Mad Kestrel

I saw that ship as well, the last time I was in Michael's. Very cool! And they had put it on the very top shelf, waaaay up and out of immediate sight. I'm planning on hitting the Michael's right after Halloween, in the hopes that they won't have sold all of them and they'll go on that after-holiday sale. Crossing me blades fer luck instead of me fingers...

Well, maybe he won't get a shot at the Oscars, but we can see that darling Johnny wins the GQ/Spike TV Man of the Year Award! You can vote as often as you like (I've already voted often enough to embarrass myself about it!) http://www.spiketv.com/shows/gq/

Aye, we are neighbors, after a fashion...I'm in Rock Hill, just a wee bit from Charlotte NC. *blushing* Well I wouldn't necessarily call it rushin' in...I'd been lurkin' about here for a good while. I learned a good lesson about postin' information without having the written words to hand for reference! Glad I gave ye a giggle! If ye do plan to come to our pirate weekend, let me know, and me crew'll give ye a right welcome.

Alrighty, then...Mad Kestrel, native to the South Carolina coast but lately landbound a few miles south of the NC border. So where are you, me dear?

I found most of my belts at the local Salvation Army thrift store. 10 cents each, and because they're hand-me-downs, they usually have that weathered look to the leather and the buckle. You'd have to hunt through the selection, but it's worth the time.

Well, pat me on the back - I got them all right! And me husband said seein' the movie three times was too many.... I'll admit, though, the ring question was a guess, but apparently a good one.

I can't believe no one has mentioned the extremely fine pirate fantasy novel "On Stranger Tides" by Tim Powers. Set in the Caribbean near the end of the Golden Age, it's chock full of sea battles, plunder, Blackbeard, voudun, treachery and a little true love for the gentle-hearted (but it's not a romance, so the big strong men needn't turn up their noses. :) )

They needed to return every piece of gold and spill some blood from each crewmember (as some kind of expiation or penance) to lift the curse. Indeed. That's why Jack slices his own hand just before tossing his own gold piece to Will... Does that mean that Bootstrap (to whom the curse clearly applied) was chained to a cannon at the bottom of the sea alive (or at least undead) for all these years? We talked about that too. Eventually being submerged would have softened Bootstrap's skin enough to slough it off and let him get free from his chains, whereupon he could've limped to an island. Unless he, being a pirate AND a good man, decided to be a twisted sort of martyr and hang around by his cannon forever. Or maybe a shark ate him up? :)

The oopsie that had me crew fussin' was the fact that the Pearl was flyin' Jack Rackham's flag... But I got over it right quick. Jack Sparrow can make this pirate lass overlook most anything! Trust me when I say that were it Kestrel on the island instead of Elizabeth, there'd have been no signal fire...well, not until the rum was all drunk up, in any case.

Okay, I think they'd better keep me away from the keyboard for a while... The Invasion and the Pyrate weekend are one and the same, November 1-2, 2003. Local 96 is sponsoring Carolina's First Annual Day O' Wrong on October 25. Please, all you piratical types, feel free to come play with us the first weekend of November. And if you'd like to get a look at the fluff-brain Captain Mad Kestrel, just ask around. I'll be there!

Sorry! Shows what happens when you post in a hurry! The Carolina Renaissance Faire takes place just north of Charlotte NC. The full run this year is October 4 - November 16, 2003 (weekends only, of course) Local 96 of the Wench's Guild is sponsoring Pyrate Weekend on October 25-26, and all those of a sea-going nature are invited to come and play with us. We've got some activities planned, (including a Scavenger Hunt with prizes and everything!, and more being negotiated. I'll post again later when everything is etched in stone. http://www.royalfaires.com/CAROLINA/crf_main.htm

The new, official we-ain't-changing-it-again-so-write-it-down CRF Invasion Weekend will be November 1-2, 2003!!! The theme will be "Pirates of the Carolinas: The Curse of the Lost Rose". Break out your piratical gear and weigh anchor with our motley crew. Hope we see ye black hearts there!

All the scenes mentioned up 'til now have been great. Speaking of "The Princess Bride", I need to put in a plug for the very short fencing battle between Count Rugen (did I spell it right? It's been a year or ten since I read the book!) and Inigo. Not because the fencing is all that magnificent, but because of the powerful use of music to underscore every single move - makes the fight twice as entertaining! And what about the sword battle in "The Court Jester", where Hawkins changes from brave and dashing to frightened and cowering with the snap of a finger? Fabulous! Kes

Next time you're in Charleston SC, you MUST visit the Queen Anne's Revenge. (I-26 West to I-526, east towards Mt. Pleasant and Exit 24 on Daniel Island. Turn right on Fairchild Street. Queen Anne's Revenge is located beside the Hampton Inn. ) It's a pirate themed restaurant, but based on actual historical fact, not just parrots and eye-patches. It features a museum in front, and the dining area in back. And it has some of the most amazing food! We went last year during Spoleto, and it was one of the highlights of the trip. www.qarevenge.com Fair winds, Mad Kestrel Privateer #9, IFoRP Captain of the Thanos