It was a day

[HerenIstarion]

Dear Downers

Couple of days ago, it was my birthday. I've got enormous number of PMs with wishes and congratulations, and I'm really grateful. It so happened, though, that during my effort of answering them, I've reached the limit of twenty, and than accidentally, deleted them all. Some I've managed to answer before that unfortunate event, the greater part was lost.

So, this thread (which, I suppose, will be closed soon, for there is no much to it but to let you know I appreciated your care), is dedicated to the purpose of saying thank you to all who saw the date on the calendar, took notice and PMed me

I'm sorry for being unable of thanking you all in person

For all who asked, but I were unable of providing an adequate answer, it was a great party, where it snowed food and rained drink, as they say in the Shire. Lot of fun took place, among which: Bothering Neighbours and Not Letting Poor People Sleep Till 4 AM, Getting Drunk To An Extent Of Not Being Able To Stand Upright, Dancing Slow Dances And Singing "I Will Survive" Along The Scooter and Prodigy (I really don't know why or how), Giving George A Lot Of Mathoms For His Birthday, namely - 4 ashtrays (to think I was going to quit smoking), 3 lighters, 6(!) Beermugs and one smoking pipe (these people really push me on the road to lung cancer on the background of putting up extra weight, lol).

Ah, Dumbledore, nobody ever gives you wool socks, alas!

Besides lot of fun on the lighter side, serious things happened too - I've got engaged (the working up process to the event being the reason of my less frequent posting of late, and remaining the reason for the dicrease of freqeuncy in nearly observable future).

Despite said, and thanks to, I'm happy

And, back to the purpose of the thread - your PMs before, on and after the day made me even happier

SO, thank you!

and, traditional... cheers!

[Mithalwen]

Sounds like even more congratulations are in order....

[Mithadan]

Indeed! Congratulations H-I, both for your birthday as well as on your engagement! I hope the lucky lass loves Tolkien just as you do!

[The Saucepan Man]

... are indeed in order, HI.

Belated best wishes both for your birthday and on your engagement - from a fellow victim ... er ... beneficiary of the wonderful state of marriage.

I hope that the latter wasn't in any way connected with your reported state of inebriation at said party.

[Mithalwen]

Well yes of course congratulations.... I always thought that marriage was a good idea for other people

It does seem we shall have accept your reduced time with us with good grace. But it does make me wonder whether the significant others of the downers that have them, share or tolerate the Tolkien obsession...

[Encaitare]

Congrats on the engagement!

We can hope that the soon-to-be Mrs. Heren is a Tolkien fan too, and that the happy couple can bond over some canonicity. I swear, I will get around to finishing reading that thread someday....

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

On birthdays and engagements and ... well, not so much on the impending lung cancer .

But I couldn't think of a better guy to whom these things could happen.

Sophia

[Sapphire_Flame]

Congrats on the engagement, Heren! *more stars and confetti*

~ Saphy ~

[Esgallhugwen]

Many congratulations and well wishes for you Heren, its nice to see some us dead are finally settling down, I don't mean that in a bad way, must be a lovely lass and intelligent too.

Happy belated birthday!

[Nurumaiel]

Late congratulations for your birthday, Heren, and many blessings upon you, your bonny lassie, and your engagement. My mind has escaped me and, very shockingly, I can't think of a song for the occasion, but I'll be singing one when it comes to me, and meanwhile give you my best and heartiest wishes... and will forthwith tramp downstairs to drink a toast of milk to the occasion.

Blessings upon you and the pretty fair maiden!

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

Wait: did you say "snowed food and rained drinks"?

When's the next party?

Oh, for crying out loud!

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

But it does make me wonder whether the significant others of the downers that have them, share or tolerate the Tolkien obsession...

Sharing helps, though it can lead to disagreements over the sequence of numbering of the many volumes of HoME...

Congratulations H-I! I just hope she is a cat person!

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Being away from the Shire, emm, I mean Downs, temporarily, I didn't have opportunity to congratulate on that memorable day, HI, but I offer you many best wishes for a new year of your life and for the new experience of betrothment as well. May you be happy in every respect!

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Aw, what wonderful news, HerenIstarion! I hope that we might run into your Mrs. on the Downs once the happy event takes place. Does she realize you have within reach a portal to a such a fine and 'spirited' place? And it hasn't yet been discovered to cause lung cancer....

Many blessings on you both!

[HerenIstarion]

I hope that we might run into your Mrs. on the Downs

I'm working on it

[Mithalwen]

But is it polygamous to marry an entire order of wizards?!?!

