Cap'n Pete Straw

While I agree with what has been stated above, I feel compelled to add the following: 1) A compass. Whether it is a ship's (large) compass, or a small (pocket) compass, this is an absolute must. Why? Well, when driving across state(s) to an event, it comes in real handy when you don't have a dashboard-installed GPS system, and realize that the MapQuest information you printed can be useless after taking a side-trip or your clever shortcut proves to be not so much of one. 2) Booty. No, not that hot boddiced-babe sitting next to you. I mean a drawstring bag o' doubloons. Or a small chest filled with wads of printed period currency. Or a fistful of gems (precious or semi-precious). Leave the crate of bootleg spices at home. Nothing makes you FEEL more like a pirate than FEELING that you're filthy rich. Well, suffering from scurvy and/or disentary also makes you feel like a pirate, but in a not-so-good way. 3) Treasure map. I mean, come on. This can replace #2, above, because instead of HAVING the treasure, you will have the POTENTIAL of having the treasure. Plus, it's lighter than carrying pockets full of coins. Plus, you can always gamble it away in a poker game. Or trade it for some of the items missing from your Top Ten list. Or write upon its reverse side the phone number of that most comely lass ye just met over by the Grog Vendor. I still have a couple of the essential Top Ten items to complete (only two weeks until 2005 Pirate Event #1 for me!). But for me, my impression is made more "real" by what is in my pockets (or sea bag -- yes, I have one). In addition to the above, here's a few items I use to stuff my pockets: Bo'suns whistle, Spyglass, Letters of Marque (they're like "Get Out Of Jail Free" cards for pirates!), Sextant, Wrist Shackles and Leg Irons.

YOW! Okay, that was a real nice update of information, thanks. As it stands, I am planning to be there on Saturday. I'd like to know what people's plans are after the event (drinks at a local pub?), as I have to get back to my CW unit that evening for the next day's activities (and some around-the-campfire evening fun and storytelling). Unless you want to follow me to hang around a Civil War campfire... Actually (did I say this already?), at our C.W. "School of the Soldier" a couple weekends ago, around the campfire on Saturday night I brought up the subject of the Oshkosh Pirate Thing, and we got into a discussion of Pirates, Pyratical things, this website (I am now watching for some people I know to show up here...), and stuff. Before long, almost everyone was talking like a pirate.

Rockford.... I'll see if I can make it. Don't look for me in uniform (and I don't mean I will be naked!); if I'm able to make it, I'll be a spectator... but I'll be hitting the vendors, but my pocketbook is utterly empty, what with 16-year-old birthday spectacle and all. We ought to be careful not to go too far off topic, or this thread might get moved... Ah.. Ahen, ahem. Er, Revolutionary War reeenactment, eh? oh, yes! PIRATE this and PIRATE that! Indeed! Harumph, Pirates pirate pirate. There. all better.

I, too, suffer from a lack o' technical expertise in postin' me photos... Thanks for the tip, per'aps that will do the trick. In the meanwhile, let's see if I can remember everything... I'm sorting this by eras/themes. A lot of these are costume props, which means it would be WAY more impressive to simply post a picture than to admit they don't fire ("NF" = non-firing firearm). Piratical stuff: -- Pair of 1700's British Sea Service flintlock pistols (one fires, the other needs work) -- Queen Anne flintlock pistol (I made it from a kit four days ago) -- Middle East "Flintlock" (NF; extensively inlaid with bone or shell; looks incredible, but is completely non-safe to fire) -- Blunderbuss (NF: Denix replica) -- Cutlass/flintlock combination (NF: Denix replica) -- Boarding axe/flintlock combination (NF: Denix replica) -- "Napoleon" flintlock (NF: Denix replica) -- Scottish brass flintlock (NF: Denix replica) -- Pocket flintlocks (4; NF: Denix replica) Civil War: -- Enfield musket -- Caplock muzzle-loading pistol -- LeMat revolver (YES! You heard me! The most awesomest birthday present ever!) -- Pair of Colt Navy pistols -- Colt Army pistol -- Colt pocket pistol -- Sharps carbine (NF: Denix replica) -- Sharps pistol (NF: Denix replica) -- CW Cavalry sabre -- USN 1850 cutlass (I actually keep this with my pirate gear, but you all are too savvy for me to put it past you)... Lord of the Rings: (If you don't know the sword from its name, then you ought to skip this part) -- Aragorn's Ranger sword with scabbard (and utility knife) -- Aragorn's elven dagger -- Narsil (The Sword of The King! And its scabbard!) -- Anduril -- Sting (with scabbard... actually, I have FIVE) -- Glamdring -- Herugrim -- Guthwine -- Eowyn's sword -- Hadhafang -- Second Age elven sword -- Gimli's axe (two of these) -- Sword fo the Nazgul -- Uruk-hai scimitar (two) Also four or five various Medieval swords. Then there's my "Vampire Slaying" weapons: -- Medieval double-headed axe (perfect for lopping off heads of the undead) -- Crossbows (2: these are the iconic rifle-stock ones) -- Sword of the Daywalker (movie "Blade"), with one Tactical Scabbard -- Throwing glaives (from "Blade"; one 3-bladed, one 2-bladed) -- A set of Blade's "silver" stakes with leg holster. (When vampires and/or zombies walk the Earth, you will mock my weapon collection no more.) I haven't even listed the Klingon weapons. Oh, and my batarang collection. Oh, just forget it.

So, anyone care to report how the April Chicago invasion went? Or was it in May? Anyway, with two target months in the can, now we are looking at Oshkosh in June... if THAT happens. Again (from another thread) I have a gajillion conflicts that weekend and I am trying to mesh obligations. Personally, I'd love to hit a Rev War reenactment. Never been. I am intensely interested in that era, and that interest got side-tracked into piracy. (Ahhrrr!) Need to get to an event to pick up a few more neeeded items from vendors; on-line shopping is too slow.

