Captain Jim

Glad to see you made it safe. Thanks for being there for us...again.

Ah, yes, "The holiday between Thanksgiving and Christmas with the family you wish you had." Only we do have that family, just not genetically related ones. It's even deeper. We chose this family. And I daresay that at one time or the other we have sacrificed to see each other, suffered the misery of de feet, spent a drop or two of blood here and there. More than I can say for some of my "real" family. And for those who haven't been there, PiP is lived in full color. Sleep optional.

Good to see you made it back. Can't wait to see the pictures.

"You can announce the winners of items on the silent auctions first, and if someone really wants the item and is willing to pay more they can bid live otherwise it stands as it closed in writing.... then start the bidding of the few items we've chosen to be live auction items only." This is the line that conerned some of us; the underlining is mine. It seems to say that the live auction could override a bid that stood at the end of the silent auction. That, of course, would be too pyratical even for us...and the larger, "wow" stuff would be held back for the live. Everybody clear? And Diosa I think the idea of a quick "pick-up-the-paper" team is a good one. If need be we'll recruit any nearby pyrates to fill in but it would be best to have something planned out ahead of time. Do people really get that vicious? Yeah, I suppose they would...

So who was going to get the spanking, him or the wenches? Happy natal to ye, ye old sawbones.

Thanks Lily. You're the best.

*looking all innocent* Why, Willie, I have no idea what you're talking about.

You could also use MAPP gas, which you can find in the usual propane outlets (Home Depot, etc.), which burns hotter than propane. From what I have read small pieces such as rings (or ring-sized seal) can be fired with a torch.

I second Capt Sterling. And, yes, this exceeded my expectations as well. Three years ago there were three tents and four pyrates camping at the fort. This year there were 29 tents, not counting flies and the Hide, and somewhere around 100 pyrates. Have we become the largest gathering of "authentic" pyrates in the world? Well if not this year then surely next...

Jack ye had best make it down or that damn Dogge will be havin' at yer women again. Mind you I'd shoot 'im in th' foot if it would help but we need 'im t' walk th' plank fer us. "Limp the plank" just doesn't have the same ring to it. Aye Stynky. Sorry you missed the boat anyway. I think next year we need a few more line marshals, old hands and reliable. Thank you all. I raise my rum glass to you.

Thank'ee Spike, my wife likes that one.

I was thinking of making a few pine buckets, wood hoops. Mind you that I have never made such a thing so I'll keep you posted later in the year. Still, it seems like a simple project and once the machines are set turning out a dozen doesn't seem like it would be too difficult. Then we can splice rope handles on.

Well, next year we are going to have a December ceremony to honor all of the December Pyrates. Ye'll have to catch me then.

Aye, 'tis always best to know one's stalker.

This is what results from not going to PiP. Far too much time on yer hands not sewing pyraty things. Still that is just ablsolutely mindbendingly awesome.

Cool. Nothing like that ever happens to me. And I sometimes go out of my way to invite it.

Yes, we must have a ceremony at PiP next year. Something with bacon, I imagine. Thanks Mary. It was good to catch up a bit at PiP. So many pyrates and so little time. Michael, it was good to meet you, even if you were in service to that rat of a King. Perhaps Hampton? Yes, Mission, its true. I keep my shell collection and my classical sculpture pieces at the beach for all to enjoy.

Under/behind glass (or Plexiglas) would be good, if it can be arranged. There will be a fly and two tables provided. The Schedule was to be a live auction starting at 4 PM and ending in time for a leisurely stroll up to the ramparts for sunset (which occurs @ about 5:45 or so) giving us approximately one and a half hours of bid time. If we add a silent auction we could open the silent at 3 PM, call it at 4/4:30 and award to the winners and then have the live auction on items specifically reserved for that or for items that received no bids during the silent. Any bids made during the silent would have to be honored and not opened up again during the live (pending any reserves set.) I don't think that there are any activities planned for that time inside the fort, so we would not have any conflicts within the venue. Off-site activities are another matter. I'll check the schedule. Alternately, the silent could be open all day and close at the above mentioned time with the stipulation that you have to be present to win. Might bring folks back to the fort for sunset and our sunset salutes.

Seconded. I'm in.

Not to change the subject, but what sort of grade (grit level) does crocus cloth come in?

Yes there is nothing like philosophical musings with a bikini chaser...wait, that didn't come out right...I wasn't intimating that you are a bikini chaser...though you might be...Oh, dash it all... Happy Birthday to Me! Thanks all.

Now that might be doable. I really don't want to commit either myself or the Bones to all that follow-on stuff. We arrr (sorry) thinking about doing two auctions, one each Sat and Sun and holding back some of the really good stuff for the Sunday live auction. Live from Fort Taylor, Its Sunday Night! Half or more silent (and present to win) and the rest live...I'm beginning to warm up to this idea. And on the roped off table the swag would be behind a fishing-net screen inside a rope barrier, two lines of defense. Sorry if I wasn't clear on that.

I was thinking along the same line...Perhaps a rope-line and fishing nets beyond that to keep people off the table, or to ensnare anyone who ventured too close. An unmanned table would need some sort of signage to explain what all the loot on the table was about. On the other hand it would be nice to let the prospective victi...uh, I mean bidders...handle the goods to be sold and a live body being enthusiastic about the sale goes a long way toward sparking interest. Or a laser intrusion alert system...pressure-sensitive table pad...holographicly projected Pyrate giving the speil...What's our budget again? Oh, yeah, never mind. Just give me and Mae a couple of cannons...we'll keep an eye on the stuff! See, that's what went wrong with my crowd control attempts...I wasn't properly armed. I'll lend you my .69 calibre dragoon..close up that's a mighty big hole to look down.