Today has been a relatively good day! I got up ... pretty late and decided to actually go out and get some sun. So I loaded up some food, some stuff to read, got dressed for the occasion and headed out to a secluded spot. I spread out my blanket, put on some sun screen, got my magazine out and settled down for a while. I read for what seemed like a really long time, but somehow I didn't get very far into the 'zine. After a little while, a family showed up to play on the playground on the other side of the pavillion. Didn't bother me too much because I really couldn't see them, and they couldn't see me. However, after a little while longer, some other people showed up and came within 20 feet of me. I decided it was time to go, as I just wasn't very comfortable with them cooking out and me being so close to their party. So I left and went to wash my car. I didn't get it very clean, but I did get most of the dirt off and most of the glass chalk off the back window which was left by the soccer girls.

I came home and later decided to go to the grocery store since I was very very low on food. Of course I totally forgot my list, so I resorted to walking every aisle. This has its ups and downs because you get to see all the food and remember what was on the list, but also you just start picking food off the shelf ... So now I have a lot of food. :o)

After putting away the groceries, I watched NCIS and then put in LOTR: Return of the King. Being my luck, Katharine owns the extended version. And I think by extended, they mean, an extra hour of footage. Wow that thing was 250 minutes long!! And if you do good math, then that's a little over 4 hours long!! What a great story. I probably finished a little early because I fast forwarded through the spider parts. (shudder)

The last 15 minutes of the movie was wonderful. Gandalf returns to the Shire to take the four Hobbitses and Bilbo to Rivendale. They are taking Bilbo to board the last ship to leave Middle Earth. It's a great part of the movie, very moving. There is a twist, however; Frodo is going too. His friends do not know this, and they are visibly torn by his departure. Frodo says some words about how the intention of their adventure was to save the Shire, which they had accomplished. He adds that the Shire is not his anymore, but Sam's. As Frodo says goodbye to his friends, there are hugs and tears shared by all. He turns toward the ship and boards. End movie.

As this played out, I must admit, that I shared tears with the Hobbitses as well. I couldn't help but think about how, one day, I too will leave the Shire. The Shire belongs to someone else other than me, and there is a whole new adventure waiting outside of Middle Earth. Tears and hugs will be shared by friends and I will turn away and board my ship.

Gosh I pray for that day . . . but tomorrow I will wake up in the Shire and I will have my own adventures here at home.