Where did Gandalf live?

[Alcuin]

Return of the King, “Appendix B”, just before the Tale of Years of the Third Age, there is a passage discussing the Istari which states that

Mithrandir was closest in friendship with the Eldar, and wandered mostly in the West, and never made for himself any lasting abode.

This passage is cited in Unfinished Tales in the essay “The Istari”, which says that

...the last-comer [of the Istari] was named among the Elves Mithrandir, the Grey Pilgrim, for he dwelt in no place, ... but ever went to and fro in the Westlands ...., befriending all folk in times of need. ... Mostly he journeyed unwearingly on foot, leaning on a staff...

Gandalf was in particular alliance with Elrond in Rivendell and Galadriel in Lórien: when he was returned to Middle-earth after his battle with the Balrog of Moria, he had Gwaihir the Windlord take him to Lórien. But the two texts (in Return of the King and Unfinished Tales) would seem to indicate that these were places of rest and recuperation, much as was the Shire in the passage cited by A_Brandybuck.

[Istari]

i am under the impression that Gandalf stole the powder for the fireworks from the dwarves. ha or of course he shop lifted them from sauron's store.

[Boromir88]

Still, if he hasn't been back in 20 years, one could hardly think of the Shire as his "home base".~CSteefel

The quote A_Brandybuck brings up is certainly an interesting one. I would agree that it doesn't seem like a permanent home to stay at...but I think what Raynor says is quite accurate thinking. It sounds like The Shire to Gandalf was like a vacation spot, where he could get away and simply take a break...something he hadn't done in 20 years! And he felt like he needed one.

If we think about The Shire, it's pretty much disconnected from Middle-earth, for the most part Hobbits don't want to have any part in the 'outside' world, they just want to handle their own inner affairs. So The Shire (to Gandalf) is like a secluded vacation home (or cottage) where he can simply take a break from the 'problems' of Middle-earth and find some peace/rest for a while. However, as evident on this occasion, Brandybuck brings up, he was unable to do what he had wanted...'And so I did indeed, though I was not allowed to put them out of my mind.'

[goldfinger]

If you read the chronology of years in Appendix B of RotK, when it is talking about the istari coming to middle earth, it says this:

"Mithrandir was closest in friendship with the Eldar, and wandered mostly in the West and never made himslef a lasting abode."

I hope that answers your question.

[CSteefel]

Originally Posted by goldfinger

If you read the chronology of years in Appendix B of RotK, when it is talking about the istari coming to middle earth, it says this:

"Mithrandir was closest in friendship with the Eldar, and wandered mostly in the West and never made himslef a lasting abode."

I hope that answers your question.

This answers the question of whether Gandalf had a permanent home like Saruman--he didn't. But it is less clear about his destinations for "vacation sojourns", as was mentioned above--that is, places where he could rest. It says that he mostly wandered, but it seems he hung out for extended periods in the Shire, in Rivendell, and perhaps even in Bree when he wasn't wandering the WestLands on foot (as he mostly did)...

[Aaron]

Yes, Gandalf never truly lived anywhere because he did not suffer from apathy (Radagast) or an overabundance of luxury (Saruman) and was the true moral centre of the Quest.