Repent Ye Scurvy Dogs!

We've been getting ready to set sail this weekend with a new series called "Arrr!" Each service, we ask a question - for example, this Sunday the question is, "Arrr you burying your treasure?" This should be a fantastic month, as everyone will be quite proficient at saying the eighteenth letter of the alphabet.

Speaking of which, here's a photo of Madison as a pirate - this is a Facebook promotion for the new "Pirates" movie, where you can upload a photo and add things to it, like make-up, hats, knives, and extra eyeballs. I chose the more conservative route, obviously.

Today we spent a lot of time working on the new material, from writing to stage work to the display case, which Mommy sets up each month to match the theme. This month's display case looks great - take a look!

She works hard each month coming up with all the display case designs. Last month there was a wrecking ball in there with "Under Construction." The month before had baseball cards and props, and the month before that there was a Roman Arena. Mommy spends a lot of time setting these up, with Madison alongside her to help out - or play with the toys!

Here's a small promo Daddy wrote up for the skit portions for our upcoming pirate series:

Not that long ago, and not that far away, there were the great shipping merchant vessels of old, carrying their massive cargoes of gold, silver, and other valuable riches to their homelands. As they sailed across vast oceans, the calm, serene skies and peaceful waters they glided through gave those on board these ships no warning that lurking nearby there were…pirates! Ferocious pirates such as Francis Drake the Sea Dog brought fear to the Spanish Main and the Treasure Fleet, while notorious pirates such as Charles Vane brought fear to everyone.

Names like Blackbeard, Captain Barbosa, Long John Silver, Captain Jack Sparrow, Black Stache, Captain James Hook, Captain Crunch, Captain Feathersword, Captain Ron, Captain Stuben, Captain Tennille and the Scurvy Nun all became household names and legends of terror on the high seas. Pillaging and plundering the loot of many Spanish Galleons and English Merchant ships alike, these scallywags would instill fear in the common sailor and rule the high seas with an iron fist!

The Golden Era of Piracy was at hand! Indeed, wherever you saw the Jolly Roger, you knew pirates were about, lying in wait. Ah, I see the old flag flying even now – don’t you? I wonder what adventure lies in wait for us now, young sailors? You’d best be getting your sails up – and you’d best start believing in these pirate stories.

Why? Because you’re in one, mateys. Arrr!

We especially like the reference to the Scurvy Nun. If you have no idea who that is, below I present a rare photo of this famous pirate, shortly before her famous run to Tortuga:

Arrr! Mommy actually got me a t-shirt of this pirate nun with the words printed on it:

"REPENT YE SCURVY DOGS!"

It's a really funny t-shirt actually, but probably only if you've seen this nun before.

____________________

Obviously, she's not a real pirate: this is Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, a pretty important figure in the Catholic Church.

...or is that just her cover?