Ransom

^ Easy one. Gap jeans, T-shirts/sweatshirts, boots or, in the summer, flip-flops. But I can put on the dog when required - then I wear heels with my jeans! < Just had a phone conversation with Jacky Tar. Great fun. V Back to clothes. Are you hard on shoes, or like me, do they last you for 20+ years?

Spoke with...Jacky Tar. Could tell right away he was in his car. Lots of whoshing sounds. Because of the little hills around where he lives that block reception, we were always asking "Are you still there?" Talked about the Pub, pirate garb - or lack there of, favorite constellation, my Dairy Wife boots, how people look or sound different than what you might think (he pretty much sounded like I thought he would - nice voice, very friendly). We laughed a lot, and promised to talk again. Truely, a very well spent half hour!

1 Tea 2 Canada Geese in the front yard 3 Jacky Tar - for over a half an hour! 4 Chole - wondering if her garage door is frozen shut again.

You're more than welcome any time. 'Course, ya know you'd be sharing the house with five cats! Bring some of your books with ya. Between the two of us, sounds like we could load a simi. Grants Pass is on the Rogue River, and I always thought it would be kewl to have a pirate group called Pyrates on the Rogue. You could be Rogue Dreaded Dread pirate.

"I think Jacky is going to do most of the dealing in Havana. I don't plan to go ashore unless dragged, and the Rakehell is going to stand off while Jacky gets whatever papers he's talking about. I have no desire to draw attention to ourselves and would much rather avoid or broadside a Spanish ship, than drop anchor in a bay full of them." I finished off the last of the brandy in my glass. "So, I guess we trust that Jacky knows what he's doing."

^ I usually do okay, but have put my foot in it once or twice. < The good stuff I wear all the time were gifts from my husband. One ring was my grandmothers. My birthstone is a diamond, so I don't get too many of those! V Have an item of clothing that's practically in rags, but you love it so much you can't throw it out?

^ Oh, God, if it sparkles, I will come (like the movie, not the other kind!) < That's why I've collected vintage jewelry since high school, and make beaded jewelry now. V Go for the bling, or more subtle?

After two weeks of rain, snow, rain,snow...it's now sunny and 65. Kewl!

Well, your always welcome in the great North West. Best of all seasons, without the extreams. Although it can get hot for about a month here, into the 105-110 range. But usually not more than a month. The rest of the summer is 75-85. Come on, Chole, head for the Rogue Valley. :) Bonus, you're only two-three hours from the coast, depending on which route you take.

I agree, artists never retire. It's in our blood. The morticians will probaby have to pry either a brush or a pen out my cold, dead hand. But that's okay, because I enjoy the artistic life, and couldn't give it up, even if I wanted to..which I don't.

^ I like to make others happy. Especially if I can make something for them. Makes it more personal. < Yahoo, weather so nice I could open all the windows and air out the house. V You like store-bought gifts or homemade ones?

"Your a brave one, and that's a fact," Ioan said, "but you should have seen that blow coming a mile off. Hurts like the devil, I'll wager." She did nothing but glare at him, cradleing her jaw in one palm. "Well, now what, Missy? I see you've sent the lad off to do some errand, but you're in no shape to go anywhere but back on board. No doubt Striker will want to take the cat to my back in payment for that bruise you're sporting. I've got stripes that haven't healed since I left the Rakehell, so I'll not be taking the blame for this night's escapade. Next time you have an urge for some shore leave, you ask the Captain to escort you, and leave me in peace." He took her arm and hoisted her to her feet. "Let's get back to the ship before any more of your interesting friends come along." With a firm hand, he guided her along the street and back to the docks. The jolly boat was still moored, and to Ioan's relief, two of the Danish sailors that had gone ashore were already aboard. He hailed them, and with hand gestures got them to help Jane into the boat. As they rowed to the La Maligna, Ioan was glad his bodyguard duties were finally over, but was not looking forward to Striker's reaction when he saw the condition of his love interest.

1 Calimari steak with sweet and sour hot sauce 2 The Rogue River 3 Some of my family. We met at the River's Edge Restaurant for my Dad's birthday 4 Sisters that couldn't be there.

^ Sometimes. Usually at the grocery store. < Just swaped all the winter stuff in the house over to spring. I like to change things around for each season V Swap stuff in your houe, or does everything stay the same?

Wild, Wild West! Jeez, my first husband and I used to guess what would happen to Jim within the first ten minutes of the show...stabbing, hit on the head, drugged, kidnapped, shot...too funny! I used to like watching some of the day-time talk shows...like Dick Cavet, or Steve Allen. As a kid, I liked Saturday morning cartoons, followed by serial westerns...loved the 8" cuffed jeans with boots look! NOT!

One of the more amusing spam e-mails I got was entitled "Greeting from your friend in France." Yeah, like I have so many of those! What I don't get, is why some spammers go to so much trouble to send stuff that is gobbeldy gook, nonsense? Huge blocks of unrelated words that don't mean anything. Yet the subject says it's financial information. Go figure. Needless to say, I don't open any of this junk, I send it to Davey Jones.

Thank you indeed, Hurricane. Hope your presentation goes well, and sorry I am that I won't be there to enjoy it.

If ya do find her, ya best be careful. Bouncing is contagious! **bounce...bounce...bounce** (Has a visual of Red Cat and all of her friends at an event, dressed in their best pirate garb, bouncing through the crowds in a long conga line...people staring, scratching their heads...)

After Red Cat went up on deck, I turned to Jane. "It seems the Cat has a few doubts. I don't blame her, as I've several of my own. However, I promised Jacky that we would go along with whatever plans he has." I took a swallow of the brandy. "If you have any strong feelings concerning what we're about to do, then best state them now. I can signal the Relentless that we need another meeting."

A most happy and rum-filled natal day to you, Merrydeath. (Such a great pirate name!) Cheers!

Yeah, I'm heavily into an Italian thing right now (maybe I'll find a way to cook eggplant). My cooking hero is Mario Batali, and I have two of his cookbooks. Collect cookbooks, or wing it on your own?

^ Oh yeah. By the end of February, I'm starting to get a serious case of cabin fever - I want the sun! No sun after five months, I get crabby! < Sat out on the deck this evening for the first time since fall. Nice! V Do you celebrate the return of spring?

^ Whot? Ye lost me there, Cat. ^ Feathers in hats, for sure. Hair too short to tie them into now. < Bulbs coming up, lilac starting to bud, wildflowers bloomng already. Yeah! V What's your favorite season and why?

Never had it that it didn't taste like something you'd re-tread your tires with. How do you cook it so its edible?

^ Wow, that's a tough one to nail down. Roses, lavender, snapdragons...just for starters. And not those hot house roses. I like old fashion roses, or what they now call English roses. ^ Probably clumbsy. That's my usual! LOL < Was a glorious sunny day today. After all the rain and snow it was nice to have temps in the 60's and be able to sit out on the deck and admire all the bulbs coming up! V Looking forward to summer?