Sunday Morning Smoke

Good morning , it is Sunday 19th of Feb,2012 a cold clear day here in da Burgh , most of the snow (what little we have had ) has melted But for the lumps in the shade from cleaning the walks & drive way , Started off the day with a pot of moca java , & an egg & bacon sandwich with Jarlsburg ,Hot pepper cheese,fresh spinich ,tomato, a little hot & sweet mustard & some relish , the taste buds are happy !, I have the heat in the Qtr.Deck on & will be heading out soon, a pot of kona , Don Carlos #3, I will be happy as a Rooster in the hen house ........
The days at the shop are baffling to say the lest, from one week to the next the way the sales change, we had our WORST day since opening last week but this week just seven days from the worst day we had one of the best days ever.... I just cant understand it , no buying patterns are fitting anymore, I run sales no one buys , I try to give stuff away , no one signs up , But all of a sudden BINGO the cash starts to flow, ,,,, so I asked a few of the guys when they get paid, , some every 2 weeks some on set dates in the month, & trying to track the system is just to much for my feebel old mind to try & comprehend.......... do I order more stock? do I try new items , do I close out old stock or reorder? ,,,, maybe I should stock what I like & tell everyone else to try it , let the humidor at work big a bigger version of the stock I have here at home, , BUT I do sell a lot of ACIDS & have NONE of them here,, I dont have any Punch here at home but sell a lot of them, I dont have any Opus X at the shop BUT I smoke a few of them a month .... maybe i should just retire & move to Fla. with all the other old folks ...... hahaha I dont see that happening, just got the wife a new snow shovel,, she isnt going anyplace till she werars it out hahahaha
I have a rack of ribs all ready on the grill , they should be ready about 4 PM , a few baked yams , baked apples , garlic bread , that should make the boss happy ..... I hope
the grandsons have been busy with school & the weather has hindered our social activitys, ( I think they might not want to be seen with the old man & his cigar ) I tell them its the Uncle Buck fear ( if you dont understand that , rent the movie Uncle Buck ) , I have been smoking a lot of Rocky Patel's stuff this past few weeks, I am enjoying the XEN & the THUNDER as well as the 2006 Cameroon vintage or is it 2003 , who cares what year , I like the taste , I seam to gravitate to the corona size for the flavor more so than the Robusto or toro size, seams like i am that way all accross the lines , the Don Carlos #3 is a corona , I like the Cain Datona Corona ,Fuente cuban Corona , Montecristo #3 ,,,, & on & on , sure when it comes to Torpedos there are some GREAT smokes , the Cuban Monte #2 is the bench mark for my taste buds, , But I enjoy the Bahia maduro torp just as much at 1/10th the price ,,, so I do smoke more Bahia torps than Cuban Montes .......
Time for me to head to the kitchen fire up the press pot of kona , grab the Don Carlos & head out to the Qtr.deck,,,,, Enjoy, Vince

Good morning , it is Sunday 26 Feb.2012, a cold clear morning here in da Burgh a bit of snow on the ground but the roads are clear & full of potholes ,,, the tire shops love this time of the year, wheels get bent tires blow out & the glass guy , man o man is he a happy camper, lots of JUNK on the road & a ton of chipped glass , HOG HEAVEN for thouse folks $$$$$$$ all the way to the bank, How ever the cigar smokers are spending the cigar money on tires wheels & glass, , leaving the poor cigar shop with out many customers ,,,,,,, I am going to buy a box of cigars just to get the numbers up hahahaha
So much for the BS about the shop & the weather, right now I have a lot on my mind a personal thought , its Winter & I have come to realize I am in the winter of my life, where did the time go , My grandson is 16 ,,, I remember when I was 16 like it was yesterday, the time has just run bu so fast, , I am starting to feel OLD, I have noticed I am not engaging in conversation as much at the shop, sort of a glazed over look about me I hear whats going on arround me But dont react to it like I have resigned my self to do what I need to do & not much else, I havent enishsiated many conversation & stay out of a lot , even when I hear some thing I know is BS , I just sit back & tune them out.... ,,,, I guess I am getting old.... I have joked about my advancing years for some time now, but NOW it is hitting home & I dont like it one bit, Thank God I havent had to go to the little blue pill (Viagra) ,,,, being married 42 years this Aug... I have been celebate so long I forget how long its been hahahaha ,, enough of my problems, I am just a grain of sand on the worlds beaches , EVERYONE is in trouble, just wait till the second shoe drops ,,, The wall street banks & brokers are in for a rude awaking, I just hope that some of the politicans get there heads out of there asses , let law enforcemnt have a go at the crooks & start putting them in Jail, & congress needs to police it self before the entire body gets any more graft & coruption,,m its aginst the law for wall streeters to trade on insider info BUT it is standard practice on capital hill,,, some one should Dig up adams jefferson franklin & clone them .......
Looks like I am goimng to drang this old bag og bones to the kitchen fire up the Sunday kona ,, Don Carlos at the ready , BUT then I think I am going to start off the day with a Carlito God of fire , or a Lost city Opus,,,, I feel like treating my self today, who know how much longer we have ,,, Dec.21st 2012 isnt that far away, , , so i think I will start Liquidating my top end stuff , & smoke the good stuff now .... IF the Myans , Inca's who every , are wrong well there is all the space in my humidors that will need to be REFILLED , & I will have enjoyed my self .
Enjoy, Vince

