Good morning , it is Sunday 13 Feb.2011 a cold wet morning here in da Burgh , a sad week here as we had to go to Michigan for a funeral for my Uncle Bill,it was good to see the cousins again but this isnt the way it should be done, I spent my summers from the time I was 5 or 6 untill I went to the Navy ,in Flint & later Clio Michigan , spent many hours in the trees & lakes of Michigan but as i started my own family my time with the cousins , Aunts & Uncles became less & less, but My daughter had her own cousins to play with , she didnt want the OLD folks I was hanging out with she wanted her age group & they didnt have any kids of there own yet... BUT this death hit me hard.... Harder than my own parents, , , , as I saw the decline in them & was ready ,, well I guess your never ready , but more prepaired when they went, But Uncle Bill was a LOUD Party guy , joined the Navy before he finished High School ( something about WWII) Met & married Aunt Peggy 62 years ago ....... 62 years married, 4 kids a pack of dogs , 2 that I fondly remember Percy , a little rat of a dog some kind of Mexican hairless that slipped under the fence & nailed the Miniture Poodle a strange looking mutt to be sure & Bashfull, the Whimeriner a brother to mine ( I had the runt of the litter) & Bashfull was one of the larger studs in the litter a Gun shy hunting dog hahahaha , we called mine Dok , as my little brother was just learning to talk & didnt say Dog
well I did get to meet some of Aunt Peggies sisters & that I handnt met in all the years before ,,, it was a Good time But sad... Uncle Bill was 82 & I dont ever remember him even having a cold , last week he got Hic-ups & wasnt able to get them to go away, went to the doctors & they X rayed the diaphram & found a mass the size of a softball pressing into the diaphram, that was causing the hic-ups , the liver & pancrease were both enlarged & full of the mass, the doctor asked how long he had been in Pain & he said he still didnt have any pain , this is from a guy who had a Vasectomy on his lunch hour & road his harley back to work..... no wonder he didnt feel any pain.... well the doc said it would be a matter of time , 6 weeks at best...He didnt last the week out , fast quiet & almost painless , he did say it hurt a bit near the end, but it happened so fast I guess I was just taken back to the summers on the lakes & all the great times I had over my young life , so if you have a moment ,, Please smoke one for Uncle Bill. Thanks .
well it is Sunday & time for the Sunday morning Smoke .... Kona Coffee & Don Carlos #3 this being the day before Valintines day , I need to get to the store some time today & get a card & some candy, yea like we both need candy in the house hahahaha . I was out of the shop for 2 days but stuff went along well with out me to a point .... inventory was in a mess as a few orders came in when I was gone & it was just shoved on the shelf with out rhyme or reason , it took a hour or so to get it RIGHT ,,, dammm now I sound like my wife THATS SCARES THE CRAP OUT OF ME !!!!
The grandsons were missed this week, but I will be seeing them Monday .I have a nice set of Porterhouse steaks in a light marinade right now , some yams will hit the grill before the beef & we should be sitting down to a nice QUIET supper some time later this afternoon , we have been invited for cake & coffee at the grandsons Piano teachers home this afternoon, a Grand Piano cake will be cut about 1:30 this afternoon , I havent seen the cake yet But am looking Forward to tasting this cake from a new bakery in the area, hey Cake is Cake & since I like pie better than cake BUT I have never seen a GrandPiano PIE . hahahaha
I guess thats about all I have this week, Enjoy the spring air if we ever get any !
Enjoy, Vince
Hey Thanks Vince. Relatively new to the forum and this my first Sunday Morning news from the Kitchen Table.. but growing up in Wisconsin I thought you were talking about my family. Brought back some real nice memories.. have my eye on a Sol Cubano for this morning.
Vince, im sorry to hear about your loss. I to have an uncle bill and he is just about how you described yours. spent a lot of time fishing in the summers and hunting in the winters when i would go up to visit. He is going down hill fast now and it makes me sad. Reading your story brought back alot of good memories. thanks for that.
Vince sorry for your loss. On a side note why the heck didn't you send me a message or look me up when you were going to be in Mi? I would have gladly drove the hour or so to come meet you even for just 1 cigar. Oh well next time you are out this way be sure to let me know.
Vince sorry for your loss. On a side note why the heck didn't you send me a message or look me up when you were going to be in Mi? I would have gladly drove the hour or so to come meet you even for just 1 cigar. Oh well next time you are out this way be sure to let me know.
It was a quick trip less than 24 hours in Michigan, ... next time for sure
Good morning , it is Sunday 20 Feb.2011 a cold crisp morning here in da burgh all the snow has melted & the grass is wet & soft under foot, the yard is a mess & the moles have new tracks in the side yard , taking a great looking patch of grass & turning it into a lunar lanscape.... but that will wait till spring & a lot of other things need taken care of before that..... the winds have been in the 25 /30 mph with gusts into the 50's & beyond, a lot of trees were toppled & a few power lines came down , Not much fun at all.
