If I had a Hammer by Grey Wonderer
Anso the Hobbit · 6 October 2005 · Chapter 12: Part 12
Oh dear! Pippin tries so hard to make things right but messes up anyway. I hope Sam will be all right. He certainly get his patience tested, lol.
Author's reply
Even though he is getting paid for being Pippin's tutor now, I do think that Sam will have a hard time remaining calm. I do think that if anyone can get through this without losing his temper, it would be Sam. Thanks for reading!
Dreamflower · 6 October 2005 · Chapter 12: Part 12
*giggle*wheeze*chuckle*snort* Oh my! The picture of poor Sam, stuck to the board by both feet, with a paintbrush stuck to his forehead is just priceless! Poor Pippin! And of course, Sam can't really be too mad at him, because he *should* have noticed what he was standing on...*snork*snicker* Frodo and Merry trying to figure Pippin out is cute: "He can keep his secret if he wants," Merry said. Then he grinned at Frodo. "I don’t care what he’s building any more than you care why he’s sleeping in the barn." Frodo groaned. "I liked it so much more when Pippin simply rattled off everything that was on his mind. I miss those days." And that's the rub, isn't it? He's grown past that stage of blurting out the first thing on his mind, and poor Frodo and Merry aren't used to it yet. And I think I know who Pippin wants to give the wheelbarrow to. 8-)
Author's reply
Sam will have his work cut out for him if he hopes to keep his patience, but you're right, he shoud have looked to see where he was standing. I thought that since the soles of a hobbit's feet would be tough from never wearing shoes that Sam might not feel the shellac since he was paying attention to Pippin's other boards on the table so I figured, why not? LOL Pippin's growning up is hard on all three cousins at this point. Frodo and Merry are both in the dark for once and I am guessing that this would really annoy Merry in a very big way. So, you know who Pippin is planning on giving the wheelbarrow too? I can't wait to see if your guess is correct!
GamgeeFest · 6 October 2005 · Chapter 12: Part 12
I'm starting to think those dreams might not be dreams. It's odd that Pippin would wind up in the barn twice now, especially since nothing seems to be wrong with his room. "Where do we keep the turpentine?" Pippin asked innocently. LOL, poor Sam. Just when he thought it was safe! You can't even give Pippin a paint brush. Though that shellacing lesson might help Pippin with his writing lessons if he can transfer over that bit about scraping off the excess.
Author's reply
You know, I hadn't thought if the shellac as an aide to Pip's writing lessons but I think you're right! LOL Sam has had an interesting first morning on the job as an official tutor and he is certainly earning his pay, isn't he? More on Merry's dreams and Pippin's trips to sleep in the barn are coming soon.
henry · 6 October 2005 · Chapter 12: Part 12
Ha ha.. poor Sam. Getting hit with a brush and glued to a board. Not an easy task he has beeen involved in. Still reading and still enjoying this very much. henry
Author's reply
So glad that you are still reading and that you are enjoying this. Sam will certainly earn his money, won't he? Thanks for reviewing!
PIppinfan1988 · 2 October 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
LOL--that was too funny. I really do love your Frodo. He tries so hard to be the grown up and yet succumbs to the wiles of a teenager! A mouthful of grapes and Sam slapping his back to make Frodo spit them out, thinking he was choking...that was too much--oh, how I laughed! I think that Sam does deserve Paladin's money, and Tunnelly desrves a swift kick in the breeches. Well done! Pippinfan
Author's reply
Glad you got a laugh out of this one. I couldn't resist giving Frodo a chance to look a bit silly, but we won't tell Merry. LOL I think Sam will earn his money before this is all over and Mister Tunnely may be in for a bit of a surprise as well. More soon and thanks for the lovely review!
Auntiemeesh · 1 October 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
Whew! Finally got caught up, so I'm just going to leave one review here for the chapters I missed. Poor Pippin, I sympathize with his frustration over everyone around him being older and better at everything. Being one of the youngest and least talented in my family, I've been there, lol. I loved how Pippin remembered all of Merry's projects in such a perfect light until Merry reminded him of all the flaws and disasters he'd been responsible for. Your Pippin and Merry always have such a wonderfully realistic older/younger dynamic which I love. :D
Author's reply
So, I shall take this as high praise coming from a "youngest in the family". Especially since I know exactly how large your family is! Glad you think it was realistic. I am an oldest child so I had to do a bit of guessing. I have that opposite set up, jealous over the younger one doing things better than me. LOL Glad you liked Merry and Pippin's talk about former adventures. Thanks for the review!
