William Brand

Aye, and the first information that I would need from them is the number in their party and the footprints of their tents. They may also offer to do demos if they wish and I'll pass the information along or put the powers that be in contact with them.

I said imagine, so yes, I'm a metaphoric longshoreman. Best in the business.

Very, very cool. As a pirate and a Scot I approve.

Everybody cut it out. I have hosted numerous events for different fandoms over the years, and one of my greatest pet peeves is the loud detractor who faithfully announces that they aren't coming. I do regular shindigs for the Utah Browncoats for the Firefly fandom and there is one woman who pipes in to question, scrutinize, disregard and eventually announce with great enthusiasm her complete lack of enthusiasm in attending any given event. She does this every single time. She goes on for pages about all the things she hates about a given event and why she won't be attending, rather than just keep her very public opinions to herself. Worse than her are those who attend events, but with a very open disdain for parts of said events every single time. Please stop nitpicking those parts of PIP that you wouldn't attend whether or not there is a Fort Taylor Pirate Festival. We all know what each of us as individuals prefer by now and which parts of PIP any given one of us might attend or not. We get it. Stop picking the scabs and leave the tanbark tussles to other hobbyists. Showing your support for the FTPF by tearing down any other part of PIP is counterproductive and no favor to all of the events as a whole.

The most accurate model of Mal's pistol is now being finished by a prop builder out of England. They're calling this replica the 47A. all metal cast parts in brass with a walnut grip handle. You don't even want to know how much it will cost, but it's too damn beautiful for words. http://www.fireflyprops.net/viewforum.php?f=35

Old Fashioned Marshmallow. Sigh. Old Fashioned Marshmallow was as disappointing in terms of a chocolate, confectionary delight as any drink might be. Imagine taking up a glass of cold, clear ice water on a hot day after a hard afternoon of heavy labor only to be greeted by an old glass of water, thick with dust and luke warm in temperature containing a cigarette at the bottom. This is OFM. The anti-christ of all hot chocolate experiences. If the idealistic, horrific hell of the average pulpit pounding aficionado can be accepted as real in even the most peripheral sense, than the dessert bar there serves OFM. Not only is it served, but every other thing offered in Hell is cooked in OFM and topped with it like an unholy, weak, bitter au jus of eternal torment.

I know. I'm tempted to join in on that event. I used to be pretty good and I'd like to see what time has done to my aim, if anything. It really is too bad that this event competes with another that same weekend, but any member of your crew is more than welcome to attend with us.

We should get the true headcount for the event going here, and begin discussing the event itself in terms of what we can get from it and what we can contribute to it. This is the event as posted on the website. 39th Rendezvous Schedule EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 10:00 AM Opening Ceremony & Posting of Colours W. Malcolm Duncan, Drum Major 10:30 AM The String Connection, Prairie du Rocher's own Traditional Music Group (stage #1) 11:00 AM The Peacocks Band -Traditional Music (stage #2) French Marines of Fort de Chartres Drill (on the parade ground) 11:30 AM Great River Fife and Drum Corps Godfrey, Illinois (On the parade ground) 12:00 NOON Dr. Theophratus von Gerlach -The Future of 18th Century Medicine (stage #2) 12:30 PM The Booneslick Strings- Traditional Music (stage #1) 1:00 PM The Living History Reenactors Fife and Drum Corps (on the parade ground) 1:30 PM Tippecanoe Ancient Fife and Drum Corps Lafayette, Indiana (On the parade ground) 2:00 PM 18th Century Military Tactical Demonstration with a Native Parley (on the rifle range) 3:00 PM 42nd Royal Highlanders Band of Pipes Fifes & Drums- West Lafayette, Indiana (On the parade ground) 3:30 PM The Peacocks Band -Traditional Music (stage #2) 4:00 PM The String Connection, Prairie du Rocher's own Traditional Music Group (stage #1) 4:30 PM Retreat Ceremony BOTH DAYS The Peacocks Band, the Booneslick Strings, the Prairie du Rocher La Guiannee Society (traditional French New Years Song), and the Lewis and Clark Fife and Drum Corps will perform periodically at various locations throughout both days. The Primitive Lifeways Area will feature bow building demonstrations, native food ways, and daily life skills. Cannon firing demonstrations occur on the hour. There will be working oxen demonstrations periodically both days located east of the Fort. Competitions Both Days 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Rifle Aggregate & Smoothbore Competition (rifle range) 10:00 AM to 12:00 NOON Primitive Archery Competition 12:00 NOON to 2:30 PM Knife & Hawk Throw Competition 3:00 PM Skillet Toss Competition presented by the Ladies of the Fort de Chartres Marines. This competition is open to all female participants and visitors. (kife and hawk throw area) SATURDAY, JUNE 6 9:00 AM Officer's Call- All Military Units (Commandants Quarters int the Guard's House) 8:00PM to 10:00 PM A dance for event participants and visitors will be held inside the Fort. Music provided by Booneslick Strings. SUNDAY, JUNE 7 8:00 AM Mass at Stage#1 Protestant Service at Stage #2 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM La Grande Cannon Fusillade (The Big Cannon Shootout) The Historic Creole House in downtown Prairie du Rocher will be open for tours on Saturday and Sunday, June 6th and 7th, from 10 am to 4 pm. There will be a "Garden Walk" special event at the Pierre Menard Home State Historic Site from 1pm to 4pm on June 7th. The event will feature the herb garden at this historic site. The Pierre Menard Home is located near Ellis Grove, Il.

