William Brand

http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090527-19547.html "Perfectly preserved 300-year-old broom found in monk latrine Published: 27 May 09 17:13 CET Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090527-19547.html Bringing new meaning to the phrase “Holy crap,” a perfectly preserved 300-year-old broom has been found in a Benedictine monastery latrine in Paderborn, city archaeologist Sven Spiong told The Local on Wednesday. ADVERTISING Click here to find out more! * The Local's English-language movie listings for Germany - Lifestyle (24 Jun 09) * General Motors open to new offers for Opel - Money (24 Jun 09) * Dope kings charged with growing 14 tonnes of cannabis - Society (24 Jun 09) Archaeologists from the Westphalia-Lippe regional authority had just finished excavating an area under the St. Ulrich Church monastery for a new underground parking facility, when one of the construction workers detected a pungent smell. The men had unearthed the contents of a latrine dating from the 1700s, but the church building itself dates back to before 1200. “The contents were preserved because the area was air-tight,” Spiong said. While searching through the moist organic material, the excavation team found several ordinary objects that wouldn’t normally survive for centuries. “It was really exciting,” Spiong, who has been Paderborn’s city archaeologist since 2003, told The Local. “This is the oldest broom ever found in the region. Natural materials like leather and wood usually don’t survive the elements.” The 25-centimetre twig broom bound with bast fibre, along with several other objects like a spindle, a wooden bobbin, hazelnut shells and cherry pits will be sent to the regional conservation centre in Münster on Thursday. Spiong said he hopes the objects will go on display at the St. Ulrich Church, or the Gaukirche, but said they may also find a place in the local archaeology museum. Regional archaeology spokeswoman Stefanie Mosch told The Local that ordinary objects provide a special window into everyday life in the past. “It’s fascinating to see that they used practically the same brooms we use today,” she said. Kristen Allen (kristen.allen@thelocal.de)"

As pirates we don't often think of the mundane tools of the day to day laborer, especially a tool we might see more of on land, but the subject of brooms has come up for kit. Now in my limited research of brooms I've come across numerous examples in Dutch paintings that show what is listed as a broom, though a stubby one either from short construction or too much use. See below. As you can see it looks like more of a scrubbing tool, which makes sense on heavy wood floors and stone. A similar broom with more 'bristle' can be seen in the painting Interior of Oude Kerk in the lower left part of the image, but I can't find a good example of the painting. The long bristle broom that we think of today appears to have entered the scene in the colonies in the late 1700s, but as I said, I welcome any Broom specialists to post examples from the period.

I love how casually they discuss the previous wreckage that washed up on shore and then washed back out to sea, as though it was an empty coke bottle.

Redhawk makes a really good set of stakes. Easy to set. Easy to pull. http://www.redhawk-trading.com/accessories.htm

If I have to explain it any further, you obviously don't understand.

Aye, and getting pulled over at every state line for the transport of a body would get old.

The Liveharmony software is a bit tetchy at best. I can't even get in the Ward Room at times. We will replace it at some point with something better, so keep trying. People are on often.

I want to hang Becky off the back of the RV as I cross country.

Thanks for the offer. It's actually not so far out of the way, but I'm shooting for locations that I've never been before this time around. If we can secure the RV for this trip, I'm very open to driving to Hampton or Lockhouse next year, so I might beg a stop-over then. With so many offers I might consider different houses for different trips. Perhaps staying at Mooseworth's on the way down and at Jack's on the way back. I'm seriously considering a trip to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Houston and so forth on the way back.

The officers of the 'Dog were gathered about the table and the room with no outward signs of formality. William would have none, so they sat or stood as they might and as many as three different conversation were going on at once. William was a part of none of them, but as a listener. He noted that Eric looked his normal self, but Mister Roberts sat gingerly, owing to his rough ride the day before. Petee stood swaying with the frigate, much more willowy than Mister Badger near him. Badger looked as fixed to the deck as the Ward Room Table; a structure more than a man. Jim was seated facing aft and in a pronounced discussion with Mathew Campion about the obsession of fashions among the wealthy and economics in general. Simon Dunwalt and Luc were swapping humorous anecdotes. Everyone else seemed content to listen to one or more of the conversations already in play. Tudor opened the last of the windows, for the Ward Room had never born all the officers at once. It made the room seem small, even close. It had never been large room, but William had never used the word crowded before now. "Shall I fetch you a chair, sah?" Tudor asked, trying not to bump Claude Marchande as the Watch Dog leaned over to Starboard. William shook his head and waved off offered wine, passing it to another. He observed that Jonah Greene and Teeke Ranst were discussing the recent repairs to the Ward Room's Starboard wall. They did this with very few words, falling back on the common language of carpentry. "Send word for our new Doctor, Miss Smith. And Miss Kildare as well."

MadL, you're looking sharp. Very nice kit, sah.

I'm partial to all sorts of things, so I'm not too picky food wise. I'm quite fond of bacon, as you know all too well. As for stayinf twice, thank you you very much. I'm bound and determined to mark off all 50 states, so we may be coming home by a different route just to see parts of States that I have never seen. We'll see as we draw closer.

I strongly recommend a Queen's Bluff or a Wedge from Redhawk Trading Company. I've had my tent for a few years now and it has withstood the elements beautifully. http://www.redhawk-trading.com/products.htm As for stays, please encourage your wife to ask about for help. There are no shortages of good seamstresses and tailors about the place that could help her make a good outfit.

Now on the subject actually being discussed in this thread, a person attending PIP has every right to align themselves to whomever they wish. We have numerous crews listed on the Roll Call, and I see no reason to argue the points of the Mercury crew at large against any one person's desire for something of their own. While it is true that the Mercury crew is in no need of reduction, as a brig sloop can certainly carry more than we have listed thus far, vintagesailor has every right to start another crew. The change was made shortly after the request, so let's let the Crimson Crew get on with recruiting.

Why not Ellida, the dragon ship that was gifted to Viking by Aegir? Or Skidbladnir! It's travel sized.

Great photo. That pistol looks like a mare's leg (sawed off Winchester rifle) without the lever action. The two of you look great together. Just like two locals watching some event pass through town.

Jim has never been voted in as Captain. He has however been nominated some three dozen times, and graciously refused the post due to the fact that the Mercury crew does not have an acting Captain. It is preferred by some that we forgo any real chain of command, apart from the appearance of narrative leadership to outsiders. That said, I would like to nominate Jim for Captain. Again.

We are more than interested in stopping by. We could pick up the cedar tent poles as well.

I haven't forgotten. The Perfect Dinner. One never forgets.

We should be arriving on Monday if all goes well. Tracy needs an extra day to go snorkling.

It is a tentative list, so I'll add anyone considering the trip and help them anyway that I can.

I said I had a good idea. I never said it was exciting enough to make popcorn and read about it here.

They Might Be Giants tried to kill my brother.

Aye. We're driving in a car just big enough for ourselves and gear, and we could probably only fit one other person very snuggly between two child seats. Still, we might meet and greet a few who can't make it along the way and I'm hoping to bring some gear for donation to the fort.

I was on all day and surprised not to see anyone drop by, only to learn that it wasn't working properly and still isn't. More's the pity. I had little or nothing to do today.