William Brand

A very happy birthday to you and welcome back!

Aye, it was Jack Lemon.

Today is national knife day! Who knew? I love knives!

Everybody should be very grateful to Lily and others in recent years who have submitted weapon lists and explanations on weapons for our chosen period. Were it not for their efforts of late we would be denied the use of some unusual and unique firearms at some of these events.

I have done numerous searches for portable kitchens, campaign kitchens, galleys on the go, whatever, that I've missed a very important piece of furniture from the period. Chests on stands. I've mistaken so may of these for dressers, that it never occured to me how many of them are two piece furniture items consisting of a 'chest' seated on a matching 'stand' of legs. Now that I know what I'm looking at I'm finding all sorts of chests on stands and cabinets on stands from the period. Examples... Oak chest on stand. 17th century chest on stand... Now that I know what I'm looking for, I've found sugar chests, rum chests, sea chests, medicine cabinets, and treasure chests all standing on matching 'stands'. Even the 'nautical desk' I posted on the previous page is nothing more than a writing desk modified with a 'stand'. We may be one step closer to a portable kitchen and other elusive campaign furniture of the Golden Age.

That's an excellent map!

I may be having an issue, but I'm not seeing the pdf.

Master and Commander. Yes, it's Napoleonic, but the attention to detail puts me in the proper mindset.

Welcome aboard!

Love the new kit!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not denouncing a good leeching, but when I to think of period leeching certain scenes from Black Adder always come to mind.

Mercury and leeches. People who think it's better should research the final days of George Washington, or as they should be called, 'The last days, torture and demise of a founding father by foundling physicians. A man at Fort de Chartres explains every excruciating 'cure' and 'remedy' they forced upon poor George. And just thinking of period dentistry makes my teeth hurt.

I've told this story before but it bears repeating. During the 'Walk the Plank Contest' at Pirates in Paradise in 2007, I decided to attempt the short step into the sea wearing my slops, shirt, stockings, and...my wool weskit with hat in hand. Captain Sterling did the same. While it looked both dramatic and appropriate from a pop culture standpoint, it was a foolish decision. I've been a lifeguard in the past, and I've broken a few standing local records for treading water, but going into the sea in a long, wool weskit was the worst decision I've made in regard to swimming. It filled up with water immediately and created a drag and weight I was not at all prepared for. When I hit the surface (slower than expected) it felt like I had a dead guy on my back. It's the first time in twenty years that I felt out of my element in open water and I knew I was in trouble. It took me five times longer to reach the safety of the pier than it should have and I had to do it on my back floating as best I could. Captain Sterling had it as bad or worst, because the good Captain had to turn around and go back for one of the Snotties who was having trouble in the water. When we were both out of the water and dripping for what seemed like 20 minutes, we mutually agreed that diving wearing any more clothes than necessary was a very bad decision. There were a lot of other people who had jumped in with too many coats, jackets and the like who agreed with us. As we all stood discussing this, a young whelp of a pirate declared, "I'm going in with my bucket boots on!" Some 8 or 9 people shouted 'NO!' simultaneously. He still insisted he would try it, so we shouted it even louder and he took them off. We all knew we'd be rescuing that guy if he had done it his way. Whenever I see a pirate jump into the sea and swim casually, even confidently about in his full kit and boots I just shake my head. Fakery of the highest order.

We've maintained an 'auction before the mast' for many years now, so it will be a pleasure to have you in attendance for this one.

I have an idea how happy I am you're attending. This is excellent news. added.

The event has many things that are not to be missed, and I'll start with the battles, since you mention reenactor and black powder experience. Lawrence and others bring quite a few cannons to the event, so we're always glad of a experienced participants to man the lines. Also, there will be live musical groups and demonstrations every day of the event. You can also take sail on a tall ship or two while you're there and you must attend the auction when Chrispy really shines. Random things that may or may not happen to you at Fort Taylor Pyrate Invasion... You might get your shoes stolen if you die in battle and/or if you get too drunk. Note: If you were really drunk, check the flagpole for said shoes. You get to meet Greg. You might end up buying a plate from the auction that seconds as a platter, frisbee, shield, etc. You had to be there. You'll probably end up joining Mission on a fried Conch run. You'll walk away with cool stuff you traded or bought, or bought and then traded for stuff other people bought or traded. You'll get to see the Green Flash. If you miss the Green Flash you'll have a another chance to see the Green Flash. If you never see the Green Flash, you'll have to come back and see it, but the sunsets are great whether you see the flash or not. You get to have Key Lime Pie in the most appropriate place to have such pie. Live music at night in a period fort is not to be missed. You'll get to see some very learned pirates speak about their passions, and if you're really lucky, their understanding of pyracy. Sailing on any of the tall ships at Key West is awesome. I strongly recommend a sunset sail past the fort. Hogfish is damn tasty. Everyone wants your picture and you get to throw candy at people in a parade. You may get a picture under Mission's hat. It's a right of passage and (by mere contact) a way of immunizing yourself to every scalp transmitted disease known to man. Lawrence might snub you in a way so endearing that you won't mind at all. Shooting! You get to see chickens roaming the street in the world's largest chicken wildlife preserve. Also, the chicken avocado sandwich at the Green Parrot is chicken and not parrot. The pirate museum is a pirate museum. You get to dress as a pirate in a fort just off the ocean for days and days. You get to meet cool people. We get to carry knives. Did I mention the parade? A pirate christmas parade. It's a weird blend, but so are some of the mixed drinks in Key West. Oh...you can drink during the parade while throwing candy. Pirate trials. As pirates we shouldn't like trials, but we do. Blacksmithing! Whatever you're doing on any given day at FTPI, you're doing it in Key West in December. It beats the Rockies in December. The ocean is right there! You'll make friends you get to miss all year. You might get drunk enough that I'll have to tell you about all of your adventures the next morning. Some of them will be true. Swordfighting! If you don't get killed in battle, you can steal shoes off of someone else.

The registration forms will be made available later, but yes, you should bring the grinder.

Capt. Bo at Fort Taylor! I'll be damned if I let you stay with anyone but the Mercury!

We're glad to hear that you are safe and found yourself in the company of other crew members.

I mean you could carry it in your teeth, providing yourself with discomfort and the disadvantage of trying to keep your breathing low while clenching down on a piece of steel with just enough pressure not to drop it and not so much as to hurt your jaw. To say nothing of slobbering all over a good knife and blocking your ability to call out if plans should change on the fly...orrrrr... ...you could keep the knife comfortable, safely, conveniently in a sheath, thereby keeping your hands and your mouth free.

I remember someone at an event saying that a knife in the teeth would be very practical, as you could keep your hands free during a boarding action. I just smiled and said 'sheath'.

I've always found these intriguing and infuriating, because they're too small.

Drive safely and be well.

Here is a link to the facsimile pages of 'The English Dancing Master' of 1651. It has sheet music and instructions for dance. http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/playford_1651/ The work is also transcribed here with midi music files.

I said think, mate, not act. I've got friends in that crowd.