Undómë - Musings of the Lady of Dol Amroth<title> <style type="text/css"> body { font-family: times new roman; font-size: 11pt; color: #000000; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 50px; background-color: #05002f; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; } td { font-family: nyala; font-size: 11pt; color: #224bd1; } h1 { font-family: segoe script; font-size: 12pt; color: #19c200; margin-bottom: 0px; font-weight: normal; border-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-color: #19c200; } h2 { font-family: segoe script; font-size: 12pt; color: #19c200; margin-bottom: 5px; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; border: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-color: #19c200; } a:link { color: #920001; text-decoration: none; font-size: 11pt; } a:visited { color: #920001; text-decoration: none; font-size: 11pt; } a:hover { color: #640001; text-decoration: none; font-size: 11pt; } a:active { color: #920001; text-decoration: none; font-size: 11pt; } </style> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Musings" href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/rss.php?w=altariel"> </head> <body><div align="center" style='display: block; position: absolute; width: 100%; top: 0; left: 0;right:0; margin-left:0; margin-right:0; z-index: 60; margin-bottom: 58px;'>  <iframe src="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jumpbar.php" name="userbar" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" id="userbar" style="width:100%;height:60px;"></iframe></div> <div style='display: block; position: absolute; width: 100%; top: 70; left: 0; z-index: 54; margin-bottom: 60px;'>  <div> <center> <br> <table border="0" width="928" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse"> <tr> <td height="390" bgcolor="#05002f" valign="top"> <center><img src="http://i320.photobucket.com/albums/nn327/ElvishKiwi/Undomeconvertibleheader.jpg"></center> <table width="928" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="15"> <tr> <td width="170" valign="top"> <h2>The Lady</h2> Gabrielle is brilliant, beautiful, talented, sweet and good, yet marvellously humble. Haha... No. Let's try that again... <br><br> Gabrielle has a wicked sense of humour and far too much pride for her own good. She loves to write, and has spent a good portion of her life buried in books. She loves old English literature, anything Tolkien, and well-written humour. <br><br> She loves blogging, fanfiction, and spends a good portion of her day on her computer. Pretty active, she enjoys climbing, swimming, running, and sitting up trees, yet does not enjoy most ball sports. <br><br> At sixteen, she is still far more immature than she should be and enjoys the fact far too much, yet she can be serious at times and ponders deeply on many issues. She takes her faith very seriously, and strives to make becoming like her Lord her greatest wish. <br><br> She enjoys talking about herself in the third person. <br><br> <h2>Siblings</h2> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/527175">Benjamin</a><br> <br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/527174">Heather</a><br> <br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/527177">Ione</a><br> <br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/527178">Jerusha</a><br> <br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/527179">Keren</a><br> <br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/527180">Liviya</a><br> <h2>Dol Amroth</h2> Dol Amroth was a coastal city in South Gondor. Built on a hilltop overlooking the Bay of Belfalas and crowned by Tirith Aear - the seaward tower - it was the Jewel of the Southern coasts. The Princes of Dol Amroth were prominent in Gondor and ruled much of the land about Belfalas. <br><br> <center> <IMG src="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/a/Altariel/63555.bmp"><br><br> </center> Dol Amroth was the home of both sailors and mounted knights, yet they were also renowned for their harpists. The people of Dol Amroth were of Numenorian decent, and also accounted to have had elvish blood - passed down from Mithrellas, one of Nimrodel of Lothlorien's handmaidens. They were tall, dark haired and grey eyed, and spoke, for the most part, Sindarin. <br><br> <center> <IMG src="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/a/Altariel/63556.jpg"><br><br> </center> Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth fought in the battle of the Pelennor Fields with many of his knights, and won renown for his deeds there, which included saving the life of his nephew, Faramir. Imrahil's sister, Finduilas, was the wife of Denethor, Steward of Gondor, and the mother of Boromir and Faramir. Imrahil's daughter, Lothiriel, later married King Eomer of Rohan. <br> <h2>Quotes</h2> <script src="http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/widget/1163731" type="text/javascript"></script> <br> <h2>My American blog</h2> Here, by special request, is the blog I wrote of our trip around America last year. <br><br> These posts are friends only - if you aren't on my friends list, drop me a line! <br><br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/536168/">Settling in in Hollywood</a><br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/536169/">Strawberries</a><br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/536170/">Universal Studios</a><br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/536171/">A midnight trip to the beach</a><br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/536172/">Computers, quarters, and grumpy daughters...