Dreams

I had a curiously active dreaming cycle last night. I’m blaming the codeine. My neck is no longer particularly sore, but it was stiff enough that I downed a couple of Tylenol I’s around 11:15 PM. I dropped off within 15 minutes.

I dreamed I had some kind of little iron or statue that could make my kids older or younger. It looked like a bit like a bowling pin, of plain brown wood, clad in a little gingham dress, with a happy face painted on it. I could make it larger or smaller, but had to be careful not to break it. I felt like this dream lasted for hours.

We walked into the basement of the house, I think, and I acquired tickets to a sort of stadium under a stadium. There were rows and rows of cramped benches and little concrete hallways underneath the bleachers of the “real” stadium, filled with people who could not see the sporting events happening above them. So, instead they were organizing their own entertainments, one of which was Minnie Pearl on a scooter. velvetpage and the kids were with me, and we all agreed it was not very interesting. Though, there were a couple of old men heckling the Minnie Pearl act, who reminded me very strongly of Statler and Waldorf.

This was followed by something even stranger, which I can’t clearly remember, aside from impressions. velvetpage was with me, and was very brave and heroic, but I can’t remember the specifics.

I woke up suddenly, during this dream, and rolled over. It was just 12:40 AM.

Pyat and The Land Lubbin' Pirates

I'm currently playing the excellent recent edition of Sid Meier's Pirates! video game. I've completed all the quests and amassed a huge sum, and married the daughter of the governor of Port Royale. I'm a Dutch and British Duke, a French Baron, and a Spanish Admiral, even though I keep plundering their cities.


This evening, I got stuck in an inlet or channel on the west coast of Florida, after visiting a small pirate haven. A bug in the game has effectively simulated my ship (a Brig of War alternately named "Grim Jest" or "Blood of Christ," depending on whether I'm working for Papists or myself) running aground. Now, this is bad. Food was running low. I had a crew of 250, and only enough food for a month. I traded with the pirate settlement for more, but even that only increased our stores to two months.

So, I decided to walk across Florida. The closest settlement was a Spanish village, Westray, on the east coast of Florida, round about where Daytona Beach is, I think. It's about 150 miles across the penninsula at that point. My thinking was, we could restock on food there, and then when we left, the ship would appear at the new port.


So, we cut our way through swamp and everglade. Food ran out fast. The men were staving, as a helpful pop-up message kept informing me.


But we made it! Westray! We bought up what little food the settlement. I discovered that, even though my ship was 150 miles away, I was still able to buy and sell the cannon and cargo. Um. No wonder the men were complaining on that long walk. Still, that suggested the ship was here with us in Westray, right?

No such luck. I left town, and the ship was nowhere in sight. So, I had a brainstorm. If we walked north to the nearest city, the Dutch port of St. Augustine, I could divide up the plunder, split the crew, and start fresh. Maybe that would do it. So, we walked and walked north... arrived in St. Augustine. I danced with the governor's daughter, hob-knobbed in the tavern, and then split the plunder. My ship was careened and prepared for a new voyage. Everyone was happy.

Except, my ship was still on the other coast, and still stuck, and now I only had 40 men left in my crew.

But, you know, it struck me, suddenly. I still have access to the cargo hold, no matter where I am. I can still trade. I can still attack and plunder towns. And, now I have easier access to the rich landlocked capitals, like Gran Granada and Panama! Indeed, the entirely of the Spanish Main is still in my grasp... aside from the islands.

I just have to walk from Florida to Central America.

I can do it. With the smaller crew, and no need for cannon to clutter up my "cargo space," I can carry 2 or 3 years worth of food. I'll stock up in St. Augustine... and then hike my way to Panama. It's only 2800 miles, and there are some small cities on the way, along the Yucatan!

ARRR!