and Men, and Hobbits like me!

We share all our joys, as well as, our sorrow
Reminding each other "There's always tomorrow!"
Here we all find safe haven from our busy lives
And friendship does reign when a meal arrives!

So this is my poem to the Hobbit Hole Dwellers,
The group comprised of the best gals and fellers
To whom I thank God from the depths of my soul
That He led me to meet in my dear Hobbit Hole!

Lunch is now served...

T-bones steaks (fried anyway you like), sauteed mushrooms, baked potatoes (let me know if you want em loaded), cole slaw, corn on the cob and fresh buttermilk biscuits. Blueberry pie and strawberry shortcake for dessert. ENJOY!

[Alkhin]

Hi all...may have found a caption after all...

"All your media are belong to us!"

Seems blogging has some journalists very worried....hehehe (Yoda cackle) they should be...they should be....

[ksen]

I'm going to be going skiing for the first time this afternoon. Hope I don't break anything.

[Corin Stormhands]

He will take it with him when he moves out! Still won't know what it does!

Yep. Of course last night he saw a car commercial and said "let's go shopping for a car the day before I get my license."

Yeah, that'll happen.

[Alkhin]

apparently FR is eating up posts as well...

I think I may have found a caption for my piccie...

"ALL YOUR MEDIA ARE BELONG TO US"

Apparently journalists are starting to get REAL worried about bloggers...and some of those bloggers are journalists.

I bet Matt Drudge is laughing his head off...

[Wneighbor]

A friend of mine who works on my floor is a boardmember at the Miami Arena. She just came by and gave me (FREE!) 3 tickets for Dragons Tales tomorrow night. They are awesome seats too!

That is so cool! God is outstanding in the area of providing for kids huh? I can't begin to count the number of times when as a struggling single mom God sent along great things like that for my kids. :-)

[HairOfTheDog]

Skiing is fun on the second day, moreso than the first. You may spend a lot of the first day on the ground! I hope you have a good teacher!

[HairOfTheDog]

Good afternoon! - (even though here it still feels like early morning!)

The rhyming thing is good!

Say.... for any of you that have still not found PJ at Helm's Deep, here is a shot.... Now.... I don't remember this shot with a spear, so I will have to look for that! - The shot I have seen before he is throwing rocks through those wooden flappy doors down on the orcs below.

[g'nad]

sigh...

here goes...

I was the subject of a Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) to determine my level of disability for retirement... Why did I need to do that, you ask? Well, I know I've told a few of you this, but for the rest of my friends...

I’d been a Marine for ten years, when in September of 1998, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. When the doctors excised the 8 cu. cm. tumor, they also removed most of the motor-cortex of the left hemisphere, leaving me paralyzed on the right side of my body, and I couldn’t speak.

The tumor was a well-differentiated, mixed, oligo-astrocytoma... in other words, it wasn't cancer, but most of 'em aren't...that doesn't mean they can't kill you. I felt great before I let'em open my melon, and had severe hemi-peligia and aphasia afterward...

My only beef with the Docs at DUKE (cuz they were awesome) was that they really didn't prepare me for the aftermath... all they said was I might experience some weakness...the understatement of the century...

Two days after the surgery, I was alone in the ICU at DUKE. While I couldn’t talk, I was still crying out to God, “I can’t do this alone! I need you!” The Spirit came over me, bringing His peace… and I started to sing… I had sang most of my life, and this was a true gift... I was so overwhelmed at the magnitude of His grace and mercy… I sang all of the old hymns and spirituals I could remember… I know this isn't forever... and what I endure in this lifetime, is nothing in the eternal scheme of things.

Since that time, with God’s help, lots of prayer, blood, sweat, and tears, I have made what the doctors have called an “unprecedented” recovery. Mentally, I was 100%, but physically… I was told I would never walk again, never use my right arm or hand, and talk like a first-grader the rest of my life. I’m running again (though not nearly as fast as I used to), lifting weights, go hunting (10 deer and two turkeys in the past three years)whenever I can, and my speech and facial expressions are normal. If you were to see me standing or sitting, I would look normal. My hand is still pretty bad, and I walk with a little bit of a limp. I’m still on active duty as a major, so that's a blessing.

I've seen studies on my type of tumor, and the survival rate beyond 15 years is so low that they haven't continued to study anyone beyond that... I don't live any differently, and I don't worry about it... I try to live a normal life as best I can...

Pain is constant, but mostly self-inflicted. I'm in great physical condition, but my muscles will never be as efficient again. The effort I have to expend is exponentially greater now. When I get done running, I am totally spent, like I’ve just run a marathon. I don’t mind the pain... it’s a reality I have to face. There are no headaches, the pain is all from the neck down now...

I thank God every day, and give Him the glory. I know He’ll use me. I never asked “Why?” because I know and trust the Lord and his sovereignty.

Having to leave the Corps this way is very difficult, but I'm grateful for the time, and the experience... I crammed a whole lotta livin' into my first 10 years... I'll always have those memories...

Thank you for listening. I'm sorry if you feel I was being dishonest about this, but I really didn't want to say anything till I had some solid news. I won't get the results for 4 to 6 weeks on my retirement pay and benefits, but if you're interested, I'll let you know when I do get them...

so 2JM... you can return those shoes now...

[RMDupree]

Wow, g'nad. Amazing testimony of God's Mercy and Grace! Not to mention, your own strength and courage.

After reading this, I am humbled to be considered your friend.

Hope the retirement benefits come through in spades! I'll be praying for ya!

[ksen]

Hmmm, I didn't think my respect for you could increase, it just did.

God's got plans for you g'nad, I'll be praying for you, and praying I get a chance to meet you in the here and now.

[RMDupree]

God is outstanding in the area of providing for kids huh?

You said a mouthful right there, sister! :)

[RMDupree]

Is that PJ pic from the Extended Edition?

[Corin Stormhands]

Thanks for sharing that bro.

I figgered it was about your retirement, but I wasn't thinking about this aspect. Hope you don't feel like we pushed you into sharing.

[ksen]

[HairOfTheDog]

You are stronger than anyone I know, g'nad. Spiritually and physically. Stronger than I am. Not everyone is given such a harsh reminder that every day is a gift. I truly think the strongest are tested to inspire the rest of us.

I am proud to have you as a friend. Glad you told everyone what you are going through. I know that leaving and heading for that new house is bittersweet for you, but it is a wonderful place where I hope you enjoy peace and joy for years to come. I think you know how to make the best of it.