</a><br> <br> (These are just the first posts, by the way; I will add more when I find time!) <br><br> <h2>My Fanfiction</h2> <a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3758077/1/Palant_r">Palantír - Chapter one</a><br> <a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3758077/2/Palant_r">Palantír - Chapter two</a><br> <a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3758077/3/Palant_r">Palantír - Chapter three</a><br> <a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3758077/4/Palant_r">Palantír - Chapter four</a><br> <a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3758077/5/Palant_r">Palantír - Chapter five</a><br> <br> <a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4141481/1/Tears">Tears - A oneshot</a><br> <h2>I'm a member of</h2> <center> <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TheSAYR"><IMG src="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ uploads/t/TheSAYR/37090.jpg"> <br> <a href="http://aponderingheart.com/blog/?p=425" target="_blank"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn63/sillydreamer91/graphics/globe.png" border="0" alt="Prayer Challenge"></a> </center> <br> <h2>Friends</h2> ť <a href='/Jocelyndixon/'>Jocelyndixon</a><br>ť <a href='/Ringbearer/'>Ringbearer</a><br>ť <a href='/LOTRLounge/'>LOTRLounge</a><br>ť <a href='/totustuus/'>totustuus</a><br>ť <a href='/AuthorElf/'>AuthorElf</a><br>ť <a href='/PoorBoyHat/'>PoorBoyHat</a><br>ť <a href='/alizona/'>alizona</a><br>ť <a href='/BookLover/'>BookLover</a><br>ť <a href='/KiwiSmithFamily/'>KiwiSmithFamily</a><br>ť <a href='/musicallyspeaking/'>musicallyspeaking</a><br>ť <a href='/writer4him/'>writer4him</a><br>ť <a href='/TruthSeeker/'>TruthSeeker</a><br>ť <a href='/intheeasternsky/'>ElvishMaiden14</a><br>ť <a href='/TheSAYR/'>TheSAYR</a><br>ť <a href='/elvensprinters2/'>NimrodelTinuviel</a><br>ť <a href='/EniTheArtist/'>enilarwyn</a><br>ť <a href='/zeblogofdoom/'>MisterCool</a><br>ť <a href='/Thisisatopsecerttest/'>MaidenCapitolaBallot</a><br>ť <a href='/queenflora/'>QueenFlora</a><br>ť <a href='/thedoghouse/'>luvdogs07</a><br>ť <a href='/wc222/'>wildchild222</a><br>ť <a href='/equus/'>wallyaqh</a><br>ť <a href='/niennadesigns/'>niennadesigns</a><br>ť <a href='/Syelmanaye/'>DonnaElisabeth</a><br>ť <a href='/poeticvoice/'>PoeticMaiden</a><br>ť <a href='/TDA/'>fiddler4him</a><br>ť <a href='/singmetoheaven/'>GraceElizabeth</a><br>ť <a href='/scaryman/'>Scaryman</a><br>ť <a href='//'></a><br>ť <a href='/fountainpen/'>StoryMaiden</a><br>ť <a href='/andrynnor/'>elvenwriter</a><br>ť <a href='/eveleen/'>VintageAuthoress</a><br>ť <a href='/tinuviel/'>Tinuviel</a><br>ť <a href='/Tallyn/'>Ness</a><br>ť <a href='/forgottenheros/'>Turumbar</a><br>ť <a href='/strider4him/'>Strider4him</a><br>ť <a href='/cherrytree/'>chezdak</a><br>ť <a href='/onestarlessnight/'>Mariella1214</a><br>ť <a href='/islanderhideaway/'>Pip</a><br>ť <a href='/nanowrimogroup/'>NaNoWriMoGroup</a><br>ť <a href='/newzealand/'>newzealand</a><br>ť <a href='/therightreply/'>Paladin</a><br>ť <a href='/OutlawedPrincess/'>OutlawedPrincess</a><br> <br> <h2>Visitors</h2> <center> <a href="http://www4.clustrmaps.com/counter/maps.php?url=http://www.homesc hoolblogger.com/altariel" id="clustrMapsLink"><img src="http://www4.clustrmaps.com/counter/index2.php?url=http://www.homes choolblogger.com/altariel" style="border:0px;" alt="Locations of visitors to this page" title="Locations of visitors to this page" id="clustrMapsImg" onError="this.onError=null; this.src='http://www2.clustrmaps.com/images/clustrmaps-back-soon.jpg'; document.getElementById('clustrMapsLink').href='http://www2.clustrmaps. com'" /> </a> </center> <br> <h2>Credits</h2> <center> Template copyrighted Š <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/niennadesigns">Nienna Designs</a> 2008 <br> </center><br><br> </td> <td width="750" valign="top">    <a name='e534303'></a> <h1>May. 19, 2008 - The longest blog entry ever!</h1> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0'> <tr><td><p><font face="Arial" size="2">*appears in an explosion of fireworks and confetti and strikes a dramatic pose*</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">I’m back, everyone!</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">*stares around at empty blog and forsaken cbox*</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">But… but I’ve only been gone four days! Surely you haven’t all given up on me already?</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Wait – it appears half of you are having internet troubles. That probably explains most of it… And the other half of you are probably waiting for me to reply to you. Oh dear…</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Well, I’m back in cyberspace, anyway! I know you guys have probably found my short absence rather annoying, but I have actually rather enjoyed it! I also expect that declaring that I didn’t miss you guys at all isn’t going to improve your tempers much, so I think I’ll keep that revelation to myself. *is secretive*</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">I have had the most fantastic few days, though.