Red-Handed Jill

^ Swim, definitely! < I miss having regular access to swimable water. V Pool, lake or ocean?

^ Let's see... I live in the San Francisco area, where EVERYTHING costs more, but my car gets about 42 miles per gallon. BUT - I'm putting about sixty miles per day on it. So I'm really appreciating my car's gas mileage right now. < NorCal pirate faire is this weekend - woo hoo! V Are you considering getting a car with better mileage?

Patt - are you bringing your concertina to the faire this weekend?

^ I've never been so bad off that it made me swear off alcohol. Couple of incidents when I was young and foolish, but that's it. I know - so boring! < I'm also in the glass of wine or beer with dinner group. Occasionally carry a flask of rum but it's a small flask and I always share. V Pass the question on - it's a good one.

Veggie riblets, corn on the cob and baked sweet potatoes. Peach and berry sorbets for dessert.

Tostada and a margarita!

PUSH THE BUTTON, MAX!

^ I do have a band - we're the Bloody Scupper Plunder Club. < Used to be a surf band drummer. V Favorite type of music?

I'm waiting for a Herkeimer Battle Jitney...

Caravan - Van Morrison

UPS PILOT GRIPE SHEETS After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a "gripe sheet," which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by UPS pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded by maintenance engineers (marked with an S.) By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever had an accident. P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement. S: Almost replaced left inside main tire. P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough. S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft. P: Something loose in cockpit S: Something tightened in cockpit P: Dead bugs on windshield. S: Live bugs on back-order. P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces 200 feet per minute descent S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground. P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear. S: Evidence removed. P: DME volume unbelievably loud. S: DME volume set to more believable level. P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick. S: That's what friction locks are for. P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode. S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode. P: Suspected crack in windshield. S: Suspect you're right. P: Number 3 engine missing. S: Engine found on right wing after brief search. P: Aircraft handles funny. S: Aircraft warned to: straighten up, fly right, and be serious. P: Target radar hums. S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics. P: Mouse in cockpit. S: Cat installed. P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer. S: Took hammer away from midget.

My own progression has gone all over the place. I do so much entertaining, most of my piratical garb falls within the Howard Pyle realm. However, I'm working on more authentic garb in linen and wool. About half of it is done.

^ Mango rum flambé over french vanilla ice cream. < I do a pretty killer chocolate mousse as well. Served in dark chocolate cups with raspberry coulis. V Too good a question not to pass up

^Currently, no - just the usual medium reddish-brown with a wee touch of grey. Occasionally augment the colour when there is an event. < The grey hairs are very shiny, so I can't wait to go grey; unfortunately, I'll be 70 before I have any appreciable grey hair. V Passing the question on...

^ Depends on what isn't working. If the function is crucial, then I'm fixing it! < Came from a long line of really handy people, so I can repair most things. V If you were to be reincarnated as an animal, what would it be?

Old??? Just wait...

Pad Thai Wooden mushrooms Dmitriy, a co-worker Captain Hayden of the Aldebaran (who has been so wonderful to us during our boat haul-out.)

^ More like semi-professionally (long story...) < Am SO tired from this weekend. V Pass the question...

Subway veggie sandwich A light cardigan with sleeves that actually went all the way to the wrists (naturally I bought it - they are so rare nowadays...) Jack Adam

Those are just too good!

^ Temperate, definitely. < Tylenol doesn't work for me either. Motrin does a pretty good job, though. V Who were you in a past life?

Editing a software tutorial, which is a heck of a lot of fun (no sarcasm meant, really. I LOVE doing stuff like this.) Also got my leg weights strapped on and am doing leg lifts.

Tales of the Seven Seas will be entertaining at a local venue in Redwood City. Most of the crew will see the last show at 10:30, but I'll wait until next week to see it with Iron Jack. So I'll just have to avoid the spoiler threads for the next few days...

Most of those telemarketers are poor working stiffs with no other viable way at the time of earning a living. The real villains are the a$$holes who employ them. I'd love to have a button on my phone that, when pressed, directs all subsequent calls from the telemarketer's phone to the company owner's home phone. So no matter who they dial, the company owner's phone will ring. Give 'em a taste of their own medicine and then some!

^ Nope - I have more trouble finding athletic shoes that don't squeeze my feet to death. So much padding! < I've found some of the most comfortable shoes at Payless Shoe Source, of all places. V Best place to buy comfortable shoes?