Cap'n Pete Straw

It's officially Pirate Weekend for me. Tonight, I relax (between refilling ice cube trays). Tomorrow, it is Pirate Work all day long until furniture is built, clothing has been made, and I am all packed and ready to go. Assuming I am all ready by then, my Friday morning agenda is: shower, breakfast, then Port Washington. It might be cheaper for me to purchase that rum-raisin icecream cone for you... SeaRover, I have the promised texts packed to share with you. Also suggested to pack: extra batteries for your cameras. They never seem to last long enough.

Ready? Hardly. Still need to repair a chair, sew this new baldric, paint the monster treasure chest, make myself another shirt, and finish antiquing these bloody Articles. But after work tomorrow, I am taking off Thursday and Friday to make it a four-day weekend. The forecast I saw called for a chance of rain only on Sunday. But we shall see. The forecast gets more accurate everyday. Say your prayers.

Spamalot was excellent. Went and saw Blue Man Group today (daughter's 17th birthday present). Also superb. This has been Theater Week for me. Oh, I digress ... back to ChrissyLand

pepper mill

I just checked the vendor list, and I see that Flora's Flashlight, Flair and Falafel Farm will be there. I will bring with me extra florin (it appears to be the only currency they accept) so I can supplement my flimsy folio of flair.

Sounds fun. I did the same think at Oshkosh, but gave it away by wearing a shite-eating grin while staring at Merrydeath from point-blank range. Of course, I was the only unidentified pirate who was unaccounted for. Er, I think you answered your own question. You have to "grab" the person who identifies you. Sounds like a fine prize to me. Actually, I have already started. I have been asking everyone all morning if they are Gypsy Rose. But, since I have not yet left the house, the Missus and the kids are getting rather impatient with me. Sounda like SeaRover and Red Bess will get there at a good time, too. I told you I am trying to get there early. Time will tell whether I succeed or not. . There is still a lot to do, and I may have to finish some of it that morning. Still no idea how all this pirate gear is going to fit into my new car (which is a wagon/SUV -- I no longer have the galleon-sized minivan).

I have four flair. Is that enough? I used to have a really good flayer, but the edges got all flayed.

What? Oh, sorry, I wassn't paying attention... I was too busy over here on Google searching for words like "cleavage"

Oh, heavens, I didn't mean just yours... It was your "alas, no cleavage for Port Washington" statement that sounded so final, it terrified me so. I am still shaking in me buckly shoes. The beer is sloshing out of me tankard, I am trembling so hard. So, you're telling me that there will be at least some cleavage at Port Washington? Very well, then, I change my mind again. I am going.

OMG! A topic that has ONLY Pyrate Phil and Christine in it! Can there be a more enjoyable place anywhere in the world? Well, yes, I must admit that ChrissyLand is even more enjoyable, but still... (Off topic, but that's because my mind wanders terribly so...) PPhil, I really missed you, buddy. The Missus gave me Spamalot tickets for our anniversary -- the show is the night after tomorrow. For some warped reason, the prospect of seeing the show keeps bringing you to mind. Yes, you may now call me "Loser."

As long as this link lasts, this should take you directly to the photos: Bilgemunkey's Dreadnought pics... And he short his foot, too.

I have a replica Titanic Life Boat Sextant... it's a copy of the ones they packed in the lifeboats. Watertight. Pretty cool, actually. You can get lots and lots of sextants on ebay. I am trying to think of a joke of what a "sextance" would be. An entire sentence about navigation? A series of canvas structures inside which one engages in marital relations? A British coin worth three tuppence?

Maybe it's just you. You have to click the link for the "Dreadnought", then the one that says "See the pictures" (or something like that). Great photos! Nice foot!

WHAT!?! Sorry, folks. I am canceling.

