Garnet Took
· 9 October 2006
· Chapter 14: Lost and Found
Oh, this was a good chapter. It looks like the reunification will go well, as far as Paladin and Isembold's family are concern. Of course, what the rest of the Tooks of Great Smials may not be so ready to reconcile.
I knew, of course, that Degger had to be related to the Tooks, and now it looks like my other theory may be true, too.
Now, I can't wait for their meeting with Aunt Betti. This is going to be a lot of fun to read.
Thanks.
Author's reply
Thank you, GT! I imagine that not many of the G.S. Tooks realize what's been going on for the past one-hundred-fifty years, give or take a decade, with regard to Isembold's family. ;-) I think Fortinbras and Ferumbras, in this matter, were carrying out the instructions given to them by the previous Took, even though they had the freedom of thought to stop the madness.
LOL, you knew because I solicited your thoughts on the matter very early in the year--and when the time comes, I shall give both you and Dreamflower the credit you deserve. You have a good memory. :-) You'll have to let me know what your other theory is next time we talk. ;-)
Well, now that the cat's pretty much out of the bag, that's basically all that's left; some fun writing and hopefully delivering some fun reading. I've had a blast with "discovering" what happened to an entire branch of the Took family tree. :-)
Thanks for reading!
PF
Garnet Took
· 2 October 2006
· Chapter 13: Journey to Little Delving
Poor Paladin. I really do feel for him in this chapter. First he has to deal with a tween who is doing a good job of being cartaker of the Thain, and then he has to handle a teen who doesn't care that his bedroom looks like a wreack.
I can relate to the situation with Pippin and cleaning. I'm dealing with the same thing with my own child.
I'm glad they finally got to head to Little Delving at last. It looks like they may actually get a positive receiption. I think we're about to come to another major plot point, not in Little Delving, but in Michel Delving. Just a guess.
Thanks for the update. Don't worry about how long it took. RL does that to all of us.
GT.
Larner
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 7: A Took's Moot
Degger is a wonderful young Hobbit and probably Took in hiding there. Wonderful lad, Degger.
Larner
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 6: The Fate of the Other
I was wondering if a stroke was imminent. Alas, Ferumbras. I hope he appreciates the care given him--and I'm certain Frodo and Paladin will be most gentle and considerate, no matter how angry Pal was earlier.
Larner
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 5: The Destiny of One
A relative, perhaps descended from a Hobbit who disappeared from the Shire under questionable circumstances, egged on by someone tall, bearded, and robed in grey, perhaps? Sounds possible to me.
Larner
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 4: Change is in the Air
So, we have learned more of Degger's true background, have we? Excellent.
Larner
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 3: Precious Little Time
Not willingly will Peregrin Took miss a meal! Heh!
Larner
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 2: An Afternoon in Tuckborough
So glad Degger is above "I told you so's." Looking forward to the true story of the watch and what will be added to it now.
Larner
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 1: Treasured Memento
Growing up indeed. And Degger will get a special gift to enhance his watch? Lovely!
Andrea
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 13: Journey to Little Delving
“Good worn breeches are like best friends,” said Pippin
Oh my! I remember several times when my parents told me to part with my favorite breeches ;-)
That was a wonderful chapter, Pippinfan, and I'm looking forward to reading more about how Paladin, Pippin and Degger come acquainted with their lost cousins. But, take your time to recover, for that is most important!
Author's reply
Ah, yes...I recall late in the ninth grade when I finally "filled out" two of my most favourite pair of jeans (I was a late bloomer!)--and subsequently outgrew them. *sigh*
Thank you so much for bearing with me and for your wonderful encouragement! Thank you for reading! :-)
Pippinfan
Pearl Took
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 13: Journey to Little Delving
Pippin cleans like I do :-) I always get distracted reminiscing!
So far so good with the relations - at least Paladin and the lads have been invited in :-)
Update as you can, dear, dear Pippinfan. Your writing is always more than worth the wait!
Please take care of yourself.
Author's reply
I would do the same thing when I was growing up, lol! I don't do it so much anymore other than to stop and filter through which important papers have to stay or get chucked.
LOL, yeah--that was the good sign--being invited inside! There will be some issues to deal with, not *bad* ones. I can imagine hobbits feeling angry or slighted for a short while, but not to carry a feud for 70 years. That just isn't in their nature. Then again, there were the Sackville-Bagginses vs. the Bag End-Bagginses....
I don't think I got the chance to cry the blues to you yet...we shall correct that tonight if we connect. :-) I may be on a wee bit late, but I'll be sure to say 'hello'. :-) Thank you so much for reading and your encouragement!
