Ransom

Well, most of the Ren Faire/pyrate events I've been to had belly dancers as well, soooo....ummm, maybe it's just a "Guys like to look at pretty girls moving all slinky-like?" I mean, I'm a girl, so I just like the costumes and the fun of dancing. (I only belly dance in my living room—when I'm alone or with CS! ) I know the first time JT and I met at Ojai, one of the first place we stopped was the belly dancing stage. And I notice that Mad Dogge always gets his picture taken with the belly dancers at Port Washington.

Oh, no wories. We'd set the bar up on the beach. And of course we'd have rhum. Can't have a pyrate bar with no rhum.

Yeah! A floating Tiki bar. "Have Tiki Will Travel. Coming to a port near you!"

Ahem....."Meanwhile, back at the cannibal island, three pyrate ladies are waiting to see where they will be sent next. Remember, we have a boat. We could go anywhere!"

Ooo, take care of you, Bess! How do I feel? Excited! After dealing with sick animals since last November, and being trapped at home, I finally get to escape. Chain Shot and I are heading for the coast, to spend two days on the boat. Woooohoooo.

I remember watching Have Gun, Will Travel, when I was a kid. It was one of my favorite shows. Haven't seen it since then. I'm always afraid that if I go back and watch something I loved as a kid, I'll see it as an adult and wonder what the big deal was, and be disappointed. Since we haven't had TV in our house in about 15 years, I rent TV series that look interesting. I thought Deadwood was fabulous, and got a kick out of House, for the first two season or so, then it seemed to go flat. Still watching Battlestar Galactica, and waiting patiently for the last season to show up at the video stores. Firefly I loved sooo much after renting it, I bought the four-disc series.

Tavish MacTavish scrambled up the side of the Flodden, bellowing as he went. "Run up a parley flag, ye dogs. And man them guns, but dinna load them yet." The first mate, who was still in the crow's nest keeping an eye on the other ships, called down, "Captn, the schooner is makin' a move now. No guns loaded though." MacTavish stood next to the helm, a glass to his eye. "Yon brig has her guns primed, but the schooner doesna yet." He turned to the coxswain, a young man with a runny nose, and ratty beard. "What do ye ken they be sae touchy aboot, eh? Makes a man curious as a cat." The coxswain looked skyward as the parley flag reached the top of the missen mast. "Ye think they'll honor it, sir?" "Course they'll honor it, ye lout. It's the bluidy code." MacTavish gave his coxswain an evil grin. "Doesna mean we hae tae honor it, when it doesna suit our purpose."

Ah, Blackfoot. So glad you're back. The Pub is so much more interesting when you're around...no matter what guise you're in.

So, do you think that maybe the people who tell you to act your age, are really jealous, because they don't have either the guts, or they're so worried what other people/family might think, that they can't let themselves go? I had someone tell me, "I wish I was as passionate about something as you are with the pyrate thing. It just sounds like so much fun." I told her, heck, join up. The more the merrier. But she shook her head and said, "I'm too lazy." So she plays golf instead. Golf! When she could be out having fun, firing cannons, and drinking rum. Go figure.

Oh, no. I'm not a fan of Scotch. I'll sip from a nice glass of Merlot instead. I'll leave the Scotch for you and the boys.

Nice to see you in the Pub again, Blackfoot. Things are so much more interesting—no matter which guise you are in.

If you ever do plan meet up, let me know ahead of time. I want to sit and listen in. Maybe I'll nod my head once in a while, but mostly, I'll just listen and smile.

I didn't mean to imply that people thought what I was doing was offensive. They just think it's weird. To them, it makes no sense for a gown woman to play around dressed like a pirate. It's more a case of they just "don't get it" than it offending them. Hasn't ever stopped me from playing yet. As for all the paranormal stuff...I try to keep an open mind. Things we take for granted now, in past times were considered witchcraft or magic. A few hundred years down the road, who knows what the human brain will be able to pick up on?