In 2005 I was told that there was no way that pirates could camp and work out of the fort or the park. Numerous people said that a full scale pirate reenactment camp would never fly with park officials. One phone call later and we were all camping in the fort and have seen a steady growth over many years, so I choose to remain optimistic. While this looks bad, and might be bad, it's February. Steady on.

The credit goes to my friend Kristen, the Knit Kricket.

Chocoholics, the company that made OFM, has run aground. They are quite out of business. As for me. I'm bored silly. Bring in a fiddler and get some bacon on.

You're doing great work. Just keep the fort informed of us and us informed of them. The rest is just packing, food and fun.

I deleted the email by accident, thinking that it was just a message pointing to a private message here. I am coming to the event and I would like everyone to start sounding off. Let's get this thing on the map and start planning what we need as a crew for the event. I'll be bringing a huge flag.

Maeve was quiet only for a moment. It was not hesitation for lack of words, but a pantomime of her father, for he had always paused to collect his thoughts in full before explaining his conclusions about any given patient. Once she had the full measure of her explanation sorted out in her mind, she laid it out as bare as an open wound. She explained that there was something the matter with Preston, not because of any rambling or obvious distemper on his part, but rather the opposite. He was over jovial. Carefree past the concern of his own health. This time, he was not the stubborn patient he had been ashore, endlessly ignoring the need for bed rest and care. This time he seemed oblivious of any concern at all. His good humor might have proved a good sign in any other sailor, but it sat strangely on Preston. He was almost manic in his pleasant insistence that all was right as rain. It was a kind of giddiness that Maeve had only ever seen in the face of those whose minds had parted from solid ground. Still, she was careful to admit to Captain Lasseter that the full measure of her concern was based on but a single conversation, and she was also quick to point out that this observed, minute fugue might be fleeting and might leave at any moment, never to return. Many a good man in a hard place might trip a little on his way. On the matter of his physical hurts, she was more definite in her recommendations, and was absolute in her assurance that he could serve at any time if these injuries alone were the only matter. The malady that had predated Martinique was now a distant concern, and she thought that he might serve well without concern for his physical health. The doctor's blunt and straightforward observations did not completely remove the weighty matter from the table of Dorian's brain, but as the doctor could make no true dire conclusions, she did at least make inquiry easier. He plied her with a few questions to be certain of her opinions as touching the Ship's Master, and she answered each and every one of them without pause to his satisfaction. This done, they were able to shuffle off the business and show a little more mortality in fatigue. They even observed openly the tired and weary business of their own health, and some genuine smiles found their way to the surface of the conversation. As the remaining crumbs of the meal before them disappeared and the last dark dregs of coffee or tea were supped, Dorian sent Miss Ashcombe again to see the doctor to a bed, with strong orders not to disturb her unless the care of a patient should require more knowledgeable hands.

Guess who is working on art and props for a fan webseries in the Verse. Yeah it's me. This is why I'm never here of late. Too busy building props. http://www.bigdamncourage.blogspot.com/

Is it awful that I noticed the Mercury iphone first and foremost? Great kit. Love the colors you chose.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Red Cat Jenny is Hello Kitty meets Catherine the Great in a tricorn hat. Happy Birthday, you pirate anime aristocracy, you.

Seconded.

Never say die. Those who can make it will make it. PIP was restarted with just a handful of us, so I say go forth with our plans.

Or this...

I've been an artist all of my days, so if I lived ashore I'm quite certain that I would make a good an honest living as an artist/engraver. I would love to work in a print house and run an early newspaper and book printing business. I would print by day, spend my evenings at Pew's Pub and sleep in some eccentric house... ...like this.

The next two months will tell if we can go come festival time. Meanwhile, If you cut poles in 9 foot lengths I think that they would fit most tents if we have to take a foot or two off come camping time. Thanks again for providing these.

Aboard the Watch Dog, William stirred. He could feel the labor of the previous days at once, for it had been some time since he himself had labored to move goods and stores. He didn't mind the ache, for it served to remind him that they were wealthier still and alive to enjoy the prosperity of it. "Captain." Tudor welcomed him as he stepped into the Ward Room proper. She had already laid out the heavy ledgers alongside a modest tray. "Master Warren has instructed me to tell you that one of the prisoners was found possessed of a good knife this very hour, though the man professes to have carried it unawares." "Indeed." William returned, and while it was possible that the mistake had been an oversight on the man's part and the part of William's own marines, he sent her out to the Ship' Master with the precautionary instruction to 'see the man watched'. Then he settled into fare and arithmetic.

The discussion was soundly interrupted by a resounding knock at the door. One of the Lucy's newest recruits put his head in, and with so much on his mind, Dorian quite forgot the man's name in the moment. "Sah. Mis...the surgeon is here to see you, Sah." "Thank you..." Dorian could still not find his name, but the man had already gone, replaced by a very tired Maeve and the place felt smaller still. They exchanged the cordiality of the great cabin as Several of the men in the room began to rise and offer their seats. The careworn doctor blanched a little at this. She raised a hand and shook her head. "Please." was all she said, quite content to stand. She smiled a little wanly at their acknowledgments, though she visited Mister Flint with a look of cold indifference, and stifled the urge to rebuke a recent patient. "I have come from the ship's Master." she said simply, and the room returned to the conversation Dorian had so recently avoided.