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A Shire Sketchbook  by Baggins Babe 11 Review(s)
Linda HoylandReviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/25/2014
This was just adorable and reminds me of my kitten, Harry and old cat Leo, save that it is Harry who tries to wash Leo! You certainly understand cats well. Frodo is blessed with this lovable pair.

MirkwoodmaidenReviewed Chapter: 21 on 7/1/2006
Ah! The sound of drowsy purring!! It conjures up such a wonderful comforting image!! I can just see the two cats curled up next to Frodo, sleeping!! Ahh! This little piece is really evocative. I get a sense of warm fuzziness just reading it!! I wish my two cats would get along this famously!! They have a workable truce!! I love that you have Rufus cleaning Sooty and that you mention Mischief in the story! I really liked this it was quite wonderful!

Author Reply: Glad you liked it! I think Rufus is a wise cat and will teach Sooty well - after all, there will be more little Gamgees who need watching and Rufus can't be everywhere, so he needs an assistant!

I'm sure rio and Toffee will become friends eventually.

KittyReviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/25/2006
Cute ficlet! I love kittens, and obviously I’m not the only one. And with the ever growing family Rufus can’t keep an eye on everyone, so they need a second cat ;-)

The end is a sweet image with the cats snuggling up with Frodo in bed, purring him to sleep.

Author Reply: I think Rufus needs an assistant now with all those little Gamgees to watch over. Hopefully he'll train Sooty well.

Nothing like snoozy purring cats to send anyone off to sleep - best cure for insomnia.

Queen GaladrielReviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/6/2006
Oh! Happy birthday! I'm so sorry-I knew you'd said something about your birthday comijng up, but on the day I'd read this story I'd just come home from a friend's sweet sixteen party, in which we all stayed up literally all night long watching the Fellowship, so I felt rahter...deadened, to say the least.

Oh dear, I wonder if I'll remember what you said about Gandalf showing up and telling you to take a trip to Mordor when I reach that birthday. :)

My, word gets around very fast, doesn't it? Thank you for your good wishes. This summer trip will certainly be an adventure, that's for sure. :)
God bless,
Galadriel

Author Reply: Thank you for the birthday greetings - the celebrations are still going on and seem to be set for the entire month! Still, it is a rather special birthday and one has to celebrate reaching such an advanced state of decrepitude! :-))
I'm told I don't look or act my age, but as Nanny Ogg from Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld' novels says, 'It's acting half your age that's the tricky bit!' I do it all the time!

Yes, your trip will be an adventure, so enjoy it and embrace every second of it.

Pearl TookReviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/5/2006
Aw! Kitties :) I love kitties!

"Rufus curled his tail round his toes and remained perfectly still as the kitten made repeated rushes round him. He resembled a very large star being circled by a small and erratic planet in a very eccentric orbit."

Wonderful imagery!!

Well done, BB :)

Author Reply: Thank you - I'm glad you enjoyed it, and as for kitties - what's not to love?

I have had cats who reacted like Rufus when cross little kittens tried to attack them. It always looks very funny.

DreamflowerReviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/4/2006
*Very. Big. Grin!!*

So *this* is what you meant in your cryptic review! Frodo's just been inundated with kitties lately, hasn't he?

The behavior of the little kitten was so realistic--it's just how they are at that age, isn't it? And I'm glad that Rufus was well accepting of his new little "nephew". It's not every tom would be so accommodating of sharing--but then Rufus belongs to Frodo, so his master's set him a good example.

So very delightful! Frodo *must* have cats!

Author Reply: Yes, Frodo has been inundated with little kitties, but what could be nicer?

I once had a little feral kitten who came to me aged 10 days (catnapped by next-door's tom cat) and had to be hand reared. She would sit and watch our old mum cat, then copy they way she washed. It was hilarious!

Not every tom would be accepting but Rufus, like some I've had, is placid and good-natured and Frodo has indeed set him a good example.

Glad it made you grin. Had to do a hobbity mathom for everyone to mark a very significant birthday - eeeek!

demeter dReviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/4/2006
Once again, "awwwww"! Just the kind of loving scene that could have been in Bag end, if life had more happy endings. Very sweet.
On, yes. I would also be interested to see Master Rufus's take on the King and the Steward.

Author Reply: I think I really must do a story in which we find out what our favourite feline thinks of the King and Steward.

Glad you enjoyed it. Tiny kitties hissing at a great big cat or a dog always makes me laugh.

TiggerReviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/3/2006
Oh...How delighfully fluffy an end to a day this is. Love the image of little Sooty watching Woo-Woo to see how a cat washes itself. Too adorable!! There was a year about five or six years ago when it seemed like every single kitten was showing up on our doorsteps. Not sure why, but it happened. We made sure they all went to good homes, but my Puss Puss was not a happy camper at the time.

BTW, I was re-reading the stories here the other night and after reading Rufus' account of how he saw the Light of Being of Bag End's occupants and what he thought of those he took care of...Well...In Birthday Surprises, he *has* met King Elessar and Faramir too. So...Well...Pretty *please* oh most talented writer and lover of cats, could we please hear how our favourite Bag End elder cat (now that there's a kitten on the scene) feels about our favourite King and his Steward? CouldweCouldweCouldwe!?! HuhHuhHuhHuh!?!

It's just a thought. 0:o)

What...You don't think I'm that innocent? I'm as angelic as the pure driven snow.

And if you believe that, I have some lovely permafrost property on Baffin Island if you're interested. ;o)

Once again, a wonderful visit to the Reunion universe. Always a wonderful way to spent a part of a weekend. :o)

Author Reply: *packs winter woollies for trip to Baffin Island* :-))

Hmmmmm. I think I must feed that plot bunny because I'd like to know what Rufus thinks of the King and the other visitors.

When I was a veterinary nurse and heavily involved in cat rescue I sometimes couldn't move for kittens. I once bottel-fed five litters, one after another, from April to October, surviving on less than 2 hours sleep at a time and taking them to work with me! I never dared allow my home address to be known, or they would have been dumped there as well.


Queen GaladrielReviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/3/2006
*beaming* Aawww! This is just sooooo cute! I can't tell you how I love it. Sooty is so adorable! I look forward to seeing him again in future stories. My, all these darling cats! Larner's, yours, Elanor Silmarion's, Dreamflowers, my Mir and Marilla, who next? :)
God bless,
Galadriel

Author Reply: There's only one thing better than one cat and that's several cats! I'm sure Frodo is happy to share the warmth and love in Bag End with another orphan.

I enjoyed giving everyone a birthday mathom, having reached a very significant birthday. These hobbity customs are so much fun!
Glad you liked the story, and good luck with your summer adventure. I hope it goes well.

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 21 on 6/3/2006
When Rufus washed his back paws, stretching out one leg and licking between his toes, so did little Sooty, glancing up now and then to check he was doing it properly. He rolled over a couple of times, but righted himself and determinedly continued.

"You seem determined to follow your Uncle Rufus everywhere, but you couldn't have a better teacher, my little lad." He rested a hand on the two warm bodoes and drifted off, lulled to sleep by the sound of drowsy purring.


*flump* That was me, keeling over in sheer joy and fluffage. Eeeee, two cats now! I'm not sure I can bear to be this happy and grinning so widely.

*loves*

Author Reply: Oh dear, I hope you've managed to come round after keeling over under all the joy and 'fluffage'! And thanks for inadvertantly pointing out the typo, which I have now corrected.

Hit a very significant birthday last Thursday, so I'm hoping Gandalf doesn't turn up and tell me I need to make a trip to Mordor any time soon! You never know.......

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