anz0002 said:

How about Black Coffee and Don Carlos.

Click to expand...

Nothing Better to start the day , rich , Bold & powerfull Coffee & a DC3 ,, Breakfast of Champs & old farts like me hahahaha
Enjoy, Vince

Good morning , it is Sunday the 4th of March 2012a cold clear day here in da burgh & I have the Hunk of beef in the oven all ready, & the heat is On in the Qtr.Deck & I will be heading there asap, the morning coffee was a Pacific mix a few of this & a few of that all pacific coffees , with the 100% pure light roast kona waiting to go in the press pot to go with the DC3, AHHHH Sunday , my taste buds do back flips & I "get wood" thinking about it hahahaha , at my age what ever it take to get wood hahaha , no place to go with it but it is a sight to behold even if it only lasts a few minutes , & after 42 years with my wife he comment is , you just had it last year whats the rush !

hahaha but enough of my complaining , its time to move on the time line & tell you about the crappy few weeks at the shop, ( More complaining ) , sales are down like ever winter , but the inventory is stocked to the roof & I got to turn it over & make some cash so I can buy more cigars !! a stupid cycle , cant move what I have but I need to add stock to the shop,,,, is it a sickness, ? am I trying to amass more hand rolled top of the line cigars than Marvin Shanklin , James Suckling, Gordon Mott or a bigger collection than anyone I know, , I walk in the humidor & I see space to add a few boxes if I turn some of them side ways & srtart to stack the same brands instead of sitting them side by side,,,,, Nawwww thats just not right, they must be open to see them, I can get away with that here at home .

we have sold out the cigar crawl AGAIN, ( check out www.cigarcrawl.com )
I will be firing up the still for a few bottles of Hooch ,,, Nothing like starting the day with a BUZZZ ,,,, Not like any of you guys have ever done something stupid like that ... ever hahahaha ,, a 3 day event in May Fri the 18th sat & sunday, monday to nurse the body back to some kind of health & back to work bright and early Tuesday @ Noon hahahaha , it sells out QUICK, send in your deposit for next year!!!!!!!

the grandsons are getting ready for spring, the Christmas lights are still up & on a dusk to dawn switch & still come on every night at dusk, ,, my son in law likes the nice ice blue glow in the dark when he heads out to work,,,,, so I guess he will leave them up all the time , But the tree in the yard, well what the H3ll , leave it decorated also..... ,,,,
the morning coffee is done, time for the kona ,the heat is on & the temp indide the Qtr.deck was 38 F when the wife went out to turn it on , she just checked & it is 64, so by the time I take a dump & get dressed brew the kona it will be over 70 & time for me to relax till its time to eat about 4/4:30,,, no lunch today , breakfast was a red pepper (sweet) vadallia onion , cheese ( provolone) & choploti pepper omlet with a 15 grain mix bread sliced thick & toasted over the flame of the stove a rustic look & a scorched thumb for not paying attention to what i was doing hahahaha , dammm if i didnt get burnt or cut in the kitchen one or 2 times a month I will be taking a vacation form cooking, the Bose wave radio is blasting jazz & I am in the groove , but the knife & stove demand your attention & I wasnt giving them the respect they deserve, & like the Godfather, if you dont show respect he will remind you ! ,,,, this is the 40th anniv. of the orginal Godfather Movie ,,,, 40 years Dammmm what a great set of films ,,,, almost in the same high place in my heart as the Star trec Movies hahahaha


Enjoy, Vince

Good morning , it is Sunday the 11th of March 2012,, a bright sunny morning here in da Burgh looking for a high in the low 60's today ,,, the grass is green & the birds are out in force, BUT the bird feeder is Down & gone , after years of feeding & watching the birds , I gave it up, the $hit on the back deck was getting out of hand... they would roost on the rail & dump all over the place , well I am going to miss watching them we had a bevey of breeds, some were down right beautiful, others not so much .but when they started to buzz through the back deck & $hit in my ashtry ,,,,,, TIME TO GO .