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Ah, but she might find name of equal number. (Wouldn't that make a merry crew for a dinner party! )

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

But is it polygamous to marry an entire order of wizards?!?! (Mithalwen)

Perhaps only one would be married. The others would be the best man, the priest, and lost in the East, respectively.

[Mithalwen]

Oh what a terrible choice Nilp - between scary, control freak husband, terminally grumpy, grouchy and prone to crucial procrastination husband, or deeply dippy, talks to the birdies husband .... all with ghastly beards ....

but I have so far failed to find a suitable quintet of ladies ......

Perhaps as an extension of Fordim's dinnerparty thread someone should devise a perfect assembly of mlae downers and middle-earthers for a stag night lol

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

. . . all with ghastly beards .... (Mithalwen)

Well, that is a problem.

Perhaps we could ask Dís to pick four female friends? Then we'll set up the group date in Erebor . . . I hear they've improved in culinary skills ever since Dáin II died by choking on a piece of steak in the middle of the battle.

[Lush]

Wow, I turn away for one second and look what you go and do.

Belated Happy Birthday wishes.

And congratulations to both of you on the engagement.



Mnogaya Leta. Vo zdravie i vo spasenie, mnogaya leta.

(My boyfriend's screaming in the background, demanding to be invited to the joyous occasion. Out of purely noble desires, of course, and not, say, free food... )

[rutslegolas]

Ah a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY HI , and I suppose I should give more congratulations for your engagement , I really hope that she is a great fan of Tolkein's works as you are .

[Lyta_Underhill]

Once again, Lyta is late with her congratulations! You've taken the next step into the realm of fusing your soul with the universe, HI! (I'm not sure what that means, but it sounded good!)
*gives HI several pairs of wool socks, unwrapped but useful for their lack of frippery!* I'd give you some of my husband's tobacco, but I don't know your brand!

But is it polygamous to marry an entire order of wizards?!?!

Perhaps she is marrying an anomalous case of MPD...or maybe HI has ten arms and legs and five heads and is some sort of science fiction monster that finally made that long awaited trip to the deep South Seas and found the Kraken of his dreams...teehee! (Forgive my odd sense of humor...its like people who cry at weddings, ya know!)

Cheers!
Lyta (found her husband in a pub in Angmar...)

[Mithalwen]

But MPD has been shown to a cultural phenomenon and may well not have existed in Middle Earth.

If one really had to choose between the Istari (with the proviso that the Blue wizards weren't intelligent, sensitive yet not wimpy, drop-dead gorgeous maiar of lurve ) ..it would probably have to be Gandalf... at least you would get fireworks...

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

But MPD has been shown to a cultural phenomenon and may well not have existed in Middle Earth.

If one really had to choose between the Istari (with the proviso that the Blue wizards weren't intelligent, sensitive yet not wimpy, drop-dead gorgeous maiar of lurve ) ..it would probably have to be Gandalf... at least you would get fireworks...

Assuming that MPD stands for Multiple-Personality-Disorder, then I believe that middle-earth has a bona fide case of it: Smeagol/Gollum/Stinker/Slinker/Precious.

Of course, that was brought on by the Ring, so who knows if anyone else has it...

And as for fireworks in a marriage.... are those things that you DON'T want. I'd say go with Radagast, at least he doesn't have an overblown image of himself, and he seems like a good, stay-at-home, kind-type person.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Assuming that MPD stands for Multiple-Personality-Disorder, then I believe that middle-earth has a bona fide case of it: Smeagol/Gollum/Stinker/Slinker/Precious.

Of course, that was brought on by the Ring, so who knows if anyone else has it...

And as for fireworks in a marriage.... are those things that you DON'T want. I'd say go with Radagast, at least he doesn't have an overblown image of himself, and he seems like a good, stay-at-home, kind-type person.

You may have a point about Gollum but I think they were more the tussles of a residual conscience than completely separate identities..

As for fireworks in marriage ... well I am afraid that Radagast may be kind but ... a little dull? Going to spend every evening in his pigeon loft or whatever.... worse even than the typical Noldo, who, according to my theory would be the kind of husband who spends his evenings tinkering with inventions in his shed ( I have this idea that the Silmarils and Palantiri were the over designed result of Nerdanel asking Feanor to make her a night light and baby-monitor for the nursery...) Fireworks sound more fun... and if things get too bad you could contrive a gun-powder related "accident" . BTW it was established in another thread that Teleri men are the husbands of choice for the alpha females of middle earth

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Assuming that MPD stands for Multiple-Personality-Disorder, then I believe that middle-earth has a bona fide case of it: Smeagol/Gollum/Stinker/Slinker/Precious.

Of course, that was brought on by the Ring, so who knows if anyone else has it...

