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Miss Dora Baggins' Book of Manners  by Dreamflower 12 Review(s)
Kaylee ArafinwielReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/20/2016
My Dear Miss Dora,

This Chapter on the Receiving of Guests is most Interesting! I do not often have occasion to Receive Guests, but perhaps as I progress within the SCA I shall. Therefore, this is Important Information for me to know, even if I cannot Use it Yet.

Your friend and Reader,

Kaylee

Kaylee ArafinwielReviewed Chapter: 7 on 11/3/2009
Dear Miss Dora,

Indeed, Hospitality is a thing not to be Squandered! Thank you for teaching me the proper way to Receive Guests and how to Be a Proper Guest as well. I will put this Advice to good Use when I have the Occasion (and Time) to go Visiting.

Loyally as ever,

Kaylee Arafinwiel

Author Reply: Miss Kaylee,

It is Gratifying to know that my Advice will be Helpful to you! It just goes to show that there are People of Sense in every Race.

Sincerely,
Miss Dora

Kaylee, Miss Dora is in danger of getting a little Above Herself from all your flattery! She can be a little vain about her advice giving!
Dreamflower

harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/22/2006
For some reason this chapter made me personally rather uncomfortable, especially the last paragraph. Perhaps because I empathise with Bilbo being rather a solitary soul. Great chapter.

Author Reply: Yes, Bilbo *was* a rather solitary hobbit, even more so than Frodo, and quite different from most hobbits even before his Adventure. Yet he, too, valued and prided himself on his Hospitality. Actually almost everything in this chapter was extrapolated from his behavior in the first chapter of The Hobbit, in the way that he greeted his unexpected Guests, and in his musings to himself (such as knowing his duty and doing without, when it came to food).

Much of the rest had to do with how the guests were recieved in the beginning of LotR. Again, most of it having to do with Bilbo's own behavior.

He did, very much value his peace and quiet. But he was hobbit enough to also value hospitality as well. And there were times near the end of his life in the Shire, when he also valued making quite a stir, LOL!

Nienor NinielReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/20/2006
Ah, beautiful! Right down to the "restorative Spirits"! And we finally know that hiding from the S-B's was perfectly legitimate.

All the best, Nienor

Author Reply: I think that Dora, knowing the S.-B.s, had them *specifically* in mind when she wrote that! LOL!

Grey WondererReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/20/2006
Read all of these at one go and was running short of time so I am leaving one review here for the present. I want Dora to come by and organize my house and set everyone straight on the rules of proper behavior! This is wonderful and she really is writing reams of good advice. Your Dora is a gem and I hope she has more to say and many more topics.

Author Reply: Oh! *giggle* That's a lot to take in in one gulp, GW!

Yes--I can just see Miss Dora taking over and laying down the law! She still has a *lot* more to say!

ElemmírëReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/19/2006
Another wonderful chapter, Dreamflower!

It is most Unkind to keep Guests standing on the Doorstep.

LOL! In my stories, Bilbo tends to unintentionally leave Dora standing on the doorstep quite often.

I bet Bilbo and Frodo were 'Not Home' quite a lot when the Sackville-Bagginses were around. Speaking of, I wonder if Lobelia ever took the time to read Miss Dora's book? She could certainly have benefited from it. :D (it might be interesting to see her reaction and take on things when Miss Dora gets 'published'.

Author Reply: And I am quite sure Dora was aware of that! But she would be too proper to keep banging on the door like Lobelia!

I would bet that Lobelia probably turned her nose up at it, and perhaps had some snarky words about it at the time. And then she would have probably gotten a copy and kept it secret, and looked through it to find all the hidden insults, LOL!

PIppinfan1988Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/19/2006
I would love to meet Miss Dora Baggins--I have a feeling we might get on quite well. :-) I snickered at the "unwelcome guests" bit...she just *had* to have known the Sackville-Baggines, lol. Probably even had to entertain them once or twice. I can see Miss Dora inviting Lobelia to Tea out of propriety, however, I can also see where she'd get the notion to excuse the intended host of not "being at home". (*more snickering*)

Pippinfan



Author Reply: Oh my yes she had the S.-B.s in mind with this chapter! It was rather dripping with genteel sarcasm, LOL! Dora and Lobelia did not get on much better than Lobelia and Menegilda, though Dora, being a Baggins and not a Brandybuck, was not so vocal on the subject.

Yes, since Lobelia *was* kin, there would have been times she *had* to be invited. But I'm sure Dora was "not at home" any other occasion Lobelia arrived upon the doorstep.

shireboundReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/19/2006
After a Month or more, then one is within one’s Rights to Inform the visitor that they are no longer a Guest, but a member of the Household, and to assign them such Duties as would be Expected of one who dwelt there.

For some Reason, this almost Invariably results in the Unwanted Guest deciding to go Elsewhere.


LOL, I love that! I think Aunt Dora most clearly covered all possible situations in this chapter.

Author Reply: *grin* Well, I do believe she *tried* to anyway!

SurgicalSteelReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/19/2006
Caught up at last! I especially enjoyed the advice on how to deal with unwelcome guests.

Author Reply: Yes, can't you see that as a problem in a society where it's expected that one would just automatically put up any company that showed up at the door?

(Most of my ideas here came from extrapolating from Bilbo's reactions to the Dwarves showing up unexpectedly at his home. He was flustered, yes, but it never occured to him not to ask them in just as if they *had* been invited, nor indeed, to put all of them up for the night.)

Baggins BabeReviewed Chapter: 7 on 8/19/2006
I do love Miss Dora's advice - I suspect the 'Unwelcome Guests' she is thinking about here probably include the dreaded S-Bs!

I really love the 18th century tone of this - and the capitalisation, which is so typical of those household guides of the time.

Beautifully done, Dreamflower. I think Miss Dora is a very observant and sensible hobbit.

Author Reply: Oh, I can tell you she was definitely thinking of them, even if she did not "Name Names", so to speak.

I'm glad you do like that--it was the sort of genteel tone I was aiming for, and it's hard to know sometimes if I've succeeded or overdone it.

She is, isn't she?

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