LadyB -- I think I have copies of all the files. Tell me what you are missing. I can fax them to you (if you have a number) of can send you copies via regular old U.S. Post. If we move fast, you will get them in plenty of time. PM me if you think it'll be faster. Rather invigorating. Last night I finished the Cleark's desk. With that and the table, we are all set to display/sign/etc. the Ship's articles. No I have to finish antiquing the documents. Bilgemunkey wrote... Hah! Then that will be the contest for me!

Bilgemunkey, I look forward to clanking tankards with ye again. ...Hmmm, "Clanking Tankards" isn't some sort of euphemism for an inappropriate sexual activity, is it?

Gypsy Rose -- will look forward to meeting ye! The more hands the better -- we need help with all these tangled ropes on board ship -- do ye know how to untie knots? I presume you will get a favorable response from our Captain forthwith...

Kermit

Here is a good handfasting link, if you choose to go this route: Handfasting Most handfasting ceremonies available on the internet are written as pagan / wicca ceremonies, imbued with "Glory be to the Goddess" and stuff like that. You can really add someflavor to a ceremony by mixing in some of the more ritualistic stuff with a straightforward bare-bones religious ceremony. As I said, I have some archaic religious ceremonies saved... have to dig through stuff to find them. A great source (and you can try this through libraries) is to find very (very) old hymnals, as these typically have laid out the (contemporary) full religious ceremony which, in my experience, has remained pretty much the same over the past couple hundred years.

I have a collection of wedding ceremonies saved for just this purpose... I need to get at my archives. For a ceremony with real old flair, you might try a quick search for "Handfasting Ceremony(ies)." I ran across the following, however... no rings! The Civil Marriage Act of 1653, passed by the Puritans under Cromwell, required a civil ceremony before a justice of the peace after presentation of the certificate from the parish register that banns had been published. If either party were under twenty-one, proof of parental consent must also be presented. The wedding ceremony consisted of a simple formula to be repeated by the man and woman and was accompanied by hand fastening. The use of a ring was forbidden. By the Hardwicke Act of 1753, all weddings, except members of the royal family, were to be performed only after publication of banns or issuance of a license, only during the morning hours of eight to twelve, only in an Anglican Church or chapel, and only before an Anglican clergyman. Two or more witnesses were required and a register must be kept. Parental consent was demanded unless the banns had been published. ...and here are a couple more things to think about... In the seventeenth century, wheat was cast at the head of the bride when she came from church. In Gloucestershire, in the early eighteenth century, a large cake was broken over the heads of the couple. In Aberdeenshire, barley is thrown over the bridal pair as they enter the feasting-place.

Do not underestimate the power of my force. ...So, did you all notice that there is an $8 cover charge for the Friday night Buccaneer's Bash? And that's only if you are in costume! It's $10 otherwise.... LadyB, ye may want to try to convince them that yer actually in "costume," otherwise ye need to fork over more money.

Costume contest? Do ye have to ask? After all the time I spent on this outfit? I am in. If I am excluded on a technicality, or forced to enter in a category against costumes against which I have no chance, I plan to be a force to be reckoned with!

whales

Nope... I had it reversed. I still cannot find the reference I am thinking of, but here is one that corrects what I remembered: "The term 'Spanish Main' originally meant the parts of the Central and South American mainlands, from Mexico to Peru, taken by Spain. Later it came to include the islands and waters of the Caribbean." (Source: Richard Platt: Pirate, Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books, 2000, page 20) Sorry, no dates in this reference. Still looking...

Your timing on this question is lousy. I have recently acquired most of the Time-Life "The Seafarers" series of books, which I find to be a great read. I just now leafed therough "The Explorers", "The Pirates," and "The Spanish Main" volumes. Along with "The Whalers" and "The Windjammers," these are my favorite books in the series which I am reading and re-reading cover to cover. Anyway, in one of the aforementioned three volumes there is a terrific short blurb defining the Spanish Main by the year ______ as only the Caribbean islands (& Cuba, Jamaica, et al.) originally, but by the year ____ to also include all of the known South and Central America lands. Your timing is lousy because I was not looking for this quote before I read it, and now I cannot find the damned thing... Perhaps on my next go-around.