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curiouswombatThe last two talks I attended at Loughborough were 'Everything you need to know about the real Bag End' and 'Elves, Goblins, and other 'Fairy' things in The Hobbit: Tolkien's Victorian and Edwardian Inspiration'.
Apparently JRRT's aunt lived in a farm that really was known as Bag End - surrounded by farms and fields some of which had rather familiar names - as did a few of the nearby families... how very likely that someone creating stories for their own children would put familiar things like this into them to add that extra layer of amusement. Dimitra Fimi's talk was also very good - with lots of beautiful pictures - but I can't really produce a précis!
The closing ceremony was much as these things always are - and then Gill, Una, Andria and I made our way to the bar as we didn't want to say our goodbyes just yet - and who did we see but Inzilbeth with a few minutes to spare! So finally we got to chat for a few minutes and I got my copy of her book signed!
Under the cut are a few last pictures (one of which explains my choice of icon...)
Firstly - part of my ongoing dessert collection - here is the raspberry and white chocolate tart from dinner at Burleigh Court on Sunday evening.
Now - this is the sight I saw when I was in the Dealers' Hall on Monday morning getting my copy of the art catalogue before I did anything else...
Yes - that is two adult men, one of whom is wearing a sheepskin gilet, building the siege of Helm's Deep in Lego... there is even a small blonde figure on the ramparts already - I think it might even be LEGOlas, but I'm not sure!
This van was parked where Gill parked the car each day -
The owner was a Dutch specialist book seller - Gill bought a rather beautiful book from him on Sunday which she had been resisting all conference up until then, but her three worth advisors (why yes - that would be Una, Andria and I!) convinced her that it would be extremely useful to her in her academic studies next year.
Oh - almost forgot - this is a picture of the costume this young man and Gill made from scratch in about 3 hours; he is being Ulmo, Lord of the Waters...This was taken by another attendee -
Thanks to Gwydion M Williams
And finally... sitting in the bar at a Tolkien Convention I was reading the headlines for our local Manx news on my netbook. One headline was "Fellowship break world land speed record." I fell around laughing. I showed it to Gill. She fell around laughing.
Next morning I mentioned it to the two, male, delegates sitting next to us at breakfast. They looked puzzled, clearly wondering why I thought they might be interested in the local news from an island in the middle of the Irish Sea, and eventually asked polite questions about the story behind it.
I was surprised at their reaction. I actually tried again with a lady at the breakfast bar - she laughed.
I wonder if you, gentle reader, get the giggles or wonder what on earth I'm talking about?
Apparently JRRT's aunt lived in a farm that really was known as Bag End - surrounded by farms and fields some of which had rather familiar names - as did a few of the nearby families... how very likely that someone creating stories for their own children would put familiar things like this into them to add that extra layer of amusement. Dimitra Fimi's talk was also very good - with lots of beautiful pictures - but I can't really produce a précis!
The closing ceremony was much as these things always are - and then Gill, Una, Andria and I made our way to the bar as we didn't want to say our goodbyes just yet - and who did we see but Inzilbeth with a few minutes to spare! So finally we got to chat for a few minutes and I got my copy of her book signed!
Under the cut are a few last pictures (one of which explains my choice of icon...)
Firstly - part of my ongoing dessert collection - here is the raspberry and white chocolate tart from dinner at Burleigh Court on Sunday evening.
Now - this is the sight I saw when I was in the Dealers' Hall on Monday morning getting my copy of the art catalogue before I did anything else...
Yes - that is two adult men, one of whom is wearing a sheepskin gilet, building the siege of Helm's Deep in Lego... there is even a small blonde figure on the ramparts already - I think it might even be LEGOlas, but I'm not sure!
This van was parked where Gill parked the car each day -
The owner was a Dutch specialist book seller - Gill bought a rather beautiful book from him on Sunday which she had been resisting all conference up until then, but her three worth advisors (why yes - that would be Una, Andria and I!) convinced her that it would be extremely useful to her in her academic studies next year.
Oh - almost forgot - this is a picture of the costume this young man and Gill made from scratch in about 3 hours; he is being Ulmo, Lord of the Waters...This was taken by another attendee -
Thanks to Gwydion M Williams
And finally... sitting in the bar at a Tolkien Convention I was reading the headlines for our local Manx news on my netbook. One headline was "Fellowship break world land speed record." I fell around laughing. I showed it to Gill. She fell around laughing.
Next morning I mentioned it to the two, male, delegates sitting next to us at breakfast. They looked puzzled, clearly wondering why I thought they might be interested in the local news from an island in the middle of the Irish Sea, and eventually asked polite questions about the story behind it.
I was surprised at their reaction. I actually tried again with a lady at the breakfast bar - she laughed.
I wonder if you, gentle reader, get the giggles or wonder what on earth I'm talking about?
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Date: 27/08/2012 04:43 pm (UTC)And yes, this reader, even though virtually ignorant of all things LotR, gets it.
