LotR Movies Back in Theatres

So, I just learned that the Peter Jackson LotR movies are due to be back in theatres in June. Since the dates given for this Fantom event are June 8th thr 10th, I assume it's be one film per night for three nights, like this:

June 8th:  

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING.

June 9th: 

THE TWO TOWERS.

June 10th:

THE RETURN OF THE KING.

I'm not sure, but it sounds like it'll be extended cuts --though whether the currently available Director's Cut will be used or a different version I don't know.

I'll certainly be seeing them on the big screen again.

--John R.

The Cat Report

Glad to learn that Baseball has gone to his new home and by now is getting to know his new people.

The cat room now has three cats: senior cat Bettie Boop, who tends to toggle between  wanting affection and acting grumpy. She thought about coming out several times but ended up staying in all shift. 

Bonded pair Maverick and Goose couldn’t be more different. The yellow cat (Goose) stayed in the cat-igloo all shift. I reached in and petted him a bit but decided forcing him out wd get everything off on a bad foot

The grey cat (Maverick) had two micro-walks of maybe ten seconds each time. He did pretty good for just-arrived /new place / with people he didn’t know.  He might turn out to be a really good walker once he settles in and becomes comfortable in the new place.

We do have one small puzzle: Goose might be a repeater. Several volunteers remember Goose as having been in our adoption room before, years back. I don’t, but that may be because I was in the Tukwila cat room, not the Renton room. In any case, glad to see Purrfect Pals’ take-them-back policy pays off.

 —John R.

 

My Newest Publication: DARK TOWER

So, 

So,  one of the things I saw at GaryCon that interested me greatly was the new expanded edition of DARK TOWER, by the late great Jennnell Jaquays.  Not only is this one of the great modules from the early days of D&D, but I'd contributed a short note of appreciation to this new edition.  I won't repeat here what I said there, so I'll just reprint the Table of Contents to give an idea of what the frontmatter is like.

 I got to look at it briefly at the Dealers' Room at GaryCon and am  looking forward to the arrival of my contributor's copy for a longer look. About a year or so ago I had the opportunity to run the original as a short campaign for our regular Saturday night gaming group, who indulged me by letting me run it under the original 1st edition rules. I was quite an experience slipping back into the 1st edition AD&D mindset, and reminded me of just what I liked so much about that version of the game. 

We didn't quite finish it, and I suspect our stopping point where we abandoned the adventure is the same as  many another group: right at the time the lich became aware of our presence and made it clear it was about to enjoy having a new batch of adventurers to let loose his powers and his minions upon. 

So thanks for that moment, Jennell, and thanks for all the quirky NPCs and vivid villains. 

And for those who have never played it, give it a go sometime and get a taste of one of the expressions of oldstyle D&D at its best.

--John R.

This Cat Likes Catnip

So, some cats like catnip and some don't.  Some really, really like it and some can take it or leave it. And then there's some who will abandon all dignity for the chance to really let go.

Witness Boop (Betty Boop), a senior cat currently looking for a new person.

  Others, like Baseball, let you know when the petting session shd end.

Thanks to JC for the photos

--John R.

Writing to Inklings

So, thanks to the Tolkien Society (thanks, Asli), I now have the link to my Oxonmoot paper, recounting my meetings and correspondence with a half dozen or so Inklings or what we may call Inklings-adjacent figures. Included are Humphrey Havard, Owen Barfield, David Cecil, Mrs. Tangye Lean,  J.  I. M. Stewart, and Christopher Wiseman. 

Also, revealed at last is the history behind the notorious 'Nerd Nyren'.

 Included are slides of some previously unpublished photos. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQeQ5Hmq9mo

--John R

current reading: uncollected and unfinished ghost stories by M. R. James  (re-reading)