Ransom

I watched with exasperation has Jacky chopped anchor lines and headed off toward the Flodden. Beside me, I heard Colard suck in a breath. "Now, why'd he do that, Ma'am?" he said. "Because he's a MAN, that's why. Can't wait to sail off and get himself in trouble. Can't wait ten bloody minutes to see if the Scots would just leave us alone. Oh no. The first thing on the Commador's mind is to go pick a fight. And now he's dragged us into it." Turning to the waiting crew, I shouted, "Well, go follow the idiot. Can't leave him to face those guns by himself. Although, he deserves a big hole in the side of the Relentless for his stupidity." As the Rakehell tacked into the wind, I noticed Ludovico shake his head and mutter something that sounded like "Merda." Yes, I thought, this whole situation could turn into a big crock of merda.

Oh, I don't let them off the hook. I say, in my most cloyingly sweet voice, "Oh, I'm sorry, was I standing in your way?" That usually works.

Well, gang, CARDS GO OUT TODAY!!!! Please, when you receive them, post here that you have. When everyone has their cards safe and sound, I will start a picture thread so we can show everyone else on the Pub what fun we had. I just don't want to start it before all the cards are at home port, and spoil the surprise. Also, I took a picture of all the cards, mailing envelopes, and goody bags when they were spread out on my dining room table — they covered the whole table! Almost 120 cards! Thanks again to everyone who played...you guys rock, and so does all of your artwork! BTW, bbcddutchman's cards have apparently been lost in the mail. I have been in contact with him, and he says he will make a new set, and mail them out individually to us all. So, he may be contacting you for snail mail addys.

Just finished organizing, dividing up, and stuffing in envelopes 100 Pyrate Artist Trading Cards, the goody bags that I sent with them, and decorating the mailing envelopes. Whew! But OMG, the cards everyone made were awesome! (Oh, and after the cards are mailed out to the participants tomorrow, we are going to post pictures of them, so check it out...coming soon in the Arts forum. )

Cheers, and green beer for everyone!

Another rif on this, which a certain friend of mine does ALL the time while we're talking... Her: "Oh, gosh, someone is at the door." Puts phone down. Me: drumming my fingers on the table....waiting, waiting, and listening to a conversation between her and whoever has come to visit. Her, eventually picking up phone: "Can I call you back?" And yes, I have hung up on her.

As yet, I do not have the book for March from Pyrateleather. However, I do know that he received the book late in Feb., and I told him he could take some extra time with it, if he needed to. This is mainly a heads up for Patrick that his April book may arrive a week or so after the first of the month, depending on when I get the book and how fast I can get the artwork done.

As with cigarettes, so with people who litter. The world is NOT your garbage can!

Must have missed this yesterday, but, better late than never. Hope you day was grand.

Here's another couple of favorites....NOT People who have been standing in line for several minutes waiting to pay for something, then wait until the checker has rung up the item/items, before searching through a zillion credit cards looking for their debit card. Meanwhile, the rest of us are standing there waiting for said idiot to empty their wallet, still looking for their card. Why couldn't they have started looking for it while they were standing in line? Those who let their dogs poop on the beach and leave it there, or scuff sand over it, turning it into a smelly land mine just waiting for someone to step on it. Yuk!

This is not a thread for long rants. It is just a place to post the little things in daily life that bug you, or that people do that make you roll your eyes, and wonder "What the frack were they thinking?" Here are three of mine—which all happened recently. People who, parked on the street, open their car door wide, with no regard to traffic behind them. Which makes those driving down said road have to swerve into the other lane of on-coming traffic to keep from taking the idiot's door off. Grocery shoppers who stroll down the middle of the row with their carts, blocking people trying to go around them from either direction. They go 2 mph, studying every stinken label, some while talking on their cell phones, "Well, Harold, they don't have that brand on sale, but they do have.......,.....,....., which one do you want?" You're looking over titles at the video store, standing far enough out of the way so that people can go by you, and someone comes along and stops right in front of you, so you end up looking at their back. As if you're invisible, and it never occurred to them that you might actually be looking at the video selection in front of you. Sheesh.

Yeah, and if you suspect anyone of being a Vampire, you can always shove your soap brick in their mouth...but I'd still run, since eventually it will melt, and the Vampire lock will be null and void.

ABSOLUTELY! Last Thursday, I had two friends come over to help me figure out a business card, which I had been fumbling around with in PhotoShop. Wow, one of the ladies knew way more than me, and in just the few hours they were at my place, I learned quite a bit about layering—but can't remember all the stuff and tools that she used, as she was soooo fast! But still, it's only the tip of the iceberg of what the program can do, and I only have Photo Elements 2.0. I think now they are up to 7.0 or something. Oh, and these ladies worked on PCs at home, and I have a Mac. The only frustrating thing for them was, on a Mac there is no "right click" on the mouse.