Last week I found a package on the table when I got home from the cigar shop,,, A box of mixed cigars a sampler pack from Padilla , all robustos & in a nice tin that i can put on the wall in the Qtr.Deck, my wife is to dammmmm good for me, hahahaha well I guess she would rather give me cigars to smoke & have me leave her alone hahahaha .
well I have gone through half of them all great smokes so far nothing OUTSTANDING that I MUST have but all good so far .

Since it is going to be so nice out today I took a few nice bacon wrapped filets out of the freezer last night & will be grilling them about 4 this afternoon , a side of grilled yams , asparagas also grilled in my new grill pan , a large non stick high sidded skillet drilled full of holes so you can set it right on the rack, with out the stuff falling through or rolling away , a stay cool silicone grip , yea right , we will see about that .... a Baked apple for desert & a Cool crisp Sam Adams beer to wash it all down with., I will open it early & let it sit a bit to get rid of the CO2 , I love the taste just cant handle the carbonation ... who ever thout flat beer would be good, but I guess you get used to it .

all I can say about the political race is ....... if this is the best of the best GOD HELP US.

I filled out my tax form for the IRS & must have planned well or got lucky , I am getting 67 big bucks back , so I didnt Loan the government all that much extra to get it back with out intrust,,, back when I was just starting out I had the job with hold more than I should have, & every year i got back 3 or 4 thousand bucks , then an old guy at work told me No I shoulnt do that , get the money in your pay check, put it in an account that Pays you ,,, dont loan it to uncle sam at 0% make a few bucks on it , so I have been fallowing that advice many years now & have tucked away a few cents in the process & it hasnt cost me a dime in my style of living ,,,, Compound Intrust ..... cant beat it

I guess it is time for the sunday morning pot of kona , the Newmans breakfast blend is about done & I dont need to get in the kitchen to get the roast in the oven, so I get the rest of the morning off to take a Dump , read a little of the sunday comics & get my lazy Butt out to the Qtr.deck to start up a fine old Don Carlos #3 .... its so nice out I might pull the cork a bit early today & have a "Breakfast " single malt
Enjoy, Vince

here we are again , it is Sunday the 18th of March 2012 the winter that never was here in da burgh , with so FEW snow days & mild weather the bugs didnt die off over the winter & it looks like the dammm stink bugs will be out in force this year , I dont like the cold but dammm I HATE the stink bugs , maybe I will rethink my plan on moving some place warm & go to the mountains & look for Bigfoot , but then they have flys & misquetos ,,,, back to some plce warm hahahaha
Breakfast was a toasted English muffin, hot pepper cheese, bacon ,tomato,grilled onions & sweet peppers all help together with a fryed egg , this morings coffee is a pacific medly , a few beans from here & there , all ground together , getting ready for the Sunday press pot of kona & the Don Carlos #3,,,, for years I have started my day with a DC3 , but I have been saving it for sundays & I find I enjoy it more , if thats possable , ,,,,,,, , I have been all over the place for my morning smoke , from the CAO la travata corona, to the Cain Datona #4 & a Brickhouse toro has been showing up in the rotation, & yesterday I dug out a 15 year old Contraband Monte #2 ,,,,,,, dammmm I didnt want to go to work after that one , I just wanted to streach out in the hammoc & watch the clouds float by
I am defrosting a pair of strip steaks in a little oil & herbs , they will hit the grill some time this afternoon , baked apples, garlic bread, grilled peppers & onions , a green salid ,,,, havent thought about a veg or starch to go with it , maybe I have enough with out them.....
the older grandson will be inducted to the National Honor Society on April 12 , & that is Barbs Birthday so we will have 2 cakes that day , just what I need ---- Cake hahahaha
no heat needed in the Qtr.Deck , its going in the upper 70's today low last night was 55 & that is above the normal High for the day , we set an all time high for the day with 77 breaking the record of 73 .