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">On Thursday we had some friends over for lunch. They were a Kiwi homeschooling family who have spent the last couple of years studying at seminary in America. They have been friends since I was young kid, and used to run the youth group at our old church. We went and stayed with them for a week in Kentucky when we were over there last year also, so I remade friends with their oldest, Anna-Marie. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Anyway, it was lots of fun catching up with them again. We had some great talks and ate lots and played tag up the big elms in our backyard. We have some ropes and swings and stuff strung up between the trees, so we went hurtling through the branches after each other, with anyone who touched the ground becoming ‘it’. It was pretty fun.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Their Dad was preaching at one of the churches in our area on Sunday, so we promised to go hear him. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">The next day, Friday, started pretty normally. That evening the youth group were going to Ocean Spa, which I went to for my birthday… wait, I haven’t told you about that yet, have I?<br /> *sigh*</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Ok, I’ll give you the short version…<br /> </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">WE INTERRUPT THIS BLOG TO GIVE YOU A LONG OVERDUE BRIEF ON A FANTASTIC BIRTHDAY:</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">The fourth was a Sunday here, and as that’s most of my friend’s Sabbath we decided to hold the party on Saturday night. It went fantastically – I and several of my friends, along with their mothers, met at a new Turkish restaurant in ‘downtown’ Hastings. We all feasted on delicious food (Turkish is my favourite!) and talked and ate and looked at presents and talked and ate and talked with our mouths full. It was delightful. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Then we hopped into our cars and drove over to Napier, where a delightful place called Ocean Spa has recently opened. Now for you ignorant underprivileged Americans, I shall have to mention a bit on Napier. Napier is a pretty famous tourist destination worldwide, due mainly to a disaster in it’s history. Abut fifty years ago we had a ginormous earthquake here in Hawkes Bay. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Those of you who have read my posts on New Zealand will know that, New Zealand being directly positioned over a fault line, earthquakes abound here. We don’t usually get ones of this magnitude, but it still wouldn’t have been too major if it wasn’t for the fact that, somewhere in Napier, a fire started. The watertanks being broken or cracked and the roads being rutted up rendered the firefighting rather difficult, so the whole centre city pretty much burnt up. It was a horrible happening, but, as every cloud has it’s silver lining, this was no exception. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Because the whole city had to be rebuilt all at once, they planned it out far better, and, being the Art Deco era, it was all built in that style. Therefore, it is now a great tourist attraction, named the ‘Art Deco Capital of the World’, and, every Art Deco weekend, fills to bursting with vintage cars and people dressed in old fashioned furs and caps. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">There was another advantage in the quake, and that was that a whole lot of the beach was shoved upward, leaving lots more room for expansion of the city, and the beach drops very quickly and suddenly into the sea, turning it into a fantastic port. Because the water is so deep right up to the shore ships can come right up to the beach as can sealife like whales and stuff. However, it means the beach is incredibly dangerous for swimming and full of really deadly undertows and stuff, so you can’t swim at all anywhere along that stretch of shore. Now, Napier being such a coastal, touristy city, you can imagine this would be rather a trial to them.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">And this is where Ocean Spa was born. They pump salt water up from the sea into their pools, and half of them heated with hot pools and warm pools and cold pools and freezing pools, so it rather resembles a Roman Baths. It’s got lots of fountains and waterfalls too, so it’s fantastic fun to swim in or sit in or chat in or play in.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">We went at night, so it was beautifully lit with the stars overhead and the sea breeze and warm water and everything. It was just the perfect place to relax and chat, and that’s what we did for hours. It was great fun to catch up with my RL friends in such a setting, and a perfect end to a perfect day.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">The next day, my actual birthday, was great also. It began with all the siblings bouncing on my bed, and a showering of presents. Ione gave me some more fluffy pink socks, which I wore to church with my Mum’s high heels as my sandals wouldn’t fit socks. They didn’t really go with my subdued green outfit – ok, they didn’t go at all – and I received a lot of weird looks for them, which was fun. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">We had lunch at my friend’s house and played with her horse, which was also fun. After the evening service we went and brought a whole lot of treats at the supermarket and had an entirely unsophisticated feast for dinner. It was bucketing down so we couldn’t really stop anywhere to have it, so we just ate it all in the car. It was pretty crazy, and terrific fun.