Things at the shop are getting back to the same old rut & grind , the regulars need to bring in more of thier friends & expand the core group , we did get a few new faces innthe past week, but we need to get our daily sales up 10% per month ,,,,, & in a year thats 120% increase ....... in 5 years & growth like that , I will be able to RETIRE again hahahaha ......Monday is Presidents day, just what we need an other paid holiday for the government workers & school teachers..... but since we had a few snow closings of the local schools a few of the area schools are having classes this monday & making up for the lost days of winter .... better in the class room now that it is cold outside than in the summer when the kids just want to be in the pool .......I think I need to get my lazy behind in gear soon, I have a lot to do at the shop, but just dont have the motovation to do it , the chairs need pulled away from the walls & a GOOD mopping needs to take place, Oh I clean the floor every week, but the area behind the chairs hasent been touched since early December , ,,,, Time for some spring cleaning....... maybe I should just call in a cleaning service company .... I wonder how many boxes of cigars it will cost to get the floor & windows done by a team of Professionals ? I guess I am getting lazy in my old age ..... not that I have ever been a fireball when it comes to hardwork.... thats why I joined the Navy , I knew no matter when OR where I served I was going to cook so I figured the Navy was the place to be as they took there beds,showers, toilets & stoves with them all the time , the army carried them all on there backs & didnt have a Flushing toilet in the field ,,,,,, thats a good enough reason for me hahahaha .... My son in law has a Teen aged son & daughter from a previous relationship & his son , I guess my step grandson wants to join the Coast Guard , My daugher is against it , I tell her its none of her business, she tells me its none of mine & to let her tell him she is against it ...... How did I raise an anti military brat? I guess she is spending to much time with her friends in academia , the left wing socialist teachers pervading the campus of the Liberal arts programs in what we call halls of higher learning .... BS get back to Basic .... YOU cant spend what you dont have , & our political system has failed us with a Parade of SPENDING that hasnt kept up with the taxation, ... DONT raise taxes , CUT the spending.... dammmm How did get from the Sunday morning smoke to a political arguement with my self? ? ? ? ? ? Oh well back to the Issues at hand, I dont want to get into the stuff in Egypt & the rest of the Muslium world..... the religion of Peace that tells you to kill , I like the religion of peace that teaches you to LOVE ...... I am a lover not a fighter , but I can do them Both if called to do so ..... Dont like the fighting as much ...... hahahahaha just getting to old to do much of either hahahaha
Breakfast was a nice omlet of smoked cheese & bacon with a little Scotch bonnet pepper.... VERY little .. dammm thats a HOT pepper . I was going to add a little to the marinade for todays PORK CHOPS , but after tasting it ... NO way ....... I was digging through the freezer & found a pack of Chops under some frozen veggies ... so they will get the light rub & quick fry , added to the rice with bacon, apple ,Prune, onion, garlic, carrot& celery ... maybe a few almonds a bit of stock & some brown rice , & a bit of wild rice ( not real rice but a wonderfull crunchy grass seed) , should be ready about 4PM, having a hard time deciding what to drink with it ,,,,, a great dark beer or a light refreshing sparkling wine ..... Maybe BOTH hahaha But Coffee for sure ... this moring pot was a Purivan Organic ... med/dark roast
not a lot of kick to it but an OK flavor, the Kona is in the press pot & the Don Carlos #3 is waiting for me , the heat will be going on soon as the temp is in the high 30's right now, a bit chilly for a comfy smoke in the Qtr.Deck .... The boss wants to go to the store this afternoon & get something thats on sale , what ever it is I have no idea all I know ,,, it will cut the time I have to smoke cigars sip coffee & listen to the CD player . I thought this was my weekend to sleep & kick back hahahaha .... Time for me to get going & do what the BOSS wants AGAIN ..... hahahaha Enjoy, Vince
Good Morning , it is Sunday 27 Feb.2011 a wet cold day here in da burghwith a sparce covering of snow you can see the grass in places a far cry from the 10 inches of heavy wet snow we got this past week, it has been warm enough to melt off most of it but the weather man said we are not finished with winter as yet.... it was so bad last monday my grandsons piano lesson was canciled & he was ticked , who called it off was what he wanted to know, well we had 10 inches of snow, the roads were jammed with traffic & accidents , the snow plows were stuck in the rush hour traffic & it being a holiday ( Presidents Day) every one had some thing to do beside going to work.... Personally I think Presidents day is a waiste of time & money , its in Feburary , its cold out , you have a hard time getting out of the area to have a good time & you get just one extra day on the weekend, ,,,, I say save it for late summer when you can use a day off to go to the beach or pool..... How Ever I have been able to smoke a few extra fine smokes this past week.... a few Contraband Montes & El Ray del Mundo 's have made it out of some ones humidor & into my ashtry... the monte was a corona from the mid 80's & had a tiny split on the foot whitch burnt a little uneven for a time But the taste, draw & aroma were OUTSTANDING .. it paird very well with a cup of Indian Malabar coffee & a snifter of 18 YO Glenlivette ...... glad I didnt have to take the grandson to Piano lessons that night .... it was a great way to pass a few hours of quiet time , I was so relaxed the cigar went out one time , It was a quick relight & it didnt seam to have any ill effects to the monte at all.... & Saturday I had the el ray Robusto paird with a 16 YO Laugavulin & Mug of Eathopian peaberry ....... this was a first time taste of this coffee & it wasnt as sweet as other peaberrys I have enjoyed in the past, not that this was bad or anything like that it was suprising to be as Bold & heavy as it was .... I did enjoy it , just suprised .... BUT as good as they were I did get a few dog rockets in the week...... a pack of samples from a boutique cigar roller some place in Miami set me a pack to try ....... & after 14 days in the humi I figured they were ready for a taste test ONE was smokeable out of the 4 cigars ... I have NEVER had a cigar plugged so bad that a nail wasnt able to open it up, the filler was loose but the cigar just plain SUCKED , no draw, no flavor & NO SMOKE ....... Today I have a few sticks lined up for the Sunday Morning Smoke the heat is on in the Qtr.Deck & I will get the hunk O beef in the oven soon, then its off to the races & a relaxing afternoon with a few friends, like Don Carlos III & Johnny Walker Green. & I am sure that Jaun Valdez will show up with some thing worthy of the spirits & smoke ....
