I met a fellow BDer!!

[Mithalwen]

It was ... splendid place.. I was so stunnedby the delights of the wine list I quite forgot I was meant to be getting Squatter a drink..

[Pitchwife]

*is envious*

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Gordon's I presume!

Yes, it was really nice. Just the right atmosphere for a Barrow-Downs moot.

Just pointing out the extent to which some Downers will go to keep moots Tolkien-based.

Yes, that's exactly what we had on mind with the banana thing. How did you guess?

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

I was so stunnedby the delights of the wine list I quite forgot I was meant to be getting Squatter a drink...

I successfully managed to avoid buying drinks, which wasn't intentional and which I felt slightly bad about. So to make up for it, I bought Kath's drink when we got to the bar. She protested because it was more expensive than the wine she had got me, but I reminded her I still owed her a Pepsi from our last Londonmoot in 2008. That's what you get from having a good memory and a strong sense of fairness.

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

*is envious*

Wurstlandmoot. That is all. We want it.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

Wurstlandmoot. That is all. We want it.

Come and claim it, then! (In other words, see #1116 above.)

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Ah, I have fond memories of Gordon's, where Squatter, Bêthberry and I met several years ago! A lovely place for hobbitses!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

Ah, I have fond memories of Gordon's, where Squatter, Bêthberry and I met several years ago! A lovely place for hobbitses!

On first sight, I read it as "Gondor's", which might be a more appropriate name anyway...

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

It was ... splendid place.. I was so stunnedby the delights of the wine list I quite forgot I was meant to be getting Squatter a drink..

I am so happy you accepted my suggestion. Very Middle-earth.

Originally Posted by Aganzir

Yes, that's exactly what we had on mind with the banana thing. How did you guess?

Nothing to guess about. I was positively certain that Squatter would never forget a Tolkien reference to banana skins.

[Mithalwen]

The location was Squatter's choice rather peversely since he wasn't drinking wine but it was very convenient for me, being carried by the lazy South wind to Waterloo and since there were over three hours of malfunctioning public transport between me and my car I did sample a couple of vintages...

I have to admit I haven't read "On fairy stories" but I am sure it was the intention of my more erudite and learned companions.... I have long since learnt not to mind too much always being the dimmest person present at such gatherings.. as well on this occasion demonstrating that I seem to possess both moth and goldfish DNA...

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

Come and claim it, then! (In other words, see #1116 above.)

I will, and I will also claim a certain hat I was dared to claim. Around Easter should be fine for me, we don't usually have an Easter holiday but should have a couple of days off so time-wise, I think it's manageable. Finances are a different matter, but if I can balance between school and work well enough, you can count on my being there.

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Nothing to guess about. I was positively certain that Squatter would never forget a Tolkien reference to banana skins.

Actually if he said anything about it, I must have missed it - having never read On Fairy Stories, I only learned it from your post.

[Kath]

Over the last two weekends I have been lucky enough to spend my time in the company of some admirable 'Downers and one equally admirable non-'Downer. This has involved frequently running for trains, accidentally assaulting innocent bystanders, meeting random Swedish people and consistently making fun of Squatter. (By the way, there is a wonderful picture lurking on my computer of a certain person drinking a certain drink - have I permission to post it Squatter?)

Anyway, it all started in London (after an evening spent researching how to get to London give that every train in the south east appeared to have morphed into a bus) at the most expensive pub I've ever been in with Mith, Squatter and Aganzir. Having been coerced into buying drinks we then had a lovely if hard to hear chat. Occasionally the conversation went a bit high-brow or at least, 1980s-brow and therefore went a bit over mine and Agan's heads but it was still lovely! We then moved on for food. Agan refused to speak to us during the meal but that was apparently due to her being Finnish rather than hatred.

From here we lost both Squatter and Mith, but not before a well-planned hug attack turned into an attack on a very cross woman. We feel bad ... really we do ...

Agan and I went on to spend an hour or two sat in a bar waiting for the non-'Downer component of the trip. There was much talk of werewolf, other 'Downers, my inability to remember anything in my life, and the events of previous moots. Then Annina turned up, demanded food and we left. (This is misleading. I was getting the last train home right at that moment ).

