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So you talked me into it

That's usually how I do it. I was just paying attention looking for sour notes.

I was also a chef for a while. I speak food porn very well. Tobacco descriptions areclose enough to food. A little of that plus listening to classic rock, and feeling good gets you goofy writing!
 
Normally between dinner and bedtime, I'll have in the neighborhood of half a pack of cigarettes. Somewhere around 10. Since I've been smoking a pipe, that's dropped to closer to 5 or 6. Last night, I had 2. I had 2 cigarettes right after dinner. Then about an hour and a half later, I had half a pipe of I-something Three Stars. And a little bit after that, Revelation Match. Then off to bed. That's so freaking awesome!! The last time I can remember having that few cigarettes in the evening I was laid up with the flu! And I noticed with the snuff, I'm smoking so much less at work. Not at all when I'm at the shop, unless I step out with someone. Just in the work truck.

So this is a little bit of a surprise to me, last night. Not something I thought of until this morning when I saw I still had most of a pack. And I credit everyone here for your support and advice and suggestions. Thank you everyone for one of my best cigarette days (while healthy)!
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Normally between dinner and bedtime, I'll have in the neighborhood of half a pack of cigarettes. Somewhere around 10. Since I've been smoking a pipe, that's dropped to closer to 5 or 6. Last night, I had 2. I had 2 cigarettes right after dinner. Then about an hour and a half later, I had half a pipe of I-something Three Stars. And a little bit after that, Revelation Match. Then off to bed. That's so freaking awesome!! The last time I can remember having that few cigarettes in the evening I was laid up with the flu! And I noticed with the snuff, I'm smoking so much less at work. Not at all when I'm at the shop, unless I step out with someone. Just in the work truck.

So this is a little bit of a surprise to me, last night. Not something I thought of until this morning when I saw I still had most of a pack. And I credit everyone here for your support and advice and suggestions. Thank you everyone for one of my best cigarette days (while healthy)!
It is called evolution I believe.
 
I'm proud of myself! So later on today we're having a bushel of crabs. Which means yesterday I was out running errands to get ready. One of those errands sent me to the grocery store that shares a parking lot with the tobacconist. I walk in and the guy is checking out a couple other people getting cigars, which gave me a couple minutes to poke around. Right there in the basket is a Dublin that's almost almost a zulu! Same bend in the stem, but the bowl just barely misses with the forward cant. Smooth finish, a very very light stain. Almost an ash wood color, like a baseball bat. To make matters worse, I know I have my card in my wallet!

I'm proud of myself that I walked out with pipe cleaners and 2 boxes of matches. And I got myself $45 closer to those Brighams. So now I'm at $65 with $200 left to go.

And now to change the subject to get my mind off that almost zulu. The family sat around the fire pit last night in celebration of the first evening in quite a while that wasn't raining or stupid hot. The kids commented that PS English Luxury smells a lot like my leather motorcycle jackets, not in an unhappy way. That makes me feel good for some reason.

I think what really did it for me is the kids hated the cigar smell. Mrs. Rookie wasn't really a fan either. They'd grump at me to put it out (until the bugs came lol). But with the pipe, while they weren't exactly scooting closer to me, they weren't trying to get away either. I wonder what would have happened if it'd been an aro instead of English?
 
I am finding a similar reaction from the Missus, here. I'll behaving a pipe, she will step out the door, "oh that one smells nice" or something similar.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
I'm proud of myself! So later on today we're having a bushel of crabs. Which means yesterday I was out running errands to get ready. One of those errands sent me to the grocery store that shares a parking lot with the tobacconist. I walk in and the guy is checking out a couple other people getting cigars, which gave me a couple minutes to poke around. Right there in the basket is a Dublin that's almost almost a zulu! Same bend in the stem, but the bowl just barely misses with the forward cant. Smooth finish, a very very light stain. Almost an ash wood color, like a baseball bat. To make matters worse, I know I have my card in my wallet!

I'm proud of myself that I walked out with pipe cleaners and 2 boxes of matches. And I got myself $45 closer to those Brighams. So now I'm at $65 with $200 left to go.

And now to change the subject to get my mind off that almost zulu. The family sat around the fire pit last night in celebration of the first evening in quite a while that wasn't raining or stupid hot. The kids commented that PS English Luxury smells a lot like my leather motorcycle jackets, not in an unhappy way. That makes me feel good for some reason.

