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white stain on oak9/3
doing a white stain on oak, usually use mohawk stain, but need a recommendation for a heavy stain that covers more, the mohawk white is too thin , also must be fast dry thanks
Have you considered making up your own stain ? Some Titanium Dioxide and paint thinner is all it takes. You can make it as strong as you like. If you want it to dry faster you could use Naphtha instead of Paint Thinner.
Are you staining White Oak ? Red Oak will end up looking Pink with a White stain.
M L Campbell Woodsong II
" ML Campbell Wood Song II " is no doubt a decent product. A brief look at the M.S.D.S shows it contains some solvent....some Titanium Dioxide.... some Linseed Oil....some other solvents.
In other words, nothing special, except of course the price. Those ingredients can easily bought at any Hardware Store, Paint Store and will cost wayyyyyyyy less than any brand name of stain.
I agree with rich c. It's one of the best ones I have used. And you get what you pay for. Sometimes. ;.)
Chemcraft Frost 825-9101 is a pretty heavy white, I use it pretty often
it is white oak, not interested in making my own, it is a large job and saving a couple bucks is not worth it, does chemcraft stain dry fast and can you spray shade with it. thanks
It dries quickly, im not sure what you mean by shade? do you mean toner?
You'll probably need to do at least a couple of coats to get to where you want to get to. I use GF's water base RTM.
I'm trying to make money Robert. It's very easy to add the cost of a gallon of stain to a job. It's not easy to calculate how long it would take to mix up a product and experiment with the amount of pigment and percentages of solvent. It might save the customer $50 on a $10,000 job, it won't save me anything.
Hi rich c, after 35+ years as a finisher I retired in 2015. Making money has always been a major priority be it as the Proprietor or as an Employee. Ive never bought any type of pre - mixed stain, always mixed my own and kept a formula.
Not knocking any store bought stain but I have complete control by mixing my own.
Gallons of pre-mixed stain can cost upwards of $ 70.00. dar is staining White Oak with a White stain, its not rocket science to mix up a home brew if one is inclined to.
The major suppliers spec sheet for a White Stain, all contain pretty much the same ingredients. Their MSDS indicates... a Solvent or two, a Color and some Linseed Oil.
Since dar has expressed an interest in purchasing a pre-mixed White Stain; lets wish him the best ,and look forward to seeing some photos of the completed project.
Tyler, a shader is when you spray stain after you have stained and sealed, I cut stain with lac thinner and spray with a good touch up gun then lacquer. On this project you can barely see wood, i have to do 45 doors and frames so doing this has to do be very production like in order to make money
Oh, well if I was doing it, I'd do a clear seal.coat, then two washcoats of white topcoat. Reduce it 50% and you get the effect you look for. Hit it with a clear topcoat and you're in business. More consistent color than stain anyways
i agree with tyler. in this situation i would use reduced paint. you can add a little clear coat to the white paint to give it slight transparency.
Sound to me like you might want to try a coat of white vinyl sealer. Then clear topcoat. It lets some of the color of the wood through, and doesn't fill the grain. Just a thought
kevin i have been using shaders for 30 + yrs
Hi dar, since the look your after is rather Opaque than transparent, would it be more productive to go a different route similar to the ones mentioned by Tyler/kevin/Matt ?
I see the possibility of eliminating that shading step you would be using to intensify/deepen the overall color by switching to a White Vinyl, White topcoat, etc...
Any chance you could post a picture of the look your after ?


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Ann-Margret Emery didn't know how her first gymnastics routine was going to go.
After all, it had been about two decades since she last did a stunt.
"I couldn't get it out of my system. I thought maybe I could still do it," said Emery, 48 and deputy city attorney for Ormond Beach.
Coached by Hollie Terry at Riptide Gymnastics in Ormond Beach, Emery started off slow with some stretches and basic moves.
About five weeks later, she performed a nearly flawless flip combination called a round off back-spring back tuck.
"It's been a few years," she said jokingly after sticking the landing.
Now Emery hopes to start a trend in what is considered a niche sport for adults. In Volusia and Flagler counties, there are few classes for adults interested in gymnastics, though some businesses will take on older clients.
The city of Daytona Beach offers classes at the Peggy Schnebly Recreation Center, 1101 North Atlantic Ave., for gymnasts through 18 years of age while the Volusia-Flagler Family YMCA offers tumbling classes at its Port Orange and Four Townes facilities for youths.
Caroline Peters, who opened her gym in South Daytona last year, said anybody can learn gymnastics with the proper amount of coaching.
"It's a very safe sport," she said, adding she has taught parents of students. "I don't think there's any limits."
Peters said people should always stretch before attempting any sort of routine as pulled muscles are a common injury seen in the sport if someone has not adequately stretched.
Emery, who was a state champion gymnast in floor and beam, said she gave up the sport after growing too tall and attending Florida State University, which doesn't have a gymnastics program.
"I've been amazed at how quickly it's come back," she said. "I don't ache at all."
The workout has been so great, she's been inviting others to try it on Saturday mornings at Riptide.
Emery's yoga instructor Alexis Martin, 31, said gymnastics is a great way to touch on many different types of disciplines in a very short time.
"It's all encompassing," she said after holding some poses on the balance beam, adding she might recommend the sport to some students.
Riptide Gymnastics owner Hollie Terry said adults are welcome to stop by at 9 a.m. on Saturdays at the gym, 1230 N. U.S. 1, Unit 11, for a first-time free lesson with subsequent sessions costing $15 each.
"We'll see where it goes," she said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Can you shrink your food miles and eat your bacon, too? According to Emeril Lagasse, you most deliciously can. The famous chef's latest cookbook, "Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh", is a call to foodies who love local ingredients — especially if they come from animals.
Here's one locavore-friendly book that's decidedly vegan-unfriendly. The recipes in "Farm to Fork" are a far cry from Michael Pollan's advice in "The Omnivore's Dilemma": "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Seriously — while I have nothing against eating local, humanely raised, drug-free meat in moderation, many of Emeril's meat-heavy recipes scare me a bit — and they scare my arteries a lot.
Forget making up for a fried chicken main course with a lighter side. In "Farm to Fork", Emeril is all about Fried Chicken and Buttermilk Waffles — with Black Pepper Maple Syrup and Whipped Vanilla Butter to boot. He doesn't just recommend local quail; he wants you to make Bacon-Wrapped Quail with Sausage, Sage, and Chestnut Dressing — with butter and heavy cream, of course.
The cookbook is organized by ingredient, so I quickly skipped over to the "leafy greens" section expecting lighter fare — to find every single recipe save one was laden with heavier animal ingredients — bacon, sausage, turkey, heavy cream and cheese.
Perhaps to delay the inevitable heart attack, the recipes don't include calorie information — or carbon footprint information. After all, local, organic meats generally have much higher carbon footprints than their plant-based counterparts. As Michael Pollan and many eco-foodies have pointed out, eating lower on the food chain is imperative — for environmental and health reasons.
Emeril chooses not to address the carbon footprint of his meaty recipes. Instead, he simply focuses on sourcing food locally, urging readers to support local farmers markets and urban gardening. Apparently, Emeril was among a few chefs who started a farm co-op in Mississippi back in the early 1980s and began a "hog Wednesdays" tradition that put every part of freshly slaughtered, locally raised pigs to good use.
While clearly, Emeril and I don't eat alike, I did appreciate some of Emeril's greener kitchen tips, like creating flavored oils to make use of extra herbs and canning and preserving to enjoy the harvest year-round. DIYers will find recipes for homemade mozzarella, brandied cherries, hot sauce and more. And to be fair, while most of Emeril's recipes are too much for my arteries to handle, many could be employed for those special occasions when you decide to throw caution to the wind.
Plus, a few dozen recipes are relatively healthy — like the Tuscan Kale and White Bean Ragout I decided to make. I stopped by the farmers market for the produce, even switching out the canned tomatoes called for in the recipe for a fresh local one.
The result was a healthy, flavorful, delicious, and fresh local dish. I just wish "Farm to Fork" had more recipes like this one — and fewer meat-and-butter ones. Still, if you know someone who refuses to eat vegetables unless they're cooked with bacon and heavy cream, "Farm to Fork" could make for a decent gift that introduces your unhealthy friend to the farmers market.
MNN homepage photo: Richard Drew/AP


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Black Conifer Wand
The Black Conifer Wand
Handmade Wand
Your Conifer Wand is a one-of-a-kind, hand carved wand. Each is made from 5/8 inch oak and is completely shaped by hand. Your wand will be very similar to the style in the photo, yet each is slightly different as they are handmade. The Conifer Wand will become your personal, unique wand that no other has.
Each is made of oak with a dark stain and measures approximately 12 inches. It is finished with a satin poly providing you with a long lasting, durable wand. Perfect for festivals, magic and gifts.
Features of The Cat Wand
- Preciously hand carved
- Unique Style
- Oak Wood
- Satin Poly Finish
- Long Lasting Ritual Tool
- Graceful hand hold
- Very original and stylish swirl carving
- Fantastic Gift for Harry Potter Aficionado
If you buy a wand bag make sure you get one an inch longer than the wand.