I am still looking for a car to replace my Mercury Sable ,,, I just havent found what I want or can afford at this time , , Oh I have a few that I would love to have but cant afford them , & the ones in my price range well lets just say I am not a young kid looking for a a 4 door street racer with low profile tires & a stick shift, lets face it I am an old fart looking for a luxury ride so I can get in the passing lane with my blinkers on & go 45 MPH & hold up all the boy racers on the highway hahahaha & with the price of Gasoline going UP again I might be looking for a subcompact or a gas powered skate board of some sort... My Sable gave me over 20 MPG & it was comfortable & I loved it , right now I have been driving the wifes Ford 500 Limited ,,,, it need tires & the cheepest I can find are 600 a set of four , dammmm thing has 18 inch wheels But it gets 18/19 MPG arround town not as good as my old car, sure its comfortable & has all the toys bells & whistles , BUT THE BOSS SAID NO SMOKING IN HER CAR hahaha
I have a lot to do this morning & a short time to do it so I will get this BS posted & get back to the cigars & scotch ....... Enjoy, Vince
Looks like there is a second Sunday morning smoke posting , I added my post to it with out looking to close , I hope you regular readers & posters dont get confused like I did ... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday 6 March 2011 a wet cold snow covered morning here in da Burgh , yesterday it was rain & 50 F today .... not as good , I havent gone out to the end of the drive way to get the morning paper as yet , dont want to walk on the walkway till the snow is removed & I just dont want to go out .... BUT I need to get out to turn the heat on in the Qtr.Deck if I am going to get in a few cigars today , I have a great line up all picked out & ready to go, the coffee (after the kona) is a blend of light & dark roast Columbian ... should pair well with the Camacho Liberty from 2007 ..... But as always the Don Carlos III & Kona will kick off the Sunday Morning smoke , BUT by the looks of the snow comming down it might end up the Sunday AFTERNOON smoke ....... Things are just not in order ever since the groundhog prognoscated an EARLY Spring...... Dam Groundhog.... snow & more snow ,,,, early sping my stinky @$$..... the shop has been cold as we had a gas leak out in the street & the gas company had to dig up the street & replace a valve ,,, I had a few electric heaters to keep the cigars toasty warm & humid,,, BUT it didnt help me or the customers sitting there, the leak was repaired & we had heat back in the building in a few hours & with the leak they had to remove the parking meeter from right in front of the shop..... Now I have free parking for a few lucky customers a day , as long as the people in the Appartments across the street dont start camping out & leave there cars there over night ..... I am trying to run a customer service place to hang out & have a relaxing cigar , but when you park a block away because the people who live in the area park in front of the shop as its easy to get in & out with out going down the back alley that the PRIVATE lot for the apartments has ... My Customers cant park there but they can park in front of my shop.....
B@$T@RD$....... well I have some chicken in a light marinade that will end up in a rice casorole with roasted red peppers & broccolli ....... some crusty bread & a Colliumbard chilled a bit ,with a small slice of strawberry cheesecake & a Davidoff DBL R with a weeee dram of 18YO Macallen & an espresso ..... that should make me feel a lot better hahahahaha .
with all the rain we have been getting & the Price of gasoline I dont want to get out & go any place .... a number of my customers have said the same thing, OUT once a week for the nessisitys of life , No more joy rides with no place to go to other than looking at the wild life in the woods or the sky line of the city ,,,,no more trips to the store to get a lottery ticket ..... well not driving , I will just walk now hahahaha .
This comming FRIDAY we have a SPIRITS TASTING at the shop , Scotch, Bourbon,Gin,Armagnac,Rum,Teqila & CORN WHISKY ,,,, 100% clear & made in a licenced Dilistery, Not a back yard still ........ I plan on taking a cab to work so I dont need to try & drive my self home hahahaha .... if your in the area we start sipping at 6PM this comming Friday evening ! .... now when is afternoon become evening? is it 5 PM ? 6 PM ?,7 PM , 4 is afternoon, & 8 is evening , but when is the change over.... Hummmm . dammmm I loose my train of thought & you never know what I might type out on the key board.... right now I am getting a little hungry as breakfast was one egg & one slice of bacon& one piece of toast, , so far I have had a pot & a half of coffee & better get out & get the heat on in the Qtr.deck to have a little kona with the DON CARLOS III , But I guess I can always make an other pot & wait on the Columbian till later today ... The chicken & rice will go in the oven a lot later today as it will not be near the heat as long as the beef would be on any Sunday .
the NFL / owners & players are still talking about a 9 Billion Dollar pool of money & how to "share" it ... shut it down & both will loose money.... so be it ,, I could give a Rats @$$ what they do , statiums are built with taxpayers money the owners "Enjoy" the use for a small fee & the fans pay THOUSANDS of dollars for tickets to see the game live & the TV stations charge tons of money for add time during the games Every one makes money execpt for the fans, the bookies make money , the vendors make money & the taxpayers pay for it all..... WHAT A COUNTRY !!!! & speaking of taxes , I had my accountant file my IRS forms for me & WOW I am getting back 35 Bucks from the IRS ..... not even enough for a good bottle of whisky ... BUT I didnt have to pay them any more than I all ready did ,,when I was young I would get back Thousands every year , as i was working a few jobs at the same time & everyone was taking out the payroll deduction tax with the Libertys & deductions the IRS allowed I was way ahead in my payments to the government & allowing me to live here ,,, so many times i thought of moving to the wild & getting off the grid, making my own electricty & heating, living off the land & raising my own food, but then I relaised how dammm lazy I was & how much WORK that would be , so I think I will stay right here & complain about it ! hahahaha , Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday 13 March 2011 a cold wet morning here in da Burgh , the week has been a real mess here & for that matter all over the world, , we had a lot of snow , rain & cold temps but nothing like the trouble in Japan or the coast areas of the Pacific that were flooded from the tidial wave after the earthquake , I think I can put up with a bit of cold & some MINOR flooding of a few local streams & rivers , so my yard looks like a bit of a swamp, BUT I can still see the grass, its not like it is under 12 feet of water...... One of the guys who hangs out at the shop has a daughter & son in law teaching in Sundahi Japan , he has gotten a text via satelight phone saying thay were all right, but no shelter ,no food, no water.... the rescue mission is underway .... kind of makes our little problems go away for a time..........
We had a spirits tasting last Friday night at the shop , I picked out 2 scotches that I thought were @ $ $ kicking good a 9 YO Caol Ila & a 10 YO Laphroaig....... both smoky peaty & just wonderfull to sip,,, The guys at Murry McDavid did a fine job of selection the right spirit & matching it to the right wood for a grand finish.... I plan on having a weeee dram some time this after noon, come join me if you can ...... I got really ambitious this morning & made a Spinich & Feta cheese Quiche for breakfast, dammmm I outdid my self the crust just came together like magic the eyeball method is still working well, or I just got LUCKY as all get out ... a dab of horseraddish & we were all set for a great breakfast... the coffee was kona with a backup pot of Indian malabar ... I have a tanzanian peaberry ready to brew with the morning cigar when I get this posted , I will be turning on the heat in the Qtr.Deck soon & will be getting the boss'es Hunk O Beef in the oven soon.. Last night I was toying with the idea of grilling a few steaks today But with a High of 40F & winds out of the NW at 15 to 20 MPH I am glad I got out the roast to defrost ......... should be ready about 4 PM & I should be well lubercated by then ... that Laphroaig is calling to me NOW ....... The grandsons were quiet all week I saw them last Monday & havent had a chance to talk to them much this past week, "THEY ARE BUSY" ...... I guess its not cool to be seen out with your granfather .... hahahaha I dont have many memories of having fun with my dads dad but a lot of time was spent helping out in the garden & the garage .... shooting pool & getting my ass kicked at the German club by this "Old man" do stand out ... but with my moms dad its a lot different, Fishing , running the dogs & spening time at the Local Moose club...... one thing for sure Both Grandfathers like there Beer ..... a LOT , I do remember having a few beers with both of them, so far I havent had a beer with my grandsons they dont like it .... dammm I wonder if we got the wrong kids at the hospital hahahaha .
