Captain Jim

Here's my take on it: I group pyrates into three groups; Hollywood, Fantasy and Historical. I also would separate Hollywood into "Historical Feel" and Fantasy. Personal pyrate skull and bones insignia would only be appropriate for the Fantasy group. Example: Jack Sparrow is a Hollywood "feels like history" character. Some folks try to be the most accurate JS that they can, a worthy endeavor. Jack didn't wear the S&B. There are no known examples of historical pyrates wearing the S&B, and very few examples of them even flying one on a flag. So if you want historical accuracy or Hollywood "feels like" history, then the S&B is a no-go. Fantasy (including Hollywood Fantasy)? Go nuts. Satin shirt, day-glo feathers, the works. Big ol' S&B on yer hat? Why not?

Sorry to hear it mate. I was looking forward to trying a hand at the spring lathe. Next year or we'll press gang yer hide.

My pile of junk is growing, some last minute finishes to things then leaving midnightish tonight. Why am I not there yet?

Auuuggghhh! I just got a vision of Madogge pole dancing in that chemise! Auuuggghhh! Must flush out brain with rhum! Auuuuggghhh! Were his jingly-jangly bits intact?!!?! Aaaaauuuuuggghhh!!!

Auuuggghhh! I just got a vision of Madogge pole dancing in that chemise! Auuuggghhh! Must flush out brain with rhum! Auuuuggghhh!

That's it, mate. There may have been preferences in jolly olde England for the stones provided by certain quarries and this may be in the record somewhere, but for the most part it's just basic sandstone, of the softer varieties I would imagine.

The following is premised upon your already having a tent/camp set up, garb and a gun. $5 for the pig roast on Friday. Something to eat every day ($7 a day at Sikies for brekkie and din, buxom serving wenches extra, but the proceeds go to charity.) Something to drink (water is provided free.) Flints and powder (but there are those willing to share.) If you never leave the Fort for modern KW for a night on the town (and some never do) that's about it, not counting travel. Pig $ 5 Silkie's 28 Tips at Silkie's 14 Flint and powder 12 Libations 30? Total $ 89 Not bad for a 5-day pyrate adventure.

Hell no, we're going to stand around and laugh at them, part of the initiation thingy... Thanks for the information Bo. Now that I know what goes where I can tell them the exact opposite for the amusement of those like Sterling that don't take an (obvious) hand in scewing up someone else's camp. This should be fun...

It is highly unlikely that you will find a "holystone" dealer in the Yellow Pages. Holystones were simply slabs of sandstone of various sizes. You can find suppliers of sandstone, usually under the garden or construction categories. Sandstone is used for walls, foundations and garden pavers and can be had in a variety of dimensioned sizes. A quick and by no means exhaustive search of the 'net turned up this one: http://www.granite-sandstone.com/sandstone-raw-blocks.html I hope this helps.

Now there's a fine intoroduction; short, sweet and double rhums all around! Welcome aboard, mate.

Wow. Excellent in every way.

Wait I have to buy drinks now? I didn't see that in the contract..but then again I am the new person on board...so one spicy bloody mary coming right up! Enjoy! 'Tis a pub, lass, virtual though it may be, an' the proprieties must be observed. I'll be havin' a Smithwick's, and thank you. Welcome aboard. Ain't it cold in Minnesota? Not natural fer a Pyrate, says I. Set sail for Key West and Pirates In Paradise next week. Bring the wee ones.

I like it. Hey, you got the shoes right! No Hollywood bucket boots! (Not that there is anything wrong with buckets, in the right venue. I have a great pair o' them my own self. I just get suprised when someone draws buckle shoes.)

An there ye go askin' us t' stand wi' ye at the mast and ye've not even bought a round for the house yet. This being a Pub and the proprieties needin' t' be observed, I'll have a Smithwick's Ale iffen yer purse can stand the strain. Now then: Welcome aboard, mate! I, too, sail out o' the Tampa area (Myakka City, acutally, but grew up on the bay and the Gulf.) So if you are hankerin' for adventure, why is it you're not going to Pyrates in Paradise in Key West come the next week? It beats the bilgewater out of any wee fest ye've e'er been to.

Nice garb, mate. You also have fine taste in "accessories" as well. Nothing becomes a pyrate so much as a comely wench on 'is arm.

We're Pyrates, lass, show up and there will be pig. Of course there may not be any pig left by 10 PM.

talk about nosey Personally I don't give a flying jib about what held 'em up, just glad these pyrates are going to make it! Whooo Hooo ! for the Thacherites! So, what did happen? (Dammit, I swore I wouldn't ask.)

Now that's downright unacceptable. You were bringing half the pyrates by yourself! I really hope you can work out your situation and come on down.

Hey Greg, It was the plain natural Linsey-Woolsey socks that I was after.... I'm a bit uptight when it comes to stripes...won't wear them in real life or as a part of my re-enacting gear.... I second the motion. If you bring oatmeal colored L-W socks, I'll snag a pair from you. (No stripes in my costume, thanks. It's too Mr. Smee for me.) yes...but i thought Vertical stripes were apropriate??.....they make me look taller...just picked up some grey silk hose down at smoke & fire...it's those dam-blasted horizontal stripes be the death of me Dogge, you are correct. The vertical stripes are appropriate. And, I have the opposite problem, I wear horizontal stripes to make me skinny pins look bigger, and, me not so tall! "You there, Lass; do these socks make my legs look fat?"

Cassandra, thanks for your response. Now I don't mean to be overly specific here (well, yeah, actually I suppose I do), but fantastic in what ways? I need to know the reactions of someone who has worked with it. How is it to work wet? Does it hold shape or rebound? Sag when set down? When dried, how is it to work with small tools such as dental picks? Does it file/sand easily? What sort of grain does it have? Will a pick dragged accross the dried surface leave a fine line, a jagged edge or will chips fly all over the place? What would a Dremel tool do to it; powder or chunks? How much "open" time do I have before it freezes up solid as a rock or begins to flake off? Can I extend the open time? Can I cover/wrap/seal a working piece and return to it later? Now if this stuff works the way it looks like it does, I'm sold. But looks can be deceiving; I want someone with real-world experience to reassure me that this stuff can be worked by someone (meaning me) that has great innate craftsman skills but no experience with small-scale wax-type modelling. I do some engraving and my woodcaring is quite good but I have no clay or wax sculpting experience. In the mean time I'm looking for someone local who has experience, but I live out in the hinterlands (yes, Florida has hinterlands) and none of the cows I have spoken to seem to know what I'm going on about. Oooh, bronze clay, a worthy substitute for poor man's gold!

And when you reach for a leech, reach here:

Looks like early-midday Wednesday the 3rd for me. Leaving home Tuesday midnightish to avoid Miasmi traffic. See y'all soon, but not soon enough!

Aye, lad, we will. And then another, and another an' another an'...what were we talkin' about?

All this plottin' and plannin' behind the scenes...intrigue...skullduggery...arrr, sounds like pyraty doin's to me.

Now there they go gettin' all mysterious on us...