I dont know if any one ever reads this BS I post there have been so few if any comments , I keep posting anyway, I guess it therapy , I would like to know if you are reading & a comment here & there might help , a few years ago this was an active posting , comments & other peoples Sunday Morning ramblings from all over , we had a nice running CONVERSATION here ,,, sure would be nice to get back to that , but I will still be here posting BS no matter what ,,,,, Enjoy, Vince

Good morning it is Sunday 25th of March 2012, over 8 years this thread has spand, there have been a lot of BS & people stopping in for a chat here & there , some stay & read every week but never reply ,,, I dont know why , but after 8 years the BS gets to be the same week after week, sorry about that but thats my life in a nutshell right on your computer every ( well almost ) every Sunday for 8 years ,,, friends have come & gone but the cigars remain .... & today is no exception to the norm, its a chilly morning here in da Burgh but unseasonally warm for this time of the year, we have had a week of 75+ when the average for this time of the year is high 40's low 50's but it is damp & a little cool this morning so I will be heading to the Qtr.Deck soon & passing on the back deck for the Sunday morn, Don Carlos & Kona ,,,, the hunk O beef is in the oven & the season of the strawberry is here , a local green house has been busy with strawberrys all winter & now the great looking BIG toe size berrys are ripe & on the shelf at the grocery shop ,,,,, shortcake will be in the oven later today , & there will be a few drops of 50 year old baslamic viniger on a few prime looking round as your thumb berrys that will not see any shortcake or whipped cream.

Spring is here & the grass needs cut...... but it is March , not April yet, to early to start cutting that stuff, ,, with gas at 3.95 & spendable income down I have no idea where to come up with the funds to keep the ball rolling ,,,,,, right now the shop is holding its own , but not by much , I have cut back on my smoking at work going for Quality in a smaller size & trying some lesser known ( Inexpencive ) brands to try to keep the % of profit up & keep the customers happy., Some of the " Conisours" smoke the band & not the flavor , if you want to pay 13 bucks for a Cohiba XV robusto ,,, Go for it ,, for about 5 bucks I will have a Brickhouse & be happy, after the 10th cigar of the day I did try to switch to a Dutch master ,,, that lasted 2 puffs hahaha
the #2 grandson had an audition at the local High school for preforming arts for a Computer Grafics program , his older brother is all ready enrolled there & plays piano,
so hopefully he will get in & both of them will be at the same school,,,,, makes it easy for me to pick them up when we all skip school hahahaha !

well I have a lot to do & a few cigars to smoke & this isnt getting anything done, the day is flying by & I have a lot to do , a few phone calls to return, & a lot of looking at the inside of my eye lids ,,,,,, after the DC3 there is a Xen & a La Gloria N , after that I will be digging in the humidor for something OLD to go with a glass of Port after the hunk o beef is consumed .
Enjoy, Vince

you think it was fast for you,,,, dammm I still think my daughter is still in High School hAHAHAHA

Here it is April fools day 2012 , big Hype on the morning news but not a word about it being Palm Sunday ,,,,, back in my youth before many of you were even born, Palm Sunday was the start of the count down to Easter & the end of the Lenten season, , as I grew older & got out in the world, I found a big indefference to some of the Christian holidays ,I was raised buy a German Lutheran Father & a Catholic Italian mother , all of my grandparents & a great grandmother on each side were still going strong when I was a kid & I remember holidays at thier homes ,& Easter was a BIG event ,more importaint than Christmas ,, it wasnt till I was in 5th or 6th grade I understood that the Jewish kids didnt celebrate the same holidays , I thought they were just like the Orthadox Cathlics & used a different calender for the holidays , No big deal, I saw the differences from the Italian side of the family & the German side of the fammily , & thought thats just the way things are ,,, little did I know I was in for a rude lesson in life ,,,,,, some people hate other people because they celebrate different holidays..... a strange custom to hate because of a different holiday , Made no sence to me then , makes no sence to me today.

well it is a cool crisp day here in day Burgh the sun is out peeking between the clouds & the wind is COLD ,right now it is 40F ,,, after a few days last week of 80 F it is Down right COLD, I will be turning the heat on in the Qtr.Deck as soon as I get the PORK ROAST in the oven, yes I did say PORK , the boss decided to clean out the freezer & thought today would be a good day for the pork roast ( I thought I was going to put it on the grill for a slow roasting & making a nice pulled pork BBQ out of it but she wants it with onions, apples & a few prunes & yams ,,,, so that is what I am goung to make for her today, , I have a nice brisket that will be hitting the grill for a long slow roasting as soon as I get a new bottle of gas for the cooker ,,, I dont want to run out of fuel right in the middle of cooking it . some apple wood chips for Smoke & a beer marinade for the wood chips , should make some nice sandwiches ,,,, mustard & rye bread ,,,, YUMMMMMMY

