So you talked me into it

[brandaves]

Update. Mrs. Rookie just asked me how much of my (roughly $100) former cigarette budget am I now putting towards pipes. My heart monitor just flatlined then spiked with that realization! That's like a new Dunhill pipe a month!

Ok, it's time to cruise SP for Virginia and vapers to cellar. Do I get a metric ton of cheap shag to age? Or spend the money on quality and watch that get better? Hmm.

Escudo my friend. I can't yet speak from experience...but all comers I've heard rave about it's cellar potential. I have 22 tucked away. JR seems to be the best deal and they offer a military discount as well. If I plan sales right I can get them at $10 a tin...

 

[RookieGuy]

I have 1.75 tins of Escudo in the cellar aging with some Stokkebye LBF and LTF. From the quarter tin I've tried, it's going to age beautifully. Wasn't that bad out of the tin either, although not as good as fresh LTF. Brandon, you owe it to yourself to try a few coins. Bring a fresh tin with you (if it's not too late) on your travels. You might not get the absolute best, but I promise you won't feel you wasted your money.

Part of me is thinking of loading up on several pure Virginias and just as many vapers. And a ton of jars. Sample as many as I can, jar what I don't like, and stock up on what I like. The worst would be having lots of aged jars to PIF.

 

[Kentos]

I have 1.75 tins of Escudo in the cellar aging with some Stokkebye LBF and LTF. From the quarter tin I've tried, it's going to age beautifully. Wasn't that bad out of the tin either, although not as good as fresh LTF. Brandon, you owe it to yourself to try a few coins. Bring a fresh tin with you (if it's not too late) on your travels. You might not get the absolute best, but I promise you won't feel you wasted your money.

Part of me is thinking of loading up on several pure Virginias and just as many vapers. And a ton of jars. Sample as many as I can, jar what I don't like, and stock up on what I like. The worst would be having lots of aged jars to PIF.

Yep!

 

[brandaves]

I have 1.75 tins of Escudo in the cellar aging with some Stokkebye LBF and LTF. From the quarter tin I've tried, it's going to age beautifully. Wasn't that bad out of the tin either, although not as good as fresh LTF. Brandon, you owe it to yourself to try a few coins. Bring a fresh tin with you (if it's not too late) on your travels. You might not get the absolute best, but I promise you won't feel you wasted your money.

Part of me is thinking of loading up on several pure Virginias and just as many vapers. And a ton of jars. Sample as many as I can, jar what I don't like, and stock up on what I like. The worst would be having lots of aged jars to PIF.

Oh I have smoked some fresh...I just smoked some two days ago. It is very good. I had smoked it fresh before I began making the investment to cellar it. I just haven't tasted it aged yet so I can't directly speak to how well it ages, only the potential.

 

[brandaves]

...and I will be taking several tins with me on my travels.

 

[RookieGuy]

I saw that on the PotD thread after I typed that. Oops!

I too am looking forward to seeing what age does to it. Although I do kind of like them fresh. That grassy lemony sharp taste is, well, it's refreshing like cold lemonade. I know in wines the age will bring all that goodness together, marry it together so the sum is (hopefully) greater than its parts. Maybe vas and vapers do the same?

 

[Falcon Eddie]

Ugh..not that I needed 10 more tins of tobacco but I seem to be able to convince myself too easily. Escudo has been on my purchase radar for awhile. Then, I saw your post. Of course, I started poking around and ended up with a discount coupon bringing the tin price “well below” the $10.00 level. A day and 10 tins later this blend is in the cache until another equivalent deal surfaces. @brandaves A tobacco blessing and curse at the same time...ugh!

 

[steveclarkus]

I saw that on the PotD thread after I typed that. Oops!

I too am looking forward to seeing what age does to it. Although I do kind of like them fresh. That grassy lemony sharp taste is, well, it's refreshing like cold lemonade. I know in wines the age will bring all that goodness together, marry it together so the sum is (hopefully) greater than its parts. Maybe vas and vapers do the same?