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Experiment the summer decor with the tie dye cushion covers in very soothing colors. Abstract print patterns on the cotton fabric with a smooth finish and soft feel. Beautiful combination of two colors brought out neatly. This 18X18 pillow cover for a simple yet attractive finesse of your sofa, couch, window seat or the bed. High quality fabric for daily use. Zipper closure to manage the inserts easily. Dry clean only.
Towel Embroidered Striped White Cotton
Floral Hand Block Printed Off
Towel Embroidered Geometric White Cotton
Attractive cushion covers Cotton
Coffee Metal Wood Two Drawers Painted
Yellow Metal Wood Two Drawers Painted
Orange Wood Two Drawers Painted Box
Paisley Embossed Coffee Wood And Metal
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Welcome to The media library - your one stop location for all marketing digital assets. Feel free to download the below files and imagery for your POSH Mommy marketing materials or promotional items. All product shots are high resolution for print and definitely online. There are also a few select links available to view some of the most current events. If you have any questions or concerns about any of these assets, please direct correspondence to firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Gerry Toop, a TNA Reader Adviser, provides an introduction to the main sources for family history research available via The National Archives website. Topics covered include the online catalogue, online resources (including licence associates) and Documents Online, and the research signposts.
Toop emphasises not entering information in too many search boxes -- "less is more".
He uses the external version of the website, not the one accessed when at TNA, so you can open your browser to the site and following along with the presentation.
Although the presentation was given on 10 June 2010 the website is much the same as it was then.


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Emmy 40s Girly Swirlie swing coat Emerald green wool
We measured the JACKET flat single, these are not body measurements. You can compare these sizings with one of your own coats.
|Our size indication:
Completely sold out!
Completely sold out!
Exclusive Emmy limited collection in the Netherlands only at TopVintage available! The 40s Girly Swirlie swing coat Emerald green wool. This fantastic vintage inspired coat is perfect over your flouncy skirts and dresses, or just with skinny pants and a pair of high heel boots! We were inspired by a vintage 40's coat but added a 60's swing skirt to create a younger and cheekier look! The shaped bodice and full swing skirt mark the waist which enhances your womanly shape. The bodice has many vertical cuts to create the best possible fit. Decoration buttons at a strap detail around the waist. It has concealed side pockets, puffy pleated shoulders and a dress collar that can be closed for maximum warmth. Made of high quality 100% wool in vibrant green with a perfect finish and produced in Europe. This timeless coat is a fabulous addition to your wardrobe and an investment that will last for years! Also available in Black, Red and Iceblue.
- Free shipping within UK, USA, NL, BE, DE, AT, FR, & LU
to all other countries free shipping on orders over € 250
- Mo - Fri ordered before 9 pm CET = same day shipping within the Netherlands, in all other countries before 3.30 pm CET
Germany ordered before 12 am CET, delivery within 48 hours
- Customized fit advice!
Every item is measured and tried on
- 30-Day return within receipt
Money back if not satisfied!
- Everything about return policy, international shipping fees
- 60% Acetate
- 40% Viscose
Made in Europe
- Do not tumble dry


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Asking for a Pay Raise? These Tips Will Help You Negotiate the Salary You Deserve
Want a pay raise, but not sure how to approach it? Follow these steps to get paid what you're worth.
Asking for a pay raise from a manager is never easy, partly because it's hard finding the right words and partly because it's hard to gauge what the right amount to ask for is without under- or over-selling yourself. But unless you review how much you're getting paid, you'll never be in a situation where you're paid your worth. (Click here to tweet this thought.)
Having that conversation doesn't have to be an ordeal as long as your approach is well-informed and justified. Here are six easy steps for negotiating the salary you deserve:
1. Do your research
It's important to know what the going rate is before you decide whether or not you're being underpaid. Carry out job searches for similar roles that match your skill set, seniority level and location. Record the salaries of the jobs and compare the average with yours. This way, you can enter the conversation armed with justifiable data.
Job sites, such as Jobserve and Monster Jobs, are great sources for roles similar to yours because they're not agents. Instead, agents and companies alike post their vacancies there.
2. Money isn't the only way to get the salary you deserve
It's a good idea to think about why you feel you're not getting the salary you believe you deserve and ask if it's just the money. Sure, you have bills to pay and you feel like you're working too hard, but perhaps you can suggest a reduction of work hours or a company phone to balance your salary with your needs.
If you're working every possible hour and you don't feel like your salary reflects this, or if you can make your working life easier with something like a company phone, you may feel like you're regaining the balance between your salary and your level of work.
3. Time it right
No matter how urgent you feel you need a pay raise, get the timing right. Give yourself a bigger chance for success by choosing your timing carefully. After all, this isn't the sort of conversation you want to have every few months.
4. Get noticed
Before asking for a higher salary, know that the reasons you deserve it don't need to be stated by you. But they do need to be fresh in your employer's mind. Start going the extra mile and get noticed for your talents. Wait until people have noticed your efforts, then ask for the meeting.
5. Don't be desperate
Remember that despite your boss's office being an area where they typically hold all the cards, you're both adults and, in that sense, equals. You shouldn't present your case as though you're asking for a favor. Instead, exude professionalism and conviction.
Once you've said your piece, wait for the answer. You may not get a decision straight away, but when you do, think about the offer and don't be scared to negotiate if you don't think the offer is right.
6. Word it carefully
Make sure to phrase your argument carefully. You're having a business-related conversation with a fellow professional, so adjust your language accordingly. Don't reference your needs outside work, such as increased rent or a desire to get the latest iPad. Instead, justify your request with business-related reasons.
A useful tip is to phrase your question in relation to the amount you want your salary to be raised by. This sounds a lot less daunting than stating the overall salary you want.
In theory, when presented with sufficient evidence, it's hard for most employers not to acknowledge their need to meet your requests. But companies have budgets to think about, and often what you consider a small increase doesn't fit with their books.
While getting paid your worth is important, so is considering how the job fits in with your long-term goals. For example, perhaps accepting a lower salary for a year's worth of experience will help you propel your career to the next stage.
But if you don't feel like you're getting a salary that reflects what you deserve and if your employer shows no signs of changing that, you should look for a job somewhere you'll feel more valued.
Nick Williams works for Acuity Training, who provide hands-on professional training from their two UK offices. Nick works as an assistant on the negotiation skills training course as well as the majority of technical/development courses.
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text: Well, its been quite awhile since I have been in the situation of breast feeding, with mine now being the ripe old ages of 2 and 5 (and a week,sniff, sniff), but I am totally all for boobie bagging it. I mean , it was by far one of the most intimate experiences I have ever had the privilege of sharing with another human being. Looking down into the eyes of your precious little ones face, as you sustain their life is monumental. The look of love and gratitude; it is amazing and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Sure, I get the same look from my husband when he's down there but let's face it; I'm not sustaining his life:) Anyways, I was one of those poor unfortunates who, try as they may, the boobies just didn't function properly. They have always been big and beautiful (thanks Mom) but apparently pretty useless when I actually needed them. So, it was SNS (supplemental nursing system) from the get go. Oh, what? You are not familiar with this term? Lucky you! It is a wonderful medieval contraption that you hang from your neck, it holds formula in a container..that is exerted from a small tube that is taped to your nipple ( hoping to supplement what your poor under functioning, handicapped boobies can't produce) and if you are super lucky (as I was) you can add to the mix a nipple guard!Sweet! Lovely, right? P.S. The nipple guard is not a little guy in a fuzzy hat who guards the nipple, its a pliable plastic covering to help draw the nipple out. My poor little boobies, they had such a complex; they figured they couldn't come to play , so they were trying to hide on the bench. I have a friend of mine, who never even attempted to breast feed (because according to her, "those" were for fun not function) and here I am bargaining with the devil and praying to Jesus to let me produce enough milk to feed my starving child and , it just never came to fruition. I gave it the old college try, I took the fenugreek, the mothers milk tea, I tried everything possible to stimulate breast milk production but I could never fly solo, I always had to use that damn SNS! So, both girls got breastfed for about 6 weeks. I'm sorry, who was I fooling. The embarrassment and sheer horror of that SNS (it still gives me nightmares to think about harnessing myself into that thing) and only producing maybe 1/2 to 1 ounce when my kid was eating 4 -6 oz, was too much. So, I never had to decide whether or not to breastfeed in public (because anyone who knows me, knows that I am such a hypochondriac when it comes to my babies that they don't go out into the general public until after 6 weeks). So, I am not trying to be judgy. When I see a Mommy feeding her baby, first I feel "awww" ,then that is followed by a little uncomfortableness, then " what a tender , sweet Mommy/baby moment". Generally, I think it is beautiful. Personally, I never did it outside the house but that was just my situation ( because the time of breastfeeding coincided with the 6 week waiting period of taking my newborns out into general population ….cause I am a lil crazy like that). Anyways, today I take my 2 and 5 year old to toddler story time @ the local library. We are sitting there and I notice a couple of the Mommies have some newborns (awwww, moment) . Mommy A 's 3 month old girl is getting that fussy, hungry cry going. Mommy promptly pulls out what looks like an apron and there goes the baby, under the apron, suckling to her hearts desire as Mommy watches on as her 4 year old little boy participates in story time. Way to go Mommy, she was on the ball. Directly next to her, I notice a little girl around the age of 4 assuming the position in her Mommy's lap. What? I think, a little regression perhaps. You know seeing the baby next to her go under the apron. She's no fool , she knew what was going on under there. Then the 4 year old sticks her hand in her Mom's(Mommy B) shirt and is fondling her. I am like, WTH is going to happen here? It felt like I was witnessing snuff. Then, this woman, whipped it out and this little girl took a hit..like a shot of whiskey from a shot glass.WTF??? Seriously, I swear I am not against breastfeeding. In fact, I am a little envious of those Mommies with aprons..that means,God bless em, their parts are functioning correctly. But there has always been something creepy to me about a child old enough to be drinking out of a regular cup (past the sippy cup age), who can say "Give me a hit off the old teet mom!" Or anyone old enough to spell boobies, draw boobies, or talk about the experience still actually feeding off the breast. I don't think a kid who can unbutton your shirt and wipe their own ass should still be breastfeeding. I mean, unless there is some weird disease and that is the only thing the kid can eat to survive…then I think its a little creepy and a little sad. Then ,in my head, I kept thinking if one of my girls ( who are watching this whole thing go down and my 2 year old was watching very interested like) comes over to me and tries to see what all the fuss is about, we'd have serious problems. How do I explain, " I know honey, you know how you like chicken nuggets and lemonade? Well, that little girl still likes boobie milk!"So, my question to you is..am I wrong to be creeped out by this? Am I just out of the loop because of my own shortcomings? Would I feel differently if I had the ability to sufficiently breastfeed my own kids? I don't think so but then again , I guess we'll never know. All I know is I left the library today feeling just a little bit violated and dirty. I wasn't staring , and didn't see any actual boobies..but the kid was wiping her mouth and sporting an "ahhh" ( you know that sound you make when you've been running and you take a long cold swig of ice water? Yeah, that's the sound.) I'm now sufficiently terrified to go to story time again; I may be off the library entirely.


