Captain Jim

It's a tough job, Billy, but someone has to do it.

Thanks, mates. I'm gettin' all warm and fuzzy here, a nice change for the week.

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed. Luck, mates.

Thanks, Silkie. Like I said, I usually don't vent publicly, but I had to vent this one somewhere, and you guys are it. Sometimes I just need a little reassurance from someone that what we did wasn't insane. The people that should thank us are either the cause of the problems or are less than three years old. Thanks.

Thanks, Jenny. I do hold out some hope for the niece, but we did what we did for those kids. I Mommy turns it around, good; I get my old life back. If not, we knew this going in. As for the sperm donor (Sponer?) he could fall off the edge of the world and I wouldn't miss him. Then again, he was once not a bad artist. Could he turn it around? Maybe, but I'm not gambling these kids to find out.

Actually, assembled cannon ashore would have been likely, as a ship aground is helpless. Defensive strategy would have been high on the priority list in selecting a place to careen. Cannon ashore would have been able to outshoot cannon on a ship coming into the shore, keeping them back until the ship could be re-floated. Then you attack with your freshly careened ship which is now fast and nimble. Cannon located on a rise or cliff would have been devastating, to the point of sinking or disabling any ship foolish enough to try and take a careened ship.

Thanks, I need all of the "Attaboys" I can get. The niece may be able to regain custody, but only by jumping through some judicial hoops, meeting some state-mandated goals, not the least of which is drug rehab. But they are ours until the neice gets it together or they graduate from college, whichever comes first.

I’m generally no one to vent in public, but sometimes it does a mind good to do so. And since I know some of you as well or better than I know my own neighbors (funny ol’ world, innit?) I guess this is as good a place as any. Well, seeing as how this is a random thread and what I have to rant on about is really random, here goes. Four months ago my wife and I took into our house one of her nieces and her two children, ages one and two-and-a-half. (We have a five year old of our own.) The niece and the kids had been living on the street, in cars and in dive hotels for about two months when we found out and intervened. There were drugs (pot, cocaine, and heroin) alcohol and a felonious, violent boyfriend (who is also the sperm donor) involved. The family warned us against taking them in (even the niece’s mother, grandmother to the children) as the niece was a habitual liar. But as there were children involved, we acted. Many broken promises, much lying (the family was right about that) and more felonious shenanigans followed. The children were not being well cared for, even under our roof. The room we gave them reeked of dirty diapers and stale milk. There were all-night binges that the niece would take the kids to, even after the one-year-old was hospitalized for a severe staph infection. When enough got to be too much we read her the riot act. Rules were written. We had told her when she moved in that this was the last turnaround on the highway to hell, and if she moved out without turning her life around we would make it our life’s goal to take those kids from her. We reiterated that point during the reading of the act. Two weeks ago last Friday she dumped the kids at an acquaintance’s roach infested trailer during a night of tequila and prescription pain killers. A borrowed truck was vandalized, then not returned and subsequently reported stolen. The acquaintance who got stuck with the kids called us. We collected the (completely filthy) kids and, not having heard directly from the niece all weekend (we got reports from others), we legally took the kids the next Monday. For two weeks we have gone armed wherever we go (dad is a violent felon, and we took his kids), we had to take time off to run the government-go-round and make it all official (including fingerprinting and background checking us) and we set up state help with daycare expenses and such. I’ve been a little busy of late. But the kids sleep through the night now, their infections are gone and the two year old stopped having nightmares.

Ahoy, all. I’ve been horribly busy as of late, so sorry for not weighing in. Mercury is good. Let’s keep it and move on. I like the look of a two-masted ship, as well as having an appreciation for the smaller size of the sails. This makes the sails easier to handle individually as well as offering more options for balance on all points of sail and in all kinds of weather. I would opt for the brig-sloop. I’ve seen a couple of careening pictures. Now I have to go back and find them. That will teach me to pyrate pictures when I see them from now on. As for starting a new thread to help organize this rabble, I heartily concur. I nominate William to set this up, that is if you're not to strapped for time, mate.

*Doing best Bogart imitation* "Here's lurking at you, kid".

Take yer meds, Chole...

I put a brass eye-bolt on the big flat end of mine and tie it to the fitting with synthetic line. If I were to pull up the cabin sole an find it full of water the plug will be floating on top and the line will lead me back to the fitting, even under water and in the dark. Of course people who go to such lengths almost never have through-hull fittings fail (knock on wood) because we constantly inspect that sort of thing.

I've carried something similar for years to plug through-hull fittings in case of failure. I use cedar, soft (to conform to the hole) and resistant to bugs and rot. Cascabel, what wood were the plugs that you saw made from?

I smoke occasionally. Pipe and cigars with a rare cigarette. Mostly cigars. Something about the costs associated with burning a $10 bill each time I light up keeps the cigar smoking limited.

Weighing in (finally, long story) Speedwell (I know, not on the "short list") Antelope Crow (without the “palm”)

No worries, mate. Here's to pyratin'.

You're not looking at this in the right light, I think. Your post is more of an informative note and doesn't really require or solicit a response. Responding would be a lot like talking to a broadsheet nailed to a wall. Since I am in Florida, I won't be going and saw no reason to respond in any case. Next time, ask how many folks around here are going to go or who have seen these acts before. Also, look at the number of "views" the two posts have had. Lastly, its not a lack of interest in pyrates, not from the people here. Just a lack of proximity.

From William's list: Tenth Whelp. Tenth Whelp? you ask. I give you: "The British first developed, in the 1620s, a class of ships called the Lyon Whelps Class to combat these Dunkirk Privateers and named them First Whelp, Second Whelp and so on up to Tenth Whelp. These ships were less than a hundred feet long and carried 10 to twelve guns. They were unhandy to sail and even less so to fight." From:Here.

Sometimes?

I'm with you Patrick. It sounds period (no one uses words in that way anymore) and its not overtly "piratey." Its the kind of name that you would give to a ship that you love. As for getting sidetracked, breaks over: back to work! Now that the holiday season is over we can concentrate on the more important aspects of our lives such as pyracy. How about we come up with basic lists of clothing, one for men, one for women suitable to keep one clothed and warm over a period of a week (if you get there on Monday.)

From that museum down south. Belt hook starts inside the axe head and is screw fastened. The head is held on by two "tangs" that form a rounded over "T" shape on top of the axe head before continuing down inside the axe head, then extending down to be fastened to the front and back of the handle. The hole through the head seemed to be square. Sorry no more detail is available, but it was inside a glass case and I was trying to be sneaky. I don't recall the date, either.

Huzzah the Bone Island Buccaneers! Met most of you last year (last year? It was only six weeks ago!) Good of you to sign aboard.

Tigger does not "beat up" anyone. He "bounces" them. Therefore I nominate Tigger to be the Official Pub Bouncer.

Welcome to our little island in the Cyber Sea. Thank'ee for the drink, lad.

Welcome aboard, Mister Talbot. Capt. James Warren's me name, but mates call me Capt. Jim or just Jim. Ray! A pint o' Smithwick's best on this here rougue's tab. Anyone rebellin' agin the King be a friend, indeed. Cheers Mate!