last night my brother & his son stopped at the cigar shop for a smoke & a coffee , a wee dram of Baileys found its way into the coffee ....... BUT I like mine on the side ... I dont like to mess up the great coffee by adding flavors to it or mess up a great drink by thinning it out with coffee........ I guess I am a purest... tasting what the makers made & not adding to it , sure some thing work fine together like chocolate & peanut butter but I havent found much of anything that makes the GREAT WHISKYS taste Better other than a weeee drop of water sometimes ..... NO ICE, NO SODA, a fine Bacarat snifter , a comfortable chair, a grand cup of coffee , smoooooooth jazz , NO phone, No nagging from the wife, No questions to make you think all that hard & a FINE OLD CONTRABAND stoggie to savor & reflect on ........... lets face it LIFE IS what you make out of it ....
ENJOY, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday 20 March 2011, a bright chilly morning here in da Burgh the temp is right at freezing 32F but the sun is out & the clouds are few & far between, I will be heading out to the Qtr.deck to turn on the heat for later today ..... I have a few cigars that customers gave me this past week so I have a private tasting of a few unbanded cigars I am to review for them,,,, I wonder what they are setting me up to do? a quick look & sniff , I didnt detect any "Flavored Cigars" all have a firm body & give ever so slightly to a mild pinch the wrapper colors varry from a light mustard brown to a dark as coal tree trunk of a cigar the 4 cigars range from a 45 x 5.5 to the darkest 54 x 6 ...... I am looking fwd. for this blind tasting , I will report back to let you know what I find out ...... for now I have the Sunday morning Kona ready to drink & my Buddy Don Carlos #3 ready to clip , but should I wait for the DC? or jump right on it , I want to give the blind tasting a fair run , but I hope that I will not foul my taste buds with the #3 .... I know what the DC3 tasted like so I might just pass on it this morning & dig right in with the tasting.... BUT then again I do know what I will be missing & that might cloud my judgement .... Hummmm maybe just smoke half of it & save the best part for later ..... No I think I will smoke it all just like any other Sunday, have the Kona & then later start in on the blind tasting,,,, why change my Sunday morning smoke for a taste test ,,, it will be a sunday afternoon blind taste test .
With everything hitting the fan in Japan , Quadaffi stiring up stuff in Tripoli , the worlds econemy in shambles its a wonder there is any retail trade at all, this past week was the pits as far as sales go , I sat looking at the TV all week with a few regulars & dammmm the news is down right frightfull, doom & dispare on every station we watched ..... so to slolve the problem we switched to the cartoon network & watched the road runner & bugs bunny ,,, I never noticed how violent the cartoons were .... maybe I am just getting OLD hahahahaha
I have a nice set of Porterhouse prime cuts in a light marinade that will be hitting the grill about 4PM today , a few yams on the grill & a bit of a tossed greens & that will be it , OH yea all most forgot a bit of Mellon wrapped with a thin slice of Parma ham ,,,,, should I pull the cork on a nice bottle of red wine or just pop the top on a Gueniess ? .... BOTH hahahaha
Breakfast was a nice link of sausage with a dash of chipolte pepper & an egg with a slice of toast that was as hard as a rock..... dry , no butter , but it soaked up the yoke like a sponge,,,, it was tasty for sure. But for some strange reason I have been craving a hot oat cake or muffin for a few days ,,, maybe i will make some thing later today to curb my cravings ,,, strange for me to crave carbs , maybe I have been hitting the malted barly a bit much ........ well no more than usuall ,,, but I did have a weee dram of Rye whiskey last week....... it was smooth & had a nice spice to it BUT it lacked the smoke of a fine Islay whisky ,,,, with the spring just arround the bend & the winter behind us I was getting ready to move my taste buds from Islay to the Lowlands for a change of pace for the summer , looking Fwd. To the light heathers & soft flavors , BUT I have a few open bottles of Caol Ila & Laphroaig that I need to finish before opening anything else ... looks like I have a lot of work to do in the Qtr.Deck later on today .... a blind cigar tasting , a few drams of single malt to finish & a lot of coffee to drink. looks like I have a full day of work cut out for my self as well as cooking the yams & porterhouse ..... dammmm I better get off of the computer & get to "W O R K " hahahaha . Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday the 27th day of March 2011 , a Bright clear sunny but COLD day here in da Burgh , not a cloud in the sky but it is 32F & down right confusing when you look out & see the blue cloudless sky & the birds jumping arround at the feeder, & you see the water is solid & not liquid.... I got a chance to sleep in this morning ,it was after 9 when I woke up , my daughter called on the phone & the dammm thing woke me, I was having a great dream that ended all so abruptly ,dammm I wonder will I ever get to finish that dream...... trapped with a bunch of HOT babes , a well stocked walk in humidor & a wharehouse of single malts , a stocked Gourmey kitchen& endless solor power to pump the water & keep the pool & sauna warm , oh did I mention a few of the hot babes were trained massage therephists ,,,, happy endings were the norm..... dammm I want to go take a nap & see how this dream turns out hahahaha
It was a VERRY slow week at the shop, I hope things pick up soon or I will be looking for a new job ....... BUT Friday was a winner , sold 2 humidors & a lot of cigars , it didnt make any records for sales but after that week it was a GOD SEND... Friday night was wall to wall & when I left at 10:45 the place was still packed ... last man out lock the door & I will see you all in the morning !!!!
The Sunday tradition of a slab of beef is in the oven I added a few bell peppers to the mix today I hope the boss likes it .... should be ready about 4 PM so if your in the area stop in & join us , & I have a young Zinfendell that I will be opening about 3:30 ....... but with a belly full of single malt & coffee it could be any JUG or BOX wine .... By that time I just will not care one way or the other hahahah
Breakfast was a bacon ,egg & swiss cheese sandwich on a grilled deli bread round, the dough was loaded with honey & whole grains ..... lots of FIBER & at my age I need all I can get ......
