Ransom

Sorry False Ransom, I know quite a few people who've done it...though they're all my parent's age, and also of one my age who lives in a 38 motorcrusier inherited by his late father. I am battling similar urges but telling myself that a 22 pop-top Catalina sailboat is all I need. My 1957 Ford for sale = boat. So I'm a bad influence. Yeah, I know. But it's not as if he doesn't already have a nice boat - we do. And we do know several people who live on board their boats and are quite happy, but these are not 65' schooners! It doesn't help that we subscribe to Latitudes and Attitudes, all about people who cruise the world on their boats. Actually, I'm trying to get him to scale down to maybe a 40' Ketch instead. Something a bit more managable by two people who, at this point, don't know diddly about sailing! Had a older guy at the gas station see the pirate sticker on my truck widow that says "Pirate Girl." He looks at me kinda strange and asks, "So, you're a pirate girl, are you?" I reply, "Yup, that me." and he asks, "Where do you pirate?" and I reply, "Anywhere I want to." He walks away saying, "Yeah, right."

This afternoon the heat and the ever-present crowds annoyed me. The war going on in my mind had a lot to do with my hostility. With unwarranted roughness, I pushed past street venders, drunks, and one young soldier - not a wise move on my part, as he detained me with stupid questions for almost ten minutes. Reining in my frustration, I asured him I had not killed anyone or stolen any slaves. Had that young soldier known my true background, he would have arrested me on the spot. Slipping into the side street that would take me to the back entrance of the Royal Grace Inn, I avoided further encounters with Port Royal's finest. Sebastian's black horse was not tethered at its former post. My disappointment added to my frustration. Taking the key from my pocket, I entered the Royal Grace, and, avoiding the common room, jogged up the stairs to the second floor. With oiled silence the lock turned, and I was once again within the silk and damask sanctuary. I poured myself a glass of port, settled into a chair, and prepared to wait.

Below decks, the Rakehell looked as if a giant hand had picked her up, shaken her like a dog with a rabbit, then set her down on the water again. Barrels and boxes were thrown everywhere. Lighter ones floated in the water we'd taken on. All proof that the provisions had been stowed in haste, and not all had been properly lashed down. In the dim light I surveyed the mess. "Bloody hell. I hope none of the food has been spoiled." At that point, Jane, soaking wet, stumbled forward. "Is the hull sound?" I asked, that being my biggest concern at the moment. She nodded. "Good, then I'll send one of the crew below to help you get things put right." Still being thrown side to side as waves hit the ship, I regained the deck. Tunny and Jimmy were already aloft rerigging the mains'l. The wind had slackened even more. I called to Goose. "Get below and help Jane batten down what's come loose. And look for a new spar to replace the one we lost, and spare canvass. We'll need to make a new squares'l." Reluctantly, Goose headed below.

^ I sewed Elisabethan and Italian Renaisance costumes on a straight stitch Sears machine. I can sew anything! (Actually, I blew up a gog in that machine and had to get a new one.) I also crochet, embroider, do beading, and love to dress up - so I guess that about covers everything! ^ Hven't gotten it yet. I'm wishing for a swept-back hilt rapier. < Working on kit for me and my husband. We've got shirts, so breeches and coats come next. Then the shoe/boot question will raise its ugly head. LOL V What weapons do you wear with your kit (if you wear any at all)?

Hey, Red Cat, I got the "jeweled" R yesterday. Very Kewl. I think this should be a never-ending plunder exchange. It's just too much fun finding prezzies in my mailbox. I have two going out on Friday to: Maeve and Quartermaster James.

I'm also rather fond of the Ospreys that live in our neck of the woods. To see one dive over the river and grab a fish is pretty awesome. Especially when, during concerts in the park, they perch in the trees and drop fish parts on people!

^ Some good wine, fruit, cheese, bread - and someone nice to share it all with. < I love picnics. Simple food in the out of doors - don't get much better than that. My only caveat is, I don't eat off paper plates with plastic knives and forks, nor do I drink from plastic glasses. I take the real stuff. And cloth napkins. V Like picnics, or would you rather be sitting at a table indoors?