Jeodo Brandybuck · 1 October 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
Hee hee hee hee... I love it when Frodo gets embarrassed, but it has to be done in an amusing way that's in keeping with being a hobbit. Well done! I'm looking forward to reading more. Jeodo Brandybuck
Author's reply
For some reason, I always enjoy it when Frodo is flustered. I stopped at letting Merry find him out because I thought that might be more than Frodo could take at that point. (Merry is already teasing him about his lack of carpentry skills and losing his temper with Tunnely.) I also figured that the very practical Sam would be the one for this event! Thanks for the review and for reading! I am hoping to have more up soon.
Andrea · 30 September 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
Yay! My wishes have come true: Frodo with his mouth full of grapes and Sam totally misjudging the situation! That was hilarious! It was also funny, that Sam asked about the tools, having figured out long ago that neither Bilbo, nor Frodo were any good at carpentry ;-) I like the idea that those tools belonged to Belladonna. Last, but not least, the most important question: Where's Pip?
Author's reply
So glad that you enjoyed Frodo and Sam and the grapes. I just had to write that bit. I like the idea of Bilbo's mum having built his desk for him. I also liked the idea of a female woodworker. I'm sure you will get your answer to your "where's Pip?" question soon. Thanks for reading and I'm glad you're enjoying it!
Bodkin · 30 September 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
Belladonna, huh? So carpentering is in the Took blood! And good carpentering at that. I love it that Sam is so disconcerted. What a start. Frodo must have been so embarrassed to be caught dribbling grape juice with his cheeks distended like a hamster's. I'm not surprised Sam thought he must be choking. Merry isn't entirely pleased not to be back in Pippin's confidence. But Pip needs the independence of doing this without him. Although he's not currently where he's expected to be - or in the larder, which is the usual alternative. I hope he hasn't become depressed and gone off to seek his fortune. I hope Frodo manages to convince Sam - I'm really keen to see more of Sam's teaching techniques. He's far and away the best person to teach Pippin. (Maybe even when it comes to teaching writing!) He's got the technique - he treats Pippin as an adult, while keeping his explanations clear and straightforward and encouraging him to work things out for himself. I hope the next chapter has them back in the barn!
Author's reply
I think Sam is an excellent teacher and I can see him teaching members of his own family to read and write. I think he will accept Frodo's offer and take the money since he thinks that Paladin Took will consider it charity if he doesn't take payment for it. More about Pip and where he is in the next chapter. Thanks so much for reading.
Anso the Hobbit · 30 September 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
Yes, where is Pip? I like that the Bagginses have a female woodworker in the family, lol.
Author's reply
I liked having the woodworker be Bilbo's mum. For some reason I just couldn't see any of the Bagginses building anything! LOL I think of Frodo's Baggins relations as the thinkers not the builders. I also liked having a female own those tools. I have my own tools, though I couldn't build a desk with them. LOL More about where Pip is later on.....thanks for the review! Oh, and I do hope you are feeling better and writing more about that Master in Training? That is such a good story.
GamgeeFest · 30 September 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
I had to read this before I went to bed. LOL that opening was hilarious. It's not enough that Frodo was humiliated by losing to his cousins the night before, but now Sam walks in on him practicing! I do love to see Frodo acting silly from time to time. I did wonder who all those tools belonged to. How wonderful that Belladonna was the woodworker of the family. :) And where *is* Pippin? I'm hoping he's only out in the barn again. After all their wonderful making up, I'd hate to think he's run off.
Author's reply
I could see Frodo alone in the kitchen with the grapes and thinking to himself, "I'll just practice a bit while no one is about." Then, enter Sam. LOL I came upon the idea for the tools belonging to Belladonna as I was writing another chapter of this. If neither Frodo nor Bilbo was exactly good at carpentry then why would they have all of those tools? The only thing that I could come up with was that Bilbo had inherited them. I liked the idea of Belladonna having made Bilbo's desk and of her being the craftsman in the family. I thank you for the review and there will be more about Pip's location soon.