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Then I went online and read all the notes from my HSB friends, as well as Scaryman’s A.A. Milne-ish birthday greeting.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">That was another perfect end to a perfect day!</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2"></END NOT SO SHORT ACCOUNT OF MY BIRTHDAY, WHICH ENDED UP TURNING INTO ANOTHER LECTURE ON MY COUNTRY></font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">*sigh*</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Sorry.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Ok, so where was I?</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">So, the youth group was going to Ocean Spa. Unfortunately, due to the prevalence of ridiculous swimwear at such events as well as the ‘making out’ that often goes on, Mum didn’t want me going without her or Dad about, especially, as she doesn’t know the youth group all that well yet. She was going to a Ladies Fellowship evening though which I was invited to, so I, a little disappointedly, settled for that instead. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">My spirits rose a little, however, when I heard that the subject of the evening was to be Chocolate. After all, the stuff is chemically known to restore optimism, especially New Zealand stuff, which is some of the best in the world. And, no, I’m not just being biased! It’s in the milk, see – American cows are horribly mistreated. Honestly, the conditions they live in! The stuff they’re fed is awful also, so it’s no wonder their milk, and chocolate, is shoddy quality, and their cheese comes out sickly orange or white. Seriously, it’s a real problem! You Americans really need to start thinking about your milk products, as such a life is not just horrible for the cows, but terribly bad for the devourers. Forget about global warming; cow care is a far more serious problem. Honestly.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Moving on…</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">We have our Shabbat/family night on Friday night, and have a big, candle lit dinner and do lots of stuff, so it usually takes quite a bit of preparing for. Anyway, we were frantically trying to get everything done so we could leave at seven, when Dad was called out on a job. Being a locksmith, he’s constantly at the beck and call of anyone locked out of their house or car, and usually needs to drop everything and sweep to the rescue immediately. So, by the time he got back, we would have been a good half hour late and dinner wasn’t even started. It was rather disheartening.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Anyway, we got over it and enjoyed our very late tea. Then, the oven still being hot, we were trying to decide what to cook for dessert. Keren was begging for banana splits, but it was a freezing night, and we hardly had any bananas. I had found a delicious recipe for hot bananas, though, and was eager to try it. Dad decided that, since it was late already and Saturday the next day, it wouldn’t hurt to stay up late. <br /> So, it being almost ten o’clock, when the supermarkets close, we all rushed to get our shoes and jackets on and pile into the car. Dad drove as the ‘L’ plates were in the other car and we didn’t have time to switch them, and we zoomed down to the next town and arrived two minutes before closing time. We got the bananas and some chocolate, and then Dad, feeling festive, drove down to the park where we all went insane and ran around in circles for ten minutes. At last the thoroughly tired children piled into the car and munched contentedly on chocolate on the way home.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">The bananas were delicious. They’re pretty easy to make, and fantastic on cold winter nights. All you have to do is:</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Grab a banana for each person. Without peeling them, slice them longways through the middle, without cutting right through the peel on the other side and stick them in an oven dish. Then get three squares of chocolate for each banana and wedge them into the split, so they’re holding the two edges apart. Then, fill the gap with a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon and some lemon juice, and stick them in the oven for ten minutes, and you’re done.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">The result is delectable!</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">While we were waiting for them to cook, we sung hymns and had our bible reading. At the moment we are reading through Luke, with each of us taking turns to read one verse until we’ve finished each chapter. It’s really fun, and really good to read it at such a slow pace, while really thinking about each thing. