Red Sea Trade

I'll be up for the day on Saturday. Have to see if I can get Friday off and come up early.

No, the website doesn't look as if it has been updated. I should have stated, more correctly, that I got the information from their monthly email newsletter. That seems to be the only source of current info.

According to the Men of Menendez webpage, the dates are June 4-6 at the Fountain of Youth Park.

Oh, plenty of stuff left. I have a Hessian hanger, lots of clothes, the World's Softest Tricorn, and probably other things that never even made it out of storage. I probably have some other surplus knives I should sell. I will have to raid the storage locker tomorrow and see what I can find.

Probably even a fowling piece I could spare...

disregard this message.

Michael,

Photo of the tomahawk is now available under my profile, in Gallery. It includes a second hickory handle at no additional charge.

I'll have my lovely wife find our camera and get some pictures posted asap. The price, including shipping, is $25.

Glad to be of service! I still have some outstanding deals on mid-18th century clothing (generally waist sizes around 36-38 and chest size around 42-44), a nice hand-forged tomahawk, hand-knit stockings, cocked hat...

Come one, come all! Papa needs to buy some funky Conquistador gear!

My thanks to Sgt. Johnson, his lovely and talented wife, and all those who put in so much time and effort to carry off a top-notch event! And my admiration to all those who travelled vast distances to be there. I used to think nothing of driving 12 hours to an event, but now the two hours to St. Augustine seem like a Yawning Gulf.

Ah, to be young again!

Anyone coming to Searles Raid this weekend, here's a heads-up that I am hoping to sell off some of my surplus gear to fund new gear (why can't government work this easily?).

Among the items coming with me (but, I hope, not coming home with me):

*British Dragoon pistol

*Hessian hanger

*Mariners jackets (one cotton, one wool)

*Super funky hand-knit wool stockings (striped)

*linen workman's cap

*pierced tin lantern

*tomahawks

...and other goodies.

If you are interested, you can contact me directly at andrewcbatten(at)hotmail.com for prices and more information.

Loved the comic books and pulp novels when I was a kid. The Ron Ely movie, while enjoyable, missed out on some of the wonderful wierdness of the stories. Hope they get the feel right this time. Preferably with autogyros...

Michael,

Ah, you have it exactly! "Van Helsing" to a t. Everything gloomy and damp, with not-very-scary computer-generated monsters popping up at regular intervals. The heroes in silly leather dusters and equally silly broad-brimmed hats. Weird, cobbled-together weaponry, intended apparently to appeal to the 12 year old boys in the audience. That is the look I meant to mention, by couldn't recall the film.

I saw the trailer, and from that I conclude that it is a big, noisy, CGI-laden extravaganza. Kane looks like a sort of Ninja/Matrix/Road Warrior hybrid, and it seems to be set in an indistinct period "in the past."

I am a big fan of the original books, so I will probably give it a pass.

Wow, its like they read my mind. I was just thinking "Boy, would I love a hipper remake of Treasure Island! Maybe they could make Long John Silver a sort of cool, laid-back metrosexual, full of witty one-liners and urbane style. And Jim Hawkins could be an emotionally damaged waif. And maybe they could add a spunky proto-feminist character, inevitably played by Keira Knightley, who will turn out to be a better sword-fighter than any of the men."

Yep, I don't like Treasure Island because it is full of wonderful scenes and memorable characters and plenty of action. Nope. I have been waiting all my life for a hipper re-do of it. Yes sir. Maybe with Jackie Chan as the wacky, befuddled but lovable Squire Trewlaney...

...oh, kill me now.

Samuel Pepys had a large bladder stone removed and, so grateful was he for the relief, that he hosted a gala dinner party each year on the anniversary. Such style!

I maintain that the secret to any successful member of the fruitcake family is moisture, preferably of 80 proof or better. I make plum puddings in late November, then soak them in a fragrant bath of dark rum, brandy, bourbon, applejack and a dash of sherry. Let them soak for a month and it is rare for any but the most timid eater to resist their siren allure.

In fact, my wedding cake was a plum pudding (as I was married at Christmastime). We saved the unused portion, dosed it with overproof rum, sealed it in a tupperware container and stuck it in the back of the fridge for a year, moistening it on occasion. We served it for our first anniversary and WOW was it fine!

I have done Searles' Raid for 4 years now, and I can tell you where I got my stuff: My trousers, Dutch Slops, came from Sykes Sutlery. My jacket is from Reconstructing History and my hats (I trade off depending on mood) came from Plimouth Plantation and Hatcrafters. Hope it helps, and come join the fun!

The Princess and the Pirate is worth watching for many reasons, at least two of which are Virginia Mayo. In addition, Victor McLaghlen was born to play a pirate if any man alive ever was.

I for one hope that the Mayans ARE right, since there won't be any Social Security left for me and I don't want to be flipping burgers when I'm 85. All matter can convert instantly to energy and explode outward at the speed of light and it's okay in my book. As my father would say, "At least its a dry heat!"

For musical accompaniment, you might consider "World Destruction" by Time Zone and "Party at Ground Zero" by Fishbone.

As for me, if the world explodes and makes me miss Christmas, I shall be very cross.

I worked in an 18th century house for many years. It was beautiful by day, but fairly creepy by night. We had more than our share of strange occurances, but it never really bothered me to work--or even sleep--there.

Then, on a lark, I allowed a team of ghost hunters to do an investigation. They didn't find anything earth-shaking, but they did confirm several specific "feelings" we had always had.

Somehow, the very clinical, professional way they did their investigation made it all more real, and more disturbing. I could have shrugged off their findings if they had been wacky, doofy types. Instead, I was never at ease in the building again. And with good reason.

What is curious is that you see engravings of Landsknechts in the early 16th century carrying powderhorns that look very similar to 18th and 19th century horns, but you don't tend to see the same shape in the 17th century. Somehow it seems to have skipped a century.

Goose Bay Workshops makes a handsome, all metal powder flask.

My first attempt at a period oilskin has been a mixed success. I am pretty sure it will keep me dry from outside, but it is still sticky and oozing red oxide. I have been baking it in the Florida sun for several weeks, but our insane humidity hasn't done me any favors. I probably would go heavier on the Japan drier next time, but I understand that can be very hard on the fabric as well.

Funny thing to realize that, when the American colonies began their fight for independence, St. Augustine was already more than two centuries old. Kind of puts in in perspective.

There was a nice little commemoration ceremony of Pedro Menendez's landing last Saturday. He came ashore with high ceremony, kissed the cross, planted the Spanish flag and processed about with pomp and pageantry. This being Florida, of course, the ceremony concluded with a tropical monsoon, sending we poor musketeers running for safety.

Ah well, better luck for the 445th!