China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 01:24 PM

refresh!

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 Aug 03 - 05:21 PM

He's one of Bunker's Civil War re-actor buddies. He might resent being called a "loose cannon."

One of the digital images shows Jeri just before she pounces on this guitar, and then disappears to NH.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 24 Aug 03 - 03:36 PM

By the way, what was the name of the fellow with the cool Martin with the unusual head stock? We archivists need to tie up all the loose ends. (And will he be upset with me for calling him a loose end?)

Linn

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 05:10 PM

Linn-

You did well with "Madam Gashay." It's true, there were a lot of singers hanging around doing cocktail chatter, or just gazing at the assembly of nautical artifacts. Of course there's more stuff in the storage lockers, and below the barn and in its loft. And we haven't even mentioned what's in the house.

Now I need to go back and collect a few items I left behind, the double card table, the Blue Peter flag and the Gurage croquet mallet (there's a story!).

Sharon and Bunker said they had a really good time co-hosting this party. Here's to the co-hosts!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 07:59 PM

It's really great that we'll be invited back! I don't think we made too much of a mess or broke too many things -- singing can do that, ya know.

Thanks to Sharon and Bunker -- what a great music party place! And where, exactly did that vertibrae just outside the barn come from?

Glad I got Bunker on tape about the Regina Maris -- I'm working on something; be talking to ya.

Charlie -- glad you liked it! Kinda tacky, but cool none the less -- and with a rubber squid! '42 was a good year!

Uncle Jaque -- sorry I didn't get more of a chance to talk to you -- send to my yahoo address, as we're having cable access problems right now. Same name, just yahoo.com..

Jets -- I wish I had OUR conversation on tape -- you've got a book in ya! (And can I copyedit it?)

Pat, if you check in, contact me for the time being at my name @yahoo.com. This cable hassle is a real aggro.

Sharon -- thanks so much! It was a WONDERFUL party!!! Wish we could have stayed longer -- Tom will be in touch re: all the stuff he and Bunker talked about. For everybody else's information -- among other things, Bunker is now the proud owner of the Wheatstone English system concertina that Curmudgeon sold some years ago. You've got a grand location! The barn is a gem! Almost too busy looking around to start singing! (But starting the singing is what I did -- leading off with "Madam Gashay" since no one else seemed to want to kick 'er off.)

We had a lovely time -- wish we could have stayed longer and wish we could have returned to no broadband internet problems.

Linn

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: curmudgeon
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 12:15 PM

Add our thanks to Sharon and Bunker for hosting the great event: and to Charley et al. for organising same. Would have posted earlier, but got home to find no broadband connection and two phones not working.

Got the phones working and thus am on dial up right now. Comcast says our BB problem must be with the computer. Need to connect with some Mac geeks soon.

A truly grand time, indeed -- Tom

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 11:44 AM

Well, we did manage to assemble a critical mass of fine singers, and a fine group of storytellers as well. Uncle Jacque has done a good job of describing the festivities, and it's true that many of us had a hard time recognizing him in his "cleaner cut" appearance. My wife Judy has just finished loading some of her digital images of the party which I think capture its spirit well, and at least some of the charcters assembled; for a virtual good time:Click Here!

We'd be happy to try to add other digital images to my personal website if folks would e-mail us relatively low-resolution JPEG images; because we are still on a "dial-up" internet connection, no attachments should exceed 1 mb.

It's a good thing some of us got there early to help with cleaning up the barn and set-up. Sharon and Bunker's barn is what they use for restoring their vast inventory of nautical antiques and is stuffed with all mater of distracting, intriguing stuff. We had everything shipshape and Bristol fashion inside with tables, benches, and sea chests set up before the front swept in with its accompanying thunder storm. By 4:30 pm folks were busily making music, grilling up dead animal parts outside, guzzling quanities of beer and other fermented/unfermented fluids.

I especially enjoyed Capt. Bunker's stories, Joe Terrieau's (Jets) reminiscences of WWII convoys, Dennis' story of the killer ship Judas Iscariot, and Nor's brother Barney's poem of the mountain climbing tragedy. And it was great that some of our New Hampshire Press Room singing friends were able to brave the traffic to join us.

