Good Morning!

[Brendalu]

Without the birdbrains what would we do, Laz?  We have to have a laugh or two or three and I've been waitin to see what other adventures you were gonna think up for us on this ship.  I think it's tilting too far to one side.......which I don't know...........
Brenda

[ppearl214]

Birdbrain?  Ah, that 'splains the chirping in my ear!

[Sue]

Just want to say hello again to the Good Morning crew.  Finally got our new computer, and it's on broadband and everything!  It's an iMac and it's pretty cool.  First thing I did was to download Google earth.  Now I can see, for real, the places that we sail to!  I've even looked over Boone, NC!!  Didn't see a big pirate ship in anyone's back yard however, so Cap't Deb remains safe from my prying eyes for now!   

Since I've been spending so much time on my new toy, er computer, I am revisiting the pain in the neck that I get whilst I do my thing.  How in the world do I find a comfortable way to sit and do this?  You'd think by now I'd have figured it out. But no.  Any ideas?  Also, since I've been concentrating so much on this new toy, er computer...I do notice that I'm not noticing my AN as much.  But then, I've been trying to regain more control over the Diabetes, which seems to be have decided to act up...so I've pushed the AN to the back of my mind...ah, so to speak. 

Anyway, a belated Happy New Year to everyone.  Hope all is well.  And yes, we had a tornado here in Vancouver Washington today.  Pretty exciting stuff, but nothing like the midwest gets. Not even close.  But, it was an F1, and caused some damage.  Very rare around these parts.  Fortunately, for us, we just caught the southern edge of the storm and didn't get the full force of it at all.  But, it wasn't that far away! 

Take care,

Sue in Vancouver

[Brendalu]

Welcome back, Sue!  Sounds like you're havin fun with your new toy.  My hubby has been trying to talk me into a iMac and I've been draggin my feet.  Is it hard to learn?
Glad that you are safe and sound from the storms. The weather has been very mixed up this year........even in Texas!
Happy New Year to you!
Brenda

[Sue]

Hi Brenda,

I have found this Mac computer to be a lot of fun and not that hard to learn, I don't think.  It's pretty easy to get around.  They have a good support team...I can go look up the Mac guy at the store I got it from, or for $10 a pop, attend classes at another store, or call Apple care, because we paid extra to get that.  So somebody is always there to help you, if you get stuck.  They only thing is that there are great features on here that I don't know if I'll ever use much.  Like Garage Band. It's great...but it's not something I'll be doing.  And, if you want the Microsoft programs that you are used to like Word, and the office stuff...you have to pay extra to get those programs.  The Mac comes with a word processing program but it's very basic.  Did find out about a site called Neo Office and I downloaded that.  The Mac guy recommended it.  So, I trying to decide it that will be all I need or if Mac's iWork 08 is more what I need.  There again, I don't need all of that, but some of the features it has are really nice.   But, boy, it's a gorgeous machine! 

Sue in Vancouver

[Brendalu]

Thanks, Sue!
I think I needed to hear it from a female!  They are beautiful, I agree.
Brenda

[OMG16]

Sue in Vancouver how far away from the tornado were you.  You were the first person I thought of and could not remember your screen name so I am glad to know you are ok.  How unusual for our area tornados and earthquakes that is a little to much for me.  Let me know if there is anything I can do if you were close to the area.  16

[OMG16]

Hey everyone on the PBW when you get up north please stop by and pick me up I don't know anything about sailing but would be willing to swab the deck until I learned the rest from all of you.  There is a pirate days celebration in Westport the last weekend in June and they bring the ship in from Pirates of the Carribean for tours.  I think they could use all of you to join in as it is a little dull.  There is dancing in the streets with the pirates but some of them could use advice on their wardrobe from Captain Deb.  You could stay in port until the 4th of July and join us on the beach for a great BBQ followed by fireworks and the best bon fire you have ever seen.  Hope to see you there!  Deck hand in waiting....16

[Sue]

