Cap'n Pete Straw

Damned planes again. I mean, they are really impressive and all, and I get to see unbelievably tight aerial formations as they zip up and down the lakefront, and I tip my hat to the men who trained so well and so long to perfect the amazing skill needed to fly these advanced pieces of technological science, and I get to see this for free as well as avoid the wekend throngs of people who flood the Loop to see the show... But having 6 Boeing FA-18 Hornets flying directly at your office window is really, really freaky.

snuggle

The Blue Angels screaming by my office window, rehearsing for this weekend's Air & Water Show. Jeez... Still cringing from low fly-bys after 9/11.

aperitif

JohnnyTarr -- we shall miss ye, but shall drink to your health in your absence. Let's see... one round to Johnny Tarr's health, another in thought of the absent Lady Barbossa, two more rounds have already been promised & accounted for other reasons.... at this rate, I'm not sure I will make it to noon! Cheeky Actress: I wouldn't worry too much about what ye choose to wear. The overall theme for the Faire is "Where Fantasy Rules." I saw a guy there the other weekend wearing a Darth Vader costume. My son was mocking people who obviously only wanted an excuse to carry a sword ("Your Renaissance shirt doesn't go with those jeans and Nikes, dude.")[/i] I myself will be dressed about 100 years inappropriately.... as mentioned earlier (elsewhere?) over two weekends at the Faire only one person questioned my anachronistic choice of garb -- and that was a food vendor whose booth was equipped with a deep fryer. Most people (and I mean quite a lot of them!) went out of there way to compliment me on what I was wearing. And if previous weekends are to be any clue, the place will be crawling with "pirates." = = = = = = = = As of right now, the weather forecast for Saturday calls for 40% chance of showers (with thunderstorms a possibility) and a high of 78F. The local weather guy (whose predictions I trust) says that any rain should end in the morning. The gates open at 10 AM. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

I have had mixed feelings about posting in this thread -- and have felt guilty about looking for and posting the previous pictures... I feel my actions have somehow tarnished the Pub as a whole. Then Jacks True Love posted the previous message, and now I feel worse. Please let me assure everyone that I have no intent to promote nor make humor about that Tyrant (that word is not nearly strong enough -- "insane douchebag" still feels better to me), nor to make light over anyone's damaged culture or personal family history. While the cat site was hilarious, I actually wish this thread would die a quick death. Yet to communicate this sentiment, I must post a new message which ironically renews the thread. My children (one of whom, my son, is Pub member WilliamtheBloody) are 1/4 Polish. Their maternal great-grandmother was virtually the only member of her family who made it out of Europe alive (in case you are doing the 1/4 vs. 1/8 math, she married a Polish man about whom I have very little geneological information; I strongly suspect his relatives suffered a similar fate). Believe me, this topic hits home for us -- and I have not been comfortable about making light of it in this thread. I am truly sorry and apologize to anyone whom I may have offended -- it was sincerely never my intention. Moderators: please do not edit my comments or posts, but leave this apology to stand for all who choose to read it. Unless you decide, in your wisdom, to delete this entire thread from the Pub... I have nothing further to say regarding this.

Addendum

...And the second round is on me! I look forward to meeting ye, mate! If ye don't see me elsewhere, look for me at the Pig & Whistle! Let's make use of this thread ye created... After we meet and discuss the topic at hand, we should post the methods and process discussed to share with others. I know I have posted some of this information previously, but this "active" thread has probably caught the attention of others...

A very good film, indeed. This movie was available on Comcast On Demand (for free to Comcast cable users), so I watched it and taped it. (For all I know it is still available on Comcast On Demand) Then I whipped out the tape one night when we could not agree on a family movie to watch. Everyone loved it. This is one good, enjoyable family movie -- and it's got a pirate theme! What could be better? The only movie I could compare it to is Flight of the Navigator; they have the same feeling of adventure mixed with fantasy.

Hee Haw on cable...

Girls on trampolines

Wayne Manor

What the...? Is this thread really of interest to the Pub in general? Or were ye looking for someone in particular? Isn't that what the "PM" button is for? Yes ... I have over 35 years experience making antiqued docments, and have the process down to a bit of a science (technically, it's an "art"). My primary output for the past decade has been "forging" extremely-authentic looking Civil War paperwork (documents of almost every sort). The stuff is solely intended for use as theatrical props and/or scene staging for photographers (that completely accurate statement is made for certain legal reasons). I naturally extended this into making some (actually "craploads") of pirate stuff... but for lack of time I have limited my output to myself, my son, and a few other people here in the Pub... which I have chosen to give away rather than sell (I cannot begin to keep up with the potential commercial demand). I think I know someone associated with you who may have told you this "vicious rumor" -- and if I can find an appropriate mailing container, he will shortly be receiving what I promised to send him... For the recent Pirate Festival in Port Washington (WI), I made several hundred antiqued copies of Ship's Articles for the Fool's Gold... our crew spent two days signing up kids as members of the crew; each kid was able to walk away with a signed (by them and by a crew member) copy of teh Ship's Articles. An awful lot of adults wanted them, too. We made them wait in line behind the kids. Are you planning to be at the Bristol Ren Faire this coming weeknd? If so, just ask me (when we meet) to show you the Letter of Marque I made for myself. If not... well, what is it you want to make? I will tell you how I would go about doing it, in such a way that you can do it yourself.

A few years ago I made a highly (extremely!) modified hard tack recipe to make replica lembas elven bread (from Lord of the Rings). The idea was to make a portable bread similar to hardtack as described by Tolkien and as seen in the movies, but completely dissimilar to hardtack in that it should taste light and refreshing -- as if it were made by elves. My kids deemed the experience a complete success. Enhanced with citrus juices (my original batch included kumquats!) the stuff was entirely palatable. For added effect, I wrapped the finished product in large fake leaves purchased from the local gardening and craft store (just as the elves did). By popular request, I have baked at least one batch of these tasty treats each summer -- and just realized that this was the first summer we forgot this tradition ... probably because we did not take any forest hikes this summer; which is when the Middle Earth mood comes over us, and when elven bread comes in so handy. So, again, I withdraw myself for fear of turning this thread into a Middle Earth-themed topic....

Victoria Sylvestedt (Playboy came out with an anatomically-correct 14" doll of her a few years back. Now fetches a pretty good resale value. I'm not telling whether or not I have one...)

I made the grits (as well as the gravy) and I am a very, very good cook. Your friend from the South has never had my cooking (actually, my family is from the South -- the gravy is my great aunt's recipe) - - - - - - Anyway, now I am having a microwaved cheeseburger leftover from grilling last night ... tasty.

Gone but not forgotten

It's not so simple... the text is scattered across chapters. Discussion revolves around men's fashions, and wig styles are interspersed as appropriate continously. I will re-read the relevant portions of the book and determine how the Pub can be best served by what is contained therein... It may not turn out to be so daunting a task. But I am looking forward to seeing what will be provided by Gentleman of Fortune

Okay, those were hilarious. Not comfortable sharing #2 with my kids, though....

Bull Durham

Jack Black

I hate to overuse an already overused word, but... CONGRATULATIONS!

Breakfast: Grits and sausage gravy (from scratch!) with coffee. Yum!

"Brick" and "(hardened) Play-doh" .... thank you. These are the accurately descriptive words I was looking for to describe eating hardtack.

The neighbors invited a bunch of us for backyard appetizers and drinks. The conversation turned quickly to that of pirates (everyone knows me, and no one else does anything interesting). I ran back to my house and returned with the ingredients for Grogtinis (recipe in a couple of other threads) and poured and drank them all night.