Oh, and Linn, thanks so much for that incredible holographic picture of the tall ship Red Adair. Where did you ever find it?

Amazingly enough, we didn't leave the barn in complete shambles. We might even be invited back! Thanks, Sharon and Bunker, for hosting this wonderful gathering.

I'll add some more later, but I'm still enjoying the memories!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 09:06 AM

Traffic was terrible going up but coming down was a breeze. Jaque, I did recognize you, I just had to think about it. First you get a haircut, then you go to a face frame type of facial fur. Anyway, good food, good songs and good stories, and it was great to see people I hadn't seen for a while.

Landlady's Daughter - I listened to the CD all the way home. There are a few skips, but you gave me far more than I needed, so THANK YOU!!!

Capt Bunker asked me if I wanted to shoot that musket. What's the point if you can't put a hole in the neighbor's barn?! (I know: "Big BOOM!")

A guy (I never found out his name) had a 00-21 Martin. A repro of an early model that had a with the pegs in a diagonal line instead of 3 on each side. He said he called Martin and they searched the warehouse until they found the last guitar of that type. Nice guitar!

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 01:49 AM

It looks like I'm one of the first ones back home, since we are in the general vicinity of the Bunker Estates.

Due to a sick dog and a line of "severe" thunderstorms passing over the Maine Coast about 4:00 PM, I arrived around 5:45 while the barbeque was still going strong in the driveway and the singing was underway inside the barn / workshop.

It was good to see old comrades and Mudcatters again, and meet a few new ones. Gosh; it's been a while, hasn't it?

When I ambled in, Charlie was picking his banjo to "Shanghai Brown", with Nor working the washtub bass, and all seemed pretty well with the World again.

There seemed to be a pretty good showing from the Concertina section, with "Jets" and Crumudgeon sharing some great squeezebox tunes, and even Charlie Noble had one going for a while there - but quit way too soon in my opinion, as it was sounding pretty good! I had brought mine along but never unlimbered it, having a looooong way to go towards attaining any particular semblance of proficiency with it.

Music was interspersed with poems and stories, most of which I found quite interesting. Of course Cpt. Bunker, with a lifetime of colorful and varied adventures, not to mention the plethora of facinating people he has known and worked with, can keep an audience spellbound for hours. He told the tale of "Denmark (I think-?-) Andy", a life-long Seaman who had served primarily on Tugboats.

"Andy" had massive hands and "fingers like marlinspikes" and could handle rope and line with an almost magical capacity for splicing, tying and untying any sort of knot.
While at sea, Andy needed something to do to keep his nimble fingers occupied, so would make up little gumball-sized "Rose Knots" I think he called them. I first thought that they were "Monkey's Fists", since they are essentially a ball of interwoven twine on a loop - but Cpt. B. explained the subtle difference between the objects, and I learned something new - as one usually does if spending any time around the good Cpt..

   After explaining and demonstrating "Andy's" handiwork, Steve handed around a little tin box full of them and we all got to pick one as a souvenier of the Evening, as well as a reminder of old "Andy" the Tugboatman.

   Setting aside his Concertina for a spell, "Jets" shared some intriguing insights as to his experiences in the Merchant Marine on board a Liberty Ship in WW-II, as well as his "coming ashore" and the lingering call of the Sea that he felt for years afterwards, as many a Sailor had warned him that it would.

As the evening progressed the music sort of gave way to storytelling, and I felt enriched just to be in the circle and vicariously absorbing it all.

We had about enough people to fill up the barn pretty well, (I'd guess-timate that we had about as much space as we did in the Munjoy Hill Observatory) but among those missed were certainly Brian, Barry, and Brett... it must have been fate that it was the Chanty sing for the "B's" to "B-gone"!

Jeri didn't recognise me at first, because I had been asked by both Aunt Mahthah and our lovely and talented Daughter Shearon to "lose" the moustache for Shearon's Wedding last month and convert to a "Fisherman's" style beard instead.
After I donned my signature head-rag (a "Cravat", actually) the recognition factor improved somewhat.