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Date: 27/08/2012 04:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/08/2012 04:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/08/2012 05:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/08/2012 05:19 pm (UTC)I have enjoyed your posts - it sounds like you both had a fabulous time :)
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Date: 27/08/2012 05:23 pm (UTC)The, male, deputy chairman of the whole even said "Was that in Utah, or was it out in India somewhere?"
And yes - a good time was had by all!
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Date: 27/08/2012 05:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/08/2012 06:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/08/2012 06:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/08/2012 06:58 pm (UTC)In all honesty, without the background of it being a LotR convention, I doubt I would have got the funniness of it. Because that's where you were, the connection was easily made.
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Date: 27/08/2012 07:03 pm (UTC)To be honest, as I actually knew the background to the story, I wouldn't have got the giggles usually either - but it just amazed Gill and I that anyone's mind wouldn't go there under the circumstances!
(The fellowship in question is actually a bunch of mates who call themselves the Lonan Gentlemen's Fellowship, even though at least one is female!)
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Date: 27/08/2012 07:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/08/2012 08:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/08/2012 07:18 pm (UTC)And how I'd love a LEGOlas, or a model of Helm's Deep!
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Date: 27/08/2012 10:16 pm (UTC)That was exactly what we thought...
The Helm's Deep kit is going to be on general release I gather - but a pre-release one was part of the auction... or something like that!
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Date: 27/08/2012 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/08/2012 10:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27/08/2012 07:57 pm (UTC)Lynn gave me the Aragorn out of that Lego set - I wonder why!
Yes we just about managed to meet at the end. It was a bit like that with lots of people though as we kept thinking there was still plenty of time and then suddenly there wasn't!
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Date: 27/08/2012 10:18 pm (UTC)I wonder why!
Hmm... no, no idea!
And it was fun just bumping into each other now and again anyway.
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Date: 27/08/2012 08:32 pm (UTC)Apparently JRRT's aunt lived in a farm that really was known as Bag End. I didn't know that!! How awesome.
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Date: 27/08/2012 10:19 pm (UTC)Estelcontar, further down the comments thread, gives the name of a book all about Tolkien's aunt Jane and her farm.
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Date: 27/08/2012 10:01 pm (UTC)Tolkien's aunt, Jane Neave, was a very intelligent woman who led a fascinating life. If you're interested in her life, her experimental farming experience and the influence both had on Tolkien's work, I think you would enjoy reading Andrew H. Morton and John Hayes' Tolkien's Gedling: the birth of a legend. It's a very interesting book.
Loved the pictures as usual. It was great to see that van again.
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Date: 27/08/2012 10:22 pm (UTC)It was actually Andrew Morton who gave the talk about Bag End - I would think the book would be very interesting. I have almost finished Inzilbeth's now - perhaps next I might think of it..
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Date: 27/08/2012 11:00 pm (UTC)Many thanks for sharing your Tolkien weekend :)
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Date: 28/08/2012 07:05 am (UTC)Sharing was my pleasure.
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Date: 27/08/2012 11:12 pm (UTC):)
I've enjoyed your pictures very much and that dessert...
*dies and goes to raspberry white chocolate heaven*
:D
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Date: 28/08/2012 07:14 am (UTC)I do appreciate a good dessert - sadly it shows.
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Date: 28/08/2012 12:25 am (UTC)You know those cartoon-style skidmarks on the ground from things like 'Roadrunner', that are on fire because someone ran past so quickly? I'm imagining the map of Middle Earth with a burning trail stretching from Rivendell to Henneth Annûn...
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Date: 28/08/2012 12:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/08/2012 07:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/08/2012 01:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/08/2012 07:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/08/2012 02:52 am (UTC)LOL to both your icon and your news story (& the reactions-- almost funnier IMO) So glad you guys had a good time.
And thanks for the visual on "gillet"; I've seen the term but didn't know exactly what item of clothing it was referring to!
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Date: 28/08/2012 07:33 am (UTC)LEGOlas is rather fun!
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Date: 28/08/2012 09:52 am (UTC)My friend Chickie gave me the Shelob lego set which has Sam, Frodo, Gollum, Shelog and the Ring. It's wonderful (and fun).
- Erulisse (one L)
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Date: 28/08/2012 12:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/08/2012 10:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/08/2012 12:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/08/2012 12:28 pm (UTC)What fun to be able to just sit and put together a Lego LOTR project! Kudos to folks still in close acquaintance with their inner child. :)
Glad you finally ran across Inzilbeth. Hope you enjoyed the book!
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Date: 28/08/2012 06:02 pm (UTC)They were really enjoying the Lego build - although S2C used to enjoy helping D-d with all her Lego pirate ships...
I am well into chapter 3 of the book now - and it is both very readable and very informative - as you know, of course.
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Date: 28/08/2012 04:38 pm (UTC)Sounds like a very pleasurable time had by all.
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Date: 28/08/2012 06:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/08/2012 06:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 28/08/2012 09:49 pm (UTC)