Now, I thought that was it, but no! Friday arrives and there is another opportunity to see 3/4 of these marvellous people. So off I trooped up to London again (without train troubles this time thankfully) and there were Agan and Annina waiting for me. A theme was revealed when we immediately went to get food, picked up Squatter, and headed straight for a bar again. No people-abusing this time though. Around 3 or 4 hours were then spent in said bar where Annina and I watched as Agan and Squatter fell steadily in love over a cosmopolitan and politics. A mad dash to the last train then followed and back home.

It has been a while since I've seen Mith and it was lovely to see her again! I think she was a little terrified by some of the madness but she coped gallantly. She also brought chocolate raisins which means I love her for life.

It was nice to see Squatter so many times in a week! And he very kindly bought us drinks so again he is loved for life. His hat, his random mumblings, his new fuddy-duddy moniker and his general laid back attitude to the insanity around him makes him a very enjoyable person to be around.

Agan is always fun to experience! Got to spend quite a bit of time one to one with her for once so we had some really interesting conversations. Admittedly I monopolised a large part of one of them with school questions but it was really interesting! I'm very glad we got to meet up so soon after Finlandmoot and didn't have to wait a whole year this time!

Annina I finally feel I actually started to get to know this time which was so lovely! Normally when we meet there are so many others around we barely have time for a chat but over drinks if not food () we did this time! Hopefully we'll meet up again soon!

Two fab weekends all in all.

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Kath

Around 3 or 4 hours were then spent in said bar where Annina and I watched as Agan and Squatter fell steadily in love over a cosmopolitan and politics.

Politics is so passé, we talked about aesthetics. The discussion was triggered by something the bartender said while collecting glasses that I didn't hear properly, but I think it was about Squatter looking beautiful with his pink cocktail. (This happened while Kath and Annina went to see if they could change Kath's train ticket.)

Got to spend quite a bit of time one to one with her for once so we had some really interesting conversations.

That happens way too seldom. We should make it a habit to get some private time each time we meet because I always have so much fun with Kath!

It was a good week and two great weekends. I'm home now, but I'd rather be in England.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Kath

Having been coerced into buying drinks we then had a lovely if hard to hear chat. Occasionally the conversation went a bit high-brow or at least, 1980s-brow and therefore went a bit over mine and Agan's heads It has been a while since I've seen Mith and it was lovely to see her again! I think she was a little terrified by some of the madness but she coped gallantly. She also brought chocolate raisins which means I love her for life.
.

Knowing most of Blackaddar verbatim is an indicator of many things, not necessarily being highbrow. Nor is talking about the merits of convertibles.

Terrified is a bit strong but I was a bit startled by Agan's unwitting battery upon a hapless passer by...

But it was lovely to see them again and well worth emerging from my near anchorite level of anti-sociability ..I was quite envious that I couldn't rejoin them especially since pink cocktails were involved... hopefully it won't be another three years till the next time. And the raisins are a bit of a tradition but I can't remember why...

[Galadriel55]

I have just returned home after meeting Bethberry. We have been planning this moot for 6 months, and now it finslly happened! We talked about Tolkien and the Downs, and toasted the Professor together. Bethberry is a really kind and nice person, and really fun to be around. I hope to meet her again soon! She can now attest to me being a real person and not a random chimpanzee randomly posting random randomness. Or maybe I am one.

Oh, and we remembered the bananas.

[Bêthberry]

Okay, Galadriel55 covered the Downs while I covered Facebook and Wellinghall Smial. Now to crack the society page of The Downer. . . .

Galadriel, for all those who haven't seen her, looks, despite her screen nick, like Arwen, with lovely, long dark hair, but with waves and curls like one would expect with Galadriel. We recognised each other immediately, even without wearing Barrow Downs tees. She has an infectious smile and a look both mischievious and mysterious. She laughs often and I'm very glad I never challenged her on any of the quote threads!

And if I'm the first Downer to meet her in person, I'm probably the last Downer to learn her real life name.

We toasted The Professor with thanks for bringing us together and planned next to meet at our smial's next moot.

And no, there's no cool pictures of us fishing, boating, climbing monuments or singing wurst songs on the city streets because it was -17C out and like hobbits we preferred the cosy indoors.