During a lul in the singing, a couple of muffled "booms" were heard outside; Cpt. B. fired off a couple of black-powder salutes with his muzzle-loading "musketoon" - a sawed-off Brown Bess Revolutionalry War era flintlock musket. Imagine a "blunderbuss" without the flared muzzle, and that's pretty much it.

So a good time was had by all, as near as this humble participant could tell - and I'm sure that most if not all hope for at least one more of these shindigs before Winter sets back in.

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: GUEST,C
Date: 16 Aug 03 - 05:04 PM

Well, I'm in easthampton, MA now, and I don't think I'm going to make it to the party. Have a good time! I hope oyu mske it Uncle Jaque!

Brían

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 16 Aug 03 - 01:22 PM

Aunt Mahtha' & me is plannin' t' come around 4-ish.

I'm fixin' to make up a bowl of my hardly World-Famous but generally palatable multi-bean salad; is there anything else we can bring along to contribute to the comfort, safety, or amusement of the assembled throng?

If anyone would like me to throw in the "toy" (58 caliber 2":1' scale model Civil War Parott rifle Field Piece) Cannon or .69 cal. smoothbore flintlock "Pirate pistol" with which to fire the occasional salute, let me know!

We've been doing a lot more outhouse building than playing music lately, so might be a bit rusty - but anxious to see & hear y'all again! Save us a piece of deck, lawn, or whatever we can clamber aboard!

UJ

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: curmudgeon
Date: 16 Aug 03 - 10:29 AM

Just finished mixing up the cheddar salad. Will stop at store for crackers and beer. If we all bring umbrellas, that might scare off the rain -- Tom

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 16 Aug 03 - 10:24 AM

GRUMP

Stop titillating me you damned Chanty-persons!

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Aug 03 - 10:15 AM

Let's see, plastic ware. Need to do some cooking. We're picking up storyteller Pat G. in Brunswick. Looks like there might be a thundershower in the afternoon. So the barn looks like a safer place to set up for singing. Do the parrots like blue corn tortilla chips? Or do they prefer brownies? So many questions. So little time.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Aug 03 - 10:18 AM

Well, things seem to be shaping up nicely for the party. The Dales are bringing a case of beer and something to grill. We're bringing a grill, some folding chairs, the Roll & Go "Blue Peter" flag which hopefully we'll be able to fly from something mast-like, 3 giant squiglies, the cat-of-nine-tails, fog horn, folding picnic table, a crock pot full of pasta/sausage/zucinni/onions/tomato, a 6-pack of Dogfish Ale, and a box of industrial strength garbage bags. And some musical instruments to pass! We'll be there two hours early to help with the final set-up.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 13 Aug 03 - 05:45 PM

The 16th getting closer and looks like the weather going to be great, sunny, dry, and in the 70's.

So crawl out of whatever mildewed space you're lurking in and join the party!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Brían
Date: 10 Aug 03 - 10:57 AM

Well, i said I couldn't make it to the Press Room but ended up showing up any way. I'll keep monitoring this thread and let's just see what happens!

Brían

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Aug 03 - 08:03 AM

Talked with folks at the Press Room Shanty Swap last night and it sounds like Tom, Linn and Jeri will be attending for sure. Others there might come but they need guides or transportation.

Capt. Bunker is busy shifting nautical stock, to clear a singing circle in his barn.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 Aug 03 - 10:12 AM

Willie-o-

Bunker and Sharon closed the Portland waterfront shop at the end of December last year. Some of us pitched in to help them move the inventory. Some of our efforts were even helpful! But moving them cannons was a class act.

Currrent plans are to build a new store in the Freeport area. In the meantime they're attending trade fairs, responding to contacts to their website, and attending a few music events.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Willie-O
Date: 09 Aug 03 - 07:36 AM

Yeah, have fun kids. I've been out of the loop...did they close the shop down completely, or move it?

