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]

Well, here we get to the dog days a little early. Hot and dry will wipe 'em out by the first of July. I need to get a couple of tomato plants and pepper plants into some ??? place in the existing flower beds tomorrow. After giving up on the tilling I figured that when I got that soil in I'd just put them in there because filling in the area with herbs is going to be a long term (2 or more years) project and I'll have plenty of room. But, then... things came up and the money went elsewhere.

[Wneighbor]

Cat-trapped!

??????

Is this like that guy in Canada who was trapped in his bathroom or some such by his housecat?

[Overtaxed]

things came up and the money went elsewhere.

Yeah...tell me about it! :)

Oh well....must disturb the cat and get going.

[2Jedismom]

Major Email from the Renegade Chaplain!!

I got this email this morning and just had to post it!! It seems our packages of goodies got there just in time. Just when they needed an lift.

"Kim (and friends from the Hobbit Hole),

First of all let me thank you from the outset for your prayers. The "official" word that was sent back to family members from the LTF 307 is that yesterday there were several US casualties in Afghanistan. None of the casualties were soldiers from the LTF. That none of "my guys" were involved, for that I am thankful. However, some of my fellow Americans were, and for that I am disheartened. Please pray for the soldiers affected and their families back home. We know God is near to the broken hearted and to those who are hurting. The words of John 10:10 are on my heart this morning.

Until the aforementioned events, yesterday was a wonderful day. I received 4 (I think it was 4) packages including the binoculars. They are very nice! Here's how they will be used: I gave one set to my Commander. He was very thankful and perhaps is putting them to use even as I type this message. The other 3 sets have been incorporated into the tactical asset package of our Logistic Ready Force. This is a group of my soldiers who, in an emergency situation, will be sent to a forward location (potentially) to give support. Kim, I'm sure I have the gentleman's name who provided the binoculars somewhere, but could you please send his name and address to me again? My Commander wanted to send a personal letter to him to thank him and commend him on his generosity and faithful support. I gave him your address, so if you receive a letter from the CDR, please pass it on to this gentleman. Thank you!

WARNING!!! WARNING!!! The following words are an extreme understatement! As for the contents of the other packages, let me just say that the soldiers of my Unit liked them. As a matter of fact, a large portion of the stuff was obliterated. I unpacked the boxes and decided to set some of the stuff out instead of taking it to the Power House (Yes, it was a selfish choice, but it's good to be king!) Wow! Word traveled in our "Office" building at the speed of light. In less than 2 hours, the smaller SlimJims were gone! When I left for the night, there were only 3 or 4 Twinkies left. They were gone when I came in this morning. To say that the Giant Slim-Jims were a hit is again a huge understatement. Of the 4 boxes, less than 1 and a half is still standing. I snapped some pictures of the items that were sent (though already ravaged through) as they were set out in my AO. As usual, the question was asked of me, "Chaplain, who sends you this stuff?" So I again had the privilege to tell of the great Americans who support them from the Hobbit Hole. Then I explain to them about the Internet group known as the Hobbit Hole. What a blessing I have to be the "distributor" of these items. I wish for each of you that you could see first hand how much the soldiers appreciate and devour the care packages.

I think it's pretty funny that I'm referred to as "The Renegade Chaplain." The 307th is known as "The Renegades," thus my call-sign is "Renegade Chaplain." It's a title that perhaps is paradoxical, but a title of which I'm extremely proud. Soldiers always are so appreciative and thankful to me, and I always try and say, "It's not me, I'm just the middle-man." This stuff was sent from a group of great Americans who care about us.

I also received a couple of letters in the mail yesterday as well. I got a group of prayer notes from Indian Springs Baptist Church from BA. I was so blessed by those notes. I looked through them diligently to see if I knew any of the folks. I also received a beautiful letter from [Wneighbor] from the great state of Texas. Wow! The timing could not have been better. I do not think it was coincidental, but God-cidental, as for the day that I received that letter. I read through that letter a couple of times. In fact, I told my Assistant to read it before she left. I can't adequately describe how much of a blessing that letter was. For someone who doesn't even know me or my soldiers to share their hearts on paper like that. I read a good portion of that letter to all of the leadership of our Task Force this morning at our daily briefing. I brief every morning a "Thought for the Day." I put the words of Psalm 3 that [Wneighbor's daughter] wrote as the "Thought." I then read portions of the letter to the leadership. After the briefing, a soldier immediately asked me, "How old is that girl?" I said "Sixteen" (Which I didn't know for sure.) He then said, "Man, she really has a good understanding of things." I can't really respond accept to say, "Thank You." You'll never know how much we appreciate you taking the time to compose such a beautiful letter. You'll never know how much we appreciate your prayers. I/we are sustained every day by their power.

Though I have a great deal on my schedule for today, I wanted to invest the time in writing this message. I couldn't not write it. (Double negative used for inflection) As always, thank you very much for your faithful support of our soldiers here. Most of all, thank you for your prayers. As a fellow Chaplain told me yesterday, "If so many people weren't praying for us, I believe there would be a great deal more casualties here." I agree.