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">We were reading a passage about Jesus healing a blind man, and for a while I kind of tuned out, being one of the numerous miracle stories I’ve heard so many times before. But then I caught myself in the middle of that thought, and took another look at the passage, and it really excited me. I mean, sure it’s just a pretty routine miracle, but it was a miracle! </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Can you imagine the setting, with the hoards following Jesus through the dust and the heat, listening to his every word and wondering at him, wondering if this was their Messiah come at last. And then the man came, and Jesus healed him. Can you imagine the excitement of the man as, for the first time in years or perhaps forever, he saw, and the first sight that met his eyes was his Messiah? Or the joy and hope the watching people would have felt as they saw the most incredible event looked for throughout their history unfold before their eyes? Just at that moment, I could, and I realised that these were real people we were reading about. This wasn’t just a story, it was real. And the excitement of that realisation just made my heart thrill with joy.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Then I went to bed.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">The next morning, we decided that we’d climb a mountain. Some half hour away there’s a good track which climbs up to a hut just above the snowline. It’s just a couple of hours climb and a good track, so we older ones have been up there quite often, but this time we decided to take the whole family. So we packed some lunch, procured tramping boots and jackets for everyone, and jumped in the car.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">My mum is building a garden and she wanted to find some rocks for her waterfall, so our first stop was the river. She chose some enormous rocks, and it was quite a mission for the four of us to together get them to the car!</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Then we drove further up to the carpark. Scaryman and I stood on the pack rack on the back bumper and held onto the air foil, which was great fun. We took turns to jump off and open the gates, and, as always happens, Dad pretended to drive away without us. Scaryman was being insane as always, standing backward on the rack and jumping off while the car was still moving, etc. For a while we practised jumping up and down in unison so the car lurched up and down, but it didn’t really work very well, and Dad wasn’t very impressed!</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">At last we reached the track at about 2:00pm, and took off in good spirits. My spirits soon dropped a bit as I discovered that our camera wouldn’t work in the dim bush light. Dad took some on his phone, but they weren’t very good quality.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">I’m really gutted that I can’t show you some pictures, as it’s the most beautiful place. The first part was full of tall, straight trees rising majestically into the sky, with ferny undergrowth all about and tree ferns and young trees hanging over the path. It was lovely, and indescribably elvish. As we climbed the growth got shorter, less majestic and more pretty. By that time, however, Liviya, who I was carrying in a backpack, was beginning to feel rather heavy, and I wasn’t paying so much attention to the trees!</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">At that stage I put my MP3 player on. It’s incredible how listening to music can help you to ignore aching muscles! I gave one of my earplugs to Livi, and she was enchanted with it. Then she proceeded to enchant the rest of us by obliviously singing along to the choruses in her baby lisp. It was incredibly cute.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">On and on we climbed. After about an hour and a half of steady walking hauling babies up the hill, we stopped for a rest and ate some of the eons of supplies Scaryman had packed and dragged up for us. Then we went on, now at a crawl. Keren, at four, was pretty tired and had to be carried much of the way, while we were still carrying Livi and a couple of packs. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">The walk seemed to drag on. Short halts became more and more frequent, and the MP3 player was put to constant use by whoever was carrying the baby. Jerusha had ‘zoomed’ ahead, and, after not catching sight of her for a good ten minutes, we sent Dad ahead to catch up with her. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Half an hour later, at about four thirty, we were nearing the summit and met Dad and Jerusha coming down. Apparently she had run all the way to the top and had been happily waiting for us at the hut. Anyway, Dad said that the hut was another ten minutes away, and we had to head home without going all the way to the top, as it was getting too late and we had to get back before dark. Heather burst into tears on the spot, and we all sent up such uniformed protest that he at last relented.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">He took Jerusha and the babies and began the trek downward, while the rest of us ran and puffed and heaved ourselves up to the summit.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Unfortunately, we discovered that it was so heavily enveloped in cloud that we couldn’t see a thing. We had a much needed, although brief, rest at the hut, and polished off the last of our food. Then we took off again, back down the hill.