Willie-O home in Ontari-O

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Naemanson
Date: 09 Aug 03 - 06:12 AM

Well, you guys have a nice time. Give my best to Bunker and Sharon. I'll be here in Guam, suffering in the heat, working on my house, and settling into a new home. I'd sing a song while you guys are singing but I will probably be in bed, sound asleep.

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 08 Aug 03 - 03:11 PM

BTT ("BUMP To The Top!")

    Well, it looks like the modular "Uncle Jaque Memorial Pavillion" won't be required by overwhelming numbers of participants.

   Just as well, I suppose; all this rain has set construction progress back considerably!

   I sure hopes the weather is a wee bit dryer when the time comes!

Aarrrrgh!
UJ

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Aug 03 - 09:44 AM

Time to refresh!

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 02 Aug 03 - 06:06 PM

Oh, geez, Charley -- you're even older than Curmudgeon! (by about a month and a half)

I, of course, am still in the spring chicken category, eh? (except for my knees which are much much older)

Linn

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Brían
Date: 02 Aug 03 - 12:05 PM

Boy, I don'read very well do I. I don't think the 16th is going to work very well, either. But if it does, I will will sure plan to be there.

Brían

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 02 Aug 03 - 09:34 AM

The 16th of August...oh, yes, that's also my birthday. With all that's been happening this year I tend to forget significant dates. Let's see, born back in 1942, that will make me...wow, real geezer status. I'm almost up there with Kendall! Of course, according to another thread, he's deceased years ago which really doesn't make catching up with him very much of a competition.

Well, sports, who else is planning to party?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Brían
Date: 02 Aug 03 - 08:50 AM

Gray: one of the most appropriately named Maine towns. A sel-declaration of its own Yankee senibility.
:-)
Brían

Je regrette, mais nous allons á Québec la 18me Aout.

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: GUEST,Sharon of Gray
Date: 02 Aug 03 - 06:47 AM

Folks,

Charley dear, driving home from the Portland waterfront takes us 25 minutes tops, and that's driving through town. It's a lot faster coming from the Turnpike.

Parking along the road is not a problem. And once Gobiel's furniture closes, their lot could take a few cars. They're our immediate neighbors to the south, right next door.

Coming from the south, finding the house is easy. We are about 7.8 miles north of Exit 10 off the turnpike. As soon as you see Gobiel's, you are there, so slow down.(Our road runs parallel to the Turnpike. If you got off at Exit 11, we would then be two miles south on Routes 100/26, per Charley's directions)

To repeat: The house is a red, 250 year old Cape Cod, with lots of stuff outside. The address: 229 Portland Road. Phone: [phone].

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 09:20 AM

Here's a geographical hint. The little town of Gray is about 30 minutes North of Portland just off the Maine Turnpike (Exit 11 unless they've changed the number again). Once into "downtown" Gray (don't blink), take a sharp right onto Rt. 100/26 and proceed about two miles and keep a sharp lookout to larboard for a "Blue Peter" flag, a red cape farmhouse with ajoining barn, with a cannon or two in the driveway. You really can't miss it.

I don't have any Dead Dog Cider either but I will bring a 6-pack of Dogfish Ale for show-and-tell.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 10:45 PM

They have a "Polly" now? Last I knew the two big Macaws were "Singapore" (red) and "Saigon"(I think) - the yellowish one. Then I think they have a few smaller birds as well. I don't know what they are, particularly, but they are pretty!

Gosh, Charlie; I dunno if I have any "Dead Dog Cider" left in the cellar; it's a little out of season right now. Perhaps I can see what else we can brew up on short notice. If we can't drink it, we can boil it down & tar the riggin' with it!

Not a big attraction just yet, but let's give it a week or two before giving up on it; I notified a few of my reenacting pards who have been known to show up at our Dana St. gatherings.

Friend Gail has a Daughter who is getting pretty handy on the fiddle, and has a sweet little voice which seems to be developing nicely; I'm hoping that we might wheedle them into joining us!