I havent seen the grandsons since last Monday & I will be taking them to thier music lessons again this Monday , it gives me a few minutes to talk to them with out there mother hearing what they have to say about her ......& what a control freek & pain in the @ $ $ she is , JUST LIKE HER MOTHER & she will sware she is nothing like her mother ,,, hahahahaha
with all the free time I have been having at work I have been digging deep in the humidor & pulling out a lot of OLD cigars , I came up with an Opus X from 2001 & a 3 pack of Davidoff Dbl.R , both taged from May of 2001 , i wonder how I let them sit so long, will the Opus is now ashes & so is ONE of the Dbl.R's , The Davidoff was a BIG disapointment ,,,, just bland & so mild it was almost like a Macanudo .... BUT the opus had mellowed out to a fine smoke & I got the better part of an hour out of the little Power house , the Laugavulin was a great match for it BUT it overpowered the Davidoff, which was a First cigar of the day as I wanted a fresh palate & a chance to get all the taste & flavor of the cigar.... it could have been a a winner but it came out so mild & bland , I was so disapointed & will try it again some afternoon with a lighter scotch & a lighter coffee& some light jazz VS. the heavy scotch & full body coffee & Abstract Jazz I had on , I just didnt care all that much for the music so it might have put my taste buds on hold ,,, it was a CD that I got in the discount rack for a BUCK , no wonder it was so cheep ..... never heard of any of the players or songs, the mix was poor at best & recorded live didnt help you hear conversations in the background & the dropping of a tray of glasses & a cheer for the busboy ..., that all took away from the cigar so I will try it again ,,,,,,,,,,,,,maybe today , maybe NOT.
I am still looking for a replacement for my long gone SABLE , I have been driving the wifes car but dammmm I miss my car, a great friend for 11 years almost like a family pet but just as much work & expence , No doctors or vets just a machanic ..... whitch can be just as Costly as a Doctor !!, But when I had to put it to sleep I got 300 Bucks for it .......... but I still want it back.... almost 200K miles & all the dings & scratches & Burn holes but it was ME on wheels .....
I have the Sunday Kona being brewed & the Don Carlos #3 ready to cut , the heat is on in the QtrDeck & when I get my pants & shoes on I will be heading out for the Sunday Morning Smoke ... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday , 3 APRIL,2011 , a cool morning here in da Burgh , gray/blue skys & the temp is in the upper 40 's F & the ground is soft & spongy from all the rain & snow , but the flowers are starting to sprout & bloom, & the robins are busy building nests , & I have noticed I have a Mole problem again this spring, last year they were just near the fence line between me & the Big Angus Bull aptly named by a friend as Angus McStud , well even though ole angus is gone to the stud farm in the sky ,I still call the field HIS & his alone as a lot of his off spring are roaming around all over the world & in some fine dining halls have graced the plates of a few great & not so great people .... including my self ....... never pass up a few pieces of beef from the guy next door when he raised it himself....... well I was trying to tell you about the moles & got side tracted by the beef..... , back to the dammmm moles, ,,,, they were just along the fence line & I got some mole pellets & dropped them in the holes & that was that, well now they have moved closer to the house & on the other side of the house I see holes, looks like I will need to call in a pro,,,,any one have the number of Carl from Caddy shack? hahahaha , yea I know his speciality was gophers, but how much different would the moles be?
I slept in BIG time today ,it was after 11 AM when my feet hit the floor, & I usually have this posted by noon hence the title Sunday MORNING Smoke , but right now I am still in my robe & havent had a shower yet, havent got Sunday supper in the oven yet , havent had time to make the Sunday morning Kona , I had Moca Java with tofu & bananas for breakfast BUT I will be making a pot of kona soon & heading out to the Qtr.DECK with my Don Carlos #3 , Barb went out & turned on the heat & it was 48 F ,,, Not to bad , should be 60/65 by the time I get a shower & get dressed, pour the coffee & bingo it will be time to relax , * GOD knows I need that time to decompress after a tuff week at the shop , hahahaha ....
Todays menu is a bit different than the traditional hunk of beef, ... I have a nice set of center cut pork chops , that will be braised in a bit of stock & salsa , a few sliced peppers & some rice will round out this one pot meal , a bottle of wine , some crusty bread & we are set...... I have a few fine old cigars picked out for today , if I ever get to them that is ... I have this OLD pre-embargo Monte corona from 1960 ,,, it is showing a slight crack in the foot , I guess from getting bounced arround in the humi, well I think today is the day for it to become a pile of ash , BUT I just might wait till the weather breaks & I can sit out in the sun on a nice warm WINDLESS afternoon & enjoy it with a great single malt, or even a grand fine brandy or Rum..... maybe just great coffee & just maybe all of them in different snifters of course..... who knows I might change my mind & have a glass of beer with it hahahahahaha I do have a few Saint Pauly Girl Dark in the chill chest ....... been a long time since I had a scotch & a beer with a cigar ........ but its not warm enough for a beer today so I guess I will wait till its time & let my taste buds direct me as they have most of my life ....
The Grandsons are holding there own in the sea of life .Puberty is tuff on all of us, as is old age , but both are part of life . I suffered through my puberty as well as my parents ....... from the beginning of time, parents & teen agers have been at odds, one of the Greek philosphers , Aristotle or maybe ,,,, dammm I cant remeber his name , haveing a brain fart or maybe just old age creeping in , well any way in some ones writings they talk of how crass & impudent they teenagers are , defing there parents & acting like "teenagers" so I guess the cave men had the same problems as we do today.... the more things change the more they end up the same ..........
last night there was an accident at the cross roads a few hundred feet from my home, there had to have been 5 fire trucks & 10 or more cars & trucks with flashing lights to remove a few people from a head on crash , it didnt make this mornings paper so I have no idea what, who or how it happened, all I know is it had the road blocked for a few hours , if it had been a bit warmer I might have walked down to get a closer look, ,,,, Why I have no idea , I was able to see all the flashing lights from my back deck, why would anyone want to get closer & block the emergency workers & just create a human wall of on lookers....... Human nature I guess .... the more you study it the less you know hahahaha ......... I guess thats about it this day I have a lot to do, a few cigars to think about if not actually smoking them, coffee to brew & chops to cook..... I might even work in a nap hahahaha Enjoy, Vince
Sorry to say it had passed its prime.... a bland no frills mild as a macanudo .... A big disapointment..... the coffee alone overpowered it, I didnt have the heart to take more than 2 sips of the Laugavulin 16 YO or I might not have tasted the cigar at all..... Looks like I have a lot of work cut out for me ,,, Getting rid of a lot of OLD cigars or as General Hauge said, Burning down the crops of our enemy .... one stick at a time .....
Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is a wonderful morning here in da Burgh all ready it is 54F the sky is a gray blue & the tempature is going to the High 70's maybe hit 80 !!! , looks like I can pass on the heat in the Qtr.Deck today , in fact I might just drag out a few chairs & park on the back deck today , or in the yard & watch the birds at the feeder, , as the lawn shows signs of getting green & needing trimmed, dammmmm I hate that , not that I will cut the grass butI hate to listen to the wife telling me how tuff the yard is to cut anymore hahahaha, , I guess its time to move from this rural bliss & move back to the city & get an appartment ........ dammm that sounds so bad, after 35 plus years here , I enjoy the quiet, the wildlife, & the space to relax with a cigar & no one telling me the smoke is in violation to the local smoking ban .... (Note to self make sure you DONT move into the City of Pittsburgh or Alleghney County ) as the pleasure police have laws to enforce.... even the Pirate baseball statium, one of the last bastions of male freedom has removed the Montecristo lounge & made the ball park NON SMOKING.... dammmmm S.O.B.'s , even one of my favorite watering holes has removed all the ashtrys , & with over 100 Single malt scotches behind the bar........ I will not be darkening the doorway for a long time ......well untill the sting of the smoking ban goes away or they get a few new malts I havent tasted yet..... dammmm politial BASTARDS .... nanny state here we come ........" Land of the free " up to a point when some elected Jackass thinks he or she can pass a law to make life better for "We the people"& line there own pockets from the tax money ...... we need Statesmen NOT politions ,,, as Jefferson said the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of pataroits & tyrants from time to time .... or some thing like that , right now I am just to lazy to do the proper research but you get the idea anyway I hope .... , Not only is the Federal government spending our grandchildrens money but the state & local governments are also in trouble with Finances...... what ever happened to the citizen who served for a few years & then went back to his farm or business? , now they are elected or appointed for all eternity , with pentions going to the family & tax payer funded health care.... right now I pay almost 600 bucks a month for health care for myself & the wife together, but I still have $1800.00 a year out of pocket expences for each of us before the dammm insurence pays,,,, BUT the JACKOFFS in Washington pay ZERO for the health care ...... almost makes me want to go back in the Navy ........... but I am way to old to do that again. , I like sleeping in , I like doing what I want , I like taking a day off when I feel like it ....... I guess thats why I retired......... ahhh yes the freedom of retirement..... YES DEAR I will be right there .... dammmm caught again hahahaha ....... dammm Bug in the bathroom light .... maybe going back to the navy isnt so bad hahahahah
well the Cigar line up is a fantastic dip into the old storage humidor ,,, first up is the traditional Don Carlos #3 with the kona , Then a Contraband Partagas series D #4 with more kona & a wee dram of Macallen 18 , by then it should be time to drop a nice set of T bones on the grill along with a few Yams seasoned with fresh grated nutmeg & cinninimon ... after that a bit of strawberrys & cream maybe a glass of port & an Opus X or a nice Padron anniv . I love the 64 Princeappe maduro .... But I do have a Room 101 by Camacho that might blend well with a snifter of scotch....... ( AND what dosent blend well with a snifter of 18 Y.O. scotch ? )
Havent seen the grandsons since last monday they have been BUSY all week, there was a fire in a house that my daughter & son in law rent out , it had 2 appartments , everyone got out ok but for one dog who was 17 years old & the excitement was just to much for the old guy ... the building is a total loss But they did have coverage for fire loss & damage... but the house was OLD & historic, as a land mark building in town...... now its gone & the rent money is lost so the life style of my daughters family will change a bit with out that extra income ,,,, Invest the settlement & collect the proceeds from that But dammmmm Nothing is paying any amount of return ..... so I tell her just keep working hahahaha I still am
well thats your little insite into my life this past week, the middle east & things in nothern Africia , & Japan are all making the news, as well as the good old boys in Washington DC , No matter what way you turn there is some one ready to shove it up your @ $ $ weather you want it or NOT .
Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday 17 April 2010, my fathers Birthday, he would have been 92... Happy Birthday DAD .... wish I could have a scotch & cigar with you one more time !
well its WET & Cool here in da Burgh ..... rain in the forcast all week, & the roof has a leak at the shop, I have 4 coffee cans in the bathroom, 2 in the hall & 3 in the humidor, lucky that its in the center of the room & not near any of the cigars , & all the pipe tobacco in tubs had to be moved off of the floor , not that it would hurt anything in the plastic tubs & the snap top lids will keep it dry, BUT the poor house keeping isnt a good image for the shop..... , I want the customers to say I am an old fart with a nice shop, not a nice guy with a dirty shop....... & I hope I can live up to that , EVERYONE is treated with an equal amount of contempt ..... Just ask any of my regulars hahahaha My wife went out & turned on the heat in the QtrDeck for me, I wonder if she is telling me to get out of the house ??? hahahaha
She has even boiled some water for the press pot of Sunday morning kona to go with the Sunday morning cigar ,,,, right now I have a mug of Margoheppi done in a Medium/ Light roast, nice flavor & body but not BOLD enough for me , the kona is a light rost , I want to taste the coffee not be over powered by the roast.... but a pot of Italian roast is on todays dinner menu , the traditional but boring hunk of beef that is my wifes favorite, ....... what she wants she gets , as her being unhappy is BAD for me & the rest of the world ......... Good thing she wasnt in Japan, it could have been worse !!!!