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">When it was just Dad, Scaryman, Heather and I we ran down the hill in about forty minutes. However, when it was just us, we also only took about two hours to climb the thing, rather than three, so we could have counted on it taking a little longer. Mum had only taken her sunglasses rather than her prescription ones, so as it got darker she was quickly becoming quite blind.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Ione was getting rather tired and wasn’t making much progress at all, so we sent Mum ahead with Heather to catch up with Dad before she went totally blind, and Scaryman and I stayed with Ione. Ione can be rather… tiring when she’s tired, as she makes her exhaustion known rather vocally. In short, she hardly stopped complaining all the way down the mountain. That, on top of everything, was rather exhausting.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">At last we caught up with Dad about half way down. By that time it was getting really rather dark, so Dad and I each shouldered a baby and sent Mum ahead with Scaryman and Jerusha. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Ten minutes later, even I was finding it difficult to see. Heather and I, with Keren on my back, walked ahead with our eyes constantly fixed on the path, while Dad followed with Livi and Ione. Toward the end we had to move forward by feel in places, and the only way to avoid tree roots sticking in the middle of the path was to watch out for trees growing close by. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">It was pretty slow and very exhausting. By the end my back ached and my feet were throbbing so badly that I couldn’t feel my legs. There was one very steep rise just before we reached the carpark, and I practically crawled up it. At the top there was a stile, and I had to get Keren to get out and climb it herself, as I simply couldn’t make my legs lift that distance with her on my back. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">I was utterly exhausted.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">At last we reached the car, and all I wanted to do was lie down in its comforting warmth and never get up again. That would have been death to my muscles, however, so I forced myself to keep moving and do some stretches as we packed the car. Then Scaryman and I hopped on the packrack to open the gates. Needless to say, we were a lot more subdued! It was very refreshing, though, to feel the cool wind on our faces without having to move much. It was also a good way for our muscles to cool down without stiffening! The stars were all out by that stage, and it was a beautiful drive.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">By the time we got back into town it was almost seven, so we stopped at the Fish ‘n Chip shop and brought some burgers.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Then we collapsed into bed.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">The next morning was a Sunday, so there was no chance of a sleep in! We were going to Riverbend, the new combined mega church I told you of in my Robson Lodge post, to hear our friend preach, so we had to leave even earlier than we usually would.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Incredibly, we managed to make it, not only on time, but five minutes early. It was a fantastic sermon on Jesus’s rest, and well worth hearing. He has such a great preaching style, fun and easy to listen to, but really fascinating and inspiring. It was so great to listen to that again! We’re counting the days until you Americans will give him back for good!</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Miraculously, none of us had been feeling particularly achy that morning, but when I stood up after the service my legs almost collapsed from under me. Sitting still for a couple of hours had completely stiffened them, and they pained me constantly as I wandered about catching up with my friends.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">At church (of all places!) I heard some exciting news from one of my Mum’s LotR crazy friends. They’ve been rebuilding Hobbiton in Matamata for filming, and in two weeks they’ll be asking for two hundred volunteers to be hobbit in the film! I so much want to volunteer, but I’m not sure how I’d cope with travelling back and forth for the filming. If any of you would like to take part in the movie, though, now’s the time to be planning a trip to New Zealand!</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">We spent the evening service at the Reformed Church, and talked about our plans for Queen’s Birthday Weekend Camp this year. It’s coming up in a couple f weeks, so I’ll be absent for a while. I’ll post about it closer to the time, though, so I won’t leave you guys in the lurch!</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Anyway, I had better wrap this up. It is now officially the longest post I have ever made, with seven pages of type in Times New Roman font, size twelve, or 3,542 words and 18,805 characters!</font></p></td></tr> <tr><td> <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/post_comment.php?w=altariel&e_id=534303'>Post A Comment!</a> <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/sendlink.php?w=altariel&e_id=534303'>Send to a Friend!