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Birthday Surprises  by Baggins Babe 7 Review(s)
AntaneReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/12/2007
"You are clearly still that beautiful child of Iluvatar and your parents are still bursting with pride - even more than they are in this picture."

Aragorn sees true, doesn't he? Growing lovelier and brighter all the time, too!

Love the beginning too - king and elves obediently following Rose's direction in the kitchen. I'm glad that Faramir is here too. Yes, too bad Eomer couldn't come and Eowyn and Arwen.

Namarie, God bless, Antane :)

Author Reply: What a bumper pile of reviews for me to read! How lovely. Thank you so much and I'm glad you're enjoying it

Yes, I think everyone would have obediently followed Rose's instructions in the kitchen. :-)

MirkwoodmaidenReviewed Chapter: 7 on 2/24/2006
My Dear BB!

Ah! Poor Legolas! He really does not get on with vegetables very well, does he? First, Potatos and now Cauliflower. Whatever shall he do!

Love your description of how Bag End was built as it was! Lobelia digging up the Rose Garden indeed!! I do think Belladonna would have haunted her and rightly so. I just love homey stories about sitting around the kitchen and preparing to cook. They are so comforting!! And you capture that and the nonsense approach that Rosie applies to her kitchen so well.

Aragorn reunited with a cuddly toy!! You got to love that! Faramir angling to taste more of Rosie's cooking by offering his services as a taste tester!! So generous of him!! LOL!!!!

Aragorn in Harad...in skirts, arse over elbows towards the ship...a wonderful image!

"Faramir sighed contentedly. "There is a special kind of peace in the Shire. It seeps into the soul, I feel. We have been here but a short time, yet I feel so rested and content." "

my thoughts exactly dear!! Wonderfully written!

BB


Author Reply: Yes, we do seem to have it in for poor Legolas, don't we? *evil cackle*

I think Lobelia would have done whatever she could to erase the memories of previous owners of Bag End, especially as she knew it would upset the poor old Gaffer in the process.

Thank you for all your kind words, and I'm glad you enjoyed your visit to the Shire.

TiggerReviewed Chapter: 7 on 11/27/2005
I am so very sorry I did not review this when it first came up two weeks ago BB. I meant to once things around here had settled down, but didn't get around to it. My Dad was sick and in the hospital and then I got nailed w/Mom's tummy flu, so that's why there was no review of this chapter. Thankfully though, he's out and doing awesome and I'm feeling a bit better.

Okay...Now that I've got done!!

Loved, loved the scene in the kitchen. Especially Legolas' battle w/the cauliflower. Not my favourite veggie either. :oD

The scene in the drawing/living room...I could see it so vividly. Especially Sam trying to ask Aragorn how he got his..."chest"...to pull off Thorongil's female disguise. :oD

I love this lovely fluffy universe where there's a happy and healed Frodo in Middle Earth. Looking forward to more!! :o)

Author Reply: Yes, I wondered where you were! Sorry you've had a bad couple of weeks but glad you're feeling better and that your dad is on the mend.

I have to confess that the Elves with veggies was originally begun by my dear friend Mirkwoodmaiden, in a story which she wrote for my birthday last year - 'Changes & Acceptances' - in which Legolas has problems with potatoes! I just took the idea and ran with it.

Yes, I can just about see Aragorn in a dress!! Oh dear, I'm evil!
Glad you like happy healed Frodo. He suffers far too much so I decided to give him a nice time.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 7 on 11/16/2005
I was eating supper out last night, as I had a meeting to go to, so I printed this chapter out to read while I ate.

*Happy sigh*

You have just about the nicest AU I've ever seen. It is always like a little mini-vacation in the Shire myself to read an update of a "Reunion-verse" fic.

There was so much to love about this one, from the scenes of the King and Elves preparing veggies (I loved Legolas' struggle with the cauliflower, LOL!) to the description of the meal itself (which made me quite wistful, as I ate my burger and fries--wish *I* could eat Rosie's cooking) was wonderful!

And the anecdotes afterward were a hoot!

"I seem to remember that those words began to strike terror in all of us, even in Rivendell. 'Trust us, it will be fun!' was usually the signal for Lord Elrond to clutch his head and Gandalf to thunder 'Peregrin Took!' in tones which brooked no argument."


Ah, yes, famous last words, kind of like "what could go wrong?" and "it couldn't be worse than this" and "wait for me, I won't be long". *grin*

But the ending was especially beautful!

Everyone agreed. The Elves lay on their backs, gazing at the stars. Suddenly, from the orchard, came a liquid outpouring of such exquisite beauty and poignancy that all stilled to listen. Somewhere in the branches, an unremarkable-looking brown bird was opening her throat and pouring forth her unique contribution to the song of Iluvatar. It formed a trilling cascade of notes which seemed to fill the Shire and rise to dance among the stars, until Earindil himself must surely hear it.

"Tinuviel," Aragorn murmured. "Her song is glorious."

"She sings most evenings in the spring and summer. I'm glad she's back again," said Frodo softly.

A white shape sailed noiselessly past, as a barn owl set off to hunt. The Shire's small rodents should beware, particularly as another hunter was creeping along the garden path. Rufus was no longer a domestic pet; he was a mighty lion, stalking his prey through a jungle of grasses.

Pipes smoked, the Men, hobbits and Gimli returned indoors, leaving the Shire to the Elves, the hunters and the stars.


*sigh*


Author Reply: Ah! I wondered where you were, and I'm so pleased you enjoy my 'Reunion-verse' AU so much. I can write angst but I do so love giving them all some fun and laughter.

The anecdotes were fun to write - the 'Trust us, it'll be fun' line is mentioned in Chapter 1, and look at the trouble they managed to cause for Aragorn. I can just see those words causing tremors all over the Shire!
I can (just about) picture Aragorn in a dress. :-))

Legolas and the cauliflower was a continuation of an idea in 'Changes and Acceptances' by my friend Mirkwoodmaiden, which she wrote for me some time ago. In that story it is potatoes which cause our Elf-prince some problems.

thank you for your lovely reviews.

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 7 on 11/15/2005
Yes, the peace of the Shire filling in the corners of the spirit.

Author Reply: Exactly! In its own way, the Shire has as much ability to heal as Rivendell or Lothlorien. A visit to the English countryside always makes me feel refreshed and peaceful, and I always see the Shire as having that sort of lanscape.

I think the visitors will feel much better for their short stay - and lots of good hobbit meals, of course!

harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 7 on 11/15/2005
Oh *happy sigh* BB just what I needed to round off my evening's reading. A good feast of fluff and all my favourite characters together. Aragorn can come and tuck me into bed anytime!

Author Reply: *snert* You're not alone there!
Hope there wasn't an overdose of fluff. :-)) I am glad that you are now going to bed happy, and you'll just have to imagine Aragorn tucking you in!

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 7 on 11/15/2005
Aragorn named his toy dog "Huan"! Omigosh, I love that so much. This is such a wonderful chapter, BB (as always!). I love Rufus' presence, and the joy everyone is taking in the Shire, its people, and its peace.

"I hope there will be fruit cake for us too?" Aragorn added hopefully.

*grins* He's such a little boy at heart.

"All corner full, Mummy!"

*melts*

Author Reply: Awwww, bless! The King of Gondor is just a little boy at heart! Tee-hee!

I'm sure a stay in the Shire would be wonderfully recuperative for the visitors, a real holiday and a chance for them to behave like hobbits. There's lots more to come, and who knows how hobbity they may become?

And what else could little Estel possibly call his toy dog? *grin*

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