estelnalissi · 29 September 2005 · Chapter 8: Part 8
You have a gift for spreading happiness. I'm so glad to have crossed your path. My grin stays in place long after I've finished a chapter and moved on to other activities. You've added a new line to my Hobbity quotes hall of fame. "This place needs bigger bowls!" Tolkien's giving you a wink, I know it. And I can't forget Poor Hobbit Pie. I thought you made that up and it was a perfect addition to our consensus on the Hobbit menu, right up there with mushrooms, sausages, apples, seed cakes and taters. Your story of the pie's counterpart on mother earth was touching. Will you give us the recipe by story's end? Or invite recipes from your readers? Wouldn't it be nice if we could all gather for a Poor Hobbit Pie bake off, gossip and all purpose feast and pleasantry? Finally, go ahead and kick me, but the longer the baker ran on, the more I laughed. More gossip came out of his mouth that day than baked goods from his ovens.
Author's reply
"A gift for spreading happiness? That is one of the nicest things that anyone has ever said to me in a review. Thank you! I do think that hobbits always wish for bigger bowls. LOL Glad to see that you agree. As to the pie recipe, I am not sure that there is an exact one for this. It was made from left-over ingrediants. We usually got it along with pies of another flavor because whatever eggs, milk, vanilla, etc were left after the other baking became pie man's pies or poor hobbit's pies. I am going to try to get a working recipe for it from my grandmother who has many things that she just makes by putting in ingrediants until it seems right. LOL I cannot bake that way but she can. She's been making the items for so long that she doesn't need to measure any more! Oh, don't worry about laughing during the baker's gab-fest. I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER kick my reviewers. Besides, I enjoy making people laugh so I won't complain.
Pipspebble · 29 September 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
Oh, poor Frodo! You had me laughing out loud with the first couple of paragraphs. I knew right away what Fro was up to. And I love the whole competitiveness between the cousins thing. And your Sam! Oh, dear Sam! You have such a lovely Sam voice, everything you write him saying rings so clear and true. I was delighted to find another chapter so soon, but am now salivating for more, more! :-)
Author's reply
Sam was the one that worried me the most in all of this so I am very pleased that you are enjoying him. I love him in other people's stories but I have always been a bit afraid to write him much myself. I like for Frodo to have a minute or two of silliness from time to time and I could just see this. Glad it made you laugh. Thanks for the review!
Dreamflower · 29 September 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
*chuckle* Now, I thought you might or might not show the contest, but it never occurred to me you'd just show Frodo practicing to beat his cousins after his defeat. And he thinks *Merry* is competitive? Sam's reaction was hilarious. I like the way Frodo persuades Sam to take the task on. And perhaps Sam can use the information about Belladonna to buck up Pippin's confidence--he might come to think of carpentry as a Tookish talent. Has Pippin gone back to sleeping in the barn? Or is he still feeling dejected by old T.T.'s rejection, and decided to hoof it home? Update soon, please!
Author's reply
So Frodo's practice session was not what you expected? LOL I could see him doing this and so I had to write it. I could also see Sam's reaction to the choking and to the explanation. I figured it might trouble Sam a bit to take money for helping Pippin. Sam might worry about not actually being a professional carpenter but I decided that Frodo might use "the Tooks not wanting to take charity" and Sam would understand that completely . I can also see Sam teaching family members to read after learning from Bilbo. I liked the idea of the carpentry tools belonging to Bilbo's mum instead of his Baggins father. LOL Sam may well have to use that information with Pippin at some point. As to where Pippin is.....
PIppinfan1988 · 29 September 2005 · Chapter 10: Part 10
Whew! Had me going there, for a second. You didn't put "TBC" at the end, and so I was hoping you wouldn't just drop us off like that... Cool--another chapter to take to work tomorrow! :-) This chapter ended up so splendidly! Young Pippin finally spilling his guts..feeling every bit the "teenage" angst and jealousy--and nice to see Merry getting in on the action. LOL, seems he's been harboring some jealousy of his own lately. Love to watch them just being "kids", so to speak. I really enjoyed this chapter! This is a fantastic tale--have I told you that lately? Pippinfan
Author's reply
So glad you liked it and I really should continue to put TBC at the end of the chapters. I don't know why I stopped. I had several folks that thought this might be over because of that. I will have to either start ending ALL of the chapters on cliff-hangers or bring back the TBC. I think I'll go with the TBC because I don't think I can write that many cliff-hangers. I think everyone is jealous of someone and I do believe that Frodo, being the amazing hobbit that he is and doing things like speaking Elvish would certainly be the target of jealously from time to time. Merry has a lot to live up to and Pippin has both over-achieving cousins to live up to. Glad that you are enjoying this one. Thanks so much for reading!