I have been watching & listening to the new & all the BS about the shooting of the young man by a Voluntary securiy watchman in a gated community....... all the big time race baters from Al sharpton to Jessie Jackson are calling for the linch mob ,,,, BUT what about the 100 weekly black on black killings that go on all over this country ,,, I never hear much from them if anything about that .... get your house in order before you complain about mine,,, & then there is this fanatic groupe in Wisconson or is it Minnasota that is complaing about the 10 Commandments on a lawn in front of some school here in Pa. it is the same bunch of do gooders who were fired up about the Ellwood City Christmas Display on City property of the Nativity Seen ,,,, dammmmm I never will understand why different people cant get along,,, when I was a kid we all played together in the park or at the play grond on just a game in the street , we all rode our bikes ,walked or had our friends take us & there were a few arguments weather some one was safe or out, ,,, in bounds or out but it was about the game & not the worldas we know it as a kid wegot along , as adults ,,, well not so much,,,,,, I think we should go back to being kids again & getting along with EVERYONE. Yes even the non smokers hahahaha
the school year is winding down & soon "summer vacation" will start for the kids ,,, dammmmm I miss summer vacations, I should have been a teacher instead of a chef , make a few bucks less but work a TON less of hours, ,,, to late to change now, maybe in my next life hahahaha
well it is time to fire up the press pot of kona , get the heat on in the Qtr.Deck , dig out that Sunday moring Cigar & get my tired old body out for some Sunday RELAXATION, Jazz, cigars , coffee & a weee dram
Enjoy, Vince

Good morning it is Sunday April 15th 2012 a warm overcast day here in da burgh , a great day to fire up the grill & I have ribs , corn on the cob, ( hot house grown ) & baked apples on todays menu, I might make a little garlic bread if I get the urge ..... grilled flat bread, lots of garlic & a few dripples of olive oil ,,,, yummy, I will think about that a bit , I just dont want to much to eat & not enjoy it all, the appitite is not as strong as it was years ago & lets face it as we age we need to cut back as we are not as active as we were in our youth ,,, I loved to play baseball as a kid, now I just watch & try to nap between innings hahaha
the hocky season is off to a BAD start in da Burgh the Pens loosing the first 2 games of the playoffs at Home , blowing leads & not shutting down the scoring for the flyers, , I am not a sports fan & here I have all ready talked about baseball & hocky ,,, dammm I wonder where my mind is today , slipping back to my youth , hummmm maybe a symptom of Parttimmers, ( like altzhimers but not all the time,,, just part time )
we did pick up a new coffee pot a pod brewer , Keurig.... I have thought about it for a long time, I was not a fan as I drink about 3 POTS of coffee a day, & the prepacked pods are big bucks compaired to roasting your own green coffee at home .. with all the coffee in the world, & all the Post consumer trash we create, & all the BS & cost of the dammmmmmm pot but my daugher got us one & gave it to her mother for her birthday ,,, so the expence of the pot was no longer in the equasian, & the reuseable pod so I can put my own coffee in it was a great idea, a bit messy & time consuming compaird to the drip pot , abot the same labor as the press pot but in more but smaller batches, taste is close to the press pot but for shear VOLUME , you cant beat a good drip machine w had a BIG drip machine in the Navy, fill the silk basket with 5 pounds of coffee & turn on the hot water ,,,,, when the pot was full it shut off automactily ,,,,, , dump the grounds & get ready for the next TUB of coffee, BUT that was years ago back when this country stood for some thing & not the all for me none for you attitude today , when Most people had a Work Ethic , before the great society of LBJ when the churches were you went when you needed help not the welfair office ,when you spoke to your parents & grandparents with respect & listened to what was being taught at home, like making bread, sausage, wine & BUILDING a community, now its every one doing there own thing, & cell phones DAMMMMM I HATED them, if you need a cell phone Fine , BUT dont answer it in Church, TURN THE DAMMMMMMM THING OFF & putting it on vibrage isnt a good idea & laying it on the Wooden Pew, , it will BUZZ with the resanance that can wake up the perishioners who are trying to sleep !
I have a day of relaxing ahead of me , the ribs will be on the grill shortly the corn on the cob will get a good soaking & go on the grill the apples will take a few minutes to prep & wrap in foil & I havent made up my mind as yet to weather or not to make the garic bread, the wife wants it so I guess I will be making it weather I want it or not , the kona is ready & Don Carlos is calling , I might even pul the cork on the OBAN some time this afternoon ,,,, or should I finish the Laugavulin.... hummmm maybe BOTH !
Enjoy, Vince

