Monday, November 3, 2008

Ahoy Mateys! It's Halloween

The Bradshaw Pirate Crew is ready to set sail on Halloween for Pirate Plundering and Candy Treasure Hunting!  Cap'n Long Locks was our fearless leader.  The pirate crew included: Kate the Great Mate, Braden the Brave Basher, and Beetle Ben.  1st mate was Terrible Tommy.  (see below)
We had no idea how many wanna-be pirates would come crawling out of the ship's slime when we hoisted the skull and bones flag over our ship on Halloween night! First Grandpa & Grandma Shawcroft showed up with 8 teenagers all in pirate duds, then Tom's harem showed up and immediately joined the pirate ranks, plus a few more family members and a cute fairy niece - we ended up with a full crew of 24 hanging onto anything they could grab to be part of the pillaging and plundering adventure!
Our fearless mascot, Pirate Pete, led the way on the bow of the ship.  A tattered and torn skull & crossbones flag hung off the back, an eerie skeleton lantern lit the way, the sounds of "Pirates of the Caribbean" announced our presence, and a huge treasure chest full of spiders, skeletons, and pirate gold coins sat on deck.   Jack Sparrow never had it so good!  We even had fireworks exploding from the ship because we couldn't seem to find any cannonballs! 
As we drove around the neighborhood, the younger pirate mates would run up to doors in their never-ending quest for candy.  The teenagers and Uncle Tom kept the music, fireworks, and pirate-strutting going.  Meanwhile, any neighbor children brave enough to withstand the one-eyed glare of Pirate Pete would come up to Grandma Shawcroft for a treat from the treasure chest. 
It was a fun night for young and old!  You're never too old to be a pirate, right mates? 
ARGHHHHH!  'Til next year, when the Bradshaw Pirate Crew comes together again!
First Mate, Terrible Tommy (ha ha Tom!)
Blimey - that's one scary-looking bunch of Pirates!
Cap'n Long Locks and the ever-fearsome pirate, Beetle Ben!