Pippinfan
Grey Wonderer
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 13: Journey to Little Delving
So sorry about your dental problems. I enjoyed this chapter very much. I completely understand Pippin's wish to keep his favorite trousers. I don't give up a good pair of worn jeans until I absolutely have to do so. LOL
Love the OC, Rick, Nick and Stick. I hope we hear more from them in the future! Feel better. I can wait will you recover. I am enjoying this story too much not to wait!
Author's reply
Thanks, G.W.--I think I already cried the blues to you about it once this week. Poor lass, having to deal with a wussy friend like this! I can walk on a broken foot for 2 weeks, or walk for 8 hours on my falling arches, but don't mess with my teeth, man! LOL
The thing about worn jeans is so true! LOL I just had to bring that out in Pippin's plight with slight aversion to cleaning his room.
Oh, we will definitely hear more from Nick, Rick, and Stick in the coming chapters. This is the nitty-gritty bit of the story. ;-)
You won't have to wait as long next time--hopefully tonight or tomorrow. :-) You take care of yourself as well and thanks for reading--and for all your encouragement!
Pippinfan
harrowcat
· 1 October 2006
· Chapter 13: Journey to Little Delving
Ooh you poor thing! Get well soon we will be as patient as we can! Not very that is!!! *g*
Cleaning Pippin's room! Typical youngster!
Author's reply
Thank you, harrowcat! LOL, you and me both--I am so wainting to tell this story but not so much to fninish it, but just to tell it. I think we all have a bit of Pippin in us--the love of telling a tale. Thank you so much for reading and for your encouragement!
Pippinfan
Dreamflower
· 30 September 2006
· Chapter 13: Journey to Little Delving
Oh dear! I certainly hope you get to feeling much better soon, dear! Don't worry about fic updates if you are feeling so dreadful!
I liked Paladin's determination to surprise Maynard in his care of the Thain. It's clear that M. resents his job, and is doing it as little as he can get away with!
I also got a kick out of Paladin's ultimatum over Pippin's room! I think, though, that if he considered, he'd realize what the difference is now. Pip's chores at Whitwell took him outdoors, and were physically demanding. Keeping his room tidy is *indoors*, and not really that much work physically. For a child as active and antsy as Pippin, being stuck in his room is much worse than mucking out a stable, or helping with the plowing or sowing.
"Rick, Nick and Stick" *snerk* Very hobbity! And it looks as though, so far, the family reunion is going well.
Author's reply
Thank you--I'm good to go as long as I don't lapse on the ibpfn, which I have done on occasion. :-P As for the story, it's all in my head, so all I'm doing is filling in the little details--I just hope the fog that the ibpfn leaves in my head isn't affecting the telling of it. Besides, to *not* tell the story would be like a fire shut up in my bones--I think you might know that feeling. ;-)
Maynard--he's that one bad apple in the bunch. There may be a few others, but we're only focussing on Maynard right now. :-) We'll keep our eyes on him.
Keeping their room clean is the one area where I think kids are all the same, lol. I *do* imagine that Pippin (and Merry) love the great outdoors--so you have the whole idea nailed, which is cool, because I don't want people to think Pippin is lazy. He's just not as motivated as he would be if he was outside basking in the sun while chopping wood.
LOL, those names all came to me within seconds of each other! The thing that kept coming to mind was--do you remember the children's books, Snip, Snap, and Snur? Or, Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka? I remember reading those books when I was about five or six, though I can't recall who wrote them to give credit.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for stopping by to read!
Pippinfan
Garnet Took
· 11 September 2006
· Chapter 12: Nothing Like Family
I hate to say it, but I still don't like Ferumbras. Yes, it's sad that he's bedfast now and all, but he's not a nice person.
So there's only on male member of the missing branch of the family who lived to be old enough to marry. Interesting.
I think I've figured out who the head of Isembold's branch of the family is. I'll tell you in a P.M., but I imagine you can guess.
Thanks for such a nice chapter. Sorry I didn't read it last night, but I went to bed before you posted.
Thanks.
GT.
Author's reply
LOL, he's still not my favourite hobbit, either. He's reaping what he sowed. I think a lot of people are onto it by now, but we shall see. :-) Go ahead and pm me--I want to know what your guess is.
I didn't stay up much longer after I updated, either, but thanks for the compliments--and thank you for reading!
Pippinfan
harrowcat
· 11 September 2006
· Chapter 12: Nothing Like Family
A couple of days internetless and it is going to take me weeks to catch up! Glad to see that Degger has good friends surrounding him now. With all this coming out he is bound to be feeling vulnerable.
Author's reply
Sure he is, but as you said, he has good friends to help him through this.
LOL, I tip my hat to you if you get *that* far behind after only one day! I wish I could read that fast. :-P
Thank you for reading!
Pippinfan
Pearl Took
· 10 September 2006
· Chapter 12: Nothing Like Family
Oh gosh, this is good!!
It is easy to feel at least a bit badly for Ferumbras, and I'm glad Paladin does. It is making life easier for Paladin though ;-)
I'm sorry I missed when you posted the chapter before this, I hate missing your updates.
