The Doctor

Happiest of Birthdays, Kendra! A celebration worthy of the day, indeed! Glad you got the card.

Incredibly relieved and happy!!! The vet gave Selena a new oral med for her arthritis pain, and she responded almost immediately! Her walk is almost back to normal, and she jumped from the floor to the chair in the examining room. She's comfortable and happy - and still with us!!! Drinks all around!! :) :)

Music: Alan Parsons Project Pink Floyd Ian MacFarlane My Lady's Cutlass The Eagles The Collected Works of Mozart The Collected Woks of Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer Books: "The Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe" Pleasure: Some of the best ganga the world has ever known I can build a fast enough pirogue...

I tried the "Post-Buid 12" updates from "Pirates Ahoy!", and all I can say is avoid it like the bloody plague! It's buggy, poorly managed, and completely ruins the game. That's what happens when gamers run the show instead of pyrate purists. I can provide anyone who wants it with the "pristine" Build 12. Just drop me an email. You folks know me well enough to know this isn't sour grapes on my part. I love this game, and I'm shocked at what's happened to it. Oh, well. Another great idea ruined.

Jack held up his hands, to hopefully calm the most excitable Holy Man. "Monsignor, I meant no disrespect, assuredly. Your metrics are no doubt spot on. Given that, I'll beg your pardon..." Jack raced past the Padre to the gun deck, and loudly announced "The four of you - yes, you! Sweep forward, two to starboard, two to larboard!" He wheeled, pointing with his pistol, "And you four! Sweep aft, two starboard, two larboard! Leave nothing unturned! Check the most unlikely of places!! I want the intruder, and I want him now!!!"

Seeing Monsignor Diego at the entrance to the companionway, Jack beat back toward the disheveled cleric. "Monsignor, you said that someone grabbed your boot, yeah? Where, in your stride upon the stairway, did that occur? Was it your right or left boot they took hold of?" Jack barraged the Monsignor with questions, knowing full well he may never know the answer. But any clue was worth it's weight in gold.

Diet Smith!

Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin

Thanks. Her appointment is for Saturday at Noon. I'll be with my baby girl through the whole thing. Lots of kisses for her pretty little head. I'm not going to talk about this anymore, if you don't mind.

Reviewing a "Due Diligence" document for transferring work from the U.S. to Argentina.

Jack hovered at the Sickbay door, watching the Doctor begin her preliminary examination of Kendra. He could feel the hulking form of Simon behind him, but he paid no attention. The Surgeon turned and peered over her glasses at the broosding Master-At-Arms. "Monsieur, your concern is appreciated. But propriety demands that you return to your duties, s'il vous plait?" She smiled and nodded her head as if to say "She'll be all right." "Thank you, Doctor. I shall leave you to your ministrations. Miss Kendra." Jack bowed from the waist, and turning, shut the door. He started off toward the Armoury when Simon's huge hand gently took hold of his shoulder. Jack turned and face the man. "Miss Kendra is all I really have in this world, Mr. St. Anthony. The thought of not... Of her... I'm sorry, sir. I know you don't care for me..." Simon's voice almost cracked as he spoke, and his eyes were welling with tears. Jack stepped forward and placed a steadying hand on Simon's arm. For a moment, he marveled at how childlike his hand looked compared to the giant's arm. "Simon, do not think for a moment that I do not like you. Your sense of duty to Miss Kendra is honorable beyond words. It is I who believed you do not care for me. But please understand; I wish only the best for her, and I do feel.... protective of her. She will be fine. Our Surgeon is quite gifted in her arts. And I would be most honored, indeed, if I could call you my friend, Simon. You are a good man, sir." Simon smiled, and straightened as much as he could in the cramped companionway. "We're crewmates, Mr. St. Anthony! Of course, you are my friend. Miss Kendra is very important to me, and I have to protect her. And she's so pretty and fragile, and men are always nosing about... I'm sorry if I've been disrespectful, sir." Jack smiled broadly. "No harm, no foul; eh, mate? I understand your feelings, and I respect your station. We are friends." He extended his hand, and hid the wince of pain as Simon took it and vigorously returned the handshake. "Now, do us a favour, and stand guard at the door to the Surgery, my friend. I need to find whoever has infiltrated our ship and deal with them. If you are guarding the Surgery, you'll be close to Miss Kendra and helping me immeasurably. And for that I shall be most greatful," Jack asked of the massive man. Simon nodded, and said assuringly "Aye, Mr. St. Anthony. I shall not leave my post." "Good man, and thank you" replied Jack. He turned and headed off to the Armoury as Simon settled into guard duty.