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Barbara and Larry - formal night on the Celebrity Eclipse
Barbara with Celebrity Eclipse in the background. Willemstad, Curacao
Our entire group outside the specialty restaurant Qsine. Larry, Joanna Cohen, Dawn Doyle, Barbara Ring, Larry Houlgate, Willie Pitzer, TC Houlgate-West, Vicki Zimny, Betty Cornelison, Barbara, Vera Johnson, Polly Lenzen, Vance Johnson and Richard Zimny
Larry and TC on formal night with the "wine cellar" in the background
Betty and Barbara on formal night
Dawn in the Moonlight Sonata restaurant
Vera and Vance
Polly and Barbara with our waiter, Cesar (AKA Joe Pesci), and his assistant, Jose.
Our Scrabble group outside the Sky Lounge
Polly and Dawn concentrating on their game.
Fun Prize winners- contains "CAR" for Caribbean
Fun Prize winners- contains SEA.
Fun Prize winners- High Game
Fun Prize winners- play is divisible by 10 points
Fun Prize winners- "best" cruise play
High Loss winners
High Game winners
Second group winners
First group winners
Bon Bini Liqueur Factory
This is our tour guide, Esther, and her home in Curacao.
A local musician making a living by entertaining tourists at falls in the Grand Etang park
A group of "mud bathers" in Soufriere, St. Lucia
Marigot Bay overlook. The eight of us took a half day van tour with driver/guide, Bert. Marigot Bay is his home. Oprah Winfrey also has a house here on top of hill overlooking the Caribbean Sea behind us.
The Eclipse Guest Choir in the Grand Foyer on deck 3. Barbara is in the top row, second from the left. TC is in the next to the top row, second from the left.
A closeup of the Guest Choir after their performance. Chiko, the choir leader, is in the front left in the white jacket.
Corning Museum of Glass Show at the lawn club on Deck 15. This installation, one of only three in the world, cost $1,000,000 to install on the Eclipse. The glass blower is at the beginning of the process of creating a sea horse vase.
The Glory Hole heated with electricity on the ship to avoid fire danger.
E.T. towel creation left in our cabin by our attendant, Karen.
An elephant towel creation.
Recognition of the chefs on formal night


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A common question we often get asked is "How much do I need to retire?"
Obviously this depends on many factors such as; the age you and your spouse stop working, how long you live for, how much you will need to live on each year and how the money is invested.
A US Study on safe superannuation withdrawal rate
In 1994, a study was undertaken in the US to help answer this question. The purpose was to determine a safe percentage rate that could be withdrawal annually from a pool of funds that needed to last 30 years. The funds were invested 50% in US stocks and 50% in US bonds. Income payments increased each year to account for inflation. Using historical average rates of return, the study concluded that 4% of the account balance could be safely drawn each year to make the money last. Given this is based on US data, it posed a good question.
Safe Superannuation Withdrawal Rate in Australia
Can we use this same rule of thumb here in Australia? Morningstar decided to answer this question by applying it to our own historical investment and inflation data as well as management fees that are typically charged here. The results concluded that a safer withdrawal rate would be closer to 2.5% per year. This implies that a retiree needs approximately 40 times their desired annual income saved to achieve this. In other words, if you wanted to achieve $50,000 per year to safely last 30 years, you would need a starting balance of $2m. While most people will likely fall short of saving $2m in retirement assets, it may not necessarily need to be made up of solely superannuation savings. Retirement investments may include the value of the family home or a business, which can eventually be sold. Those who will be able to qualify for the Age Pension need not worry about saving for this regular income to be generated from as a lump sum of money.
The study also produced some interesting tables that showed the probable safe drawdown rates for different lengths of time using different allocations to growth assets. For a balanced portfolio to last 40 years with 99% certainty, the safe withdrawal rate is 2.2%.
An important part of the study concluded that historical returns used have been higher than expected and we should all lower our expectations going forward.
Australian Government Superannuation Drawdown Requirements
If we compare the safe drawdown rate to the rules of the superannuation system in Australia, it is interesting to note that drawing 2.5% of capital each year is much lower than the minimum drawdown rates that the Government requires retirees to draw as an annual income stream. For example, someone with an account based pension that is aged between 55 and 64 must draw a minimum of 4% of their account balance each year. This percentage continues to increase as the account holder gets older. If 2.5% appears to be the right number, then why does the Government make you take more? This is to ensure that the money you have accumulated in a tax-effective environment is being spent and not merely saved as a wealth transfer tool. In some cases, for those over age 65, we have found the complexities and minimum drawdowns of super to be too great to justify, particularly if the additional income is not needed.
It should be noted that this study is general in nature and should not be relied upon as personal advice.


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AMHERST, Mass. - Naturalists David Spector and Edward Davis will lead tours through the landscape at the Emily Dickinson Homestead, birthplace and home of the poet Emily Dickinson, and the Evergreens, her brother's home, on Main Street in Amherst on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Spector, a naturalist at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, and Davis, a professor emeritus of botany at the University of Massachusetts, will explain how the landscape has changed since the Dickinsons lived there in the 19th century.
The nature walks are part of Living History Day, an all-day event for children and adults sponsored by the Amherst History Museum, the Friends of the Jones Library, the Amherst Cultural Council and several other local organizations, including the Dickinson Homestead. The fee for the walk is $3 for adults, $1 for children, and includes admission to all Living History Day activities. For more information, call the Amherst History Museum at 413/256-0678 or visit the Museum's Website at http://www.amhersthistory.org/.
Living History Day at the Dickinson properties will also include an open house at the Evergreens, which is currently being restored, from 1:30 until 3:30 p.m. Representatives of the Martha Dickinson Bianchi Trust, which owns and maintains the home, will be on hand to answer questions. Admission is by donation.
The Dickinson Homestead, owned and maintained by the Trustees of Amherst College, will be open for tours every half hour from 1 to 4 p.m. on Living History Day. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and students, $3 for children ages 6-18, no charge for children under 6, $1 discount for people with Living History Day stamps. For reservations call 413/542-8161. The Homestead Website is at http://www.amherst.edu/~edhouse.


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Greensboro, NCHome Menu
Contact Center
Get directions to any City facility
Call us at 336-373-CITY (2489).
Calls to this number may be recorded for quality purposes.
E-mail us.
Chat with us live
How We Can Help?
The City's Contact Center makes it fast and easy for you to find answers to your questions and help with concerns about City services. One call to 336-373-CITY (2489) and you are connected to a City Services Representative who can provide you with the information you need.
What happens when you call?
New Hours: Mondays through Fridays, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm (effective June 1, 2020).
Call anytime, or use the live chat feature. Just click on the Live Support icon above or on the home page of this website. When calling after hours, you may leave a message and a City Services Representative (CSR) will handle your request the next business day.
Request a City service by sending us an e-mail.
Hablamos español
Top Five Reasons to Call 373-CITY
- Real people ~ Every call is answered by a friendly, knowledgeable person.
- Flexibility - You may call, walk in, e-mail, or chat online with a staff person.
- Answers - Callers get help right away, often with no transfer necessary.
- Experience - The Contact Center has answered more than one million calls.
- It's Easy - 336-373-CITY is easy to remember and even easier to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I sign up for water service, and where can I pay my bill?
You can sign up for water service at the Kitchen Operations Center, 2602 S. Elm-Eugene St. You can also make payments there and at the Melvin Municipal Office Building at 300 W. Washington St.
Where is the transfer station? What items should I take there?
The transfer station is located at 6310 Burnt Poplar Rd. You may dispose of your own trash and bulk items at the transfer station. The City still picks up trash curbside for Greensboro residents, and the landfill (2503 White St.) still accepts yard waste.
Can you pick up a large item for me at my home, such as furniture or mattresses?
As long as you receive City curbside trash service, yes, we can get those items for you. Items are generally limited to those that weigh less than 100 pounds and are not larger than five feet in any direction. For questions about specific items, call 336-373-CITY (2489).
I saw a sign knocked down / faded / twisted. How can I get that repaired?
Just give us a call, and we'll take it from there. Let us know where the sign is located, and what kind of sign it was (if possible). We'll put in a work order, and our transportation department will handle the request.
I saw a traffic signal with a burned-out light. Who fixes those?
The Transportation Department fixes these once they are reported. Call us with the location of the signal, what type of problem you noticed, and we'll send the work order to have it repaired.
You can also call 336-373-CITY for:
- Solid waste concerns, such as appliance pick-up or a missed collection
- Questions about parks or recreation in Greensboro
- A list of recyclable items
- Concerns about streets, such as potholes
- Questions about your water account.
How Can We Better Serve You?
Please call us at 336-373-CITY (2489) with your suggestions and comments, or send us an e-mail.
Please note: Call volumes vary, and occasionally, you may have to wait a bit for us to answer. Your call will be answered most quickly early in the day or after 2 pm. Mondays are traditionally busy days; if it is convenient for you, you may want to call us on another weekday for faster service.


