Hester

Morgan Tyre: I'm cross-posting this over to the Mermaid Spa because ... well, it's just hilarious! Thank you for the aromatherapy tip. Cheers, Hester

Oh ... and I mustn't forget the Rum Toys: Cocktail shaker & paper parasols! H.

Contemplating cleaning the bathroom. H.

Lunch: BBQ'd Lake Trout (frozen leftovers) with Brown Sugar BBQ sauce; Melange of haricots verts, yellow patty-pan squash, & red peppers (left over from last night's supper). Ruby red grapefruit juice.

This deck just dropped through my mail slot today. Fabulous artwork: More pics: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/mermaids/ Cheers, Hester

Hey, Rue: I hope you get that finished and published before I run out of reading material! Cheers, Hester

That be what the chandelier's for, Bess me lass!

Thanks, Silkie: Yess, rum's always at the top of the list! I do have a cache of it up there already but um ... maybe I need some different flavour varieties. Pogues on CD, check! I'm trying to Shanghai Jamie Oliver as we speak. Still tryin' to talk my own personal Capt. J. into buying one. Cheers, Hester

I have iron-deficiency anaemia. Molasses is an excellent source of iron. Rum is made from molasses. Therefore, I should drink rum for my health. Any similar deep thoughts? H.

Hi, Rogue: Geez ... 80's pop should be right up my alley, but I'm still stumped ... although my taste is to the alternative side of the genre, and across the pond. Okay, let's see what I can come up with from that era: Cheers, Hester

Status Quo [The one-hit wonders who did "Pictures of Matchstick Men"]

Way to stop a game dead in its tracks! I cheated and Googled it. I won't reveal the title (mostly 'cause I can't spell it) -- but I will give hints: It appears to be Swedish (based on my paltry linguistic skills). Made in 1957. You'll have to be hard-core movie buffs for that one. In the meantime, my much easier offering is still on the table: "It sings?! [sigh]" Cheers, Hester

Rosarita Montoya wrote: Silkie, you're outed, hon! But fess up, all you lasses (and some of you lads) ... I know you can't resist those trashy novels with the bare-chested, patch-eyed hero on the cover, the wind blowing through his raven locks and his silken sails. Yes, who wouldn't be tempted by that genre of 'literature' that I like to affectionately call -- 'Pirate Porn'! Now, I've got a stack of these waiting for me at my summer retreat, but I'm always eager to hear of more such literary masterpieces. So, what are your favourite Pirate Porn novels? I'll start: Um... 17th century ... England ... blue? .... fun read ... quite hot. 18th century? ... New Orleans ... turquoise (just one) ... OTT ... quite hot. Regency ... England ... silver (just one) ... silly but charming ... only tepid. Do jump in with your own faves [or even duds to warn us off].... Cheers, Hester

Okay, well, tomorrow I leave for a month at my cottage. Today, I'm doing laundry and cleaning the house (or at least contemplating it), so that everything will be ship-shape and Bristol fashion when I eventually return. Tonight, I'm doing some last-minute shopping (including a stop at the liquor store). And then, I just need to pack. But, I'm feeling a bit scattered and I'm afraid I might forget to bring something important. So, I'm asking for the Pub's collective advice: What essentials does a young(ish) Ship's [shanty] Mistress need to bring with her for a month-long sojourn on the shores of a northern lake? [Don't be afraid to get creative with your suggestions.] Cheers, Hester

Hester's 2nd Spa Tip of the Day Now, the problem with washin' your lovely lacies by hand is finding a place to hang them to dry. On a pirate ship, there be no problem, ya just string 'em from the rigging, or the yard-arm or what have you. But, my cramped urban back yard is too overrun with low-hanging tree branches for me to be able to string a clothes line. So, I hangs me damp dainties from me dining-room chandelier. Looks kinda festive, too! Cheers, Hester

The Barra MacNeils, The Traditional Album Cape Breton Celtic -- picked it up at the local library. Here's their website: http://www.barramacneils.com/ Now, our mess-mate John Maddox Roberts over in the Captain Twill forum tells me that the MacNeils of Barra Island in the Scottish Hebrides were a notorious pirate clan (apparently led by "Rory the Turbulent")... ... but geez, this stuff's awfully twee for a band claiming pirate ancestry [and this criticism is coming from a gal who spends her winter Wednesday nights dancing reels and strathspeys with a bunch of boomers, to live accordian music]. Guess I should'nt have played the Barra MacNeils right after Dogs -- way too strong a clash. Cheers, Hester

Dogs, Turn Against this Land Raunchy British punk revival: http://www.dogsmusic.com/site.php

Breakfast: Jasmine tea; Bowl of fresh Bing cherries; Chocolate soy beverage; Half a 12-grain bagel topped with Tipperary Irish cheddar melted under the broiler. Delicious ... but I left the broiler on and came blithely back to the Pub. Happily, the faint whiff of my over-heated needs-to-be-cleaned oven reminded me to turn it off before things got ugly. Cheers, Hester

^has an obsession with Spanish strangers.

Hester, wandering aimlessly through the Pub, opens a door, walks into a room seething with tension, and exclaims: "Oh, it's Don Juan DeMarco!" [stares inquisitively at Inigo's crotch.] "Does it really sing?" Not waiting for an answer, she flees giggling out the door and off to the hot tub, or the spa, or wherever...

He kissed her on the neck, and the crew began to roar - oh! [baltimore Shanty]

Hester's Spa Tip of the Day Either I've lost weight and the scale's just stuck, or the lycra in my old sports bra has given up the ghost after one too many cycles in the dryer. Dang, this thing's loose! Me tip bein': Don't be a lazy piratess like me -- always wash your fine lingerie by hand! Cheers, Hester

Thanks, Rue: I shall try that! Cheers, H.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?

Is that a paraphrase from Convoy? Cheers, Hester