I think what really did it for me is the kids hated the cigar smell. Mrs. Rookie wasn't really a fan either. They'd grump at me to put it out (until the bugs came lol). But with the pipe, while they weren't exactly scooting closer to me, they weren't trying to get away either. I wonder what would have happened if it'd been an aro instead of English?
There you go torturing me with those crabs again 😂
 
There you go torturing me with those crabs again 😂
Fingers hurt from getting Old Bay in the cuts. Need Boh to dull the pain. I'll respond properly tomorrow. 🤣

Beaides, it was kind of a working party. Mrs. Rookie moves in a some very interesting and behind the scenes powerful people. We were working and schmoozing. The Boh was there because, well, there's Boh with crabs. But everyone was drinking my whiskey and Mrs. Rookie's wine. A bushel of steamed crabs and two cases of National Bohemian cans aren't near as much fun working as when it's freely enjoyed amongst friends.
 
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steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Fingers hurt from getting Old Bay in the cuts. Need Boh to dull the pain. I'll respond properly tomorrow. 🤣

Beaides, it was kind of a working party. Mrs. Rookie moves in a some very interesting and behind the scenes powerful people. We were working and schmoozing. The Boh was there because, well, there's Boh with crabs. But everyone was drinking my whiskey and Mrs. Rookie's wine. A bushel of steamed crabs and two cases of National Bohemian cans aren't near as much fun working as when it's freely enjoyed amongst friends.
You’re killing me dude. 😂
 
You’re killing me dude. 😂
I don't feel that bad. These dudes showed up in khakis and polo shirts and the women in church dresses. I whispered to Mrs. Rookie asking if they knew they were coming for crabs caked in Old Bay. Being eaten outside. And not for covid reasons!

The guests were movers and shakers. A few very powerful people nobody has ever heard of who whisper into the ears of their various kings. Mrs. Rookie's colleagues. It was a very common and ingenious way for them to get together extremely off the record. Both a chance to honestly hang out with these peers in a completely social way, and to get some serious behind the scenes work done.

And I'll be the first to admit, it was a fascinating look into the world of grown-ups. For comparison, I enlisted right out of high school. Then I was in trucking. After 2008, I found myself as a chef. Because the hours suck cooking, I now work for a plumbing company. I've always been in the, um, less refined side of life.

I say all that as background for this. Everyone knew we were hosting a crab feast. But everyone had different ideas on what that is exactly. I wisely read the afternoon as different than what I was planning for. Based upon the paragraph above, I have thrown crab feasts where drinking Jack Daniel's from a shoe isn't out of the question before the night is over. And I cannot guarantee it was his shoe, either.

So now I'm out in my porch with a happily full stomach, sipping on one from a virtually untouched case of Natty Boh and enjoying the flavor of Revelation Match while trying to ponder 1) all the conversation and banter surrounding me this afternoon and into early evening, and 2) when exactly did I grow up? 1599443402104180263156975006084.jpg
Oh boy, what a beer!
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
The crab feasts I attended were my wife’s German/Lithuanian family. The kind of gigs you would appreciate. Lots of crabs and all the Nat Bo you could drink and still stand and no one batted an eye when you couldn’t. Wonderful! I don’t like “elegant” well behaved parties either. Sure would like to have what you are drinking now. Revelation sounds good too. I read a book and smoked pipe after pipe of Ready Rubbed all day. Not a bad day.
 
So I had a revelation on my drive home from work. Usually I have a pipe on the way to work and another on the way home. I keep a briar and a pouch of codger in the car for that. Swap out the pipe Friday evening. But then it dawned on me that I have 3 cobs. No reason not to rotate daily!

There was a reason for that though. I have many more briars now than I did 3 months ago. I couldn't rotate as well. So with that, I'll stop needlessly abusing good smoking tools.

I'm also playing around with the idea of a pipe stand. Specifically, of making a pipe stand. It's been a very long time since I've done any woodworking. I had a house fire a few years ago and lost probably $12500 in tools. Mainly, but not only woodworking tools. I've picked up a few necessities since then. Including a very nice jigsaw and mitered chop box. I have woodcarving chisles and gouges, or soon will be a very good time of year to buy myself a router.

Back on track, I think making my own hanging pipe rack might be a fun fall project when it's too cold to ride the motorcycle.

And I'm the meantime, I'm still puffing away on all my vast selection of 1-4 ounce samples. I'm doing very good at saving money. The target is $260.80 for both pipes and a pack of replacement maple inserts. The goal is $300+ so I can add some tasty tasty tobacco into the order. I'm a little over $100 by just adding whatever bills smaller than a $10 into an envelope. Plus the $46 I really wanted to spend on a darling 1/8 bent Dublin when I got pipe cleaners*. And just since whenever I posted I was going to start saving up. At this rate, I'll beat the holiday shipping rush!