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KIPS BAY, Manhattan (PIX11) -- They are apartments barely larger than the walk-in closets in some homes, so why is the rent up to $3,000 per month? That's the question that the developer of MyMicroNY has to answer as it builds the city's first micro-apartment building. Its units are tiny, but it's promising maximum satisfaction that may actually be more affordable than first meets the eye.
The apartments range in size from 270 square feet to 370 square feet, including a galley kitchen and separate bathroom in each unit. Their small footprint is meant to help address a shortage of housing in New York, particularly in Manhattan.
The building's primary architect, Mimi Hoang of n-Architects, said that if her firm was required to provide small floor space, "We had to give something back," she told PIX11 News. "What we gave back is height."
Each unit has nearly 10-foot tall ceilings, allowing for overhead storage in the kitchen area, as well as a tall closet in most of the units. They also have unusually tall and wide windows, eight feet tall.
Each apartment also has a juliet balcony, which just about anyone but a New Yorker would call a sliding glass door, with a thick, shatter-proof glass panel 42-inches high preventing anyone -- especially children -- from falling out of the door. It's designed to allow residents to "interact with the outside," according to Hoang.
The building, which is slated to open in the last few weeks of 2015, will also have a gym, a community room, a bike room, a laundry room, and a community terrace as well as some private terraces, among other amenities, for a competitive price, according to the developer.
"New studios in the area of Kips Bay rent for $3200 month," said Tobias Oriwol, a project director at Monadnock Development. "We'll be cheaper than that."
However, considering that the median income in New York City is just above $50,000 per year, the market rate apartments in MyMicroNY would eat up a considerable portion of many people's paychecks. Oriwol said that market rate apartments in the building going up just west of First Avenue near 28th Street would be between $2,000 and $3,000. "It'll be somewhere in between there," he told PIX11 News.
However, he added, that 40 percent of the apartments, spread throughout the building, will be designated affordable housing units.
"We have units for Section 8," he said, which will be available by application and lottery, as will be apartments whose monthly rental amount will be pegged at 80- or 120-percent of the median household income for the Kips Bay neighborhood, where the building's foundation and basic structure are being completed. Eighty percent of local median income's rent, said Oriwol, "Is $950 a month, about."
The 55 units are all modular, meaning that each one is fully built, all the way down to its fixtures, ahead of time. Their assembly site is in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. In June, they'll be transported by truck to the construction site in Kips Bay, where they'll be stacked, literally, by crane, onto one another, like a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle.
Then, a brick facade will be laid over the modular apartments, and their plumbing and other utilities, which are already installed in each unit, will be connected to one another on site. The full structure should be completed by the end of the year.
The architect said she's hoping that each resident will feel "happy that you have your own apartment in New York City, and you don't have to suffer through living in an apartment that's illegally subdivided and has no windows."
The fact that MyMicroNY has a large minority of below-market rental units and is densely and vertically developed, makes it consistent with Mayor Bill de Blasio's call for 200,000 affordable units to be built in a decade, even though it was the Bloomberg Administration that approved the building.
It was allowed an exemption to the city's zoning laws, which require that apartments be no smaller than 400 square feet. A similar micro-unit apartment has been built in Seattle, with rents starting at $560.
While the Section 8 apartments in the building may end up renting in that range, the architect said that actually fitting into them, or any apartment in the building, could end up with a pricetag that's not necessarily small.
"A Murphy bed that folds," said Hoang, in recommending how to furnish a unit. "One of those convertible furnitures is a necessity."
She recommended furniture from Resource, a company that specializes in maximizing space. Much of the company's Italian made furniture tends to be priced higher than most middle priced retailers.


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Welcome to the 209th Virtual Poetry Circle!
Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.
Keep in mind what Molly Peacock's books suggested. Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don't like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.
Also, sign up for the 2013 Dive Into Poetry Challenge because its simple; you only need to read 1 book of poetry. Check out the stops on the 2013 National Poetry Month Blog Tour and the 2012 National Poetry Month Blog Tour.
Today's poem is from John Brehm:
Fourth of July Freedom is a rocket, isn't it, bursting orgasmically over parkloads of hot dog devouring human beings or into the cities of our enemies without whom we would surely kill ourselves though they are ourselves and America I see now is the soldier who said I saw something burning on my chest and tried to brush it off with my right hand but my arm wasn't there— America is no other than this moment, the burning ribcage, the hand gone that might have put it out, the skies afire with our history.
What do you think?


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WORKERS contemplating a change of direction in the new year should begin their preparations now - and channel their inner Leonardo da Vinci.
Whether they want a pay rise, new job or an entirely new career, now is a good time to upskill, refine the resume or research industry trends.
Anthony Mitchell, founder of strategic leadership firm Bendelta, says workers should take a leaf out of da Vinci's book.
MORE: Six in-demand jobs that did not exist a decade ago
MORE: Why veterans struggle in the job market despite skills
The painter, inventor, engineer, and scientist spent his days learning how things worked and talking to experts across wide-ranging fields.
"Emulate five key aspects of his approach," Mitchell says.
"Be continually curious and open to learning; get away from your desk and be driven by what is happening in the world outside your company; be willing to learn from others; embrace diverse fields and find the power in their intersections; and, finally, use a notebook or journal to capture your insights and engage in reflection."
Skillsoft regional director Rosie Cairnes says workers should prepare for 2019 by asking their employer for training.
"Then see if you can get some on-the-job experience (by putting) your hand up for … a different project that will stretch your capabilities," she says.
It is important to focus not on the skills that were important in the past, but those that will be needed in the future.
Dr Wesley Payne McClendon, chief strategy and transformation executive at Gooroo, says the skills in demand change a surprising amount each year.
From 2019, he predicts the focus will be on "human-centred skills which cannot be replaced by technology", such as communication, critical thinking and leadership.
He recommends workers find opportunities within their current role to refine such skills.
Amelia Judson, cosmetic and general dentist at Smile Solutions, says communication is a skill worth having no matter the industry a person works in.
"I have a Bachelor of Dental Science and I also have a Diploma of Communication because my parents instilled in us the importance of the ability to speak well and be comfortable in public speaking," she says.
"Communication is such a critical skill to have.
"In dentistry, communication is what will help you succeed in helping people get the treatment they need."
Judson says it is also useful to be comfortable using social media.
She has used this skill both as a DJ during her university years and now as a dentist.
"After my studies, I came up with the idea of demystifying dentistry through my Instagram account @velvetsmile, where I get a lot of random questions," she says.
"I was looking at what my point of difference could be … something slightly different to the classmates around me.
"Social media is useful as it adds another string to your bow."
Originally published asThe Da Vinci code to career success


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Radio Free Vestibule: Froo Froo the Talking Cat.
Tom Pow: The Football, & other poems.
bill bissett: the fog peopul.
Bruce McRae: Bookworm, & other opoems.
Live interview with Jacques Poitras, author of Imaginary Line: Life on an unfinished border (Goose Lane, 2011).
Tchitala Kamba: Bandalungwa Makelele.
12 October 2011
APB, 12 octo 2011
Posted by Joe Blades at 6:06 p.m.
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|North Shore Farm
|Farming Paradise on Oahu's North Shore
|We are dedicated to sustainable Hawaiian agriculture. We encourage environmentally sensitive methods of farming to satisfy local Hawaiian markets.
Renewable energy sources and energy efficiency are integral in our developments and designs.
If you are interested in farming or farm ownership or solar and wind energy testing and development on the North Shore of Oahu please contact us.
|Contact Information
|Email :


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DSME Postpones Delivery of SCF's New LNG Ship, Unveils New Self-Rescue Plan
- Business & Finance
South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) has reached an agreement with the Russian state-owned shipping company Sovcomflot to postpone the delivery of an ice-breaking liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel which was scheduled to join its owner in June 2016.
The shipbuilder set the new date at the end of January 2017, postponing the delivery by seven months, according to a stock exchange filing from DSME.
SCF and DSME signed the USD 316 million worth agreement for the new ARC7 ice-class tanker in March 2014. Ordered under a USD 5 billion newbuild program for 16 ice-breaking LNG carriers, the new ship is designed to transport LNG from a gas field in the Yamal Peninsula (Yamal LNG), Siberia.
In a separate announcement, DSME revealed an additional self-restructuring plan amid the falling shipbuilding orders.
The company's creditors, led by the state-run Korea Development Bank, will now decide on the new self-rescue plan which proposes a further cut in DSME's workforce and wages, as well as temporary closure of docks, the Korea Herald cited industry sources.
Additionally, DSME denied rumors on the sale of their naval business, however the company said that they are reviewing it.
DSME posted a KRW 5.13 trillion (USD 4.3 billion) worth loss for the full year of 2015, as its sales fell by 23% when compared to the previous year standing at KRW 12.97 trillion, while the company's operating loss amounted to KRW 5.51 trillion.
The poor results were attributed to falling number of newbuilding orders and further delivery delays in its offshore segment that continued their negative effect on the company's financial results.
World Maritime News Staff
List of related news articles
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South Korean shipbuilding major Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has delivered HM...Posted: 9 days ago
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Flex LNG launches newbuild tanker at DSME
Flex LNG, an emerging player in the LNG shipping business, said its newbuild LNG carrier Flex Freedo...Posted: 2 months ago
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Yamal LNG Ships 30 Million Tons of LNG
Yamal LNG has shipped its thirty millionth ton of LNG since the commencement of the project. ...Posted: 3 months ago


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Surfer Blood's debut album seems, on first listen, to be an amalgam of what's popular right now in indie rock: Singer John Paul Pitts uses a lot of reverb like James Mercer of The Shins (perhaps a necessity – live his voice is rough), the band embark on a few Vampire Weekend-esque excursions into African rhythms ("Take It Easy" might as well be called "Oxford Semi-colon") and there's a Rivers Cuomo sensibility in the lyrics and vocal melodies. This might not sound very exciting, but on the contrary, this album is a pleasure that reveals new layers with each listen.
The band's success lies in how they embrace big guitar-rock sounds with an enthusiasm rarely seen since the early-'90s. In fact, the album occasionally feels like an audio tour of American guitar-driven alternative rock. There's Fugazi skronk on the instrumental "Neighbor Riffs", Built To Spill weirdness on "Twin Peaks", "Harmonix" begs for an Interpol cover, "Anchorage" is a Sonic Youth reduction, and there's a large dose of Pixies' surf-grunge popping up throughout. However, it's "Swim" you'll remember most. To call the song huge would be an understatement. Giant chords, endless reverb, and a repetitive chorus that sticks in your head for days – it's one of those rare career-making moments you only get a few times each year. I hope these guys like the song, because they'll be playing it when they're 50. If only alternative rock radio were still big enough (and cool enough) to make this song the massive hit it deserves to be.