I am picking up a used car this comming Thursday , I found a 2002 Mercuty sable , almost identical to the last one i had, with out the sunroof dammmmm I hated to spend the money on it with out the roof BUT it only has 33,000 miles on it , there is a small scuff on the rear qtr.panel , it matched the paint on the garage door , , I guess a little to much Guiness when he was putting it in the garage , there are a few burn holes in the seat, BUT that means I have a head start on smelling up the car , I dont know it I will get a hole cut in the roof or just live with it the way it is , one thing for sure is a remote starter ... for a hundred bucks you cant beat it , cheepest garage I have ever had, set the heater or A/C the night before , & hit the button in the morning , when you go out the car is warm or cool what ever you want , beats scraping ice off of the windshield......
Not a lot going on here in da burgh , every one is getting ready for Easter & Passover , I dont have any idea what they need to do to get ready for anything, it just happens , you get the easter ham or lamb & get out the good dishes ( there is some thing I have never understood,,, Good dishes vs Dishes , a plate is a plate a bowl is a bowl..... if it holds the soup its a wonderfull bowl or cup, NO we need fine bone china to set the table, we need the real silver ware , not the stainless steel we use everyday or the stone ware plates ..... dammmm all the money spent on the "FINE " stuff, & we never use it unless company is here or its a holiday, BS use the silver every day, use the China & chrystal .... thats what it is for.... USE it !
When I have coffee ( witch is 99% of my awaking hours) I drink out of a mug , but when I have a snifter of scotch I have it in a Irish brandy snifter , when I have the occasional pot of tea it is in the Wedgewood pot & cups , I dont wait for company or a holiday to get out the good stuff, I use it daily , why keep it on display for all the world to see & never take it out of the case, if you were married to a sexy beautiful lady , you sure as hell wouldnt be just looking at her , dammmmm I think I am getting a little arroused just thinking about it ........ all for not , she is just to busy with the Sunday paper to stop mid paragraph , hahahahaha , yea like even if she was finished with the paper there would be some thing she had to do that would take her time .... after 40+ years I guess you cant teach an old dog new tricks hahahaha ....... its about time for me to head out & fire up a cigar, & pull the cork on a 200 ml Aberfeldy & sip a wee bit of kona coffee & listen to some smooooooth jazz ,,,, dammmm I love my life & family & friends, right now I am feeling fine , the wife just brought me a mug of kona , the cutter, lighter & a Don Carlos #3 ..... I guess I better get out to the Qtr.Deck before she finds some thing that needs Fixed , delivered or picked up.... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is EASTER SUNDAY , 24 April 2011 a wet but warm morning here in da Burgh , Sunrise services were wet & dark with a heavy over cast of dark clouds not much different than it is right now..... but the Easter bunny was here & left me a nice Jim Brinkman CD of witch I will be playing later today , as soon as the ham gets in the oven & the yams get mashed , I have a fair line up of cigars for today , starting off with the ever popular ( with me anyway) the Don Carlos #3 & a mug of kona , I wait for Sunday to have that combo & its worth the wait..... just a great match in my book , you might not care for it , but my taste buds say its the best...... & after I get the DC3 finished & grab a bite for lunch I think I will be heading to a Big island about 90 miles from Key west for a Partagas series D #4 ... & speaking of that , it is the FIRST cigar I smoked in my new (used ) car , I found a 2002 mercury sable, with 30K miles on it , garage kept , a family car a few burn holes in the drivers seat.... not like I will not add to the collection , but a sharp looking car almost Identical to my 2000 sable that was towed away a few months ago , BUT , NO SUNROOF, so I will be getting it cut in as soon as I have the extra cash to get it done ,,,, well I am not going to do it , I will have a Pro do it , there are a few custom body shops in the area, & I plan on looking for the best price, Might even head to the junk yards & see if I can find a good used one..... I just dont know if thats a good idea or not , I will check with a few places before I make up my mind ...... mind , what mind ? hahahaha .......
My yard is an over grown SWAMP , the grass is extra long after a long winter snowcover & wet spring, BUT it is so wet , I doubt if the mower will be able to bag any of the grass as it is so wet, mulching is out of the question , it is just way to thick , it will need cut several times before we can maulch the clippings , so right now or when ever it gets cut it will need raked up & dumped on the compost pile,,,, & the pile needs to be turned ..... not a job I enjoy.... I cant think of any job that involves hard labor that I enjoy hahahaha
I havent had much time with the grandsons this past week, last Monday I took them to there music lessons but that was the last time I saw or talked to them, as teen agers they are busy .... no time for the old farts in the daily activitys ....... & they are with there father today so I dont think I will be seeing them till Monday when its time for the music lessons again...... This will be the first week I have my new car to take them in , they havent seen it yet, the inside is the same as my last sable but the color on the outside is a light brown & not the dark green that I loved on my last one ....... maybe a paint job in its future? who knows ..... since it is all ready Brown, maybe it could get painted to look like the egg shaped cigar ..... . that would be cool to look at but an expencive option I can pass on , just think of all the cigars I can get for the cost of a custom paint job ! ! !
I have been gearing up for the upcomming cigar crawl( for more info, check out www.cigarcrawl.com ) this will be the 13th time we have braved the on going quest to get the best cigars at the lowest prices & see who can drink the most with out getting sick & all arround having a lot of fun trying to remember if we had a good time or not.... most of it is just a smoke filled hazy snippet of flash backs & drunken stupors .... I had a great time ... I think ! hahaha it is all happening in May , check out the website , a limit of 50 for the bus & we are some place in the mid 30's all ready ,,, hope you can join us ......
I have been practicing my calligraphy again, after the stroke I had a few decades back I lost the touch & had to give it up but lately I have had the pens out & trying it again..... still need a lot of time to get it done but it is getting better, not commerical quality yet ...... dammm I just realized I have typed a few Q's today , there was Dust on that key hahahaha .....