Good morning , it is Sunday April22, 2012 a COLD windy morning here in da Burgh, the National Weather Service is calling for a 6 inch snow fall here starting this evening & lasting till some time monday , with high winds & possable power outages due to falling trees on the power lines ,,,,, JUST what we need ! , Friday ir was 80F , .... at lest the grass got cut ,,,,,,,,,, SNOW this late in the spring, it will distroy the fruit crop that has not been frosted out all ready, ,, look for higher prices in the produce dept. later this year...... later hahaha, they are up all ready !!!!

for some reason , I have no idea what it is , maybe just old age creeping up on me , but I have never seen so much strife in the world as I do now , as a Vet. I saw more than my share of Misery at the Philidelphia Naval Hospital back in the late 60's early 70's .... things were "busy " but the mood was different, the prostesters were in the streets, now they are in the halls on Government & slowly changing things from the inside,,,, I just dont like the direction things are going, ,,, looks like I will be loading up on ammo & adding a few locks on the doors & windows , here I am in Rural Pittsburgh, , close enough to enjoy the city & far enough away to have wild live in nmy yard,,,, the only draw back to that is hitting the damm deer & turkeys with the car, ,,, so far in 30 + years the wife has a deer & I have one & a turkey, countless possums raccons & rabbits , squirells & ONE MF SKUNK ,, that SOB !
BUt I digress .. the funk I seam to be in has a lot to do with the political adgenda of the left leaning newspapers & I am ticked off ,,, I read the paper & get agravated , I listen to the radio & get agravated by the Mindless drones who stay the party line . Sure I was a democrate when I was young, but this redistributation of wealth is BULL$HIT,,,, when I was a young man I worked hard , voted just like the steelworkers all arround me did , but as I matured & grew a set of NUTZ, I argued with some of the ideas set forth by the democrate commity , & when I was chastized for "not going along " & thought to my self, KISSMY@$$ , but held my words , & I cut back on the protests to the machine but kept a Lower profile , go along to get along,,,, I dont think we are as bad as the political machine In Chicago & Ill state , but you guys do have a few former governers in the Gray bar hotel..... no offence ment, just a fact..... well I have had it with politics & even though I know it is in my best intrest to keep my foot in the door,, I have had it , here I am a conservative in the liberal area, , I tryed change & hope, & now I hope for change ,, $55 Big Bucks to fill up my car, ,it is cutting into my cigar & scotch money ! dammmm SOB'S

Since it is cool out & it is Sunday , the Hunk O beef is in the oven ,I have the heat on in the Qtr.Deck & a few cigars to do a blind tasting on today , I plan on getting blind drunk hahahaha ,there are 3 bottles of OPEN single malts , about 2 maybe 3 drinks in each bottle, starting with the Low lands Anitishion , moving to the Hghlands for a sip of Glenmaoangie & then if the liver can take it, out to Islay for a Laphoraig.... glad I have no place to go tonight!




well I have a lot to drink, lot to eat & a lot to smoke today , Better get to it asap ! Enjoy, Vince

Good morning , it is Sunday 29th day of April 2012 a bright sunny but cool day here in Da Burgh ater last weeks SNOW this is a welcome reliefe,I have an IDIOT for a neibhor & well I guess he has one also hahaha, but this moron is out cutting his grass EVERY day , he has a small ridding mower , & when he is doing NOTHING he is on it ridding arround the yard ,,,,, I dont care how much fertilizar you put on your grass it will not grow enough to cut it EVERY FREEKING DAY ,& his yard is showing signs of tire marks as he never alters the pattern of travel ,,,,,, I just want a little QUIET to relax & enjoy the day, BUT the constant wine of a small ridding mower , just is a waste of gas & irratation to my all ready "fragile" state of mind hahahaha

I have a switch in today menu, Chicken & rice ,,,, the boss wants chicken & rice today so NO hunk O Beef ,,, a nice change of pace for me as I do enjoy beef but every sunday it is the same thing , so today I have a few boneless breasts , a bit of carrot, onion , garlic , celery , a bit of fresh spinich, some brown rice a splash of dry vermouth & some frozen stock left over from the last time I made a turkey, hummm I should start putting dates on the bags of frozen stock ,,,, I am almost positiveit is from Christmas ,,, But might be Thanksgiving ,,,, & since they are about 4 weeks apart , & the freezer has them SOLID as a rock , WHO cares, ??????

we had a good week at the shop , Don Gonzalezs cigars owner Pedro Gonzalezes was in town with his master roller Pablo & he rolled a few dozen sticks for the customers & some for the store to sell after they age about 90 days or longer , they smoke great right now but 3 months in the humidor to mellow out , & I plan on putting a few in my own humidor & try to forget about them for a year or more , just to see how they smoke then !