</a> </td></tr> </table> <br> <h1>Comments</h1> <a name='c1057399'></a> <h2>May. 20, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em></h2> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='3'> <tr><td><i><img src='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/avatars/28317_1502.jpg' width="50" valign="top"> Posted by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/Turumbar/'>Turumbar</a> </i></td></tr> <tr><td>Hey, Happy Birthday! Thanks for the nice long comment(I love 'em). You have an awesome blog. Turkish restaurant? What's the food like? I've never heard of one over here before(though I'm sure there probably are some in some of the big cities). <br /> <br />Turumbar </td></tr> <tr><td> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/534303/?#c1057399'>Permanent Link</a> </td></tr> </table> </div> <a name='c1058768'></a> <h2>May. 21, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em></h2> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='3'> <tr><td><i><img src='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/avatars/24217_6389.jpg' width="50" valign="top"> Posted by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/luvdogs07/'>luvdogs07</a> </i></td></tr> <tr><td>Wow, that <i>was</i> a long post! <br /> <br />The mountain climbing sounded fun! I've only seen mountains in real life twice, once when me and mom were driving to North Carolina and once when we were driving back. Drove through them and our ears were popping and everything! They sure were pretty though. =) <br /> <br />Echoing the above question, what is Turkish food like? We made Turkish Delight today and it didn't turn out so we used it on some vanilla ice cream instead.</td></tr> <tr><td> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/534303/?#c1058768'>Permanent Link</a> </td></tr> </table> </div> <a name='c1059091'></a> <h2>May. 21, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em></h2> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='3'> <tr><td><i><img src='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/avatars/14320_6808.png' width="50" valign="top"> Posted by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/BookLover/'>BookLover</a> </i></td></tr> <tr><td>I'm on and waiting at your chat box!!!</td></tr> <tr><td> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/534303/?#c1059091'>Permanent Link</a> </td></tr> </table> </div> <a name='c1059156'></a> <h2>May. 21, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em></h2> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='3'> <tr><td><i><img src='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/avatars/28130_7091.jpg' width="50" valign="top"> Posted by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/VintageAuthoress/'>VintageAuthoress</a> </i></td></tr> <tr><td><p>*does happy dance* I can't <i>believe</i> they're getting ready to start filming the Hobbit! *does more happy dancing*</p> <br /><p>I just love listening to my iPod, especially when I'm looking at great scenery. What were you listening to? If you still remember that is. I usually listen to Enya if I'm looking at great scenery, or writing FAD (by the way, please read the new stuff when you get a chance and <i>please</i> post on the forum and let us know what you thought!) but actually <i>Love Song</i> by Sara Bareilles is actually surprisingly inspiring as well. </p> <br /><p>Well, I'm off to got chat with you some more, bye! *is to lazy to look up how to spell "good bye" in a different language like Elvish or Gaelic</p> <br /><p>~ Katie</p></td></tr> <tr><td> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/534303/?#c1059156'>Permanent Link</a> </td></tr> </table> </div> <a name='c1059343'></a> <h2>May. 21, 2008 - Tag your it!</h2> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='3'> <tr><td><i><img src='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/avatars/27418_8318.jpg' width="50" valign="top"> Posted by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/Scaryman/'>Scaryman</a> </i></td></tr> <tr><td>Ha altariel <br /> <br />Tag your it! <br /> <br />If you have no idea what I'm talking about then read my blog. <br /> <br />If you know what I'm talking about then read my blog. <br /> <br />If you don't want to be it then too bad just read my blog. <br /> <br />If you dont want to read my blog then too bad you have to because that's the rules :P. <br /> <br />Se mor`ranr ono finna.* <br /> <br />~scaryman~</td></tr> <tr><td> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/534303/?#c1059343'>Permanent Link</a> </td></tr> </table> </div> <a name='c1059402'></a> <h2>May. 22, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em></h2> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='3'> <tr><td><i><img src='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/avatars/17230_5279.jpg' width="50" valign="top"> Posted by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/musicallyspeaking/'>musicallyspeaking</a> </i></td></tr> <tr><td>*Ducks out of the way* I know, I know. I'm a terrible commenter. Beth's "rule of commenting" on her blog stares at me every time I visit. "You comment me, I comment you." Oh well, I'll try to get better. Anyhow, I made it to your blog!!! <br /> <br />I'm sorry about Prince Caspian, that must be hard :-). I guess you're not trying to be spoiler free? I know I wouldn't if I had to wait longer! <br /> <br />God bless, <br />Toni</td></tr> <tr><td> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/534303/?