One of the hard things is that the time always seems to go by WAY too fast. They just got here, and now their gone...how can that happen?!?
Mostly because the old adage is true: Time Flies when you're having FUN!!!
It started Friday afternoon when the bell was set ringing and Daughter of Kings and Firiel showed up. Catching up with friends after almost two years takes some time and energy, so we snacked (as hobbits do) on some Ginger Peach / Cherry Limeade Tartlets as we talked and laughed. We weren't sure at what time AnnaEstel and her girls were going to make it, but we had been told that we were to start dinner without them.
While G-minor was introducing the newcomers to the world of SuperHeroSquad and re-introduced them to Veggie Tales "Lord of the Beans" the Käsespätzle (homemade noodles topped with Cheese and Sautéed Onions and Garlic) and green beans were cooking and the Roast Pork were prepared.
After a tour of the Gamgee Gardens (and the various things they had heard me blather on about forever...) Dinner time came, and we started working through the plans for the weekend, as well as started hatching plans for Texas Moot 2012. AnnaEstel and the 2 girls rolled in just after dinner was servd, and we were joined by a friend of ours, K., and her daugher who is the Bean's age of 2, and her infant whose middle name is Eowyn. Naturally, the baby was adored (especially the choice of name) and after introductions were made, and the food eaten, things got cooking (pardon the pun). The kids went to play in G-minor's room and the little ones played around our feet and in the rooms, while the adults started talking about LOTR, other books, and movies, etc. K had brought some mini cupcakes and the chocolate, laughter and various conversations kept us going for the night.
Saturday Morning arrived with our first truly planned event: Breakfast! ...well, that and Skyping with Frodosmiss. As you know, from the Mighty Mouse thread, she has had her house flooded, and is just now getting into the house, getting the carpet out, the sheetrock torn from the walls, and wondering if her cellar now houses the leviathon which was formerly outside the doors of Moria. (If Levi is there, he has finally gotten fresh breath, as she has thrown clorine tabs into the basement to keep microbes from growing in it).
So since she really couldn't tear herself away, I had planned for her to join us for a few minutes via SKYPE. I dont' know who had more fun, the four of us crowding into the camera, or Frodosmiss, whose husband finally believes that we aren't figments of her imagination. Either way, we had a lot of fun catching up with one another, laughing, and smiling and getting to finally see someone whom you have conversed with for ages. If you have never gotten to a moot, you should do it. Best thing ever. Even on a year like this when we didn't have a great destination planned or specific event: just being able to share your ideas and thoughts in a face to face conversation changes things for the better.
While Skyping with FM, we did a Mad Lib. Fill out the list, put them in the correct blanks, and see what you come up with. Come on, Play Along!!! Don't peek at the blank form until you have filled in your random choices from the list below. After I post it, I will put up our version:
1. Minor Character, 2 Musician, 3 Noun, 4 Geographical feature, 5 adjective, 6 adjective, 7 noun, 8 Verb (past tense)., 9Verb (past tense), 10 Verb , 11 Noun, 12Noun, 13 Race, 14 Verb, 15 body of water, 16 weapon, 17 verb 18 adjective, 19 Court Title, 20 verb, 21 Adjective, 22 Celestial Object.
(no peeking!)
______1_____ was an ___13___ ____19_____
Of him/her the _____2_______ sadly _____14_____
The last whose ____3____ was ___21___ and free.
Between the ______4____ and the _____15_____.
His Sword was ____5__, his ___16___ was keen
His ____6__ helm afar was ___17____.
The Countless __7_______ of heaven’s field
Were ___8____ on his ____18____ Shield.
But Long ago he ___9____ away
And where he ___10____ none can ____20____
For into ___11____ fell his ___22____
In morder where the ___12____ are.
Our Version ended up as such:
KILI was an ELVISH JESTER,
of him DAVID BOWIE sadly HOPPED.
The last whose CAT was PRETTY and free,
Between the MOUNTAIN and the MOUSE RIVER.
His Sword was WET, his KNIFE was keen,
His BLUE helm afar was NOODLED,
the countless COUCHES of Heaven's field,
were RAN on his SHINY shield.
But long ago, he THOUGHT away,
And where he SINGS none can RAKE,
For into CUPS fell his STAR
in Mordor where the KITES are.