My grandson was in to practice his Spanish with Pedro , he needs to increase his vocabulary a bit but was able to hold a small conversation all in Spanish ,he is starting to think in Spanish & not translating into English ,he was suprised how much faster you can think with out the translation .... ,My mind is like a 100 year old bear trap, all rusted & jammed in the last century , but if the right pressure at the right time might break the rusty jaws & snap they shut, well I do have my moments of remembering the little bit of Italian , German , French, Spanish & Hungarian I learned in the kitchens of this world
but Hungarian was the tuffest, I still havent figured out why a half pound snowshoe would be in a recipe, could it be a snow pea??????

IF I never see an other political add I will be happy, posters & signs all over the place & the negative adds they are portraying each other as Total @$$holes , I dont want to vote for any of them !!!
time To go back to nature , move away from everything & tell the IRS & the rest of the world to K.M.A..... BUT I like my creature comforts like running water , electricty & shopping at the market for food & not having to go out & kill it myself,,,, I am LAZY to say the lest, I enjoy the fruits of other peoples labor, I would not be able to make my own 18 year old whisky, nor could I make my own Kona coffee with out being there in Kona , but for the labor of the man at the coffee plantation , the shipping people & the shop that sells it , I would never be able to sip a pot of kona every Sunday with my cigar, & who would grown the tobacco for me for my cigars & do the blending & ageing for me , I guess that going back to nature thing is a bust for me , to lazy & spoiled in this modern era & hope the next few years get better& the country moves a bit to the right & away from the solical engenering that is going on now ,can some one Clone Jefferson , Adams ,Monroe, Franklin , Washington , Hancock, ........ make watching the musical 1776 a manditory action for the congress to do every week
enough of the BS , its time for a cigar ! Enjoy, Vince

Good morning , it is Sunday May 6th 2012 a wonderful spring morning here in da Burgh the sun is out the sky is a magnificent blue & the few clounds are spaced apart & are giving a good view of the passing airplanes & birds ,the first pot of coffee is gone , it was a light roast ethopian ,, next time this will be a little darker roast , But the Kona is at the ready & so is the Don Carlos #3 .

We are back to the Beef , but not a roast today , I have 2 strips in a light marinade & they will be on the grill some time later this afternoon, roasted potatos & Vadallia onions & a quick toss of green beans with sesemee seeds , & I might, just might try a few pieces of flat bread on the grill, & since the grill will be hot , I have a few baked apples ready to go on .

the shop was slow all week , but I got a lot of stock moved from the small walkin humidor to the Big walk in humidor, ,,,, I am Jammmed to the rafters, getting ready to celebrate the summer selling season, we had a sles rep in the shop Friday Night & ran a special on Fogo & Roxor 2 butique brands & did OK but nothing to brag about , sales wise But we did have a good time with the BS , single malt & craft beers. dammmm who needs sales when your having fun, the customers just kill the buzz hahahahaha


The Grandsons are doing fne, the 14 YO is cultavating a Mustashe , he hasnt started shaving yet, & he has a great dark line if baby fine BLACK hair on his upper lip , I have been telling him to twist the ends up into a handle bar , but the hair isnt long enough YET, his older brother has a smooth & no sign of hair on his face yet , I think he is a little embarrised by this turn of events , he is the older brother but not the first to get facial hair & since they are both verrrrrrry competitive I just sit back & stroke the chin wiskers on my face & tell them hurry up & catch up to me hahahaha