#c1059402'>Permanent Link</a> </td></tr> </table> </div> <a name='c1059419'></a> <h2>May. 22, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em></h2> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='3'> <tr><td><i><img src='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/avatars/28317_1502.jpg' width="50" valign="top"> Posted by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/Turumbar/'>Turumbar</a> </i></td></tr> <tr><td>Thanks for you description of Turkish food. I was almost drooling on my keyboard too as I read it. I've been busy but I'll post again. By the way do you know when they're going to start filming the Hobbit?</td></tr> <tr><td> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/534303/?#c1059419'>Permanent Link</a> </td></tr> </table> </div> <a name='c1059520'></a> <h2>May. 22, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em></h2> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='3'> <tr><td><i><img src='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/avatars/24217_6389.jpg' width="50" valign="top"> Posted by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/luvdogs07/'>luvdogs07</a> </i></td></tr> <tr><td>I know! I keep trying to convince my parents that we need to go to New Zealand too, but they keep saying that it is too expensive. =P Ah well. I have an aunt that is from New Zealand! She's fun to talk to. =) <br /> <br />I forgot! I've seen mountains four times, the times when we were driving to and from North Carolina and then when we were in Bulgaria! We saw them from the airplane and then drove through them to and from Ovcharvo (sp?). It was pretty crazy because we landed in Sofia (on the West side of the Bulgaria) and had to drive over to Ovcharvo (which is on the East side of Bulgaria), we were driving all day!! =P <br /> <br />Mmm... the kebab you described sounds soooo goooood!!!!! Mmmm.... <br /> <br />Thanks for your comment on my story! =)</td></tr> <tr><td> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/534303/?#c1059520'>Permanent Link</a> </td></tr> </table> </div> <a name='c1060502'></a> <h2>May. 23, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em></h2> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='3'> <tr><td><i><img src='http://homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/avatars/6471_6868.png' width="50" valign="top"> Posted by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/Jocelyndixon/'>Jocelyndixon</a> </i></td></tr> <tr><td>Glad to see you back... sorry you didn't miss me, but I am bad at commenting you. I'll admit it. I deserve it too. lol <br /> <br />I thought that the Hobbit's filming was being pushed back AGAIN to 2010-12? Hmm <br /> <br />Anyways, yeah Americans! and our sugar.... we actually don't use sugar. I should've said cane juice, but same diff, right? We try to honey is just about everything but sometimes it just tastes better with cane juice. <br /> :) <br /> <br /> <br /></td></tr> <tr><td> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/534303/?#c1060502'>Permanent Link</a> </td></tr> </table> </div> <a name='c1111038'></a> <h2>Jul. 29, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em></h2> <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='3'> <tr><td><i><img src='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/uploads/avatars/29218_8597.jpg' width="50" valign="top"> Posted by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/chezdak/'>chezdak</a> </i></td></tr> <tr><td>That was such a long entry!!!!! New Zealand I think, unlike some countries, well castles would actually suit it, its a pity there are no castles in New Zealand. Hayley Westenra comes from New Zealand, have you heard of her? Did you know, I was suprised that you actually called your mum Mum, most people on HSB call there mum Mom, It makesme feel more at home I felt a complete stranger before! <br /> bye for now <br /> Chezdak <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><br /><br /><font style='font-size: 8pt;'><i>Edited by <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/chezdak/'>chezdak</a> on Jul. 28, 2008 at 3:43 PM</i></font></td></tr> <tr><td> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/534303/?#c1111038'>Permanent Link</a> </td></tr> </table> </div>  </td> <td width="250" valign="top"> <h2>Links</h2> <br> ť <a class='menu' href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/'>Home</a><br> ť <a class='menu' href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/profiles/Altariel/'>My Profile</a><br> ť <a class='menu' href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/archive/'>Older posts</a><br> ť <a class='menu' href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/friends/'>My Friends</a><br> <h2>Archives</h2> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/American%2Bblog/">American blog</a><br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/Announcements/">Announcements</a><br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/Blogging/">Blogging</a><br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/Tags%2C%2Bawards%2C%2Band%2Bgeneral%2Bhousekeeping/">Tags, awards, and general housekeeping</a><br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/Thinker%2Bposts/">Thinker posts</a><br> ť <a href="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/Writings/">Writings</a><br> <h2>Recent Writings</h2> ť <a href='http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/altariel/602111/'>A trip away, a conference, and a couple of very cool cars... 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