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Build a great series of appropriate backlinks on your site. Have your keyword phrases be in the titles of said links. Make sure that these network links are related to your content, otherwise they could possibly work against you. Using backlinks is a great way to bring in traffic from various areas.
When publishing articles to other websites, post them to your own website first. Leave it up for a few days to ensure that the search engines index it, and then post it elsewhere. This will indicate to the spiders that your site is the originator of the content, and that the other sites are just reposting it, giving you the most link credit.
Create a page of content for each keyword you wish to optimize for a search engine. Do not try to smother your website with every possible keyword. Search engines are looking for relevant, organized content. If your page clearly discusses one specific keyword, it is much more likely to be used as a top result for that keyword search.


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The SCB Awards is presented by the Community Investment and Inclusion Fund (CIIF) of the Labour and Welfare Bureau, which accords recognition to individuals, enterprises/organizations which have contributed to the development of social capital in Hong Kong, and to commend outstanding CIIF-funded projects.
This year, UAT is glad to be praised by the SCB Awards for its efforts towards leveraging on strengths of individuals, corporations, and the community to promote cross-sectoral partnership and sustainable supportive network. To nurture our next generation, UAT has launched the "Ultra Active Youth Cultivation Program from 2014 to 2016. Through the support for NGOs, schools, and the youth, they can accelerate their holistic development, career guidance, and corporate social responsibility notion.
To implement corporate social responsibility and social capital, UAT helps building a caring society of trust and solidarity and enhancing mutual support among individuals, families, and organizations so that our community can grow from strength to strength.


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Starting in September, the Toronto Catholic District School Board will be offering a multi-lingual program for kids in Kindergarten and Grade 1. Throughout the day the language of instruction will shift between English, French, Mandarin and Spanish. The goal of the program is to have kids graduate high school fluent in all four languages.
This seems ill advised for many reasons. First of all, Kindergarten-aged children have a hard time with transitions, and Kindergarten teachers are encouraged to minimize the number of transitions during the day. This program is already starting out with four as the languages change (not counting transitions like coming to school, going to and from lunch and home time). The more transitions, the more taxing it is on their ability to self regulate. I suspect they are going to see difficult behaviour from overwhelmed children. What's more, the adults in the room are going to be changing throughout the day, making it harder for the children to bond to their caregivers, which is important at this age for a sense of wellbeing.
Secondly, the Ontario Kindergarten program is designed to be a play-based program with the children spending most of the day in self-directed activities. I don't see how the amount of language instruction that will need to happen in this multi-lingual program can occur in a play based setting. I suspect they will spend a lot of time on the carpet receiving direct instruction, further taxing their ability to self regulate.
There is good evidence that direct instruction based Kindergarten programs lead to poorer outcomes than play-based ones, not just in academics but also in the social/emotional realms.
What's more they have repeatedly billed this program as "different subjects taught in different languages". The revised Kindergarten program that came out from Ministry of Education last summer deliberately did away with discrete subjects. The program is instead organized around the "Four Frames": Belonging and Contributing, Self-Regulation and Well-Being, Demonstrating Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours, and Problem-Solving and Innovating. To silo it back off into subjects so different subjects can be covered in different languages, after the architects of the program got rid of subjects, seems ill-advised.
Also, the basis of this program seems to be the attitude if French Immersion is good, more language instruction is better. I am not sure this is true. I know young brains are supposed to pick up languages quickly, but they aren't generally exposed to this many languages at one time, and expected to pick the most all up. Also a friend of mine whose children took French Immersion says that there is a trade off, where, in order to get the French in, the kids spend less time on subjects like Science, the Arts, Social Studies, etc. What will they miss if they have to cram four languages into the instructional day?
Bottom line, the person who first proposed this program is the chair of their board. He is an economist, not an educator, and came up with the idea because he thought it would make graduated more competitive in the job market. If it weren't his pet project, I doubt it would have seen the light of day.
Want your kid to learn four languages? You can now register at this new Toronto schoolParents are now able to register their children at the Toronto Catholic District School Board's new … Read on cbc.ca


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I am headed in a country French theme so far with the unusual and uncommon elements thrown in. A little bit of cottage, gilded Paris, country farmhouse, shabby, industrial chic and I think I need to be on the lookout for an old truck too. :) Found this one at the auction I went to just yesterday. Now, I like rust but somehow as much as Bobby G. loves me, I don't think he's going to fix this baby up just so I can tool around the country side in a cool old truck.
I am excited to be joining Linda over at Coastal Charm for her Nifty Thrifty Tuesday challenge and Tiffany at Making the World Cuter blog. And Christine at Crafty Geordi has a fun new party too.... Show and Share Sunday. I hope you will check each of these wonderful parties out for oodles of inspiration.
I will be painting my heart out this week among other things. You all have a wonderful week and I hope you are blessed with wee bits of Spring. And amidst the chaos I will be throwing a tea party right here on Wednesday in honor of a certain young British couple getting married soon. . xoxo


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Fleeing the Scene: His Second Accident Claims 13-Month Old's Life
Amy Alanis and Joshua Molina are living every parent's nightmare – the death of a child. On the evening of February 1, 2010, Ms. Alanis, Mr. Molina, and their 13-month old son, Joshua (J.J.), together with two friends, were heading home on the northwest side of Chicago when Putiporn Kaewmooka smashed into their Honda Civic. Little Joshua was thrown from the car through the rear window and pronounced dead at the hospital. Two family friends were also killed in the crash.
But, there is an unbelievable sub-plot to this tragedy: Shortly before blasting through the intersection and ramming into the Honda driven by Mr. Molina, Kaewmooka was fleeing the scene of another auto accident which occurred a few blocks away. Kaewmooka was traveling well in excess of the speed limit, driving without headlights, as they were damaged in the first accident. Two days after the fatality, Mr. Kaewmooka was released from police custody because alcohol and drug tests came back negative, and because he previously had a flawless driving record. What is wrong with this picture? He was in two accidents minutes apart – fleeing one; injuring two and killing three in another. Alanis said in that one moment, he took all the hopes and dreams they ever had for their son.
Mr. Molina and Ms. Alanis have filed a lawsuit seeking unspecified monetary damages for the death of J.J. and for the injuries their own serious injuries. The lawsuit, they say is about justice for their son; it is not about the money. This is another case of a senseless act. This couple has lost a precious opportunity that we often take for granted: the simple, priceless, opportunity to watch their child grow up. They can only remember his first hug or first kiss; they will never experience his first day at school, his first baseball game, his prom, graduation and other childhood milestones. At a press conference, his mother had this to say:
"His smile was not like everybody else's – he showed all his teeth…He was just learning to give hugs and kisses."
Joshua was born on Christmas day, December 25, 2008. Christmas mornings will forever be a day of mourning for the Molina and Alanis families.
Lawsuit Financial provides strategic pre-settlement funding; we assist plaintiffs in paying important financial obligations while their cases are pending in litigation. . Wrongful death lawsuits are very contentious and often take years to resolve. Lawsuit Financial helps families through such difficult times; we are very sensitive to your needs. We offer free consultations to evaluate your case and financial needs. Contact us online or call 1-877-377-SUIT (784), toll free to speak with one of our lawsuit funding specialists. Losing a child is devastating to a parent. The management and staff of Lawsuit Financial Corporation extend their heartfelt sympathies to Mr. Molina and Ms. Alanis.