Humbled and Honored to serve "For God and Country,"

Chaplain, Logistics Task Force 307
82d Airborne Division
Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan
"Renegade Chaplain"

[Overtaxed]

Is this like that guy in Canada who was trapped in his bathroom or some such by his housecat?

No, nothing like that! She's all curled up next to me snoozing and looking reaalllly comfortable.

[Wneighbor]

This is so disgusting. I have not readily let droplets fall from my eyes so often in ages before I came to the Hobbit Hole!!! It positively could ruin my image as a hard-as-nails biker woman!!!

LOL

Thank you so much for posting that 2J. It's kind of an anwered prayer on this end too. You know, for the feeling of not being able to do enough. I have been lazy this week and not sent you the 2 notes I've gotten from other friends. And I've had stuff I also wanted to write down again but I thought, "I already wrote, I said it all, I don't need to do it again." Well, maybe that was not quite accurate.

[Wneighbor]

AHHHHH!!!! A snuggle-cat-trap. We have one male cat that likes to do that. He is normally very aloof but when he comes around it's to sleep on you. I kind of like that.

[2Jedismom]

I knew you'd love it...but I have to get off line...Steve will get grumpy if I don't. See you all later!

I'm just thrilled about the timing of the packages, though.

[HairOfTheDog]

Neat. I think we should do another round of goodies!

Good morning! - I am a sleepy head. just got up again.... Let the horses out and went back to bed. [sip]

[Wneighbor]

I just wrote another 3 page letter. Well, typed (penmanship issues you know) This is very different from the last one. But, it's from my heart and I'm going to send it on to you anyway. You'll know what I mean when you get it. If you don't think it's appropriate don't send it.

of course i got all stinkin watery-eyed while i was typing again. that reeks. i'm just not that kind of blathering crying thing all the time. and good grief them dwarves are liable to make some elf comment now! i just think of what they're doin' and how great our country is and then............oh bother.

[Wneighbor]

Neat. I think we should do another round of goodies!

They really liked the Slim Jims. I make beef jerky and send to my s-i-l. But, I'm thinking that the chaplain might be uncomfortable getting a non-packaged food product don't you think? Of course we can always send more Slim Jims or Sams jerky. Wonder though if it would be okay for me to just send a bag of homemade to the chaplain himself?

[Wneighbor]

of course we have to wait till Steve is in the shower or something for 2J to answer that.

[Overtaxed]

Yeah...more Slim Jims. Do ya think they liked the little ones or the Giant ones better?

[Wneighbor]

You sent those didn't you? Did you find a good deal on them or just pick them up someplace normal? I'm wondering, since they really seemed to like them, if we could all chip in and get some kind of wholesale deal even better than a wholesale club. Perhaps a distribution company might even let us buy like a case or 2 and they might even be all boxed up for 2J to send and then we'd just have to make sure the postage was covered. Or is that what you already did?

[Overtaxed]

I got them here. They have a minimum of $25 per order.

[.30Carbine]

I just heard on the radio today that WETA workshop, which worked on the Lord of the Rings, has contracted to do The Chronicles of Narnia! It isn't up as news on the site yet - doesn't look like the 'news' has been updated there since December, though. Do you - any LotRs fans? - have any info on this project?

[Wneighbor]

There's a sale page too! Did you just have them shipped from the company to 2J?

We'd have to be kind of organized to get the funds for this to apply to one credit card to pay for that though if we were to all chip in for 1 large order.

In case you didn't gather from that comment, that kind of organized overwhelmed me a bit.

[Overtaxed]

Yes...I had them shipped directly to 2J. No sense in shipping them twice. :) How does Sam's Club do on Slim Jims? I'm not a member so I didn't even bother checking their prices.

[Wneighbor]

Well, I never looked at the Slim Jim's but I can run by tonight or tomorrow and check that. However, I just sent an email to a friend with a possible source with a grocery distributor in south Texas. You know, especially for this cause, we might could get a little bit better deal any number of places. Anyway, I figured it can't hurt to ask.

[2Jedismom]

Well, it's my opinion that if I were the chaplain's family member, I'd feel comfortable sending home-made items. I would love to send him some of my home-made cookies, but I stop short of doing it. I just personally would stick to packaged goods.

Steve went to Lowes! We're repairing the exterior of our house where the water leak disintigrated the siding.

I'm beyond thrilled about the Chaplain getting those goodies yesterday. And if I understand correctly, he should be getting at least 3 more boxes of goodies, since I sent 6 and one of the four packages he got yesterday were the binocs.

And I did send some more goodies, including WN's extra two buckets of fireballs, more moonpies, ding dongs and twinkies, and some oatmeal creme pies, and a couple of bags of Easter jellybeans I got on sale. Stuck some of it in with the 150 tubes of sunscreen I sent the other day.

Also, FYI...the account that I use for the contributions has a Visa Debit card that I can use anywhere, just like a regular credit card...

I'm so happy that they got the items just when they needed some encouragement.