Ye'know; with our "Vocal Artillery" Barry, a couple of Macaws, Charlie's banjo and a cannon or two, we ought to be able to create a racket sufficient to compensate for whatever we might lack in numbers!

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Barry Finn
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 08:36 PM

Polly like finger foods Mary so watch it with the crackers. Hope to make it too. Barry

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: SINSULL
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 08:05 PM

I hope to make it. Have to check my schedule when I get back from Dad's 90th Birthday Bash in NYC.
What sort of crackers does Polly prefer?
SINS

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 06:42 PM

Tom and I are hoping to make it. The complication is that we won't be able to stay past 8 pm. We have a diabetic cat whose schedule can't be thrown too far out of wack -- and it's a long drive from our neck of the woods to yours. We'll keep you posted!

Linn

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 05:52 PM

Well, Uncle Jaque, you and I may be the only ones attending, at least according to the number of e-mails I've received from friends committed to catering jobs, family special events, weekends out of time. We'll just have to empty the barrel of swill between the two of us.

You would think that at least one additional Mudcatter would have the courage to come, at least one who didn't know us, Bunker and Sharon, or Roll & Go's extended family.

For a good time, post here!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 10:27 AM

AAarrgh, Matey!!! It's a wonder no one was seriously disabled trying to bull that foolish "Gunnade" out of the shop and into a truck! And there were a couple more of the beasties buried in the snowbank out front, too - along with Cpt. Bunker's personal ANCHOR COLLECTION!!!!

I sincerely wish someone had videotaped the half-dozen or so of us, most (if not all) of whom may well (I know at least one for a fact) qualify as attentionally challenged male adults trying to manually cram this darned cannon (on a Naval carriage, BTW) through a door through which it DID NOT FIT! Oh; that gun had to weigh at least 700 pounds in it's underwear!

It was a classic study in miscommunication, collective confusion while attempting to feign complete control of the situation, and impulsively resisting (if not ignoring altogether) the laws of gravity, physics, and probably several other barriers Mother Nature has set up for us.
Just because something is obviously NOT going to work is no reason not to try it - at least once!

A bunch of middle-aged, clusterblundering men trying to force a 700# rusting iron cannon through a fairly narrow door...

Dr.Freud would have had a blast with that one!

In retrospect (now that the pain has abated somewhat), especially since amazingly enough no one got seriously hurt - it was a hoot!

I don't think that any of the Captain's heavy artillery is in shooting condition (no garuntee, of course, that someone won't try it) but between us you may rest assured that we have plenty of wherewithal with which to disturb the peace for miles around!

This party could be a lot more fun than any of us in our right minds might have anticipated!

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16 (Maine)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 10:01 AM

Maybe we can get Bunker to fire up one of his cannons. Some of us had a lot of practice last winter moving them around.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 12:17 PM

Yo Ho!; Rumors confirmed!

Steve & Sharon aren't all that hard to find, but parking on a main road (229 Portland Road - that's Rt. 100 I think -?-...) might be a bit tight - I'd reccomend vehicle-pooling as much as possible.
They have a couple of short driveways and a little space to park a couple of vehicles off of the side of the road - 6 or 8 tops I'd guess from when we moved the shop out there from Portland last Winter.
A couple of parking lots are in the vicinity (like the furniture place nearby - within hiking distance) and possibly arrangements could be made to "borrow" one and shuttle to & fro.

I'll be putting the date on the ol' calender for sure - and notifying area Chanty-Fans!

Subject: China Sea Marine Trading Co. Party 8/16
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 10:32 AM

You are cordially invited to a grand potluck/singing party on Saturday,
August 16th, from 4 pm to midnight, co-hosted by China Sea Marine
Trading Company and Roll & Go, at the Bunker-Bondroff Estate in Gray,
Maine. Bring musical instruments, food, beverage of choice, nomadic
furniture, and tents if you prefer to stay over night. Primary
activities will take place in a large field below the main house and
barn (inside the barn if the weather is less than clement).
>
RSVP appreciated:[e-mail]

We will respond with more specific navigational clues.
>
Cheerily,
Charley Noble et al