At the moment, for me it would have to be a raven - naturally

Then you also know that EVERYthing is an illusion. Besides, if you don't seek perfection, wouldn't that imply that you're willing to settle for second-best? And if that's true, and you don't get second, hell - third or fourth is good enough... "Those who are first are last"... Love: an overrated, over-hyped, underachieved and expectation-filled endeavor. Telling someone you love them not only puts you at risk; it also surely takes away from your power. Friendship: a temporary thing like everything else; only your closest friends can truly hurt you, and of, say, 100 friends, perhaps only 1 or 2 will be TRUE ones. Cappuccino: NOW yer talkin'! You and I are here? Sorry - I'M here. YOU'RE there. We aren't BOTH here. But now you'll probably reply that you're HERE and I'm THERE. See how it's all an illusion? Hummm...You apparently want no friends (none can be trusted), no loves (too risky), no dealings with society (too programed), and feel everything else is an illusion. Yet strive for perfection. I can only assume you'd rather be dead. Solves all of the above problems.

Sweetums - The giant muppet

Oderlesseye, I am amazed by the generosity of your plunder gifts! And the letter which came with them was a treasure in itself. Thank you so much!

Thanks, Rumba dear!

Yeah, and how come no one ever says what happened? Pub down, "call your server" messages on my screen, and then, POOF back up, and nothing to say why it went down in the first place. Very strange.

Oh, good. Now they REALLY won't like Trilby harassing them and making a scene.

After a wakeful night, and a stunningly wonderful breakfast provided by Ludo, I went up on deck to make arrangements for provisioning. This task I assigned to Tunny and Jimmy, who worked together as well as father and son, although I knew them to be unrelated. In my sleepless night, I had thought of one more way to stall leaving Port Royal that would not seem out of order to the crew. It had been over a year since the Rakehell had been careened. Before the purchased stores were loaded on board, I would have her bottom scraped cleaned. I gave Africa the task of arranging it at the careening yard. I gave each crew member a bit of ready coin, and advised them to find lodgings ashore until the ship was ready to sail again. I figured that would give me three days to decided where the Rakehell would go next. Three days to decided if I truly wanted to go anywhere at all. By late morning all the arrangements were made. We would move the Rakehell to the careening yard at first light on the morrow. With a flush of anticipation, I left the ship, the key to Sebastain's room clutched in one hand.

Duchess, I received your lovely plunder on Saturday. The box will be perfect for holding all the loose "jewels" that Boots sent me. Thanks! CrazyChole, I also received your plunder. Love the keychain! However, in it's journey from your port to mine, the envelope was "holed" and the rocks you referred to apparently lost at sea. Sorry. Thank you both for making picking up the mail so much fun!

When your husband is looking at a circa 1950's 65' staysail schooner "project boat" and thinking of it as a possible home for us when he retires - and he's serious! And I'm trying to talk him out of it - but not very hard! We're in serious trouble!

^ Pretty much every single one of them. < Ah, cleaning the fish filters - one of the downsides to haveing koi. The up side is watching a two foot carnival-colored fish do his spring Shamu act - until he hits his head on the metal supports of the small slate bridge. Bong! V Have any kind of fish as pets?

I'm so confused. Can we just go back to talking about chocolate Easter bunnies, and marshmallow peeps? Happy Easter to all!

Uhhh, gee, Chole, I think that was an answer - at least on my part.

Mary Diamond, after your envelope made a circumnavigation of the globe, it finally arrived at my house! Thank you so much for sharing your memories, photo, and coins. I will treasure them. And Rumba, got you plunder box today as well. Yes, I do feel like a queen, now that I have my "crown jewel." The silver box is too lovely to hide away in a sea chest, so it's sitting on my dressing table. Thank-you so much! Plunder

^ Not wearin' any yet - still in me jammy bottoms! < Love the Fabrege egg! V Pass the undie question on!

Captain Sterling, glad to know the mini-bottle of rum will come in handy. As to the shell-box, that be just a little thing I picked up on the coast on my last visit, and I thought it looked like something a sailor would make while stuck in the doldrums. As for CBIL, you let me worry about him! LOL Oderlesseye, don't trust that anti-curse charm too much. Like I said in the note, I never tested it's powers. Gotta say, it's really fun coming home and finding treasure in your mailbox. 'Twas a good idea, indeed, Red Cat.

^ Forced to hunt, but around the house. Funny, there would always be a couple of sugar eggs that never got found, until like September - all covered with dust. < Used to have an Easter egg hunt for the nephews out on our front yard. Even hid big plastic eggs with silver dollars inside for the adults. Was fun, but haven't done it for years. V Other than kids on a sugar high, what do you get for Easter?

^ Oh yeah. I mimicked those guys you get telemarketing calls from Calcutta. Had my writer's group in histerics. ^ Thought Greek would be interesting. < I once started talking in a Spanish accent, and really had a hard time stopping. 2/3 of the kids in my school were Mexican, so I heard that accent all day. V Ever almost embarrass yourself by talking with an accent?