Meatballs!!!

Ahoy thar!

As any fierce and fearsome pirate knows, Shortbeard loves ham night.  So when Pirate Daddy heard the grumble from me empty belly, he said, "Shortbeard, time we head out to round up some food!"

"A feast!" I cried.  "Ye be speaking me language!  Now, whar be the ham???"

Aye!!! But when Pirate Daddy set me down there were no ham in sight...

"Pirate Daddy?" I asked.  "What manner of food be this?  Where be the ham???"  "What games be ye playing with me heart AND me belly?"  Pirate Daddy only shook his head.  "This be meat!" he yelled and set me down before the biggest meatball what mine eyes ever beheld.  And potatoes too!

Aye!  It weren't ham, but it were mighty big---big as the great whale what once we hunted in the southern sea!  So I ate me fill.  Ate 'til me belly couldn't take any more.

And finished her off with a slice of bread so big I could fit me body between the slices!

"Eat up and rest up Pirate Shortbeard" Pirate Daddy told me.  "For tomorrow our great adventure begins!"

Me Spear!

YAAAR!!!

A good pirate is a scary pirate and not knowing what manner of man nor beast might be native to these parts, I thought it best to outfit meself with a new sword.

But there I were....  no knife, no sword, and no guns to be found.  Them scurvy dogs in security at the airport took me favorite cutlass, leaving me defenseless against the natives.

Aye!  So I said to meself--Pirate Shortbeard, time to go make yourself a spear!  So I set out in search of a fit piece of timber.

Argh!  This one be too long!

And this one too thick and knotty for me purposes.

Avast!  Now here be a suitable piece!!!

So I carved her down to shape!  How you ask?  With me teeth of course!  Aye!  The work were hard and now I got splinters between me teeth, but I also got me a pointy stick!

Time to go out and search about these parts!

At Last! The Salty Sea!!!

Aye!  Thar she is!!!  The salty Greek sea at last....

When Pirate Daddy and I finished our journey last night it was too dark to see.  So early this morning while Pirate Daddy were sleeping, I climbed to the top of our balcony wall to see what manner of beast or man I would face today.  And ahoy!  What before mine own teary eyes should appear, but the vast stretch of the Greek sea.  In a fit of joy, I called out at the top of my lungs, "I, Pirate Shortbeard, claim this land for mine own self and all who would be tough enough to fight with me!!!"

I fear I yelled a bit too loud, for a hairy beast of a dog next door began to bark.  Aye, that dirty monster kept at it until Pirate Daddy began to stir, and at last, he joined me atop me lofty perch.

It was then that I discovered that Pirate Daddy enjoys a cup or two of Greek coffee in the morning.  Fearsome stuff, that coffee, but strong!

Take note, ye land lubbers who would try this powerful concoction--best be wise and not drink her all the way to the bottom.  Thar be dregs there more bitter than the heart of Calypso!!!

No worthy mates in Paris!

YAAAR!  Ahoy there you scurvy dogs!  Pirate Shortbeard here.  I'm here to tell you about my great adventures with Pirate Daddy as we search the Greek seas for worthy shipmates.

It's good to get out of that musty suitcase I can tell you!  It was darker than Davy Jones' locker in there and twice as smelly!  Pirate Daddy didn't have time to let me out in New York, but I did get some shore leave in Paris.

Nothing much to report there.  I kept asking people for "parlay" to go see the captain of these parts, but all they answered was "Oui, je parle français.."  I told them to take me to see this Fran-say captain, but all they did was look at me funny as if they were staring into the center of a maelstrom!  So much for French sailors in my crew!!!

Pirate Daddy told me we had one last airship to sail before we reached the Greek seas so I told him that maybe we'd find some worthy shipmates onboard.  So we voyaged together, but found only tired travelers aboard this craft.

I called out to them as we pushed out from port, "Which one of you flea-bitten dogs has the courage to join the great Pirate Shortbeard on his quest???"

Arg!  Not a single mate worthy of the journey ahead!  We'll just have to wait for Greece!