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Title: Elanor's Yuletide
Rating: G
Recipient: Thundera Tiger
Theme: 2010 Yule Fic Exchange
Elements - Request: I would love something cross-cultural. Anything set during the time period of LotR would also be fun. If people want character suggestions, I love anything involving Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf (or any one of those characters in combination with any other). But I'm not picky. The real request is just something cross-cultural.
Author's Notes : ThunderaTiger requested a "multicultural" Yule story. Hope this one fits the bill:)
Summary: A homesick Elanor Gamgee spends the season of Yule at Minas Tirith.
Word Count: 6,046
Elanor's Yuletide
"Is something wrong, Elanor?" the Princess Lúthien asked. "You look a bit…sad."
"I'm missing my brothers and sisters," the hobbit-lass replied with a deep sigh. "I do hope the little 'un will get itself born soon, so's we can go home at last…not that I haven't enjoyed myself here."
They sat in Elanor's chamber, which had a view of the gardens outside, and a large terrace on which stood many potted evergreens. It was wintertime, and starting to snow. Which only increased Elanor's homesickness.
"Oh, I'll just hate it when you go!" the Princess exclaimed reaching a fair hand to caress Elanor's honey-colored curls. "You should bring your whole family to live here. Won't your dad consider it?"
"I don't think my mum'd go for it," Elanor said. "She never would of come in the first place if she'd 'a known she was…expectin'…again."
"I think it's exciting that a hobbit-child is going to be born here, right in this very palace," Lúthien said. "They must be sooo tiny. I'd like one for my very own!"
Elanor laughed a little. "You've already a baby sister, y'know."
"Of course I have, and she's a love, but it's not the same. And you've…how many brothers and sisters now?"
"Eleven. Bless us, I can't even remember a time when there wasn't a new babe about the place. Seems all I've done my whole life long is look after babies, changing nappies, feeding, washing their clothes, amusin' 'em so Mum could get supper… I scarcely had a moment to myself. When Sam-dad said we was comin' here, just the three of us, I was fair dancin' for joy. And look at me now. Ain't I the fool, though?"
"Nay, you're a dear, and I won't know what to do with myself when you're gone," Lúthien said. She was seventeen, and so tall, Elanor appeared barely higher than baby Elwing next to her. Even after seven months, the hobbit-lass was still in awe of her. She was stunningly beautiful, with her glossy dark hair rippling far past her waist, her pale skin and dark-blue eyes and perfect cheekbones and full red lips, and so quick and graceful, it was hard to keep up with her. She was a trifle spoiled, but incorrigibly good-hearted, and fun to be with as well, with a spirit of daring and adventure that Elanor had rarely encountered before, and it had called out one of her own. At times the Princess seemed to regard the hobbit-lass as one of her many dolls come to life. She loved animals even more than dolls, and had dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and horses all her own. She would go out into the forest and try to charm birds out of trees, and run with the wild deer on her father's preserve. It was the Elf in her, he said a bit wistfully.
They had wonderful times all over the City, for her parents let her go her way, and they had met many interesting people and seen fascinating sights far and near. Elanor learned how to shoot, and had dancing and singing and drawing lessons, and also learned some Elvish, not that she ever expected to use it. She had gotten quite an education. Lúthien had even gotten a tattoo, depicting a tiny crescent moon and star, just above her left elbow, and had managed to persuade Elanor to get one also, of a little elanor blossom, on her upper arm.
And she'd had shoes made for Elanor, since the hobbit-lass was self-conscious of her feet, particularly after some urchins made fun of them. The Princess had set her mastiff on them, which sent them scrambling and shrieking, and then she'd taken Elanor straight to her own favorite shoemaker and had three pairs made for her. One of soft white leather embroidered with black and gold, laced up to her ankles, for best, with even little two-inch heels to them to make her look taller. And a little pair of stout brown boots for everyday wear, and another of sturdy black ones trimmed with fur, for wintertime. And several lovely frocks and fine underthings and stockings and nightgowns and coat and fur cape and muff, and trinkets some new and some that had belonged to the Princess herself.
Yet now Elanor felt she'd give anything to see her brothers and sisters again. Particularly now that the season of Yule was coming up very soon.
She tried to picture it in her mind. The candle making. Hundreds of beeswax and tallow candles, all hung up by the wicks in the washroom. Going out into the woods with wheelbarrows to gather holly and greenery, seeing who could find the biggest pinecones, snowball fights sure to erupt, Mum complaining that they'd brought back half the forest and where would they put it all? And the snow-hobbits they built in the yard, each one representing a Gamgee child, with sprigs of holly tucked in and scarves draped over. And then supper, roast goose with chestnut stuffing, fresh hot onion-rolls and butter, green peas and baked potatoes and plum pudding sprinkled with cream and sugar and ignited with brandy….
"I'll miss that the most," Elanor spoke aloud, forgetting she was not alone. "The plum-pudding, and the sweets, and…"
"Are you speaking of Yuletide?" Lúthien said. "We have a big party on the night of Yule, and there's a big dinner, and dancing, and the little ones have presents. Is that what you do in the Shire?"
"We don't have dancing, but we've games, like blindman's bluff, and such," Elanor said. "And we tell stories. About ghosts and such. Or funny things that happened in Yules past, and…"
"I'm not supposed to tell you this," Lúthien lowered her voice, "but…guess who's coming to our party?"
"Elboron?" Elanor said with a naughty twinkle in her hazel eyes, referring to Lord Faramir's son.
"Oh, he always comes," Lúthien said pinking a little and looking lovelier than ever. "It's someone your father knows, but you haven't met yet. Two someones."
"Not…Gimli and Legolas?" Elanor said. Lúthien's eyes fairly popped.
"The very ones!" she exclaimed. "You won't tell anyone I told you?"
"Not a soul," Elanor said, wishing she could feel more excited. "But why are you not supposed to tell me?"
"Because Ada and Nana wanted it to be a surprise," the Princess explained. "But I thought it might cheer you to know it, so I went ahead and told."
Elanor had to smile then.
She glanced absently at the drawings and paintings that hung all about the room--her own work. Some were pinned to the walls, some stood on easels or articles of furniture. They were mostly scenes from the countryside, and some houses and other buildings, and a few people. She could still remember how proud her dad had looked as he viewed them.
"You are so good to me," she said turning her eyes back to the Princess. "You've most spoilt me to death, and it's terrible ungrateful of me to be unhappy. But I do so miss my brothers and sisters--specially Frodo-lad, and Rosie-posie…Rosie-lass, I mean. She don't like to be called Rosie-posie any more. And Merry-lad and Pippin-lad, except they're such dreadful scamps, they'd have the whole City in an uproar if they was here. And Goldilocks--although she can talk the horns off a goat, Mum says. And…"
"You should have brought them all here," Lúthien said. "We could send out an invitation …but it's an awfully long way, isn't it?"
"Frightfully. They'd never be here in time for Yule. It's only a week away."
Elanor sat down hard on her bed with another sigh.
"Listen!" the Princess said sitting up in her chair a little straighter. "There's music playing in the grand hall! Come, let's dance."
She held out her hands to Elanor. Her gaiety was usually infectious, but not this time.
"I don't feel like it," Elanor said. "You dance, maybe it will cheer me."
So the Princess whirled about, in her crimson velvet frock and her golden embroidered slippers and gold jingly bracelets, and she did a little comic step, leaping up onto the chair, with a graceful flutter of her arms in imitation of a bird, then leaping off, flapping wildly in feigned dismay as she failed to take flight, then landed in a crumpled heap on the floor, sprawling out with a silly expression as the music ended, then scrambling up again and taking a little bow. It drew a giggle from the hobbit-lass.
"May I have this one, my pretty dove?" the Princess asked as the musicians began playing another, slower tune, extending a hand languidly to Elanor, who smiled and rose to take it.
Legolas and Gimli arrived two nights before Yuletide. Lord Faramir and his eldest son Elboron had arrived earlier that day—the rest of the family would be there tomorrow. The Queen's brothers Elladan and Elrohir sat with Legolas and Gimli in the big room near the huge fireplace that nearly took up the entire west wall, while Lord Faramir sat with the King and his servant Beregond, Beregond's son Bergil with his wife and their four little lads, as servants brought trays of goodies and flagons of ale and flowing bowls all about. Sam and Rosie sat with the King and Queen, Lúthien and Elanor close by, directly across from Elboron and his father. Loud talk and music and laughter abounded. Garlands of holly and evergreen festooned the room and candles stood about here and there with a merry flicker throughout the evening.
Elanor's spirits began to rise a little, especially when her dad told of how he had stepped on a mousetrap in the pantry in the dark one morning, only to find the trap contained a lively guest, and as the mouse started squealing Sam was wide awake doing the finest high kicks in the dark, managing to kick a couple of pans off the stove and almost everything off the table, and the dog started beating on the door wanting out because he must have thought something very large and in charge was eating Sam up and he wanted no part of it. Then Rosie had come in with a candle to see what in the name of all that was righteous was going on, and she bellowed with laughter to see her husband dancing around the kitchen in his unmentionables with the mousetrap still stuck to his toe, its previous occupant having escaped and fled. The whole room was now howling, even the smallest ones who had not really understood all Sam was saying were giggling, and Lúthien looked a little sad saying, "Poor mouse!" and Elanor laughed a little and then agreed. After a good deal of ale he was persuaded to tell the story again for Bergil's little sons, doing his high kicks for them, and soon they were rolling about the floor fairly screaming. Rosie did not look too pleased then. She patted her swollen belly as if trying to quiet its occupant.
After the smallest ones were hustled off to bed, Gimli proposed a game often played by Dwarves at Yuletide.
"'Tis called Flap-dragon," he said. "You fill a flaming bowl with raisins, and you snatch the raisins out of the bowl and toss them high and catch them in your mouth. 'Tis best to have the lights low, so's to see the blue and purple flames all the better. Who's got such a bowl and raisins?"
The cook grinned knowingly and said they had raisins in abundance, although they were for the Yule puddings.
