Avast Ye Mateys!!

Helllooo out there!!!

Welcome to day 11...in which not one...but TWO pirate ships have been created by my amazing housemates!!

By yesterday afternoon there was an amazing ship complete with creaky-ship sounds and all the trimmings. By this morning...there was a GIANT amazing ship that put the first one to shame!! It's still in progress but our lovely taskmistress Allie has put up a nice board so we can see needs and stay organized. Sooo...I put my buildtarded self to use making some cages...I figure...ok I can do that. Seriously, the entire thing is so amazing...everyone should be sure to stop by the sandbox at the back of the house (the ginormous glass room that juts out over the beach) and have a peek at the progress!!

Here are a cpl of piccies of the progress:

From left to right...myself, Golda (the wee mousie), Allie, & Lilli standing on the stern.

A work in progress!

Of course as I mentioned yesterday we're pushed for time, being that we have to have it done early Thursday morning. I'm getting word that tomorrow's release is gunna be a sticky one so hopefully LL doesn't rob us of *all* our time tomorrow by first locking us out of the grid with the normal update time and THEN locking us out all afternoon/evening b/c the release is fubared. Keep your fingers crossed for us! :P

If I think about it...the pirate ship is the perfect project for this week...because in some ways...it feels like the 11 of us are castaways...stranded on this island together...isolated...struggling to survive...needing and learning to rely on each other for help & support. I follow some blogs of other residents/former residents...and Lilli made a post on her blog this week talking about how she expects the quiet nights to become more common as time goes on...and I think she's right. I can sense there's been a definite turning inward this week. In the first week...we mostly relied on our friends to keep us going...to be our touchstones in an unfamiliar world. This week, however, I sense more an atmosphere of us as a cohesive group. Although there are those in the house who keep to themselves or seem to prefer to be sources of drama, for the most part everyone seems to have developed a sense of being in this together. I think bonds are being made that will certainly outlast this odd fortnight or so in which we've been thrust together...and that makes me pretty happy. It kinda makes me feel like we're all realizing that yes, even though each of us would love to win an island (who wouldn't?!!), the journey itself is the point of the experience...and I'm sure there are many, many more amazing, wonderful, fun, touching, & hilarious moments ahead. I feel bad now for those in the house who are not making themselves a part of this while they have the opportunity...because, in the end, those who don't will really be the ones who have lost.

As always...I urge, beg, plead, cajole you all to come vote...bring your friends...bring anyone who will come!!! Say hello...tell us we're insane...look at the incredible talents on display in the sandbox...laugh with us...and share our experience. There's the real potential that update day will mess up any plans for voting tomorrow so...come tonight...better safe than sorry! Here's your landmark...and thanks for listening to me ramble!! <333