*Which don't count. Like cobs!
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
So I had a revelation on my drive home from work. Usually I have a pipe on the way to work and another on the way home. I keep a briar and a pouch of codger in the car for that. Swap out the pipe Friday evening. But then it dawned on me that I have 3 cobs. No reason not to rotate daily!

There was a reason for that though. I have many more briars now than I did 3 months ago. I couldn't rotate as well. So with that, I'll stop needlessly abusing good smoking tools.

I'm also playing around with the idea of a pipe stand. Specifically, of making a pipe stand. It's been a very long time since I've done any woodworking. I had a house fire a few years ago and lost probably $12500 in tools. Mainly, but not only woodworking tools. I've picked up a few necessities since then. Including a very nice jigsaw and mitered chop box. I have woodcarving chisles and gouges, or soon will be a very good time of year to buy myself a router.

Back on track, I think making my own hanging pipe rack might be a fun fall project when it's too cold to ride the motorcycle.

And I'm the meantime, I'm still puffing away on all my vast selection of 1-4 ounce samples. I'm doing very good at saving money. The target is $260.80 for both pipes and a pack of replacement maple inserts. The goal is $300+ so I can add some tasty tasty tobacco into the order. I'm a little over $100 by just adding whatever bills smaller than a $10 into an envelope. Plus the $46 I really wanted to spend on a darling 1/8 bent Dublin when I got pipe cleaners*. And just since whenever I posted I was going to start saving up. At this rate, I'll beat the holiday shipping rush!

*Which don't count. Like cobs!
Like cobs? Low life; how dare you! As to the pipe rack (I once was a cabinet maker). There is a line of racks on P&C that are very nice and incredibly simple. All you would need to reproduce them is some wood, table saw, Forsner (sp ?) bit, glue and a couple of clamps. A router for quarter rounding and a bit of felt would add a bit of class. My son has the equipment but his shop isn’t set up yet. Don’t let anyone know but I like cobs too. I always use a cob when I’m driving because they are light and easy to clinch.
 
Right? My neighbors are pretty upset with me. Smoking a corn cob pipe on my front porch has driven property value down 13.6%!

And I'm starting to look at designs. Looking at pictures of different ideas I like. Eventually it will come down to sketching ideas lightly in pencil on a piece of wood until I can get it right. Although part of me wants to get a slab of live oak and drill holes in the front and mason jars and tins behind.

Sometimes I miss woodworking, beyond basic homeowner repairs (thanks kids and drunk friends). It's what I first started doing to calm me and for a creative outlet after I left the army. Nothing special, a mantle here, toy for neighbor boy there. A fun hobby. And I do enjoy using a jigsaw!

But for now, it's not too cold to ride the White Devil. So any projects like that are on hold. It's coming up to the leaves changing in the fall. The mountains of western Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia I believe rival New England. I don't plan on missing a dry weekend.
 
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Pack a pipe.
Always!

Ran up to an inconvenient B&M today. But it's the one with nasal snuff, and I wanted to stock up. I was very good about not buying anything else. Although I'll admit, a smooth Comoy Zulu was very close to getting its pictures taken at this very moment. This one. Screenshot_20200912-183723_Chrome.jpg I had the money in my pocket but I was strong and walked away with my snuff. But now that I know it's there, and almost affordable (right around $105). I'll be back for Christmas!
 
@steveclarkus, because when we were talking about it earlier, we both forgot about another part of crabs. The eventual leftovers which get turned into crab soup!
View attachment 1154365

My wife makes awesome Turkey soup on the family holidays with the leftovers, and a dynamite pea soup with smoked ham at Christmas. She also makes a Clam Chowder that would do any maritime restaurant proud.

Our daughter grew up referring to it as, "Mommy's Magical Soup".
 
Turkey soup sounds interesting. I'm going to have to look at that. Split pea soup and a good clam chowder are truly joys though! The kind that warms you up starting with your soul and going outward from there.
 
My wife makes awesome Turkey soup on the family holidays with the leftovers, and a dynamite pea soup with smoked ham at Christmas. She also makes a Clam Chowder that would do any maritime restaurant proud.

Our daughter grew up referring to it as, "Mommy's Magical Soup".

Turkey Gumbo is what gets made here after Thanksgiving!
 
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