All the pirates were too tired to even roar at each other, let alone sing a shanty, after their strenuous efforts in bringing the boat through the previous night's fantastic storm. So they just sprawled on the deck, looking up at the last few seagulls to have made it this far out from land, circling above in what was now a clear blue sky. It wasn't until the smell of fresh ham wafted up from the boat's kitchen that the pirates stirred and went below to the pirate dining room. The Pirate Captain was already sitting at the table, tapping his knife and fork expectantly. Of all the pirates it was true that nobody loved his ham more than the Pirate Captain. The hams were brought to table, and they had been roasted, which annoyed the pirate who had argued they should have been boiled, but he was so hungry he didn't bother to complain, and he had to admit that they tasted delicious. The pirates tore into their food and grog with the relish that comes from a hard night's pirating. "Honestly, pirates! Have you forgotten you are provided with teeth? Small wonder you complain about indigestion when you forget to chew!" admonished the Pirate Captain. "I thought it was cold feet gave you indigestion," said the hook-for-a-hand pirate, "And that wrapping your feet in a hot towel would prevent such belly pains." "That's head-aches, idiot!" said the pirate in green. "No. Head-aches are most commonly caused from reading by candle light, when the candle is positioned incorrectly. It should be placed behind you, so the rays can pass directly over your shoulder to the book." The pirates almost started fighting again over this, but the Pirate Captain held up an imperious hand, and started to speak.

"I got a letter this morning," he said, "from our old enemy, Black Bellamy." The pirates muttered a few oaths. Black Bellamy was that roguish rival pirate who the pirates had encountered during the pirates’ adventure with Buried Treasure, and the pirates’ adventure with the Princess of Cadiz. Somehow they weren't surprised that they had not heard the last of him. "Black Bellamy has invited us to a feast onboard his schooner, the Barbary Hen, which is sailing just a few leagues from here." "It's Black Bellamy, Captain! You can't mean to trust him!" cried the albino pirate. The other pirates nodded. "Perhaps he's changed," said the Pirate Captain. "He says in his letter that he's changed, and that he wants to hold this feast to make up for all the trouble he and his villainous crew have caused us in the past." "Oh, well. You can't really argue with that sort of sentiment," agreed the pirate in green. "Yes, that seems really nice of him," said the albino pirate, feeling a bit guilty for being so harsh on Black Bellamy just a few seconds ago. "And it would be good to see how they prepare their hams on board the Barbary Hen," said the pirate in red. "So it's settled, we'll accept the invitation and set sail for Black Bellamy's feast at once!" said the Pirate Captain, picking a piece of ham from his immaculate beard." Read these books!

I am reading "ascent on everest" a gripping acount of the first sucsessfull sumiting of everest. did you know that the considerd using helum balloons to help them "float" to the top? or that somone had the idea that they should shoot oxygen tanks to the top, just so that they did not have to carry them all the way up there? they seem to have forgoten that they would still have to carry thegun to the base camp.

Currently I have an ongoing intrest in Robert Jordan's awesome series "The Wheel of Time"

So far i have read 10 books out of the 11 (12) existing books in the series. it appears that book eleven is not the last book, unless i missed something, and New Spring is the first of three prequails.

The Wheel of Time (TWoT) is without a doubt my favorite series of books ever. much better than Harry Potter, better in content than anything by Tolkien

This is basically what everyone in the world of TWoT worships: The Great Serpant and The Wheel of TIme.

Update on this series: Book twelve is the final book in the series, and is scheduled for release sometime in 2009. The working title is A Memory of Light

Also i'm reading The Sword of Truth. an ongoing series of books by american writer Terry Goodkind. A Well written series, containing a world with an extensive and mysterious history, and thouroughly submersive. Comes close to TWoT, but not quite there yet. the content is slightly more adult humour and other *ahem* content.

It starts of when Richard (Hero) is in the woods of his native Westland, a world without magic, when he rescues Mother Confessor Kahlen (heroin) from the Quad of Darkan Rahl who aires from the Magical Midlands across "The Border" which no living thing can cross. Richard takes her to see his mentor Zedd, who recognises Kahlan for who she is, and names Richard the Seeker for Truth, gives him the Sword of Truth, and sends him of to kill Darkan Rahl, the Evil Wizard come Dictator of the Midlands and Daharan Empire

Currently, I'm reading the "Legacy Of The Force" series of books, as a hiatus in my normal reading. Begining 40 years after the Battle of Yavin, and shortly after the Yuuzhan Vong invasion (long story), this series follows Jacen Solo (one of the Solo twins) as he tries to "bring peace to the galaxy". If you know your Star Wars, it's fairly obvious where that leads. Still, fairly good as cheap sci-fi goes.