Well, I’m Back To borrow a line from Sam Gamgee ;-)

I feel so much better after having spent just over a week back home with family and friends. Sadly I didn’t get to see everybody because of scheduling conflicts, but got to see enough that I’m regenerated for a while anyway. I hope to be able to get back in the Fall because “Wicked” is re-opening and I’d like to see that!

First things first, my baby niece Amelia is the cutest thing you ever did see! She doesn’t know me of course, except for my photo on the wall. I hadn’t been home since she was a month old, last March. Mum and I went to my sister’s house and waited for them to all get home from work and daycare. James (brother-in-law…kinda creepy my sister and I each married a James!) brought the kids in and put Amelia down and said “go see Aunt Becky”, so she crawled across the floor, hauled herself to standing next to me, then I picked her up. She proceeded to start bawling and howling as if being tortured of course. So I stood up to take her to my picture on the wall. I said “where’s Auntie Becky” she pointed at the picture, and I said “I’m Auntie Becky” she pointed at the picture again and started to howl. I gave her to Gramma :-p I still don’t think she’s figured it out, but she’s only 16 months old, maybe by the time she’s 4. I need to get home more often is all!

Then the next 4 ½ days were spent at the Lord of the Rings – Tolkien fan gathering . We stayed at Mum’s house, but took the train into the city every day. Friday was just registration, so not a particularly long day (I did manage to get myself a Toronto street meat hot dog!). Saturday we were up at 6am to catch the bus & train, and not home until 1am. The same on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Long long days, but very enjoyable indeed!

Craig Parker who played Haldir the elf in the movies was there, along with Bruce Hopkinswho played Gamling of the Rohirrim. Both of these guys are hilariously funny, and I suspect would be very easy to get along with in real life. They seem rather down to earth, and probably more than a bit surprised by all the hubbub. Of course I could be completely wrong, and they’re really assholes, but I really don’t think so. They’re really super nice, tho I didn’t get any time to talk to them; they always had swarms of people around them or were rushing to their next session.

Unfortunately the organizers had some financial problems with the gathering (not well organized these folks) and there was quite a bit of things gone wrong. Then apparently one of the organizers insulted the movies, during a session with Craig Parker on the panel. Mum and I missed it, as we were in a different session, I think that was when we were at Fellowship of the Ringo, with Ted Nasmith, his brother Bruce and Mike Foster, a Tolkien scholar from Marquette University. These guys got together at the last gathering in 2003 and wrote some parody songs to Beatles tunes. Apparently the Beatles had wanted to film the movies way back in 1968, but were told it was “unfilmable”. Anyhoo…at the session with Craig Parker, apparently one of the organizers trashed the movies, being rather nasty, and of course insulting Craig Parker. Honestly, some people just don’t know when to hold their tongue, Craig was an invited guest at their bidding, why on earth would she then insult him? We’ll be lucky if he accepts any invitations from this group ever again! Which is a shame really, he’s such a nice guy. I hope he doesn’t hold it against the lot of us.

Bruce Hopkins hosted a session called Bruce Hopkins New Zealand Music Party. He played us some snippets of his favourite music from his home in New Zealand, most of the musicians are friends of his. Brilliant most of it, and I need to go look up a few of them to get some CDs if I could just remember the names! Transcripts from the sessions are supposed to be up on the gathering site sometime, so hopefully I can find them there.

Now I really can’t give you an account of the Gathering without mentioning a band that played for the opening ceremony, and did a couple of concerts for us over the weekend. They’re absolutely brilliant, from Italy, and totally Tolkien inspired part time musicians called Lingalad I DEFINITELY must buy one of their CDs (they sold out at the gathering before I could get one). I just loved these guys.

Another of the memorable sessions was put on by a professor from Germany named Marcell Bulles. The session was about his paper called Putting intoxicating substances to proper use in The Lord of the Rings (or not!): How Tolkien managed to sneak in some nasty habits of his. Marcell is sooooooooo funny, I wish I’d had teachers like him in school, I may have continued on to university! Also very cute, and has a tattoo almost like mine and James’ on his arm. ;-)

We also got out to see the Lord of the Rings musical at the Princess of Wales theatre in Toronto. Beautiful show, the set, the stage and the cast were all amazing (tho we went to the Sunday matinee and of course got half the second string actors rather than the principle actors). I spent way too much money on souvenirs, but it was well worth it. The show is moving on to London’s West End starting January 2007, and finishes up in Toronto as of September 3, 2006. Despite the bad reviews from critics it is well liked by anyone who has seen it. I wish more would ignore the critics; it may have stayed in Toronto longer. I urge everyone to get out to see it if you can, it is awesome! I told James we have to go to London next year so he can see it ;-)

Well, I’m off for now. Will post some pictures of my adventures later, right now I want to go watch our Firefly DVDs that got delivered whilst I was away.  ¶ 3:52 PM