Hi,

About the tornado (and thanks for asking, by the way)....that's as close as I've ever come to one, that's for sure.  The storm tracked to the north of my house, but not that far away, maybe a few miles, although most of the damage was at the beginning of the storm, near Vancouver Lake.  Our neighborhood just caught the southern edge of the storm cell.  It was really black on the north side, which is where a wooded lot is and we don't get a clear view of the sky that direction.  The thunder and lightening began and then the rain and some hail blew sideways.  I went out the front door and a few blocks away is an elementary school and I could hear the kids playing. I thought...somebody better get those kids off of the playground.  Then I looked up and saw how fast the clouds were racing, the dark skys to the north and then that blast of wind came and I wondered if there might be a funnel cloud with this.  Then I came in and turned on the TV and they were just beginning to get reports that there was a tornado that touched down.  By then, the blast of the storm that I got was over.  It was very quick.  I called my auntie in Portland, and my stepmom in Corvallis, OR.  I said, "Auntie Em, Auntie Em!"  Of course she didn't know what the heck I was talking about!  I told her to tune in her TV, because our TV stations then talked about this storm and the damage ALL DAY LONG. But, that's pretty exciting stuff around here.  The last freak tornado to touch down in this area was in April of 1972 and that one, unfortuately, killed people.  It was classified as an F3.  This one was an F1.  And nobody was hurt.  Very unusual for this part of the world to get that big of a tornado.  The best part of the story is that many people came to help and volunteer and saw up the downed trees and clean up the mess.  Reports of "vultures" coming in to "help" folks for thousands of dollars irritated people, and they just swarmed in to do it all for free.  A Crew Club which has it's boats and supplies right on Vancouver Lake got obliterated, and they had Crew Clubs from all over coming to help them and donate boats for the club. It was really a nice thing to see.  One of those "warms the cockles of your heart", kind of story.  And warm cockles are a good thing!

[Captain Deb]

AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Good ta see our Poe Lorry-Ate dint blow away! I saw it on the Weather Channel on the Ships TV that Vancouver WA had had a freakin tornado and I sez to meself "I know Vancouver Sue's gonna be OK, she knows to get to her root cellar!"

So we gots a new Princess Batty Wench crew wench! OMG16 wants ta be the official deck swabber! That's a great job if ya wants ta keep in good shape.  This here crew has a tendency to tip a bit and spill they Pina Coladas and Margaritas and Fresquitas on the dance floor. Especially when they wears their high heels, which I don't really like on me beautiful teak decks! But hey! I sez, Let 'em have a little fun, I sez.

So welcome aboard, OMG16! Hope ye brought yer bikini! Grab yer mop! We're headed to the land of sun and fun!
I'll even give ye a turn at the helm!

So off we go! Another adventure in Paradise!!!!





Capt Deb

[Sue]

Ooooo, pretty picture.   Since we have the new computer, I've been playing with Google Earth.  Now, then, my dears, did you know you all can upload your own beautiful scenic photos to Google Earth?  Capt Deb, I bet you have all those lovely photos of the Caribbean that you could just put right on there.   It's fun. 

Sue in Vancouver aka Tornado Alley

[OMG16]

Holly cow Sue that had to have been nerve racking to say the least.  I'm sure glad you are OK!!!

Captain Deb there will be no bikini or I will be the only one on the deck with my Pina Colada,my Trans derm scope and my compazine.  Maybe I'll wear a bathing suit after a month of my swabbing duties .  I'm not ready for the helm yet it scares me to have all of your lives in my hands.  So give me some time and lessons and I will gladly take the helm.  16

[Captain Deb]

Oh heck, this crew is so good at trimmin the sails we need scarce touch the helm atall! She practically sails herself, does this here vessel! It is sooo good to have our poet Lorry-ate back aboard! We have missed you!!! (16 you can cover your bikini up with your velcro bustier/lifevest  that sticks you to the rail so's you don't fall overboard whilst we're underway. Laz  will lend you his!)

Capt Deb

[Larry]

No probs, just don't ask fer me feather duster - thats tooooo personal!

Now where was this 'ere good ship PBW? oh well, (to the tune of Rod Stewart) We are sailin', we are sailin' - aaaaarrr thats a little "girly" for this crew of vagabonds. More like mmm we needs a ship anthem and mission statement.

This 'ere chronologer needs our Poet lorry-ate to draft up our mission statement and it gots to include drinkin' plunderin' and feather dusters.

Now for our anthem we needs some suggestions.

laz

[Sue]

A Mission Statement?...hmmmm. 

Our mission, should you choose to accept it:  is to explore new beaches, seek new umbrelly drinks (or straight up, if you prefer) and opportunities for plundering in every port, and to boldly go where no PBW crew person has gone before while proudly holding your feather duster's high because Laz said so.   And Laz can't wear his high heels anymore, either. 

Well, that's the best I can do at the moment, with apologies to Gene Roddenberry and whoever wrote Mission Impossible.   Anyone else?

Has anyone watched "Stardust"?  Just watched that movie and I thought it delightfully charming.  Loved Robert De Niro as the madcap captain of his own pirate ship.  Do you suppose we can make the PBW fly?  Huh? Can we, can we?

Ship's anthem suggestions:

Red Sails in the Sunset
Something by Jimmy Buffett such as Party at the End of the World    (Hey, I got iTunes, now!)

Sue in Vancouver