"But we can spare a few, more'n likely," he said with a wink, and lumbered out to fetch them, while the other guests laughed uncertainly. Rosie said it was the foolishest thing she ever heard; she'd just like to see any of her own young 'uns trying it, with a warning look at Elanor.
"She'll try most anything once, that lass," she said.
"Well, I don't think I shall try this," Elanor defended herself, feeling her tattoo tickling her arm under her silk sleeve. "I don't wish to burn my nice frock, nor my pretty lace mitts."
"Well, just never let our Merry-lad and Pippin-lad hear of it," Rosie said. "You KNOW what them two'll do."
"There's a lucky raisin, that has a golden ball attached," Gimli said. "Whoever gets that one, gets his wish granted. Or her wish, if it so be."
"Mayhap I'll try it then," Lúthien said with a soft glance in Elboron's direction, which the lad affected not to see.
"I think not," her mother said. "'Tis not very ladylike for a Princess, I should say. This one is better left to the menfolk. And…" she looked meaningly at her daughter, "I dare say you'll get your wish without it, my lass, in due time."
Lúthien pinked prettily. Elanor stifled a giggle.
Cook managed to wedge a small coin into a large raisin, which he tossed into the brandy-filled bowl with all the others and set aflame. Everyone gasped, then waited for someone to make the first move. And Gimli stepped forward, and began to chant:
Here he comes with flaming bowl,
Don't he mean to take his toll,
Snip! Snap! Dragon!
Take care you don't take too much,
Be not greedy in your clutch,
Flip! Flap! Dragon!
With his blue and lapping tongue
Many of you will be stung,
Snip! Snap! Dragon!
For he snaps at all that comes
Snatching at his feast of plums,
Flip! Flap! Dragon!
Elanor held her breath, watching to see if he would really do it. The Dwarf looked at all the others with twinkling eyes, then calmly reached into the flaming bowl and snatched a raisin, tossed it high into the air and caught it in his mouth. His face grew very red and his cheeks bulged, his eyes tearing up, and he made grunting sounds in his throat and spun about a time or two, while Legolas calmly rose to fetch him a glass of cool cider from a tray. But Gimli waved it disdainfully away, and swallowed the raisin, coughing a little, but managing to keep it down. All cheered and applauded, including Elanor.
"There now!" Gimli said looking most proud of himself. "That wasn't so bad now, was it!"
"Did you get the lucky raisin?" inquired Elladan, looking greatly amused.
"Nay, I didn't," the Dwarf said. "But maybe next time! Now. Who'll be next? Is there an Elf who's willing to try what a mere Dwarf did without a second thought? Or what of a King?"
He winked at Aragorn, who grinned but made no move."Or a hobbit?" Gimli turned to look at Sam.
"Nay," Sam said with a smile. "I got all I could wish for already. Well…save for one thing. And beggin' your pardon, Master Gimli, but I don't think there's enough burnin' raisins or gold coins in the whole wide world to make it come true."
Lúthien looked questioningly at Elanor, who just shook her head and looked downward.
Legolas said he would try it. And he just as calmly plucked the burning raisin, tossed it high in the air and caught it in his mouth, and the others could distinctly hear it hiss, yet Legolas swallowed it with a minimal amount of effort.
"Tasty," he said nodding his approval. "But no gold coin. This is not my lucky night."
The twins, not to be outdone, had their turn, and Cook even offered to try, but lost his nerve before he could put his fingers in the bowl, and backed off sheepishly as the others laughed and teased him. Then Elboron stepped up and announced he would try. He glanced at his father with a questioning look, as though asking permission, and Lord Faramir smiled.
"Try your luck, my lad, if you must," he said with a grin. "But I dare say you won't try it twice."
"At least I'll try once," Elboron said with a daring wink at his father.
Suddenly Lúthien ran to Elboron before he could reach the bowl and whispered something in his ear. The boy's grey eyes widened, then he turned a little so Elanor could no longer see his face, and went to the bowl. After a long hesitation, he quickly reached into the flames, snatched out his fingers again with a yelp and put them in his mouth, amid laughter from the others and a sound of dismay from one of the ladies. Then he licked all the fingers of his other hand, and after another hesitation thrust it into the bowl, this time not coming up empty-fingered. He flung the raisin high into the air and caught it in his mouth, then quickly spit it out once more and grabbed for the glass of cider. With a little exclamation Lúthien bent and picked up the raisin from the floor.
"The coin!" she cried holding it up for all to see. "The lucky raisin!"
Then she smiled adoringly at Elboron, who looked in abashment at all the others, who were cheering once more.
"What did you wish for?" his father asked.
"I…I think I'm not supposed to tell," the boy stammered, raising his dark eyebrows at Gimli.
"Nay, you can tell us, laddie," the Dwarf said. "Or shall we guess?" He glanced meaningly at Lúthien.
"I wish…" Elboron looked at Lúthien also, and then…he looked over at Elanor. "I wish…although I don't think it's likely to come true…" He stopped, looking a bit foolish.
"Tell her," Lúthien said in a loud whisper.
"I wish for Elanor's brothers and sisters to be here at Yuletide," he finally said in a rush.
Everyone was quiet all of a sudden. Lúthien sprang up and kissed Elboron impulsively on the cheek.
Elanor knew not which way to look. Then she looked to her parents, who were still sitting next to the King and Queen. Faramir looked at his son with some displeasure and puzzlement.
Elboron looked to Lúthien, asking with his eyes for her to get him out of the embarrassing predicament she had put him in.
"But my dear lad," the Queen said, "they would never get here in time for Yuletide; 'tis day after tomorrow, after all. Perhaps they could come down next month? We can send out an escort and bring them all up…and then they might get to see their new little brother or sister, who's due by then. What say you to that, my love?" she asked her husband.
"Why, I would dearly love to see all the Gamgee children again," Lord Aragorn said. "Let it be done then, if the Gamgees are willing. We will send the escort at Mettarë."
Lúthien gave a cry of joy and pulled Elanor to her feet, and both girls danced about the room as a musician began playing a lively tune on his fiddle.
And later in the evening, Elboron got another kiss…full on the lips this time.
All the following morning, as they went for a walk in the snow after breakfast, Lúthien seemed in a daze, and Elanor found it hard communicating with her.
"I thought surely he would propose last night," the Princess sighed. "I was so certain I saw a spark of love in his eyes. I hope he doesn't mean to make me pine away with longing for all eternity! What if he loves another, and was only trifling with me? Or he became disillusioned, and decided I was only a spoilt princess with a pretty face and naught else, and he could do better? Or maybe he found out about my tattoo…"
"Mayhap he don't think he's old enough yet," Elanor suggested. "Or mayhap he's waitin' for just the right moment. Surely he don't wish to propose in front of one and all?"
"Oh, but of course you're right," Lúthien said with an ecstatic smile, stooping down to embrace Elanor and kiss her forehead. "My comforting little friend! What would I ever do without you?"
Elboron had gone on The Hunt, along with his father and Beregond and Legolas and Gimli and the twins. They hoped to bring back a boar, so as to grace the Yule table with its head tomorrow.
"We should have gone with them," the Princess murmured as they resumed their walk. "It would have been just magnificent!"
"But you don't like to kill critters," Elanor reminded her.
"Oh, I wouldn't bring my bow," Lúthien said. "I would just…be there. For inspiration, you know."
Elanor laughed. "You already have a boar anyway. Why do you need another'n? There won't be so many folks at the party, will they?"
"Oh, there will be a great many. And if there is aught left over, we give it to the poor. I hope Radagast will come. I did tell you that he sometimes dresses in a red robe and mask and passes out gifts to the little ones at Yule?"
"Aye, you did. Is he coming this year?"
"I don't know. He doesn't tell when he is coming. When he doesn't, Cook plays the part…for all he's so fat."
Elanor laughed, then sobered. "In the Shire," she said, "at Yule, folks carry gifts to the poor at night and leave them on their doorstoop. They collect toys that children have outgrown and go about with a wheelbarrow full and leave them. Sam-dad says Mister Bilbo used to do that, and Mister Frodo would go with him when he came to live with him. That's what started it all. But in our family, our toys were never in any shape to give away, 'cos they got passed down and played with so much. I al'ays wished I had more to give."
She stood thoughtfully in the snow, looking out to the snow-capped mountains in the distance. Then back at the Palace.
"Wait!" she cried. "I do have aught to give!"
And impulsively she turned back and broke into a run, the Princess following after her at a trot. Elanor raced through the garden, nearly slipping and falling, but not stopping, and tore over the terrace back to the room she had been given, Lúthien still close behind her. The hobbit-lass then stopped, breathlessly, looking around her room at all the paintings and drawings that littered the little room.
"I can give these!" she said. "We can use my, what's it called again? To put them into."
"Your portfolio," the Princess said. "But do you really want to give them away?"
"Well…I have plenty, and I can al'ays make more. But…d'ye suppose folks will like 'em?"
"I'm sure they would. I wish I had something to give also! But it's late to go out and buy things, and I don't know what shops would be open today."
"There's your dolls," Elanor reminded her. "You don't play with them now, do you?"
"Oh, but…" Lúthien sat down in dismay, still in her fur-trimmed coat and luxuriant cloak and muff. "I've had them so long and everything, and…"
"And Elwing's too little for them now," Elanor said. "And you have so many, surely…"
The Princess studied her for a long moment.
"Oh," she said at last, "you're right--again! I should give them away. I AM a spoilt princess, and Elboron is perfectly justified in not wishing to commit himself! Come and help me gather them up, dearest! Oh, this will be fun…"
"What about lads' toys?" Elanor said. "Mayhap Eldarion would give some of his old toys?"
Eldarion, Lúthien's elder brother, had joined the army the previous year. He hoped to be home on the day of Yule, but had yet to show.
"He'd be hopping mad if we took his things without asking," Lúthien said thoughtfully. "But I've plenty of boy-dolls and man-dolls. Some dressed as soldiers, and pirates, and sailors and such. I'm sure lads would like those, wouldn't you think?"
And they dashed into Lúthien's luxurious suite of rooms, two of which were entirely devoted to the dolls. Her collection was astonishing. There were wooden dolls, rag dolls, wax dolls, porcelain dolls, some enormous, some tiny, from every nation in Middle-earth, and even from Harad and other foreign lands. Some were ugly, with fierce little faces and pot bellies; Eldarion called them orc-dolls. And there were baby-dolls and mother-dolls and father-dolls and grandparent-dolls and princess-dolls and witch-dolls and every other kind of doll you could imagine, standing on shelves, some stowed away in boxes, drawers, and chests, some of the best ones decorating Lúthien's bed-chamber and study. Elanor wondered how she could concentrate with all those eyes a looking at her.