Sad, because I have to put down Selena, my oldest kittie. She's developed crippling arthritis and she can hardly walk. I won't have her suffer.

drinking!

Within moments, Jack was hot on the heels of the Quartermaster, pistol drawn and ready. As they reached the source of the commotion, they found a dazed Diego, and Simon, crouched over the weak form of Kendra. The giant's face was ashen with fear for the well-being of his charge. Kendra herself was stirring, regaining awareness. Just how badly she was injured remained to be seen.

Jack led his search team below and into the belly of the ship. They scoured the aft section of the main hold, finding everything there to be in place and unmolested. They moved toward the stern, hoping to corner or at least crowd out the intruder. They came upon the pump room, and Jack quickly swung the door open, pistol leveled and ready. The only person there was Scully, still chained, and still defiant. "Mr. Scully... No doubt these accomodations are luxurious indeed for a man of your standing, but you appear to be adjusting." Scully glared, refusing to speak. "Tell me, good sir; has anyone been in here for any reason other than to feed you?" Scully's eyes narrowed. "Yes, dere vas a girl. Dat pretty little steward of d' Captain's..." Jack stepped quickly in from of the foul Dutchman, his knife in hand. "Answer me, or I shall have your tongue for shining my boots." "All right! I saw nobody! Nobody but what brings me d' food and d' slop bucket! I rot here. Dat's all I do!" Scully was truly frightened and apparently telling the truth. Jack lowered the knife, as if intent on taking a different trophy. "If you are lying to me..." Scully pressed himself a hard as he could against the bulkhead. "No! You hear me talk? It's de truth!" "I believe you, Mr. Scully." Jack said as he sheathed his dagger. And without warning, Jack grabbed Scully by the nose with the first and second fingers of his right hand close to the knuckles, and twisted sharply. All present in the room could hear the wet pop and crunch of Scully's nasal bone breaking. "That was for Miss Smith." Jack's party continued sweeping the lower deck of the ship, their efforts yielding neither the Captain nor Augustus Miller. Frustrated, Jack posted guards at the only possible exit points to the topside. As he reached the main deck, he saw Mr. Youngblood's men returning topside as well, equally emptyhanded. Continuing on to the quarterdeck, Jack made his report to Mr. Lasseter. "Aye, sir. Every nook and cranny, even the foulest of places. The Captain is not on board. Say the word, and we shall turn the ship over twice more, just to be certain." Mr. Lasseter was doing everything to contain his frustration, anger, and concern, when he spied a bit of blood on Jack's hand. "Laddie, ye need to be seeing the Doctor for that?" Jack looked at his hand, and shook his head in the negative. "It's not mine, sir. When we searched the bilges, I had a few questions for our guest, Mr. Scully. He was cooperative enough. Nothing the Doctor should worry herself about. It was a long way from his heart."

Jack's blood ran cold as he heard the news of the Captain's disappearance. There was no time to think about might have happened. He drew one of his pistols from his belt and addressed his men. "Right! You've heard the Quartermaster. We search in tight groups, no one is to go off alone. Mr. Youngblood! Please be good enough to take these four with you to search the forward sections. I shall take these four and search aft. Keep a sharp eye, all of you! And I want this person alive, if at all possible." Jack adjusted the sheath of his sharpest dagger. "I shall have some very pointed questions to ask. Stealth and speed, men!" And with that, the two search parties moved quickly to try and ferret out the intruder...

Happy that Firefly is sold, and full of anticipation that Ace might be sold in the next month... I love my horses, but they all (except Apollo) carry a price on their heads. We'll see what unfolds. :)

The bread is in it's final proof before baking, and the majority of the "sous chef" work is complete on the gumbo. Time for a short break. :)

Don't You Love Her Madly? Don't you need her badly?

Superstitious - Stevie Wonder

My favorite! :angry:

Saturday, about 6:00 PM Central Time. :)

I'll be making a nice steamin' filé gumbo this Saturday, with homemade French bread for dippin'. And fried apples for dessert. (That oughta get the Barbossa fans excited...)

Beer!

You can certainly buy steamers. Try Rod's Western Palace for relatively inexpensive steamers. I said "to Hell with it" and bought a leather tricorn. But, to each his own.