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Moments in Time by Larner	24 Review(s)
Tigger	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/14/2005
Oh Larner...After a frustrating day dealing w/doctors, I find this lovely little story waiting for me. Still choked up. Lovely, lovely, lovely!!! Thank you for the wonderful story. Author Reply: Oh, am so glad you enjoyed it, Tigger. And hope the being choked up doesn't make things from the doctors' visits worse! I have had my share of dealings with doctors, and don't do particularly well with them myself. Praying things work out well.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/14/2005
Finally I have a bit time to review! Sorry I am so late, but the last days were quite busy. Larner, that was a very lovely story! First Toby's last gift to Pippin, that was touching. And I had to grin about Lord Halladan's wish to buy so much Shire wine. If that's not a compliment for the Hobbits! Second, Pippin's idea how to use the bottle. Oh yes, that was the same mind who thought of the little house for the children - very creative. It was sweet to even try it, although it was quite unlikely Frodo would ever get the bottle. But obviously Pippin's plea to Lord Ulmo was successful. It was so wonderful Frodo got these little notes from his friend and favourite cousins! And that he did sent back the drawings was so sweet and touching - so the others knew he had gotten the message and was well. Truly, that was wonderful - thank you so very much! Author Reply: Oh, Kitty, am so very glad you enjoyed this one. And, yes, this is the mind that came up with the little Hobbit house and the pony in the study, and the stubborness that kept him going when Frodo did all but order him to stay in the Shire and Elrond threatened to send him home as well. And, yes, I think Ulmo enjoyed making certain the two messages got to their intended recipients. Am so glad this one was well received, and that people appreciate Halladan's inclusion in the story as well. Thanks so much for the feedback.

Armariel	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/12/2005
A beautiful tale. So heartwarming! Pippin is such a cutie, what? What an idea! applause Love it, keep it up! Author Reply: So glad you like it, Armariel. And, yes, Pippin is one who comes up with some of the most innovative ideas. Thanks for the feedback.

finafyr	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/12/2005
Oh Darn you Larner..( smiling through tear filled eyes) you always do this to me.. I am here crying like a baby.. I love your stories of middle earth.. I would give all my heart and most of my soul to have a book filled with them to read over and over again. I love to read about Frodo in the undying lands.. and Aragorn as king.. and the hobbits of the shire.. and out master sculptor.. I love it with all my heart.. but every time.. and I mean every time the words you write fill my heart with such joy and sometimes an enending pain in my heart that the tears flow... and it is to you that I owe my thanks... oh you are such a blessing.. your words fill so many gaps.. make the story more complete.. bring such joy and longing.. how can I ever thank you..I love that Frodo got the bottle.. and that our hobbits had their answer.. and that Lord Ulmo made sure it got to where it needed to go.. I love knowing it all. I wish that you could put your stories into a book.. I have to tell you that I sing your praises to all my friends.. and they are getting quite used to seeing the tears fall from my eyes.. they just smile and say.. "it was Larner again huh" and I smile and nod my head.. yes you are a blessing.. and I thank you my dear.. Author Reply: Oh, dear--they see you sobbing and they know it was me again! That the stories move you is definitely my reward. Am so glad that you find you like it all, including our master sculptor, and the way I depict hobbits and King. Thanks so much for the long review, and I, too, am glad Lord Ulmo decided to get involved in this one. The idea of someone sending a message in a bottle has literally been haunting me for months, and it finally got written out. That it would come across as well as it did after giving me days of fits when things weren't working together is such a relief.

shirebound	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/12/2005
Oh wow. The creatures of Lord Ulmo told him of its presence, and he came forth to examine it, again read the inscription and the intent of it, and laughed, but gently. And if it should have received a small push onto the Straight Path by him, none of the rest of the Valar would be likely to criticize. What a beautiful story. Author Reply: Am so glad you appreciate it. I think the Valar would have appreciated the intent, but particularly Ulmo, to whom in my version of the tale Frodo feels he owes so much.

Alassiel	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/12/2005
Dear Larner, Thank you! This is lovely! I think that the Valar would indeed have allowed it, and I also think not having Frodo write a message in words is an excellent idea. He sent his joy in a way that was truly his own. I literally applauded after reading the tale! Blessings, Alassiel Author Reply: Frodo would have wanted them to know, I think, that these were the ones he loved so very much. And only one who was at the Grey Havens would have known how the three of them looked at the moment they realized he would be well, and would have sought to assure them in such a way how much he appreciated their sacrifice at that moment.

Radbooks	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/12/2005
This was touching, Larner. I can just see Pippin's grim determination to at least try and sail the boat, what did they have to lose? Then the notes that Merry and Sam wrote fit each of them perfectly... their personalities. Oh, I loved Lord Halladan's reaction to the wine! The pictures Frodo sent back were perfect and then the image of the three hobbits dancing under the mallorn tree was priceless. To know that they had had contact with their beloved friend or cousin was such a blessing for them. The closing line was just perfect as Ulmo has always been more involved in the lives of the peoples of Middle-earth than the other Valar. Nicely done. I have certainly enjoyed these little short stories. The next chapter of my story is up! Yes sometime we will have to try and get together, I thought about you when I was recently in that area, but as I was with a group of fellow librarians and only there overnight, I knew it wouldn't work out. Author Reply: So glad you felt about it much as I did. I sat and growled over this story for several days, for there was one bit that was just too contrived, and it was driving me crazy. I finally found myself, like Tolkien himself, erasing the offending bit and going back in the story to where that branch started and starting it over, and although most of what came after that was almost identical to what I'd written first this time it resolved properly. Pippin's stubborn insistence that he was going to try to send the remaining wine was so like him, as was, I felt, Sam's final realization that the little he wrote was what he wanted Frodo to know. And Halladan wanting to share the wine with Aragorn just sort of appeared there--wasn't certain how it happened. Some elements just insert themselves, I've found. But am glad you enjoyed the ending; and Ulmo, coming closer to the mortal lands than many others, would have felt more inclined to assist. I'm strapped for cash, and don't make it over the Sound often right now, but will let you know when I can get that way, and maybe we can go out to dinner or something.