TheHobbitWaffle · 29 September 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
I've been reading this one for awhile and I am really enjoying it! You are very talented. :D
Author's reply
You are very sweet to say so. Thank you! I enjoyed your story very much and so I am glad that you are enjoying this one. Thanks for the review!
Larner · 29 September 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
Ah, dear--Frodo also has a competetive streak, obviously! Lovely image, him unable to talk with his mouth full of sour grapes. Now, I, too, wonder where Pippin has got off to!
Author's reply
I could see Frodo thinking he was all alone with nothing but a big bowl of grapes and a bit of time on his hands. LOL I'm sure Pip will turn up in another chapter.....More soon. Thanks for the review!
Pearl Took · 29 September 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
LOL LOL LOL Frodo, drooling all over from the grapes in his mouth!!!!! Gotta love it :) :) :) But . . . where *is* Pip? Still a wonderfully enjoyable story :)
Author's reply
Poor Frodo got caught in a less-than-dignified moment, didn't he? I could just see him doing this, though. At least I didn't let Merry catch him. He might never have lived that one down. More on exactly where Pip is before long. Thanks for reading!
SlightlyTookish · 29 September 2005 · Chapter 11: Part 11
Heehee! That opening sequence was so funny! Poor Sam, thinking that Frodo was choking to death (and poor Frodo, for his embarassment). But what I'm really curious about is Merry's dream. I'd forgotten about it and now you brought it up again. It's creepy! I want to know what it means... *sigh* I really love this story! :)
Author's reply
Glad I made you laugh. For some reason I could see Frodo doing this and thinking that there would be no one around to catch him. I could also see poor Sam panicking the minute he saw Mister Frodo choking. There will be more on the dream and more of the story. Thanks for reviewing!
Anso the Hobbit · 29 September 2005 · Chapter 10: Part 10
I loved Frodo's plan, lol, but Merry and Pippin "ruined" that. It's not easy being the youngerst and feeling everyone is perfect but you. I am glad that Pippin talked to Merry though and that they didn¨t fight too hard about this. I bet Pippin deep down missed Merry too.
Author's reply
Oh, Pippin certainly did miss Merry. The sudden hug was proof of that. Also as angry as he was and as jealous as he was, he was still very proud of Merry. It was a bit of a war of emotions for him. It seems that poor Frodo's plans are constantly getting spoiled in this story. Frodo had planned to have a nice summer visit with his cousins and that went a bit wrong, he planned to remain calm when talking to Mister Tunnely and that went wrong, and he planned to be the one to talk to Pippin but Merry beat him to it! Maybe Frodo will get a break later in this story. But, then again, he is trying to deal with a Brandybuck and a Took!
Bodkin · 29 September 2005 · Chapter 10: Part 10
Love it. I like that Merry didn't know that Pippin was up the tree when he started his rant - otherwise it would seem rather too calculating. Good thing that the cloudburst made them sit and talk too. There has been enough stomping off. I can certainly see why Pippin has heard enough of 'at your age'. But that is the down side to having all your best friends be several years older than you. I'm glad that Merry started pointing out all the things that he has done wrong. And that he is jealous of Frodo for being older and wiser. Not that hearing it will be enough for Pippin. But it's a start. And of course, between the milk thing and the grape-stuffing skill, Pippin is clearly a hobbit of remarkable talent.
Author's reply
I thought that Merry should 'discover' Pippin in mid-rant. You're right that it would have seemed too much like a set up if he'd known all along. Pippin is in for years of hearing 'when I was your age' but at least now he does feel a bit better since he's talked to Merry and Frodo. I thought that Pip's talents should match his age and his rather interesting personality. Glad you liked that part. Thanks for reviewing!
Larner · 28 September 2005 · Chapter 10: Part 10
I wrote such a lovely review this morning that got all wiped out somehow before it got posted, and now, of course, I can't remember precisely what I said then. I love the three of them finally all getting over each one's pique and finally starting to communicate about it all, allowing all three to finally express their concern for one another and their individual and mutual feelings. And the realization via the apple cores and the one bitten apple that Pippin was up there in the apple tree--I'd been thinking that was probably how Merry knew where he was, but wasn't certain. Anyway, am looking forward to more chuckles as Tunnely finds he has to eat his words when he sees the fine wheelbarrow Pippin makes under Sam's tutelage.
