Misson

I had no real comprehension of filmmaking until we did that. (Not complaining, just yarning again. I love to tell little vignettes and give insight into what I experience...) All that from a little surgeon joke on our fine QM. I think Haunting Lily should be swordfighting in the battles. Your boot stealing skills are nice, but you're missing your calling, lass.

Perhaps we could have an uneasy alliance between the various pirate camps? Cascabel could be the leader of the alliance... that would offer several opportunities for fighting between various groups as well. (Not gun battles, but staged internecine sword fights and brawls.) Also, this may be unworkable for many reasons I don't comprehend, but has anyone considered moving the battles up to, say...11:30? Pre-battle meetings could be at 11. Promote the hell out of the "...exciting battles between the British and pirates!" in the literature. That's early enough to get people in the door sooner and allow the pub to open at noon and still late enough for hung over pirates to rise. Plus it would get people in front of the food tent at lunch time and get more revenue going there. Just a thought. On top of that, the pub was the really turning point in my appreciation of the event. The battles were cool, the vendors were neat, the period stuff was awesome...but you find that stuff at other events. The pub rocked with the gloomy setting, candles and sea shanties - especially the sea shanties. Anyone who experienced that would HAVE to be giving good word-of-mouth to the event. Many KW tourists stay in guesthouses and little condo-like enclaves where they sit around the pool just before getting ready for dinner and talk to each other. Word-of-mouth will do far more to promote the event than a million dollars of print ads.

The captain is so serious at times, that I can just imagine the response of the crew (in private, away from the captain's sight, of course.). And photo credit to Mission using Mad Mary's camera! (I just wish I'd have had William's camera with the rapid shoot. Evvvvery detail...)

Have they revoked that law in Key West against killing chickens yet? (That was such a stupid law...if you even ran one over, you broke the law as I remember it.)

I have a face for radio! We just made that surgeon bit up on the spot (actually, I just snuck up on William as a gag and did it). Amanjiria saw it and then made us do it about six times. Brilliant! Awesome job, Jack! Patrick: "Oh, well..." (Patrick is great! Anyone who has never met him really must.)

Thank you Fayma! Let me know where I can get the notebook... In fact, since you have my little blue notebook, could I just send you the period notebook and have write the info in the period notebook? Using calligraphy? Seriously, I am gathering data for a more complete understanding of surgery in the era. As soon as I get the book that Captain Jim recommended to me on RevWar medicine, I'm going to start organizing that, some on-line info I have and Rough Medicine into a more cohesive document on the topic. I plan to post that in Twill with my references (for comments and suggestions), then put it on my web page as a reference for other budding 18th century surgeons. It would be nice if Greg could look it over, as I'll bet he has a lot of knowledge on the topic... Once it's all final, I'm going to transfer bits into the notebook for a sort of field reference. I wish I could get a copy of Woodall's Surgeon's Mate for a reasonable price. That is probably the consummate resource for sailing surgeons. Alas, it has never been reprinted.

The gibbet I have in mind looks more like this: http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale...s/dd_gibbet.jpg or this: Of course, being as this was the age of make what you need, many designs probably existed. The ones Capt. Sterling show would certainly contain the skeleton better.

And the little ones are for mercury up the gentleman's...it was a barbaric age for surgery. Nice set-up. Mary Diamond also sent me several pictures of his kit. He has a lot of real stuff, where all mine's repro. He must have been assembling that for some time. (I'd love to get one of the smaller syringes, just so I can explain what it's for and watch all the guys wince.) I'm not a surgeon-barber, I just play one at PiP... I am, however, assembling info to do that post on medicine in the era which will explain some of this stuff. I have two books on order and several sites bookmarked for my thread. I'll be putting it in Twill.

"What?" Nice shot of Harry ordering the cannons fired!

Question 1: Who was the guy who was who was displaying all the onion bottles, jack knifes and so forth in the fort? I had his catalog, but promptly lost it. Question 2: Someone was telling me about the hand-sewn period appropriate notebooks... If that was you, can you tell me where you get them?

The design I had in mind is several (6 or 8) pieces of 3/4" wide strips of 16 (or 20 ga. if I can get away with it) that fold up sort of like those paper wedding bells. Each band will be slightly smaller than the previous with a hammered piece for a pivot at the top and bottom. Then I plan to age it. (Heck, I may just leave it outside for a week.) Yes, it might be somewhat complicated, but what can I say? It's the engineer in me...

I actually have it in mind to make two of them. I have two skeletons for the task - one male, one female. I do need some old garb, though...anyone have anything that is beyond repair for a guy and gal? I have a design in mind for the gibbet that will fold up fairly nicely for shipping so the stuff doesn't have to go freight. The Bucky and female skeleton (who cost me far more than the Bucky!) can just be folded and packed the way you receive them for easy shipping.

Yeah, around Halloween, you can get 1st quality Buckys even cheaper than that if you're watching. Haunting Lily told me that she's seen sales on the things where you could buy 10 of them for $60 a piece. Now that's a cheap skeleton. I confess, I'm not a big fan of 4th quality Bucky's. The last one I bought had a severely damaged rib cage. (He's going to be a scarecrow for Halloween - if he holds together and if I don't get too caught up in this pirate stuff to finish him.)

Since it was my idea, if we're going limit gibbetted pirate skeletons, I want a shot at making one...but mine will not not tarred. That hides all the meat.

I don't know about anyone else, but I added a leather apron, scarificator spring-blade, thumb lancets and bistoury knife to my Christmas list. I can't wait to try a proper scarifying and cupping. I choose Captain Jim as my first vict- patient. Don't worry! We'll get those humours balanced, Jim! Then you'll stop seeing Jesus and Hulk Hogan in plastic bags.

It is indeed. I love the way Jordan annunciates. He's not the greatest Bond villain ever, but his patter is entertaining.

Maybe we should make it a contest - like those scarecrow contests they hold at county fairs. We could get a bunch of people to make them. Well, people with skeletons...

"Allowing for delays, set the bomb to detonate at three forty five. We must leave the base by three fifteen. l take it none of you...will be late."

Skeleton pirates in gibbets! Skeleton pirates in gibbets! I challenge Keith and Haunting Lily to do one too. (I really want to do this. You know, for the garden path along the fort.)

I'm just going to beat William (FB II) to the punch, because I know he's going to post this. "I am the leather thong pirate!" -Mission, the naif I said some other screwloose thing that he wrote down in his Book of Whills to share with y'all, but I don't want to rob him of all his fun.

Yes, but did he roll his eyes before (or after) saying, "Oh...re-enactors)?

Mmm...Cheetos.

Yay, a picture of my kit in full! (I lightened it up a bit.) Let's see...the borrowed surgeon. Costume by Micheal Bagley, shoes from Mary Diamond, Medicine Chest (to the left on the ground) by Mary Diamond's father, bottles from eBay, haversack and linen bandages by Haunting Lily, scarf by Old Man from the Sea, hat by Patrick Hand. Body by Cheetos. Skeletons by unknown hand (but they sure are cool). Fort by Taylor. Sky by the gods. North by Northwest.

I'll second that. The campsite is in a great location...except for the walking back and forth to the fort part. Coral, coral, everywhere... Period-looking shoes are definitely not hiking shoes (even with non-preiod gel insoles)! My feeeeet!

We keep a horse on one of the ships?