"We'll have to take one of the wagons--maybe two," Lúthien said. "Or what about a sleigh? If it snows much more, we may need to."
"Let's do!" Elanor exclaimed. "Oh, it's been so long since I've been on a sleigh-ride! I can't wait for night-fall!"
It took a great deal of doing to choose the dolls and find bags to put them in, and slip out without anyone seeing them and wondering what they were up to. Lúthien did worry momentarily that Elboron might come back from the Hunt and wonder where she had gotten off to, and fear that she'd given him the slip or met with an accident.
"What if he goes home without telling me?" she fretted, at one point. "Perhaps we should leave him a note, telling him I will return…but would that be too forward?"
"There's no need to worry," Elanor assured her. "And he will be most proud of you, when he finds out what we've been about?"
"What if he falls for you instead?" Lúthien gasped. "It was your idea, after all. I love you dearly, but I could never bear that!"
"Don't be so silly," Elanor laughed. "How could he possibly fall for me? I don't even come up to…his belt-buckle. And you are the beautifulest lass in all of Middle-earth. He could never be such a fool as to prefer me to you. Why, if he ever saw my feet, he'd fall right over on the spot, for sure."
"Aye, I'm being a silly," Lúthien laughed also. "Likely you've a sweetheart of your own, just awaiting you in the Shire. Or dozens of suitors."
"Only Toby Gawkroger, and he's so tiresome, al'ays talkin' of his dad, and what all he's a goin' to do when they go into business together," Elanor said shaking her head in exasperation. "Forever goin' on 'bout how rich he's goin' to get. Just like old Mister Bilbo, only he won't have to go on any daffy adventures to make his fortune, he says."
"Why, I'd think you'd have more than just him," Lúthien said. "You're so very pretty and smart, and your father is so famous."
"Not many fellows 'ud want a sweetheart with so many brothers and sisters," Elanor sighed. "I may end up an old maid, doomed to watch after everyone's young 'uns but my own."
"You'll do no such thing," the Princess assured her as they hustled the last of the bags out. Fortunately everyone was so busy inside, the girls managed to complete their task without anyone taking much notice of them. "I just know you'll find someone worthy of you, and you'll both be someone very important someday. And then when will I ever see you again?"
The rest of Elboron's family arrived in the afternoon: his mother the Lady Éowyn, his fifteen-year-old sister Finduilas, and his little brothers Theoden and Eorl, aged eight and six. Finduilas, a tall, thin, leggy lass with long yellow hair like her mother's, was let in on the plan, and she said, in her blunt way, that she thought it was daft, but she'd help them out if they wanted. She said they might even use their draught-horse, since he was of stronger stock, and they all went skating later on, so no one should suspect their plot. None of them even noticed when the hunters returned, singing, with a good-sized boar tied to the pole the twins carried on their shoulders.
Instead of leaving the toys on the doorsteps, where they might get stolen, Lúthien suggested bringing them indoors. "We'll get to see their faces then," she said. She seemed more excited about the activity than she did about Elboron's return. Elanor felt herself getting more and more excited as well. And a little frightened. Lúthien had brought her mastiff, Mumak, along, just in case they needed some protection, as well as her sword and shield…there were a few ruffians running about loose in the city, she said. But Elanor did not think they need worry on that account; they would not likely approach the girls with that huge dog there. She could easily have ridden him like a pony, she thought. Yet once she had seen little Elwing asleep with her silvery head upon his enormous flank as though he were one of her stuffed toys.
"What if someone comes looking for us?" Finduilas asked. Elanor had been thinking the same thing.
"I left a note for Ada telling him what we were doing," Lúthien said as she slapped the reins down on the big horse, and Mumak started to follow. "He's told me more than once that I ought to give away some of my dolls. Well, tonight I'm doing just that."
"Here is our first stop," she said as they paused at the sixth level, in front of a small house with rather poorly lighted windows. "I know the folk who live here. They are Master Hildor the locksmith, his wife and three little ones, two girls and a boy. I think the youngest is about three… Findi, will you mind the horse while Elanor and I go in? We will have no trouble with him, I'm sure, although he likes to drink rather more than what is good for him, or so I've heard tell."
As it happened, Master Hildor was out, and his wife and children were sitting down to a rather dismal supper. Elanor had a feeling the mother was not too pleased with the gifts, but the children, particularly the older girl, who was about six, fairly went wild over the dolls. The boy was given a soldier-doll, at which he gawked so hard, Elanor had trouble to restrain a giggle. At the same time she thought they might have done better to bring food.
"You are invited to our Yule-party tomorrow," Lúthien said to the mother. "It's about five in the afternoon."
"We've naught to wear to no party," the woman said stiffly.
"There's no need to dress up," the Princess assured her. "Just come for a bite of something good, and there'll be sweets for the little ones. We would love to see you there."
The mother shrugged.
"Oh, and here is something for you," Elanor spoke up, handing her a rolled-up drawing. It was of the Temple, done in crayon. The woman stared at it in astonishment, then at Elanor.
"Thank you, child," she said at last, some of the hardness dissolving from her eyes.
It was quite late when the girls finally decided it was time to turn back, even though they still had plenty of dolls left and had scarcely covered a third of the City. They could give out the rest tomorrow or day after, Lúthien said.
Their parents made quite a fuss over them after hearing of their exploit, and ordered them into a hot bath immediately. Elanor took her bath in a different room than the others, feeling self-conscious of her hobbit-body. Her mum came in, with big towels and a tankard of hot cider, saying she'd never heard of such goings-on, what under the sun, moon and stars had gotten into her?
"I was just in-introducin' a Shire-custom here," Elanor explained as her mother scrubbed at her back with a rough sponge. "The folks liked my paintin's a lot," she giggled.
"I don't care what you thought you was doin', li'l missy," Rosie said. "I don't want to hear of you ever doin' such a thing again, you hear me?"
"But we've still lots of dolls left, Mum."
"Let someone else do it then. You're just a young 'un, you'll catch your death, you will, runnin' about in dead of night amongst who knows what kind of riff-raff! Can't hardly wait till we're back home agin and livin' like normal folks, 'stead of royal 'uns that takes queer notions into their heads and puts 'em in yourn too. First it's boots, then it's lucky raisins, and now this…and what's this mark on your arm, pray tell?"
"Oh…it's…special ink, Mummy. I accident'ly dripped some on my arm one day when I was drawin', and it took the shape of a flower before I could think. The Princess said it would come off by an' by, and…Mum, are you all right?"
Rosie was clutching at her belly with that grimace with which Elanor was all too familiar by now…as the pungent liquid splattered down between her feet on the tiled floor beneath.
Yet the baby wasn't due for another month!
Elanor scrambled out of the tub, snatched a towel and hastily wrapped it around herself, then burst out of the bath-chamber dripping wet and barefoot, calling for help.
It was Lady Éowyn who delivered the baby, which was even tinier than Lúthien had anticipated, the size of a kitten, she said later. It frightened her to look at it, she said. It frightened Elanor even more, to think she might have been the cause of its premature birth. She sat silently in an adjoining chamber with her dad and Lúthien, not caring that she had forgotten to put on any shoes, while the King and Lady Éowyn worked with Rosie behind the closed door, carrying bowls of water and towels and vials of liquid and powders and steaming pans of water with dried leaves floating on them. Elboron hung helplessly, pacing up and down the hall, then saying as how his youngest brother was born sooner than he was supposed to be and he'd turned out fine, and little Elwing's nurse came to attend to the tiny newborn, feeding it with drops of warm goat's milk. Finally Elanor could no longer sit still and she got up and went to the nurse and asked if she could hold her little brother for a bit. The nurse very carefully put the wee one into her arms, into which it fitted quite well, all wrapped up in a soft blanket that looked little bigger than a pocket-handkerchief, Elboron noted. He offered to finish with delivering the dolls, but his father said no, it was past midnight, tomorrow perhaps.
Lúthien just gazed at Elanor holding the baby. And Elboron stood gazing at Lúthien.
Elanor tried to think of a lullaby, but could not recall any that seemed appropriate at the moment. And so she ended up making up one of her own.
Welcome little brother of mine
Welcome to the lovely world
So many wondrous things you'll find here
Like rainbow banners unfurled.
You'll have golden leaves for jumpin' in
when autumn's splendour doth unfold
Berries to pick in the springing of the year
Snowfolk to build in the winter's cold
Waters to wade in when the sun burns your face
Games to play with friends so dear
Late in the night when the stars do shine
Fireworks to see and scary tales to hear.
Welcome little brother of mine
Sleepin' in my arms in this warm bright room
Although you be no bigger than a kitten now
Soon you'll grow just like a rose in bloom….
She made many more verses, not caring if they were good or not. Some were downright silly. Yet by and by, the little one was sleeping peacefully in her arms, its wee head in the palm of her hand, its breathing grew regular, save for an occasional hiccup. And it seemed the whole house was filled with soft singing and the light of countless candles, as though the spirits of Lúthien's dolls had all gathered in the gentlest possible anticipation of the dawn and wishes fulfilled.


text:
Carrie Dann
NBC News
September 1, 2013
A leading skeptic of U.S. intervention in conflicts abroad said Sunday that that he believes there is only a "50/50" chance that the GOP-controlled House will vote to authorize the use of U.S military force in the Syria.
"I think it's at least 50/50 whether the House will vote down involvement in the Syrian war," Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said on NBC's Meet the Press.
"I think the Senate will rubber stamp what [Obama] wants but I think the House will be a much closer vote," he added. "And there are a lot of questions we have to ask."
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text:
|Every nut can be opened and my friend will find personal notes in them.
|The notes has images of walnuts on them as well as the text.
|A sterling silver walnut in a key chain as a reminder each day.
|Placed in their special box and the extra nut to open on her day.
Thank you for beeing my friend and for the joy you give me every day. And for your love and appreciation. You´re the best, dear!!!
|All wrapped to go - with an almond to cheer it up.


text:
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