Author's reply
I've had that happen to my reviews before and it makes me so angry. You have what you want to say down perfectly and suddenly it's gone! I couldn't let them stay angry for long and I did need to get Pip out of that tree. Merry knew exactly what all of those apple cores meant once he thought it over. LOL More soon and thanks for both reviews, this one and the one that got wiped out.
Pipspebble · 28 September 2005 · Chapter 10: Part 10
This is a very sweet and believable conclusion to the misunderstanding between the cousins. I've always loved the vision of Pippin in the apple tree, and the image of Merry standing beneath it, craning and rubbing his neck as he tried to converse was very funny. And the milk and the nose thing. Ugh. I've got two lads of my own who do that. Double ugh. Still a fun, fun story!
Author's reply
So you've seen the amazing milk trick performed in stereo? LOL I've seen it, but never two at once. Merry was probably glad that the Gaffer was right about the rain because he was getting very tired of looking up. Thanks for the sweet review and I am glad to know that I am not the only one that has seen the milk trick up close. Boys!
Dreamflower · 28 September 2005 · Chapter 10: Part 10
Oh GW! What a brilliant chapter! Everyone's mentioned a great many of my favorite parts already, but I have to say, I loved the part where Frodo's watching Merry out a window, "talking to the tree" and his wondering what Lobelia would make of it. The subsequent conversation was wonderful and hilarious; I loved and got every single reference to "Trust a Brandybuck and a Took". But this part just made me feel all gooey for some reason: "Well, maybe that's true," Pippin said. "But you did build that snare that time and that worked." "That worked too well," Merry groaned at this. "I hung us both by our ankles in the barn as I recall. You still have a little scar across your ankle bone from that wonderful idea." Merry reached over and ran a finger across the tiny white scar. "We hung there like that for most of the night and if Frodo hadn’t woke up and gone in search of us then we’d have been there until dawn. As it was, your ankle bled and you wound up with that scar and I had a head ache for two days from hanging upside down for so long." Merry gently touching Pippin's scar like that, you know he's blaming himself for it being there, and the gesture just says more than anything else about his protective love for his pestiferous younger cousin. And it's an interesting bit of foreshadowing, making me think of the future scars they will have from the bonds the Orcs put on them. For which, of course, Merry probably blamed himself as well, as if he could have done anything about it. And I love the way the chapter ends, and Frodo wisely letting Pip have a holiday from lessons, and the upcoming grape stuffing contest (I'm with Frodo--stuffing grapes sounds far more appealing than blowing milk out one's nose. And it reminds me of when I was in high school, and we had contests to see who could stuff the most "Screaming Yellow Zonkers" in their mouth. LOL!) I am looking forward to seeing Sam continue Pip's lessons, and to Mister Tobias "I Know Everything About Carpentry" Tunnelly's final come-uppance!
Author's reply
First, let me say that I love your use of the word "brilliant". LOL This is a wonderful review and I thank you. I'm glad you picked up on the tiny serious moment with the little scar on Pippin's ankle. I didn't know if it would get noticed amid the milk trick and the grapes but I did want to include it. Sam is in the next chapter and there will be more carpentry to come. Do they still make "screaming yellow zonkers"? I'd love to have some about now. Oh, and did you win the contest because if so then maybe you should get in on this grape thing. Thanks for the review!
Andrea · 28 September 2005 · Chapter 10: Part 10
"That’s my point," Merry smiled. "Anyone can be good at regular things. Not everyone can be good at unusual things like stuffing grapes into their mouth or making milk come out of their nose or making a noise like a cricket." Now, this is a very "dangerous" sentence, especially when you read it while sipping on your drink - as I did ;-) I did that milk trick once, but it was rather an accident. I'm very impressed with Pippin's unusual skills. I enjoyed reading this chapter, in particular the references to "Trust a Brandybuck and a Took", and I would really like to see Frodo stuffing more grapes in his mouth than Pippin!
Author's reply
Frodo may have bitten off more than he can chew with this grape contest. LOL We shall have to wait and see. I'm glad you enjoyed this and I thank you for reading. I figured that since Pippin is a rather unusual hobbit that he should have some unusual skills. I was hoping that I hadn't made too many references to Brandybuck and Took. It's nice to know that those bits were enjoyable too! Thanks!