RustyNell

---- so odd to read this I was just thinking about this recently - I struggled with my voice horribly last year I felt fine but couldn't keep my voice Anyway recently things abou it I finally got to the bottom of what was wrong - we made the tent poles out of malaluca - WELL........turns out i'm allergic! DUH!! No wonder I kept loosing my voice and was snoring extra loud. So yes OLD tree's are better. I think we'll use dry bamboo this year.

Why we all wait until Sunday night when out voices are all on their last leg to jam all night I'll never know, but it does seem to be a habit we've formed. I'm sure there will be more music on a regular basis in the pub this year. I know a bunch of us have been learning new songs, and we're bringing a few more musically inclined people with us this year. There will be more music that is if all of our voices hold up. Everyone, even the most "trained" vocalists amongst us, seems to let loose and overdo it a bit at PIP. Everybody sounded real rough by Monday morning. We all sounded like a bunch of bull-frogs at breakfast the day we left. LOL! This years going to be a blast!

are you telling me there are BIGGER cannons we haven't heard fired yet! I have to agree with Mary, please Harry please!! I'm imagining firing one of those HUGE ones in the fort,could you imagine the percussion from that blast! I'm sure the whole island would shake.

DUH - sometimes I get a bit ahead (time) of myself a silhouette ? - guess I'm a romantic at heart- wanting him to have some memento of a sweetheart - poor dead thing

WOW congrats! I'll be sure to visit you for all that ails me! LOL Rusty Nell

Love the futon mattress idea, wouldn't have to put the bed away during the day if we covered it right, still the room all this stuff takes up in the van is incredible. We were packed to the ceiling! I loved that the inflatable didn't take up much room, not to mention it was comfy. there is electricity in the fort and they blow up really quick with a motor inflator (I know its not roughing it - I love living history but I'm a wimp when it comes to my back) Keep us posted if anyone comes across great tent deals. I'd love to get something that went up easier. The homemade construction is a lot of work.

what a great idea... how about a worn out old pair of wool socks.. sounds like something a simple man would have... or a little frame with a picture of his sweetheart... I'll definitely donate something. I'll bring a couple of things along that might work to give to the chest, you let me know what you want. I think its a GREAT IDEA!!

Holy cow, the shuttle was fun! The ride to the parade is actually what is making us come back to PiP next year. In fact, if you didn't ride it last year, ride it and make sure there are a lot of pirates on it so there is a sing along! We should make the bus driver participate in a hat or something since he is really captaining the bus I agree that bus ride to the parade was a blast. Too bad we couldn't continue the sing a long on the float. I like country music but that choice of Christmas song was horrid. The "pirate 12 days of Christmas that Silverhawk did RULES!!

We plan to use bamboo next year. We used malaluca because we could readily chop it down without anyone complaining, Its everywhere - no one wants it and its a "paper" tree so its light as a feather. Still in the end its not that strong, so next year we'll use bamboo.

Thanks! We try, its just so darn expensive it takes a while to switch over so to speak... and honestly I'd rather spend the money getting there so we can hang with y'all. And thanks for the stays Greg, I love them, they were well worth the money. I'd just hate to think we were banished to some far off wood because I had boots on. Heck I think we'd go naked before we'd let that happen.

Stan Hugill's book has been a great resource for me, there are multiple versions of songs so you can kind of construct your own version. see http://www.stanhugill.com He was the last of the real shanty men! Cheers to Stan.

Cool rocked out version: Veggie tales version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxLza2Lq1-g...feature=related LOVE IT!

<---- snores and talks... I have no idea about anyone else in the crew. I can't hear them over me own snorin' Chrispy says someone told him we have to move our tent further away from the Fort as they are worried about the foundation.