"June 18th & possibly also the 19th " Can we get a confirmation on this? I now have eight hundred throusand separate conflicts for that specific weekend. But this Oshkosh thing was the first thing I put on my calendar. I have a Civil War Reenactment (Norway, WI) which I am obligated to do, but I am trying to see if I can squeeze both into the weekend -- after all, I need to drive past Norway on my way back from Oshkosh...

Agreed -- their bill of fare leaves a lot to be desired... Had no firm plans this weekend, but it's still a bit of a hike for me.

"No matter where you go, there you are" Yes, I posted that earlier.... but that line was originally from The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension.

Here is my progress on the Queen Anne to date: (1) Sat out in the back yard on Memorial Day (starting at 1:30 pm), with a tankard of Guinness, the box of Queen Anne flintlock parts, and my gun cleaning tools. (2) Kept getting up every 20 minutes, alternately to refresh my tankard, obtain another tool needed for gun assembly, or to move EVERYTHING slowly across the lawn to stay in the sun as it tracked across the yard. (3) Six hours later, gun was complete. (4) It took me almost half an hour to pick up all the tools I had brought outside. Jeez. Sorry, no pictures. Too much beer. I really had no idea at all that I would build the gun in one sitting. Strill need to brown the barrel. Perhaps tomorrow. But the gun looks GREAT!

Boy, this topic was buried. No decision on date. The Oshkosh thing is in June, of course. With Merrydeath AWOL, there has been no movement, and I'd hate to omit her from any plans. I'll send her a message and ping her thoughts... but I have no idea on her currrent mindset toward this...

I'm going! If anyone plans to attend this, let's communicate closer to the event... Let's see... What to wear? Pirate? Civil War (Yankee)? Civil War (Confederate)? Renaissance? Victorian vampire hunter? Lord of the Rings? Late 20th-century Soviet military? Batman? Klingon? So many eras from which to choose and yet, ironically, so little time...

I was digging around looking for local (Midwest) topics to resurrect from the archival bowels of the bilge, and someone has beat me to this one. Excellent. Still interested in attending. The weekend is marked, but many things may interfere with plans. My fingers are crossed... I have no special plans or ideas. I hope to have all my gear in order (I still must finish my jacket; but I have sixteen gajillian props ... must decide...). I guess, then, simply BEING there is the best I can offer.

"Whatsa behind me, she'sa not important!" -- i hear chico marx, but i may be wrong ...sorry no caps - kitten demands to be petted or walks on keyboard -- typing one-handed... -- Okay, kitten gone -- Other answers were correct, too... I need to dig more. If you have not seen Jumanji, it is ENTIRELY entertaining. Much better than you would expect. Funny, exciting, touching -- it's a great kid romp, and brings out the kid in the adult.

You guys are good! (1) Planet/Apes (2) Jurassic Park (No one ever gets that one!) (3) Buckaroo Banzai (6) Bonus is from Mad Max / Thunderdome (originally from B. Banzai) That leaves (4) and (5). Any one? Any one? I though #5 was a "Gimme".

Heavy petting

Okay, I just read through 19 pages of quotes (sheesh!). Here's a few. I strived to AVOID movies that have been quoted to death in this topic thread, but some of these are stinking easy: (1) "It's a MAD house! A MAD-HOUSE!!!" (2) [Australian accent]: "Shoot her! Shoot her!" (hint: it's from the first three minutes of the film) (3) "It's not my goddamn planet, understand, monkey boy?" (4) "A little rain never hurt anybody." "Yeah, but a lot can kill you." (5) "Oh, right -- to call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people! " BONUS QUOTE: (6) "Remember, no matter where you go, there you are." You have to name the OTHER movie that quote #6 is from... not the one that ANOTHER one of these lines is from.

HarborMaster -- now THAT's a coat!

Followin' up on an earlier topic, I finally found a copy of "The Goonies" on DVD. I purchased it, because 98% of all o' ye said it were The Greatest Pirate Movie In All Creation. Okay, perhaps that weren't a precise quote, but it were somethin' o' the sort. I haven't watched the DVD yet, but it better be good... or I'm comin' after all o' ye. Thanks fer the other tips... I be addin' Cap'n Blood and per'aps a couple o' these other titles to me Amazon.com Wish List.

Listening to some HGTV stuff (notice I used a non-judgemental word there) which is playin' on the telly. I traded off custody of the remote to Mrs. Straw on account o' there not bein' nothing on BBC America worth wathin' tonight (well, other than the "Dinsdale" episode of MPFC, with the Mististry of Silly Walks, but's it bein' re-broadcast in another hour... and the aformentioned Missus is fast asleep on the sofa already).

Okay, THAT was fantastic!

Agreed. The pattern is very workable -- If you know how to use a pattern, and know how to use a sewing machine, time is the only "problem" factor. Oh, and the cost of buttons. You need three hundred and seventy seven gajillion buttons. One tip -- make sure your trim does not fray too much when cut (i.e. ribbon works better than micro-fiber polyester braid). That was an overlooked problem on my son's coat. Again, this (Simplicity) is a "Costume" pattern -- not historically accurate/authentic. It looks GREAT -- but if you strive for accuracy, you want a well-researched historically authentic pattern -- and these, as a rule, can be VERY difficult to work with.

"Mrs. Straw" is singing a made-up tune to the cat. Hey, it's a slow night... Made two loaves of banana bread, and waiting for them to be done.

Last place (word association game _ none taken)

Dude... Pass me that joint...

Feathered Hat? Pack it in the same bag as the feathered parrot, and stash it in the overhead bin.