I smoked my first La Palina this past week & plan on placing an Order asap , cant wait to get them on the shelf...... & the El Tiante are also on the list they have a red & a blue lable I loved one & liked the other, cant remember which one ,,,, looks like I will be stocking both hahahaha I have been smoking a lot of Sungrown wrappers as of late but I think my favorite is the orginal Rosado wrapper I smoked years ago , havent had any in ages ,,,,,,, I smoke a lot of maduros but in the CAO La traveta I like the natural better ..... who knows what the taste buds will tell you they like ... lllll........ I like partagas serire D #4 , Monte #2 , Diamond Crown #7 ,Liga Pravadia #9 & Opus X #5 , as well as a few thousand more & I bet a few I havent had yet that I would love , to mannnnny cigars ,,, so little time ,, , , between the scotch tastings , coffee roasting & cigar parings I have given up on searching out the perfect pipe tobacco ,,,, got to rest the taste buds some time, that includes holding back on the Habanaro & ghost chilies, no reason to HURT myself, & since the burn at BOTH ends I think I will give the Hemroaids a break. hahaha

the kona is ready ,the don carlos is clipped & ready to light , the 18 YO Laphroaig is in the snifter ,,, TIME TO GO !
Enjoy, Vince

Good morning , it is Sunday May 13th , the day that Qui Chang Kane killed the emporers nephue in the Kung Fu classic with David Caridine ,5th month 13th day year of the dog, , mothers day & my birthday all rolled into one , ,this moring my wife susprised me with a new large pan for the grill & a small square pan for the stove a trip to the local masage center for an hour with Trixie & a sampler of cigars from a few Graycliffs to a nice package of mixed sticks from the mail order out of Hong Kong, London & Switzerland ,,,,,, I will be BUSY smoking the forbiden fruit .............
I am not & I repeate NOT cooking today (anymore ) I did make sausage & eggs for the Boss , but she is taking over the kitchen for the rest of the day, ( I made everything last night & put it in the fridge) , so the ribs will be going in the oven later to warm up & we are going to see" How to seccede in business with out realy trying "
a motto I have employed all my life , dont worry about it JUST GET OUT THERE & do it .......
I dont think there will be a posting next Sunday as I will be on the cigar crawl starting Friday night , & I am leaving the house about 1 Pm on Friday & hope to be home some time Sunday evening ,,,, Monday to sober up & back to work on Tuesday ,,,,,, if I am able hahaha check it out at www.cigarcrawl.com
it looks like I am going to be a great grandfather in december , My daughers Step daugher who is 19 came home from school with the news ,she was going to be a dential hygenest , but it looks like that will take a back set to the baby ........ need less to say .
time to fire up the press pot of Kona , grab a Grand stick from the contraband humidor & park my rather larger & older fat @$$ in a chair in the back yard under a tree , enjoy the blue sky , the coffee & cigar , piss off the jogers by blowing smoke twards the road , maybe I will just set up a little closser to the road today hahahaha
Enjoy, Vince

heading out for the cigar crawl, so no posting this sunday see you all in a week !! Enjoy, Vince
www.cigarcrawl.com

Pst crawl posting , still hung over sunday 5/27/12 , got home late last sunday great buzz , got a call Monday morning before 7 am , My brother, his wife passed away during the night,,,, no way !! but it took all week of spending time with him, & his boys , sharing time & storys , smoking cigars drinking scotch & sipping coffee, remembering & talking, talking , & talking ,,,,, I need a rest !

Good morning , it is Sunday 6/3/12 a cool dry morning here in da Burgh, the head is still reeling from the passing of my sister in law & all the scotch my brother & I put away after the fact,but it is all part of the cycle of life ,,,, we move on .
I have a pot of Tanzanian Peaberry working right now , a med/dark roast & quite a mouthfull of flavor , I might just save a few bucks & pass on the Kona today , But I kind of Doubt it , looks like the Kona & Don Carlos #3 will be next, as soon as I get the Hunk o Beef in the oven .( Boring , but thats what the boss wants )
a fair week at the shop & the grandsons are finishing up school , not much happening there .
the politico/ social/ econimic news all SUCK, what else is new , we are being sold off like slaves to feed the government, I must say it is getting out of hand..... where are Jefferson, Adams & Franklin when we need them again, I DONT SEE OBUMMER,OR Rumney leading us out of the wilderness, maybe we should go back a lot more & find Moses to lead us out of the wilderness ....

The Farm next to me has gone up for auction , all the amimals are Gone, the equipment was sold off but the property didnt sell, all the years of watching the cows & hearing ole Angus McStudd making new baby cows & bulls , well they are all gone & I am afraid that some developer will come in & put up a housing or appartment complex righ in my back yard,,,, dammmm I have been here over 35 years & love the quiet it gives me , close to the shop , but far enought to have wild life in the yard , I am to old to move any place but a Sr. High rise apt . or the Bone yard , not much difference in them hahaha .....
time for the DC3 & Kona
Enjoy, Vince