Well if HerenIstarion is to bestow a ring, let us hope it is from a reputable dealer and not some second-hand cast off found at the bottom of a swamp!

Wedding bands have at times been known to do strange things but I do not think disappearing completely or MPD should be considered a common occurrence.

( I have this idea that the Silmarils and Palantiri were the over designed result of Nerdanel asking Feanor to make her a night light and baby-monitor for the nursery...)

Oh my! You almost had me tip out of my chair with that one. Hats off Mithalwen!

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

If one really had to choose between the Istari (with the proviso that the Blue wizards weren't intelligent, sensitive yet not wimpy, drop-dead gorgeous maiar of lurve ) ..it would probably have to be Gandalf... (Mithalwen)

They are. Manwë thought they'd need all the help they could get (them going to the East and all), so he gave them the special ability to look hot. Always helpful to have a flock of fangirls at your call in enemy territory.

But, as I said before, they were lost. Men and directions . . .

But I believe Saruman made the story up: He really pushed them in some random ditch. He wanted to be the hottest Istar in Middle-earth, so he got rid of the competition.

On the onset, that Saruman guy really has some issues.

Speculating on the fate of the Blue Wizards . . . looks like a good Mirth topic.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Nilpaurion Felagund

But, as I said before, they were lost. Men and directions . . .

[Speculating on the fate of the Blue Wizards . . . looks like a good Mirth topic.

Yeah they just won't ask the way............

[Lyta_Underhill]

Lyta (found her husband in a pub in Angmar...)

By the way, I forgot to mention that this pub only appears every hundred years or so, and if you're caught inside after hours, you disappear into the Land of Faerie...forever!

Well if HerenIstarion is to bestow a ring, let us hope it is from a reputable dealer and not some second-hand cast off found at the bottom of a swamp!

What if its provenance could be reliably traced back to the respectable Eregion House of Celebrimbor Jewelers Inc.? I bet it'd bring a good bit on Ebay! Maybe more than the cheese sandwich with the bite out...

( I have this idea that the Silmarils and Palantiri were the over designed result of Nerdanel asking Feanor to make her a night light and baby-monitor for the nursery...)

LOL! What does the fact that there are so many palantiri say about Fëanor's tendencies to be overly fond of surveillance, so to speak? I'll bet he created the Fëanorian alphabet so he could pass notes to Nerdanel in Elf Kindergarten, too!

Cheers!
Lyta

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Lyta_Underhill

LOL! What does the fact that there are so many palantiri say about Fëanor's tendencies to be overly fond of surveillance, so to speak? I'll bet he created the Fëanorian alphabet so he could pass notes to Nerdanel in Elf Kindergarten, too!

Lyta

Well he did have 7 children ........ so that is the seven given to Elendil plus the master stone which was once Nerdanel's......

On one board I frequented someone said they planned on using a replica of the "one ring" as a wedding ring - now that to my mind is deeply sinister...

[Raefindel]

Congratulations, HI, on both counts.

Have you and your betrothed set a date yet?

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

On one board I frequented someone said they planned on using a replica of the "one ring" as a wedding ring - now that to my mind is deeply sinister...

Hmm...I wonder if they gave out a passel of them to others before hand. It also makes me wonder if the ring in question was for them or their intended. Either way would make me edgy. (Especially if the honeymoon was anywhere near a volcano.)

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Hilde Bracegirdle

Hmm...I wonder if they gave out a passel of them to others before hand. It also makes me wonder if the ring in question was for them or their intended. Either way would make me edgy. (Especially if the honeymoon was anywhere near a volcano.)

Like those old movies where the guy has married the girl for her money "but darling why have you brought me all the way up her to this lethal precipice" .... to be fair I think he thought of the one for himself and Nenya for his intended .... he also planned on calling a daughter Arwen which is probably taking the whole thing a bit far ...... (though I did suggest that friends might call their new born twin sons Elladan and Elrohir )..

[HerenIstarion]

he also planned on calling a daughter Arwen

Estel. Maybe

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by HerenIstarion

Estel. Maybe

Hope in Elvish and Star in Latin .... very nice.......

[Lalwendë]

I heard of a guide dog breeder who used names from Tolkien. Beren and Strider were just two of the names she chose. Then she ran out of names that weren't too complicated and had to go onto opera singers.

[Lhunardawen]

I was one of the earlier birthday greeters, so this time I would be late. Congratulations on your engagement, HI!

But the polygamy idea is a little disturbing...

[Assasin]

Congrats! I think marriage is a real blessing...... for people other than myself. (Although I'm too young to get married) I hope you'll be happy!