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful story :-)
Author's reply
Don't take this wrong, but I must say that while I might pity him from time to time, I really don't feel sorry for him. :-P My whole adage in Ferumbras' storyline is "what goes round, comes around". He's reaping what he sowed.
Your second thought there is the whole backdrop to Paladin assuming the position as Took and Thain. I still can't say too much on this, but let's just say that things will be different under Paladin's management.
Don't worry about missing updates--you'll catch up eventually. ;-) And as long as SOA is here, so are they.
Thanks for reading!
Pippinfan
Grey Wonderer
· 10 September 2006
· Chapter 12: Nothing Like Family
More about the lost Tooks. Also a bit about Degger's memories. I wonder who the lady was? That part really caught my attention. I am still enjoying this very much and I can't wait to learn more about Degger's family. Looking forward to more.
Author's reply
LOL, nothing gets by you! Very good--we'll deal with the mysterious lady eventually. ;-)
I didn't get online at all yesterday until I posted--just before bedtime, so I'll be moseying on over to Baggins! pretty soon. :-) Thank you for reading!
Pippinfan
Dreamflower
· 10 September 2006
· Chapter 12: Nothing Like Family
This was lovely, very well done.
Paladin's insistence on family caring for Ferumbras is very hobbity. It's a measure of how badly first Lalia and then Ferumbras had managed things at the Great Smials, in that Ferumbras relatives were so reluctant to take on the duties that most hobbits elsewhere would have taken for granted.
I got a kick out of Pippin's attempt to be bossy. I know from my own experience that "bossiness" is usually a youngster's first reaction to being put in charge of something. Fortunately, his cousins are good-natured in teaching him a lesson.
And Paladin was very wise in having Frodo talk to Degger. It's fairly clear from LotR that orphans were not common in the Shire, and so Degger would certainly feel isolated in his situation. But he has a lot in common with Frodo.
And I have another sneaking suspicion about him, as well. I wonder if I'm guessing right on that?
Author's reply
I just figured that there weren't any nursing homes in the Shire, so families were forced to take care of their own. It was shameful if they didn't (unlike today). I'm glad you picked up on that little nuance about Maynard arguing. This is all for a purpose as wee shall soon see.
LOL, I had fun with young Pippin--I think you're right about children and bossiness, but as we know, wee Pip doesn't have a malicious bone in his body so he couldn't be too dreadful. Besides, his beloved friends would never let him get away with it. :-)
I thought the aspect of missing their parents would be something precious those two could share--something to give them even a small bond. Perhaps this is an issue where Frodo can lend some good advice to Degger.
LOL, guess away, dear friend! Whatever it is, you're probably right. ;-) Thank you so much for reading!
Pippinfan
Andrea
· 5 September 2006
· Chapter 11: The Severed Branch of the Family Tree
Aha! Isembold left his family to marry a kitchen-servant? That leaves room for many speculations, which include Degger, of course!
“He wanted to see the birth certificate with my name on it,” said Frodo. “He has the marriage certificate, too.”
“I have yet to come across a document with ‘Peregrin’ on it,” Pippin said a bit smugly.
LOL! Pippin is recovering quickly! I don't know the family trees very well. But if there is another Frodo, there might also be another Peregrin.
In the town where I live, there is actually a "Pipin" street (written with one "p")! It refers to a Carolingian ruler of the Middle Ages. And "Pippin" is an abbreviation of "Philipp". So, this name is really not so unique as he might think ;-)
Anyway, I'd like to conclude this review with a Pippin quote:
Pippin brightened immensely. “Splendid! Let’s get started!”
Well, there's nothing more to say! I'm curious what that meeting will reveal.
Author's reply
Aha! Isembold left his family to marry a kitchen-servant? That leaves room for many speculations, which include Degger, of course!
Hullo, Andrea! I must apologise; if I comment on the first bit, I might yet spoil some of the tale for you. :-( But you're pretty "warm" on the latter point. ;-)
Oh, I'm sure there is probably another Pippin somewhere in the Shire, lol. Generally, though, I believe that most hobbits named their children after favourite family members or someone they admired. In rare instances, such as with Peregrin, I think this name was chosen special for our little guy. ;-)
Cool! A street named "Pipin"! A couple of years ago I named a minor original character of mine--one of Pippin's nephews--"Tilby". When I moved up to where I live now, everyday on my way to work I pass a street called Tilby Rd. I thought I was being creative, lol--go figure.
Thank you so much for reading!
Pippinfan
Dreamflower
· 5 September 2006
· Chapter 11: The Severed Branch of the Family Tree
Ah, so that's the reason you have for Isembold's family merely being described as "many descendants"! I realized, of course, what must have happened, though I did not guess *why*, exactly--just knew he must have angered the family in some way. But remembering "Roses", I should have guessed.