I’m too old to age tobacco so I don’t worry about it. As Arnie Palmer said “ I’m too ole to buy green bananas”. That citrus taste is the thing I like about VA the most. It really makes CH as well as many other blends

 

[brandaves]

Ugh..not that I needed 10 more tins of tobacco but I seem to be able to convince myself too easily. Escudo has been on my purchase radar for awhile. Then, I saw your post. Of course, I started poking around and ended up with a discount coupon bringing the tin price “well below” the $10.00 level. A day and 10 tins later this blend is in the cache until another equivalent deal surfaces. @brandaves A tobacco blessing and curse at the same time...ugh!

Where did you find that deal??! Well done!

 

[RookieGuy]

Instead of a big huge bowl of codger delight, I'm going with a very small bowl of English. Mostly because I've had a big day already and don't want to be outside all night. And it's been a while since I brought out the Jet Stream.

 

[Falcon Eddie]

Where did you find that deal??! Well done!

That same store “YOU” recommended to @RookieGuy. There was a 20% discount code for a newsletter sign-up. I think the code worked out to be about $9.47 a tin.

 

[RookieGuy]

That's an incredible deal! Your cellar will very happy soon.

 

[RookieGuy]

So I had a wonderful night's sleep back in my own bed without machines and monitors beeping, without being woken up every couple hours to be poked and prodded. Of course, that also means no more sponge baths from 26 year old blonde nurses, but I'll make that trade.

Today starts a new phase in the life of Rookie. After 26 years, I get to be a non smoker. I left the hospital with a prescription for smoking cessation medicine, a pill and the patch to help with withdrawal and all. Well, I say non smoker but that's not 100% accurate. Instead of cigarettes, pipes, snuff, and an incredibly occasional cigar, I'm down to pipes only.

The hardest part at this very second is availability. Last weekend we went to Virginia and I got 2 cartons of cigarettes, of which I've had a pack. Those need to go away fast. I'm going to be popular tomorrow and Tuesday at work as I'm giving them away! And I have several tins of snuff which most will probably end up on the Stock Exchange. I want a few days of medication running through my system before I look at them though. Way too tempting to take a pinch.

No, I'm sorry, that's not right! That'll be the second hardest part. The hardest part is the coffee part. Instead of my usual 6 cups a day (which I didn't think was a whole lot, but the doctors kindly informed me of that mistake) I have to drop down to 2. I really hope that the ever-present cup in my hand is psychological, that decaf will do the trick. If not, well, I'll do what I have to do anyways.

So by most definitions I'm a pretty manly man. I've planted a tree, raising a son, acted with honor in the face of my country's enemies, pulled myself up by my bootstraps a few times, stood for what I believe in, faced the consequences, etc. But it's pretty intimidating changing habits and practices I've been doing more than half my life almost overnight. I have to, I want to, but it's still worrying. It's still changing things so ingrained in me.

Well, I guess that's just the next adventure!

 

[steveclarkus]

Happy to see you are back with your family and that you are tackling the cigarette thing. It’s tough I know. Pipes are a tremendous stress reliever so there is a positive to that at least. As to the coffee, I have found two decaf coffees that don’t taste like decaf; Cafe Bustelo and Gevalia. Both are full flavored and I make them rather strong. I have one cup (photo below) of regular in the AM and decaf the rest of the day. Stay strong buddy.

 

[Bakker1964]

So I had a wonderful night's sleep back in my own bed without machines and monitors beeping, without being woken up every couple hours to be poked and prodded. Of course, that also means no more sponge baths from 26 year old blonde nurses, but I'll make that trade.

Today starts a new phase in the life of Rookie. After 26 years, I get to be a non smoker. I left the hospital with a prescription for smoking cessation medicine, a pill and the patch to help with withdrawal and all. Well, I say non smoker but that's not 100% accurate. Instead of cigarettes, pipes, snuff, and an incredibly occasional cigar, I'm down to pipes only.

The hardest part at this very second is availability. Last weekend we went to Virginia and I got 2 cartons of cigarettes, of which I've had a pack. Those need to go away fast. I'm going to be popular tomorrow and Tuesday at work as I'm giving them away! And I have several tins of snuff which most will probably end up on the Stock Exchange. I want a few days of medication running through my system before I look at them though. Way too tempting to take a pinch.

