About the rope trick: it's an Elvish rope, and you know how Sam is about Elves. I think he believes the Elves and their magic can make just about anything happen.

This seemingly small occurence, where a minor miracle seems to happen, may just be the beginnings of Sam's amazing ability to maintain hope. Sam has seen so much that he thought was impossible on this journey that he is willing to believe almost anything--he *does* believe in miracles. It is this belief that gets him through the difficulties to come. It is the source of his (for lack of a better term) faith. It carries him all the way past Mount Doom and home again.

Frodo, on the other hand, has no hope. He abandoned hope when he crossed the Great River, and is operating on determination and a sense of duty. I'm still working my way into this idea, but I think the Ring has already stolen his hope. The Elven rope gives him the physical means of continuing on, but also its elvish virtue restores a little of his spiritual strength. For a little while. I've gotta go with the magic rope theory--there's too much evidence in its favor.

PJ and the boys are thrilled to run into a group of
TORnsibs at the Applebee's in Maumee, Ohio.