tookish,

'The Mad Badger'? 'The Comb and Wattle?' I can't remember them. They sound grand though. I'm a bit of a bard myself. Could you get me a booking?

Regards,
Odo

I haven't noticed this thread until now but I would almost certainly live in Hobbitton, it's definatley the perfect place to live. Thats if you can put up with small minded Hobbits!

Yes, well that's why we'd be the travelin' type of Hobbits. Always a warm fire and feast to come home to, but get out of town whenever the neighbors are nervy .

GB

Yes, yes and yes!

Goodbye.

Odo

Yeah, don't want to be caught up with any of those tenacios Sackville Bagginses! I wonder, do you think Pipeweed causes Lung cancer or contributes to heart failure? If not I'd definately be sat down blowing smoke rings, with some well earned supper and a glass of Old Winyards, by the fire in the evenings! I'd definately have a good breakfast, with lots of fried Bacon, grilled tomatoes and some fresh eggs and mushrooms. Btw now were on the subject what would be your ideal Hobbit meal or Breakfast and more importantly wwhat do you eat every saturday morning? We have a full fried Breakfast consisting of local produce, always look forward to it.

Well, as I always like to point out, Jackson added a little dialogue that leaves the identity of the Pipeweed ambiguous (much to the delight of college age audiences...and me ). So lung cancer depends what type of Weed we're talking about. not to mention that even if it was Tobacco, it would be much less dangerous than todays industrial chemical flavoured ciggys.

As to breakfast, when I have a Hobbit fry up (not so often now I'm trying to keep my weight down), I usually go all out. Fried Eggs, Bacon, Bangers, Fried Potatoes, Crumpets (or "English" Muffins) and a tall glass of orange juice. Most days it's just a bowl of cereal and a cup of tea though.

GB

Perhaps he did, but Tolkien was pretty clear that it was tobacco. How it got into Middle-earth (Old Europe) is a bit up in the air, but given its name westmansweed I'm inclined to think it was brought over by the Numenoreans and then died out at some point.

I know Eldorion . But it's more fun to think it might be the Greener Weed . Not to mention that would have been available in Olde Europe for certain. And who's to say they didn't have both ? Old Tobey's fairly obviously Tobacco, but South Farthing, or Longbottom Leaf could be anything .

GB

Tobacco it was. Let's not duck and weave on this, GB. Hey! I think tobacco is a dirty unhealthy habit (makes you late for dinner), but that's what it is!

I know I'm going to be boring here, but can I say that weed is not the safe thing people think it is. If you're prone to mental illness, using the crap can trigger it. Yes, I'm no fan of illicit drugs, full stop. Designer drugs can cause permanent brain changes too; opium and its derivatives tend to turn one into a burglar and thief and (sometimes) an assaulter - they're not a cheap fuel source; and alcohol (though legal enough) does the most damage of all to families and societies (think of all the violence it brings when abused!) Back to 'weed', too much use, even if it doesn't trigger mental issues, does dull your brain. People! Please don't dull your brains! Who will I have an intelligent (or deliberately silly) conversation with? Sorry if I don't sound hip on this. The feeling I get when meeting new ideas, or the adrenalin rush I get when I play a song to a receptive audience, or the utter (guilty) joy I get laughing my guts out with friends over the most obscure of GB's jokes, is drug enough for me! Having said this; please continue to laugh and joke about drug use (pipeweed use?) I know that joking about it won't turn us to stone! Sorry for being such a Dad about this. Well, actually I'm not sorry...

Odo

NB I'm a song writer and story writer and I've never written anything but garbage under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Yes, I took risks many years ago! I now see I was lucky not to get sucked into a certain hazy vortex of slow brain-death and anti-social behavior. Life's for living, Man, not hiding! If anyone I know needs to escape for a time - to have a break from all their worldly cares - I send them a map of ME. (I never recommend Religion as an answer - but if that's your drug of choice, go for it!)

I forgot to add to my last post, that I had a feeling you might not be so keen on Jackson being a bit vaguer on the topic . Though my opinion diverges somewhat from yours regarding this issue, you still Rock, as far as I'm concerned .

GB