Baggins Babe	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/12/2005
This was so beautiful and perfect that, like Dreamflower, I couldn't see the screen. I loved so much about this - hopeful, optimistic Pippin sending the bottle in the first place, the intervention of Lord Ulmo, and the bottle being sent back with pictures and Frodo's trademark signature on the drawings. Loved that Sam probably sat there chewing his pen all night and still only managed a couple of lines. For the same reason, Frodo opted for drawings, not words - some emotions are too great to be expressed in words, and he would be unable to really say anything about his life in Tol Eressa anyway. Beautiful story. Author Reply: Frodo would have wanted to express his love and thankfulness for their sacrifice in letting him go, which could not have been an easy thing for them to do; and that's not always easy to find words for. That he'd have caught the moment he realized that they realized they were doing what was right and that he'd made the only decision which could allow him freedom from the memory of the Ring and its attendant guilt and anger and pain only seemed right for his return communication. Sam finally reduced his message to what he really wanted to say, which was probably best. And as my version of Frodo had basically accepted Ulmo as his patron, I thought he would take a personal interest in making certain that the messages got to their proper recipients.

harrowcat	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/12/2005
Oh Larner - I agree with Dreamflower - I couldn't see the screen I was blinking the tears away so hard. And I have printed it out to take back to my parents house with me. Hope you don't mind. I don't do it very often as it was costing too much in ink and takes up more space than a laptop. The on-going anticipation and tenseness of the three travellers as the returned bottle was opened was fantastically portrayed. And pictures, instead of words, spoke volumes in themselves (and I imagine the Frodo was beyond writing at that point}. I also liked the way that Sam, given all night only managed a couple of lines. How many pieces went into the fire. I could go on and on about all the bits I liked so very much. Just one question - where does this link in to Bilbo's final leaving? And Frodo's 'becoming'? I notice that you have Frodo speaking aloud at this point. I also found myself wondering how Gandalf felt about being handed a boat made by Pippin? I suspect a small smile and perhaps a reminicense about his favourite 'fool of a Took'! And I would love to see a little scene with Frodo sharing the rest of the bottle, perhaps with Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel if Bilbo is gone. I thank Lord Ulmo and you, Larner for this inspired piece. Now to re-read! Author Reply: I'll admit some of the stories I've read I've copied out as well, and have put them into my notebooks devoted to LOTR, which includes the screenplays for the films and all. Some by Baylor, Lindelea, Tom Fairbairn (or Chip of Dale, depending on where you know him from), and a few others who have done short works have found their ways to my personal archives, so I can't fault anyone who'd want to capture a story likewise. I'm honored. I suspect Bilbo died not terribly long after they got there, probably the first spring after their arrival on Tol Eressea, as he was already the oldest Hobbit in known history. I think that Frodo's drawing of him was intended only to show the others that Bilbo had known joy and the ability to waken long enough to appreciate it again, and that he was not distressed to go on when the time came. For the other picture, I think he wanted to express his own love for them, and his appreciation of how much they sacrificed in letting him go, how much he KNEW they loved him as expressed in the combination of tears and smiles. Sometimes a picture can speak volumes, and I suspect this did that. At the time Frodo received the boat I suspect he'd have been there but eight and a half or nine or so years, so it was still relatively early in his life on the threshold of the Blessed Realm. Even at the end he could still speak, although I suspect it cost him some effort. But he was already speaking only small phrases. He was in the Becoming, probably, but still mostly in the tangible world; and even as the change continued, because he remained a mortal I doubt he ever went quite beyond the borders of that tangible world. He would have had to maintain a core of physicality just to remain within the bounds of Arda as one who could not be denied the gift of Illuvatar. As this was focused mostly on the relationships between Frodo and those back in the Shire, I felt that going beyond it to include the sharing of the wine IN THIS PARTICULAR story would be a distraction at that point, although we might just look at that separately. But I felt Gandalf deserved that fool of a Took's boat, and suspect he afterward kept it wherever it was he as a Maia considered proper to keep such physical reminders of love shared with mortals. Thanks so much for appreciating it and letting me know how deeply it touched you.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 10/12/2005
Oh. I am just blinking as hard as I can, so I can see the screen. This made me tear up so. We all, I think, want so badly to believe that somehow the three left behind could just know somehow, that in one way or another they could communicate just once. I've read a few stories exploring the theme, but yours is the most plausible, the most logical, and the most touching, I have ever seen. My dear, take a bow! Author Reply: You have me embarrassed, Dreamflower. I know how deeply we want to have reassurance that those we've loved still love us, so deeply we invest in Ouija boards and visit spiritualists and mediums and channelers and so on; my grandmother's fantasies about the visits she felt she had from my grandfather were touching and rather sad, I thought. Communicating via mutual awareness through the White Tree is one thing; but there is a need sometimes for something tangible, and the bottle and its contents symbolize that need, and having it fulfilled. Frodo wasn't yet beyond the bounds of Arda--there was still the desire to have some physical manifestation of love; and I doubt the Hobbits would abuse the privilege by seeking to reproduce it without need. Thanks so much for the appreciation you've shown. That this one would turn out so well after the days of frustration when one section decided to become contrived and I had to go back and start over a good section of the story still amazes me.

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