Ha! Ye should have played in the round. Ya had a card all ready.

Okay, it's been over a week since I sent out the cards, so I'm going to go on the assumption that all the cards have reached home ports safe and sound. So, time to post some pictures, so everyone can see how much fun we had. Also, post a brief description of how you made them, in case anyone wants to play in the future. Here's what my dinning room table looked like the day I divided up the cards and goody bags, and had the mailing envelopes ready to go. Now, let's see some cards, guys!

Well, Syren, if you think they look at you strange for playing at YOUR age, wait until you see the kind of looks you get when you get to be MY age. Then they really start scratching their heads, and wondering if it isn't time to "Put you away." I just laugh, and keep on playing... I NEVER want to reach a point where I start telling myself I'm too old to do something! So, in that mode, another petty annoyance: Boring people who keep telling you to, "Act Your Age!"

Stynky Twinky!!! :D How about: Peppermint Patrick? Ransom Red Hots Red-Handed Jill Jelly Beans (Black powder flavored. LOL) Licorice Floggers (Instead of licorice whips) The possibilities are endless.......... Yeah, we'll all be rich.........Starting with Chrispy Bars!............ Look out Bill Gates, the Pyrate Candy Corporation is coming!!!!! Be afraid..be VERY afraid

Hope your birthday was grand, Bess!

Chain Shot and I will be bringing our Airship Pyrate garb to Nor Cal, so we'll be ready to play.

It's right as you come into town off the I-5 freeway. The most butt-ugly statue you have ever seen. Don't know what started the caveman thing, but half the businesses in town are Caveman....Heating, Towing, Printers, etc. The old bridge over the Rogue is Caveman Bridge. And during Boatnick weekend, during the parade, there is a group of guys/girls dressed as cavemen/women who pass out candy to kids, and "kidnap" people and put them in a wooden cage. No one has any idea where it all came from, and apparently it has nothing to do with the Oregon Caves, outside Cave Junction (a hippie haven of extreme proportions). Last summer, some young kids tried to burn the statue down —caused a fire storm in this town you would NOT believe.

I can vouch for Jamie's rhum cakes! They are killer! As is the butter praelene (?) sauce is pours over them. Heaven. And Patrick is right, Jill makes a kick-butt rhum cake as well. Gosh, I bet lots of people have recipes for stuff made with rum....wonder if we need a new thread just for that? I have a rather nice concoction for hot buttered rum, and hot chocolate with rum. I use Pyrate Pistol, and Tattoo, respectively, for those.

We have Chessie here on the Chesapeake Bay. and back home in Upstate NY we have Champ or Champy in Lake Champlain Sheesh, in Grants Pass, all we have is a very ugly statue of a caveman — who looks like he has a dislocated shoulder. No lake serpents, Bessie or Nessie, or anything.

In almost four years, I have only changed my avatar once. The one I have now is just a modified version of my original horse skull, but it had FR on it for False Ransom. I no longer use the False in my name, so changed the avatar to a picture I took of a skull and cross bones that was above the door leading from the cemetery back into the church, at Santa Barbara. I finally got around to redrawing the horse skull, so have put that one back. I kinda like people who use the same one for long periods of time. You can tell at a glance who is posting without needing to actually read the name. Besides, when someone has an avatar/sig that you think is really kewl, you're always bummed when they change it to something else (I still wish Patrick would bring back his skull thumbing his nose at people. It was one of my favorites). So, I'll be sticking with my horse skull for a long while. I just added the R because that's always how I sign my PMs to people, so it is recognizable as something unique to me.

There's no Bessie in Loch Ness!!!!! Then, what was that thing I saw that looked like Beannie the Seasick Sea Serpent? And I know there is an Atlantis, 'cause there was a TV show that starred a man who said he was from there, and could hold his breath for a really long time.

Store-bought chicken taquitos, and salad.