Frodosmiss had to get to work so after we all laughed at this, we let her go. Then we went back to have elevensies of French Toast, homemade sausage (brought from AnnaEstel's house, as she had made it!), bacon, and eggs from her hens (she didn't actually lay them, thank heavens!). We talked about the dwarves choices in Kili, and pronunciation of names which we often butcher (Smaug = Smog, for example!), and AnnaEstel got the guided tours of the gardens. AnnaEstel was the one who inspired me to plant things that I could eat, so she was surprised to see the yellowberry bushes which are slowly covering the ground around my roses.
Mrs,Dr,G took G-minor and AnnaEstel's girls to go see Mr. Popper's Penguins, which gave the adults left behind some time to talk and watch some rediculously funny things on the internet. I am not sure where I had been all this time, but was introduced to "Dr. Horrible" the musical. What a riot. If you don't know, ask DoK or Firiel about them. Pricelessly funny. And we finished it just about the time the kids got back from the movie.
Eventually we had a delicious lunch of sandwhiches on Bread that Firiel had baked and brought with her, and then plans started to hatch...
Saturday was my and Mrs.Dr.G's wedding anniversary, so DoK and Firiel were mixing up a cake and then decorated and iced it. I will let those who took pictures of it show them. But the best thing about them is they were not your standard round or square...she had made them into Fish shapes. I can tell you not only were they delicious, but entertaining as well. The quote of the moot very well may be, "The Cakes that Daughter of Kings makes, are Juicy Sweet" sung in best Gollum voice. And they were greatly appreciated, as where else can you get an Anniversary Cake that is JUICY SWEEEEEEET?!!?
But we had to have dinner before we ate the cake, so DoK made a lovely dish of Pasta Salad that was wonderful, and we filled up the corners with left overs from the previous meals. Very yummy and just in time for K. and the kiddos to come back. So we did one more Tolkien Themed Mad Lib. Which is here for your enjoyment:
Preposition, Noun, Verb, a M.E.-Race, Adjective, adjective, Body Parts, Animals, Noun, Adj., Adj., Amount, Verb, Bodily Function, (REPEAT OF M.E.Race), Verb, Feeling:
Which fits this:
PREPOSITION a hole in the NOUN, there VERB-ed a ME-RACE. Not a ADJ, ADJ, wet hole, filled with the BODY PARTS of ANIMALS and an oozy NOUN, nor yet a ADJ, ADJ, sandy hole with AMOUNT in it to VERB down on or BODILY FUNCTION; it was a ME-RACE AGAIN, and that VERB-s FEELING.
Ours became:
BEFORE a hole in the SWORD, there GIGGLED a HARRADRIM. Not a PURPLE SODDEN wet hole, filled with the NOSES of BADGERS and an oozy AIRPLANE, nor yet a HEAPING GREEN sandy hole, with BUSHELS in it to SMASH down on or VOMIT; it was a HARRADRIM hole, and that RUNS ELATION.
More discussions, more laughing. One doesn't realize how crazy some of the discussions come to. Everything from "Who would play the character of X from this series if you made a movie of it?" to just laughing at things people say when they walk into the middle of a conversation. This morning, "Firiel, the menace" to which I responded, "That's what the tatoo say on her...nevermind." AnnaEstel got me on more than one occasion, and DoK had a few choice comments as well. It is hard to explain sometimes, but once you've had an experience, you can't help but have fun.
Here are some of the pictures we took:
The Ringers stepping out onto the road...
Dr.G, AnnaEstel, Firiel, DoK
Here are Beanie (in the red) and her friend playing piano for us (that's our story and we're sticking to it, even if it did sound like a one-man band tripping down a flight of stairs):
Mrs.Dr.G took this one. Ringers and the NEXT Generation:
Can you see all the LOTR stuff on the shelves behind us? That is the small shelf in my house, the larger one has the LORD of the PEEPS items, which were a hit!
I am sure the others will have much more to say than I do, so I will let them have their turn.
Sunday, they came over for breakfast, went to hear me play organ at our church (especially liking the notion that "This Is My Father's World" and the "Hobbit Theme" were used for passing the peace!), then came back, cleaned up after the mess (a repeat of Sat Breakfast), and then ate Lunch, divided the food (Everybody left with almost as much as they came with!), and we had to part ways.
After they left, G-minor sat at the table and ate, just a little sad that his friends had left. I know the feeling.
Here's hoping you can find a few friends to moot with too!
Dr.G
Any chance for a New England moot some time? 
I almost fell out of my chair when I read this... unintentionally ironic and hilarious!