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.

[Overtaxed]

I am up, the horses are fed. Now what?

I would go outside and do some cleanup and/or garden work but it's so darn wet out and supposed to rain later on today.

[Corin Stormhands]

We owe this year, so I'm not sending anything out until April 14th!

Hey, we used to drive to the post office just before midnight on the 15th. Just out of college I ran up substantial credit card bills. And back then you could count credit card interest. But the Reagan tax plan in 86 took that away. So until we bought the house, we had to pay just about every year.

We're doing okay this time. With the house and with daycare expenses, we have a substantial amount of deductions. We've only had enough medical expenses one year to qualify, that was when the little one was born and he was in the hospital for 6 weeks. Insurance covered a lot, but but we still had almost $10,000 out of pocket that year.

But you're right. Keep your money as long as you possibly can.

I hope after we flatten Saddam that W goes after the IRS. (legalised terrorism)

[Corin Stormhands]

I would go outside and do some cleanup and/or garden work but it's so darn wet out and supposed to rain later on today.

Same here. I've got branches and leaves and dog poop to clean up. But it's too darn wet.

Jr. is on a youth retreat. So the Mrs., little one and I are going to a Home Show and drool. We need ideas.

We decided (we've been thinking this a long time) that when her Mom moves in we can't give up the guest room completely for an office. Mrs. has a desk downstairs she can now use for school work, but we need a computer station. I think it's going in our bedroom. Jr. will have a laptop and we'll keep an Internet connection downstairs for him when he needs it. (I'm not ready to put one in his room)

[Overtaxed]

Maybe I'll go to Home Depot a little later on. At least I can repot some houseplants and get the tomatoes started.

[HairOfTheDog]

Good plan. Teenage boys wreak havoc on the internet unsupervised! I used to hang out in some game chat rooms and I can spot 'em. Anonymity is too much of a temptation for a kid.

I haven't gotten moving yet, but I am getting there. (!It's only 8:00!) Maybe I will start the chores with laundry. Lots can get done while I still sit that way.

[Corin Stormhands]

Teenage boys wreak havoc on the internet unsupervised! I used to hang out in some game chat rooms and I can spot 'em. Anonymity is too much of a temptation for a kid.

Oh heck, Hair, Anonymity is too much of a temptation for adults!

One of our neighboring counties gave all the high school kids iBooks to use for school. And they were shocked, shocked I tell you that kids were downloading porn.

These idiots are teaching our children.

[HairOfTheDog]

You know, honestly, I don't think looking at porn is the worst thing they can do. Kids have been getting their hands on nasty magazines and passing them around for generations.

What drove me nuts about kids at the chat rooms I used to hang out at were the ones that were just taking crank calling to the next level going into chat rooms to be obnoxious and laugh at their own snertiness. I suppose the fun in that wears off in time and they decide real conversations would be more fun, but I wanted to reach through the screen and poke their eyes out on a few occasions. It stopped making me mad I guess in time, and we sortof turned them into our own kind of sport.

[Corin Stormhands]

Kids have been getting their hands on nasty magazines and passing them around for generations.

Yeah, but the stuff on the Net now is so much worse than the stack of Playboys grandpa used to hide in the back of the garage. I don't doubt that he'll go through that phase. I'd probably be worried more if he didn't.

But at the same time, letting him have an Internet connection in his room, behind close doors is just an invitation to trouble. Cable TV is bad enough.

[Corin Stormhands]

Going out now. See y'all later.

[HairOfTheDog]

Indeed it is.

Well, I am gonna start moving now. I have convinced my brother to come down and visit. Now I have a reason to clean house!

[JenB]

So where is everyone this afternoon?

I started Project Skin Deep this morning. Went out and got my hair cut and colored, and ate a decidedly carb-free menu. I guess it's not too bad a diet where you can have a nice sausage omelet with peppers and cheese. But I have this chocolate craving.... guess it'll pass.

[HairOfTheDog]

Don't know where everyone else is, but I have been cleaning house! Now to cleaned up and head into town. Going to buy some 'good for me food'. - and a scale ;~D

[JenB]

Ugh, yes. I am not going to get on that thing for another week so I can see if I can lose a good bit. That number was... highly depressing.

[HairOfTheDog]

Ohhhhhhh - don't be depressed. Be inspired. We'll fix it! I just want to be thinner again so I look better on a horse. Wanna catch me a cowboy.

[Overtaxed]

Let's see.....finally got my video drivers straightened out...paid some bills...did some work in the yard. Now the dough is ready so it's time to put the pizza together!

[JenB]

Right, that sounds good, but I think I want a geek, not a cowboy. Tall, thin, glasses-wearing, ubergeek.... how dreamy.

[Dawntreader]

Can I ask you guys to help identify someone again? Who is this guy? Anyone know? Thanks!

[JenB]

Can you give me some hints? I mean, is he an actor or a philosopher or a guy you ran into at the grocery store...?

[Dawntreader]

I have know idea who he is...that's why I'm asking. I'm helping a friend of mine in an on-line game. He could be anyone. He looks like an actor to me though.

[Dawntreader]

Whoops! LOL...see above...that was to you, not to me.