[Eonwe]

This December, I marked the third annual gathering of The Fellowship, a select group of 15 elite LoTR fans. We attended in costume, watched all three extended editions with a projecter, and played an insane amount of LoTR Risk. For dinner, there was rabit stew, freshly baked bread, and a three pound chicken for each, along with enormous quantities of wine, ale, or beer. (well ok, grape juice, ginnger ale, or root beer.) Afterward, we sat in the Grate Hall before a roaring fire and smoked enourmous quantities of Old Toby.

Last summer, I spent inordinite amounts of time ponderously tracing, sketching and enlarging the picture of the Gate of Moria in a silver pen. It now sits beneath the glass on my night-stand along with the invitation, writ in a gold pen, to the very first Gathering of the Fellowship.

Am enbarking on my third annual read through of LoTR.