I guess that about all I have this week time for a cigar & getting ready for the rest of the day, the family is showing up later this afternoon & there is nut roll , *** Bread & cheese cake to go with the coffee & I didnt bake anything this year .... the Church was having a fund raiser so they had a bake sale ........ Instead of me making some thing , I gave them CASH .... I am just getting LAZY in my old age , or would that be lazyier, I have cut way back on the amount of projects I get involved with anymore , I am just sliding down that rope & hope there is a Big knot at the end to help me hold on ! hahaha Enjoy, Vince
Good morning it is Sunday May FIRST,2011 Mayday ..... a wet chilly morning here in da Burgh, , it seams like it has been raining here for the past month, the yard is like a swamp, the rivers are flooding & the grass, DEEP dark & beautful GREEN, thick & lush , & in the need of a trim, but the ground under it is so soft it is like walking on a wet sponge, But the birds are churping the wind is blowing the wind chimes are doing what they were made to do & the boss is a happy but sore camper, she did brave the wilds of the yard yesterday & cut the grass, & the place looks great, nice lines to fallow the curves of the lawn, the robins were having a feast on the worms who came to the surface to avoid being drowned by the high water.... the bunnys have found the feeder as have the squirrels BUT sadly one of them found a car & tryed to car jack it ,,,, dammm foolish thing to do when you weigh in about 2 pounds & what your trying to attack tops the scales at 3500 pounds .... you get flattend with out any problem , so I had to dig out a shovel & scrape the road before it started to stink,,, to bad ,,,it might have made a nice watch band...... the shop has been SUPER SLOW , last friday was a bust, I didnt cover payroll for the second week in a row....... cant keep this up for long....... Lent was a killer this year, Now that Easter has come & gone & the golfers are out I was hoping to see a slight upturn in traffic at the shop but it has been more of the same..... I need a new roof & with the rainy season here I have my share of buckets & cans at the ready, better bring an umbrella if you need to use the bathroom hahahahah...... the moring coffee is a pot of Pacific monkey mix, I had a few ounces of a few different Pacific coffees, so they are all one big happy family this morning , some dark roasted , some light & a few mediums, all tossed into the burr grinder & mixed up ....... a little light for my taste but later the kona will be making that Don Carlos #3 tase a whole lot better ...... breakfast this morning was a spinich omlet with bacon, hot peppers & cheese, a bit of tosted garlic & onion with a dash of
horseraddish for a weee bit of fire as the peppers were not all that hot..... a slice of dark bread tosted with some blueberry jam & that was breakfast..... I have a slab of ribs in the smoker getting some hickory smoke right now, they should be ready about 4 Pm , a few ears of corn will hit the grill some time today & the strawberry shortcake will add to the festivitys that come with the first day of May ( every day above ground is a reason to CELEBRATE) , holidays give the celebration a different theme.... But the libations are about the same for me no matter what the occasion..... Cigars, scotch & coffee..... the only thing that changes is the style of scotch, the growing location of the coffee & the make up of the cigar..... as much as I like the Camacho trippple maduro I dont want it with a light heathery lowland scotch with a light fruity coffee..... it would just kill the taste of the whisky & coffee but later today I will be firing one up but it will be with a laugavulin 16 YO single malt & a dark roast kenya Peaberry..... a little exparmentation has gone in to developing my taste buds , I might not be a grand master but I do know what I like & I am the only one I have to please .... if you like some of my recomendations let me know, if you dont ...... TUFF $hit ... hahahaha ... I have no idea with out looking it up how long I have been posting my ramblings on Sunday mornings ... it goes back many years a few of the web sites I was posting on have closed or taken over by new owners & I have just moved on to tick off other people but I still find time to put some BS out every week..... & it is a BS fest here today hahahaha .... on the 13th day of the 5th month I will be one year older than I was last May 13... please dont send well wishes,,,, send cigars hahahahaha !!!!
I took my car ( yes I did get a used car to replace my old sable,,,, a 2002 sable, with 30K miles on it, ) but no sunroof, or vent shades on the windows, so I went to the local car shop & ordered the vent shades for the windows, they have put them on my last 4 or 5 cars , but the wrong shaped vents have been comming from the supplyer, so yesterday he took photos of the car & the vents they have been supplying, so I hope they get the correct ones soon ..... I was going to have them put in a sun roof but this isnt a good sign....... ,, BUT as far as the car .... I filled it up when I got it & last night I had to fill it back up...... I dont even want to think about the price per gallon & what the total cost came to but I did get 22.1 MPG on the car..... That makes me verrrrrrrrry happy!!!!!... I still need to get a set of mudflaps on the back wheels & my grandsons tell me it all ready smells like my old car.... Mission accomplished!!!!! the only thing this car is missing is my stuffed dog in the back seat, it went into my wifes car when we got rid of the last sable & it has a new home now in her car, so there it will stay untill that car becomes mine & she gets a new one.... BUT her car is 2 years newer than mine but has 20K more miles on it..... that will soon change her car will stay in the driveway& we will use mine for the daily running & with the price of gas ( now over 4 Bucks a gallon ) we have cut out our Saturday & Sunday night cigar rides ,,, back when W was President gas was a whole lot cheeper, & the critice were **** about his old oil buddys getting weathly off the backs of the American consumers, Now that the "HOPE & CHANGE" has kicked in gas is Up, wages are down, employment it DOWN, the national debt is UP & I for one have seen better times back when Kennedy Lowered the tax rate & showed the government was better off lowering the tax rate to allow more money to stay in the hands of the people & they Spent it ,creating more jobs & more income for the government, Trickle down Economics was not Reagans idea but JFK's , & with out doing any research I am sure some one before JFK had the same idea...... I wonder if barrock ever read anyting that JFK a real democtate had to say about econimics not the socilist agenda that is comming out of the white house today.... I just dont know what to do , what to plan for & what direction this country is heading..... I am glad to be here & not in some third world $hitHole wondering where my next sip of clean water will be comming from... I know I am blessed to be living the life I have , as I didnt work all that hard to get where I am today ,,,, sure when I was putting in the 12 , 16 or 20 hour days when I was so tired at the end of a shift I had to take a break before I had the strenght to shower up & go home but right now sitting here in my robe & slippers being the lazy bum I am , I dont remember it being all that hard hahahahaha as tey say time heals all wounds.... & I havent been wounded in a long time hahahaha ......
time to get out outside & add a bit of wood to the smoker & get the ribs a little brush with the marinade to keep the dryrub from charing to bad.... My wife is telling me the kona is Ready & the QTR.DECK need a bit of heat as it is just 58F right now, well I will just put on a long sleave shirt & long pants & Suffer untill it gets to 68F , the sky is gray & the radar will be showing rain all week........ anyone got an arc? hahaha , Enjoy, Vince
Comments
"Long ashes my friends."
Yeah. X 2.