No, I'm sorry, that's not right! That'll be the second hardest part. The hardest part is the coffee part. Instead of my usual 6 cups a day (which I didn't think was a whole lot, but the doctors kindly informed me of that mistake) I have to drop down to 2. I really hope that the ever-present cup in my hand is psychological, that decaf will do the trick. If not, well, I'll do what I have to do anyways.

So by most definitions I'm a pretty manly man. I've planted a tree, raising a son, acted with honor in the face of my country's enemies, pulled myself up by my bootstraps a few times, stood for what I believe in, faced the consequences, etc. But it's pretty intimidating changing habits and practices I've been doing more than half my life almost overnight. I have to, I want to, but it's still worrying. It's still changing things so ingrained in me.

Well, I guess that's just the next adventure!

I will tell you a family story that does not get shared much beyond that circle. My Father was a smoker since before his balls dropped. When I was around 10, my hockey team was playing for the Championship, and my Dad, in a moment of generosity, promised me anything I wanted if we pulled off a win. We did and, on the ride home, I told him I wanted him to quit smoking.

And he did. Just like that.

Oh, he had a couple of slips, like when his sister came to visit from Holland a few months later. But he quit. Cold turkey, and for the rest of his life.

All that by of telling you that "you got this". A man does what he needs to and, above all else, he keeps to his word, even if he's the only one who knows he's doing so.

 

[brandaves]

Just curious, did the doctors

I will tell you a family story that does not get shared much beyond that circle. My Father was a smoker since before his balls dropped. When I was around 10, my hockey team was playing for the Championship, and my Dad, in a moment of generosity, promised me anything I wanted if we pulled off a win. We did and, on the ride home, I told him I wanted him to quit smoking.

And he did. Just like that.

Oh, he had a couple of slips, like when his sister came to visit from Holland a few months later. But he quit. Cold turkey, and for the rest of his life.

All that by of telling you that "you got this". A man does what he needs to and, above all else, he keeps to his word, even if he's the only one who knows he's doing so.

Damn.

That small request from you at a young age may have given you 10 more years with him. Sometimes we undervalue things as they happen in the moment. It also served as an amazing lesson for you who carries the weight of it to this day...and even understands it more now then you did at the time you made the request.

Crazy how life do dat.

 

[Bakker1964]

Yup . . . it came about because the schools were going hard on the whole, "smoking kills" thing. Looking back on it when I was older, it was the first tangible thing my Father ever did (specifically) for me, and it really changed my attitude from that point on.

 

[Kentos]

Quitting smoking is difficult for sure. It took me many, many tries to accomplish. More than the health benefits, I feel the greatest victory is overcoming that addiction that is both physical and mental. TBO I am still a nicotine addict, but the chosen delivery system now at least is less detrimental to my health.

Good luck! I’m pullin for ya!

 

[RookieGuy]

Ok, so my first day back at work (on "light duty") was pretty good actually. I had 4 cigarettes in the past 24 hours. Those were from an already open pack in my car. But from a pack and a half to two packs a day, that's not bad!

Carter Hall got me through. I brought a full pipe of that with me. Driving I'd just somke that for a few minutes, just to get a taste. Made the truck smell much better!

My second bowl was Amphora Original. If you've never had it, it's ok. Certainly not bad, but not something I'll buy again. Not with so many other good blends that do what that does, only so much better. Maybe I'll use it to thin out other good blends.

But yeah, this will work. More pipes is never a bad thing.

 

[brandaves]

Ok, so my first day back at work (on "light duty") was pretty good actually. I had 4 cigarettes in the past 24 hours. Those were from an already open pack in my car. But from a pack and a half to two packs a day, that's not bad!

Carter Hall got me through. I brought a full pipe of that with me. Driving I'd just somke that for a few minutes, just to get a taste. Made the truck smell much better!

My second bowl was Amphora Original. If you've never had it, it's ok. Certainly not bad, but not something I'll buy again. Not with so many other good blends that do what that does, only so much better. Maybe I'll use it to thin out other good blends.

But yeah, this will work. More pipes is never a bad thing.

Good for you Rookie . Keep it up.