Chrispy says "The majority of my pirate outfit came from Goodwill, aside from the shirts Rusty sewed. I know I did a good job creating my persona's outfit when little children shriek in terror and run away, which they often do." I have yet to have a child go, "that's a ladies vest." If anyone needs me I'll be in the Fort in my inflatable bed. Without my inflatable mattress we'd have to build an additional tent to bring our chiropractor along, and its already too expensive to bring him. One of the most important aspects of my pirate outfit is my personal comfort and financial security. Sure I may stand next to better looking (more accurately costumed) pirates and in that event "Trick or Treat" We also work on a children's attraction and have to perform in this stuff 3 or 4 times a week singing and dancing, still like I said before, as long as the children look at me and shriek in terror, I get the same personal satisfaction that you get out of sewing your own shoes. Long live my insoles!" OK that was from Chrispy - he doesn't use the computer ie - "Hey wench, type this for me" Where computers are concerned he prefers to live like its 1699. I hope someday to be able to hang in y'alls camp. but alas for now I only have the time to throw our kit in a box and go with what we've got. Want you to know though, how glad we are that you guys put all that effort in to be period correct, you inspire me, and you make it really special for US.

Fayma, We literally used paint drop cloths, and went out into the woods and cut down malaluca branches for the poles. I sewed two 12 x 15 drop clothes together. We had to water and fire proof them, and the water proofing wasn't the best so we put plastic tarp on the inside to keep water out that first night. It worked though.

No. Now move the clock in the dining room about three feet to the left. I keep feeling like that PIP posters eyes are following me around the room. I thought it was the rum.

10. For a Floridian this ones's odd - others may not find it as funny -- Every time you pass cut foliage in some ones yard you wonder if you should grab some for fire wood. 9. You can't quench your thirst for Pirates Choice Rum. 8. Wondering how to build a 2 story tent so we have more room to bring more stuff, while wondering where we're going to get more stuff and how we're going to get it down there. 7. Your just now going through your pirate chest, savoring the campfire smell on those last few shirts you haven't washed, and more still you don't want to wash them now. In fact your considering sleeping in them. awww sweet dreams of PIP! 6. Your constantly weighing out how you can sell it all, move to Key West, live in an RV, and still have room to keep and collect more pirate stuff? 5. Hoping since PIP 08 is lasting a week + that PIP 09 will last a whole month and you're already trying to figure out what to bring, what to wear, and how to make that happen, because you're not missing a DAY of THAT! 4. Your spouse keeps asking "Do you smell gun powder?" 3. You use your days off and spare money to try ever possible insole in your pirate shoes - Did we mention our FEET! 2. Harry's PIP calendar countdown doesn't seem to be moving fast enough. : : 1. Your New Years resolution is "This year at PIP I'll _____________. " CHEERS TO YOU ALL!!!

Did I tell you how much I love you? That was my Christmas! Have you been spying on us?

We tried to bring it this past PIP but dock space was going to run them $1645.00 a day for dockage. We're already working on dock space though so we might have better luck next year. It's not a wooden ship, its steel. and it loosely resembles a spanish galleon, think Disney... you can see it here http://www.piecesofeight.com We have a blast

Fayma, I wish I lived In Alaska just to have an excuse to stop by and camp with y'all on the way down.

Oh Harry I LOVE IT!! I want that counter for my web page, let me know where you got it. I know I'm a bit behind on the boards here, but I'm trying to get caught up.

May 2008 be GREAT!!! - couldn't resist the rhyme. I hope you all have the very best year ever!

Fayma, Chris and I kept hitting thrift stores and good wills until we finally found out chest. I don't think he spent over 50 bucks for it. And we used an inflatable bed we got at a thrift store for about the same amount, we hid it under blankets during the day then plugged it in and blew it up at night.

LOL!!! OK I DO!! like anyone that slept INSIDE the fort doesn't already know that LOL!!

Our tent comfortably slept 4 with room to spare and it cost us about 80.00 total. We bought a couple of giant canvas drop cloths, some water/fire-proofing stuff, and chopped down some malaluca for the tent poles. It took a little work but it sure beat dropping 500.00 on a period tent.