Ahem, we're not telling you to put it down in your own club. You can do what you like in your private little space. It's only when you're outside, in the real world, that we ask for a little civility. Is that so hard? Oh, and just for the record, I don't use funny shaped soap, frilly decorations, or rugs on the seat. I don't do cutesy. And, I do live with a man (A mighty fine one, at that.), so I acknowledge our anatomical differences when it comes to the use of the bathroom. However, he was raised with sisters, so was taught at an early age to put the seat back down. BTW, Patrick, glad to hear your African expedition was a success. Might we expect some tintypes of your adventure in the dark continent? A few ripping tales, perhaps?

Okay, I got Michael's and Kate's cards today—very kewl! Nothing from dutchman. I next go into town on Wednesday, which is when I will mail out the packets, even if the dutchman's cards have not come in. And again, bbcbdutchman, I need your mailing address. As previously stated, if and when the missing cards arrive, I will forward them on to everyone. I'm sorry, bbcbdutchman, and really hope your cards have not been lost.

FOOT

Yeah.... that's one of my pet peaves also.... Porta-pottys have a pipe that vents the stink out... but people leave the seat up and fill the thing with stink..... And the women that squat so they don't get their bums wet.....and then pee all over the seat.... guys know to use the urinal.... I know that the woman just coming outta the Porta-potty didn't just sit on that wet seat.... Excuse me! What about the guys who can't seem to hit the urinal? I've seen pee on the walls, on the floor, everywhere but in the urinal. What, they have a bad aim? Too drunk to hit the target? "Equipment" not long/large enough to make the arc that far....stand closer! And, yeah, in the porta potty, when you're done, PUT THAT SEAT DOWN! Woooheeee, what a smell if you don't!

LOST

In my best 70s rock band voice..... "I...want Can....die!"

The first mate of the Pride of Flodden had kept an eye on the other ships, as MacTavish had ordered. When he saw the other brig start to head in their direction, he quickly ordered one of the deck hands to take a musket and fire a warning shot to alert the captain. ********* MacTavish, his attention bent on the stranded Spaniards, heard the shot. "Bluidy hell, what now?" One of the rowers pointed to the other brig. "She upped anchor awful quick. Musta cut their lines." As much as he craved to spit a few Spaniards, MacTavish wasn't stupid enough to risk his own ship. "Row us back, ye ninnies. I dinna like the look of that brig. If the schooner follows, we're in for a fight." The rower muttered, "Two against one, captain? Why not jes have a talk with um?" MacTavish thought about it. No doubt he liked a good battle, but knew, even with his bigger guns, he couldn't out fight two ships, if they chose to attack him. "Weel, if ye'd row like men instead of a bunch of lily-livered boys, we cuid get back te the Flodden and run up a parley flag. Canna hurt tae sus out what they be doing way out here." To a man the rowers pulled, literally, for their lives.

Hey, Eyes, can ya scan the page and post it, for those of us who don't have the magazine? Huzza to ye for making it into their pages. You looked awesome at Nor Cal. But, I think the one who will remember you most is the girl at Pirate Pizza, whom you asked to see to a little...issue.... on your face. That was just TOO funny.

Alarmed that the Commodorre thought, by the tone of his voice, that I would bail out on him again, I shouted, rather miffed, "Hey, Jacky, didn't say I wouldn't hold him off for as long as possible. Colard knows the captain of the Flodden. Says he's the curious type, with no love for Spaniards. Wouldn't put it past him to come sniff us out, once he's done on the sand spit. Doesn't mean we can't parley with the man and see what he's up to." I glared over at the small sloop with Nate and Red Cat aboard. Then I made an angry gesture at them, "And are they going to be any help, or are they just going to sit on their drunken duffs and watch?"

Okay, the dutchman's cards did not arrive today either. So, I'm going to do this. If his haven't arrived by the time I get Michael's and Kate's, I'm going to mail the packets out anyway, including the one to the dutchman, as he can't be blamed for a postal mix up or delay. When his finally get here, I will pop them in envelopes and mail them out to all of you. bbcddutchman, I will need your mailing address. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that his cards have not been lost in the postal twilight zone.

Gosh,maybe we should start another thread....Stilletos, YES we mean shoes! (Yeah, and we know who has a few of those Manolo's, don't we, Cheeky? )

Ya know, I just hate living so far away from.....everything!