I loved Pippin's disgusted reaction. And I'm wondering how the Tooks are going to deal with finding all these "new" cousins! I would bet there are a certain few with whom it would not "set well", to welcome these long-lost relations beck into the family.
I also liked the bit about the male relatives who will have to attend on Ferumbras. Rather like what the female cousins must have had to endure in regards to Lalia!
Frodo is a sharp cookie, and I'm glad that Paladin confided in him.
Author's reply
LOL, no, the Professor left poor Isembold up to anyone's imagination, and so this is my rendition of his departure, so to speak. I'd like to see the plans other authors have for him. ;-) I really wasn't thinking of Roses (lol, *this* time). I just figured the offense had to be something serious enough for a family member to be shunned, yet not too terrible that they couldn't be forgiven later on and brought back into the fold.
I'm glad you liked Pippin's reaction to "lasses" in general, lol. The young lad just isn't quite there yet. LOL, I'll bet you're right--and on both sides of the fence, too!
Well, what goes round, comes around. ;-)
I think even I sometimes underestimate him, however, I do agree that he is a sharp cookie. After all, birds of a feather flock together. I don't know why I have underestimated him in the past, but I thought perhaps I'd give him some "shine time" now. He'll get in some more before the end I'm sure. :-)
Thank you so much for reading!
Pippinfan
Garnet Took
· 4 September 2006
· Chapter 11: The Severed Branch of the Family Tree
Oh, so that's what happened to Isumbold. I don't think I spelled that right, but I don't have the book handy.
The breakfast scene was cute, and all the pictures of Ferumbras staring down on anyone in the Thain's office was funny. I guess he was quite fond of himself.
Now I'm looking forward to more since we left them in the middle of something. Not complaining, just longing for more. I don't know why I do that since it just means the story ends that much sooner, and I always hate to see a good story end. Oh, such a paradox.
Thanks.
GT.
Author's reply
Well, it's what happened to him in my wee corner of Middle-earth. ;-) The good Professor left Isembold open to anyone's imagination. :-)
Pippin is recovering, and as with most children going through a growth spurt, he is *always* hungry--when he isn't sick. I couldn't help myself with Ferumbras; I just figured he is already very self-centered--who else would he enjoy seeing as much as himself? :-P
More is on the way. :-) I should be posting again this weekend.
Thank you for all of your encouragement--and thank you for reading!
Pippinfan
Grey Wonderer
· 4 September 2006
· Chapter 11: The Severed Branch of the Family Tree
Loved this chapter but now I am wondering if you are all right. RL knocking you for loops and all? Anyway back to the review. I love Frodo and his knowledge of the Tooks. I also love how this is all leading back to Degger being family thanks to a bit of mischief way back when. Can't wait to see just how many relatives Paladin finds thanks to all of this. Email me when you've time and let me know you're alright.
Author's reply
I'm doing much better now, thank you. I just felt there ought to be some sort of explanation for the length of time between updates. I normally update much sooner.
Yes, we're getting down to the nitty-gritty of the tale now. There will be more to come out of the woodwork in the next chapter. :-) Thank you so much for all of your encouragement!
Pippinfan
p.s. I see an update over in your library for me to read! :-D
Pearl Took
· 20 August 2006
· Chapter 10: A Matter for Tooks
This is wonderful!! Huzzah! Paladin shall be getting the help he needs :-) Good job, Addie!
I'm glad the medicinal worked so well.
Why ever did Diggory Took change his name? Hmmmm . . .
Author's reply
Thank you! I'm glad that you liked it! Paladin had help all along, I think he just needed to hear it.
I'm glad the medicine finally worked out in the end. Thanks for being my sounding board!
Well, lol, you know I can't reply to that last bit, although the answer is burning a hole in my tongue! Oh, I want to tell-all so bad!! LOL, I'm writing as fast as I can and updating as soon the chapter is ready! I can keep my secrets for only so long before I burst at the seams. :-P
Thank you for reading and for all your encouragement!
Pippinfan
Grey Wonderer
· 20 August 2006
· Chapter 10: A Matter for Tooks
Oh my! What a surprise for Pippin! I wonder if he will question his father or wait and talk to Merry and Frodo about? Or, in a curious mood, ask Degger? This could get even more complex than it already is. I am glad that Paladin now has help but I do think he is in for more trouble before this one gets straightened out. Great story and I am enjoying every word!
Author's reply
Well, we shall see in this next chapter what Pippin's reaction will be, and I think we'll all be quite proud of him. :-) Paladin imagined that he was in this all alone, but now that he knows he has some major support, he'll be just fine. Hehehe...but I'm sure I can squeeze out a few situations for example either in this tale or in a side story. ;-)
Thank you for reading and for your encouraging words!
Pippinfan