Playing Pretend...us, that is

[Meela]

Since I have a minor obsession with Gondor, my life has to revolve entirely around Gondor, naturally. So every morning I wake up and look out the window, and what do I see? A host of soldiers returning from Ithilien, ready to report to Denethor about Orcs, Harad threats, the lack of bagels at the canteen... or a battle. Depends on my mood, what I'm wearing (floaty dresses means everyday business, hair up and in a tunic means battle on all sides), or the music that's playing.

I'm a big fan of make-believe. I've always played pretend in whatever situation I'm in. Just a quick trip to the market can incorporate a minor battle, receiving a life-threatening mission request, and a courtship from a travelling scribe.

My friends and I have a treehouse and a forest, which make adequate substitutes for Lothlorien, Helm's Deep, and Osgiliath, for whenever we feel like re-enacting parts of the books in home-made dramatisations.

A friend and I once re-enacted the whole of The Two Towers on a wall in the middle of a street. We picked up sticks and engaged in combat in full view of some old ladies who were walking by. Yes, we got some strange looks.