Sunday Morning Smoke

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Good morning it is Sunday 2/28/16 a warm sunny day here in da Burgh we are told by the goof on the roof ( our local weather man) that today will be in the mid to high 60's & we may set a new record high for the date .... what ever it is there is nothing I can do about it .... so the hunk O beef is all ready in the oven,,, after 45 years I have found one sure fire thing to keep the boss happy, a SUNDAY CHUCK ROAST. I haven't found out anything as consistant as the hunk O beef .... flowers, candy, or any gift,,, no other makes her smile like the stupid hunk O chuck,,, no Prime rib or eye of round, no London broil , or T bone will bring a smile like CHUCK .......
I didn't feel much like cooking this morning so a bagel hit the napkin with some salmon & that was it ,,,, no cooking other than the toaster to brown the bagel a bit.
but the coffee was a blend of dark & light roast Sumatra, a medium roast Indonesion, , it was Ok but the kona went in the press pot last night in cold water & I will be getting into it soon. I will be running to the local mall to get a window blind that needs replaced in the kitchen , this mornings paper has a 20% off sale on them so it is time to replace it,,,, ,
Talked via Skype to grandson #1 in Cu-cata, Columbia yesterday, he is doing fine & enjoying life, school & living on his own ( with out his mother to watch over him)
Grandson #2 is happy as a clam, working at K mart, going to school & spending time with his girl friend,,,, I don't se much of the Time ,,,, he is BUSY growing UP.
I did go back to work this past week, so I have 4 days under my belt, & it is like I never left, the first day back ( Tuesday) was a great day sales wise, But by the end of the day the foot was THROBING , the rest of the week was below average & the foot was happy about that .. .
well its off to the mall & then to the Qtr. Deck the hunk O beef should be ready about 4.
Enjoy, Vince


 
Good morning it is Sunday 3/6/16 a cool overcast day here in da Burgh,...... that's about it , same shit different fly's , about the only change this week is chicken is on the menu not the hunk O beef that the boss loves so much,,, Breakfast this morning was a HOT pepper & cheese with ham & onions scrambled egg with Roman meal toast ,, the coffee was a nice Indian monsoon, & there was some home made Pear Jam for the toast ..... the chicken will go in ther oven later today , as it will cook much faster then the hunk O beef,,,, it will get a dusting of flour, browned in EVOO & Butter, with onion, peppers, celery & carrot . I might find a glove of garlic or 3 maybe 4 to "sweeten" the pot.... there will be a little risotto go go with it , since I have the chicken , I made some stock with the back & wing tips & that will flavor the rice....
the weather here is NUTS, one day we get snow with rain mixed , some thunder & then a warm day then freezing rain, then sun , like a pin ball bouncing around in the game when it hits a bumper the weather changed.
no matter what the weather is , I have CONVERTABLE FEAVER , I get it every spring, I want to put the top down & go ,,,, BUT the Boss is against it ,,, so we jump in the Escape , open the sun roof & that's as close as I can get right now..... IF I ever hit the lottery big time , I will get a ragtop of some sort, ( had 2 the wife hated both of them ) ,, she puts up with the cigars, so I keep her around hahahaha
I was digging in the stack of humidors and came across a few Untold story's .. sat in the Qtr.Deck & enjoyed one yesterday afternoon, washed it down with a MUG of Espresso roast Jamaican coffee that was a gift ,,,,,,, good , bad or indeferent,,, hard to say , I had 2 ounces by weight & made a 24 ounce Press pot..... the match between the coffee & cigar was OK , nothing was outstanding & I was disappointed in the flavor match,,,, the coffee was not to strong for the cigar , & the cigar was fine on its own as well as the coffee but the match was just so so ,,, maybe it needed a weee dram,,,,,, hahaha EVERYTHING needs a wee dram hahaha ..... EVEN BACON.
I have been talking to the boss about retirement ...... the boss here at home not at the shop hahahaha.... should I stay or should I go ? sounds like the line from a song ???? hahahaha , BUT what would I do ? just go there & hang out? hahahaha

I just popped a dark chocolate chunk in my mouth, took a sip of coffee & now my taste buds are dancing .... we have a few GREAT chocolate shops in the area & they all know me by name,,,, just like all the crew at Charbucks ,,,, Every one knows me & what I drink ,,,, a few of the local bars even stock a BIG smokey Single malt for me ,,, I tell them anything from ISLAY so I do get a small choice from out local state run monopoly ,, I get a bigger choice about 40 miles from me in OHIO ,,,,,, the prices are ok , some times a little higher there than here so that stuff I get here,,, the stuff I cant get here I get there,,,, & I have found some great bargains that taste dammmm good ......
Grandsons are both doing what ever,,, & I have some chicken that needs me to get started on soon, but first, I need a break, I have a short story to get to asap. the Kona is ready & then the chicken will get my undivided attention , then more Kona & a DON CARLOS #3 ..... Enjoy, Vince

 
You almost made it to the morning Vince, the writing may have carried you past noon. Weather has been good here, a little rain and a few flurries in the past week or so and they are saying convertible weather (70F) for Wednesday with the warming starting tomorrow. Lotsa green stuff popping out of the ground. I'm a convertible lover too, but haven't had one since the 60's. Substituted a Nissan Pulsar with T-tops in the nineties and it passed to my daughter who totaled it short thereafter. I did love that car.
 

Good after noon,,, it is Sunday 3/13/16 the first day of Daylight savings time for this year...... so if it was still std. time it would be morning..... it is wet and windy this morninghere in da Burgh..... we have had some great days here, getting into the 70's with nice blue skys & warm winds out of the SW.
the breakfast menu was almond bread made into french toast,,, tasty & full of roughage ,, and a glass of Prune juice,,, I need all the help I can get lately ,,,I guess it comes with age, I remember my Dad had this problem later in life ,,,, can it be heridity?

I am in the Qtr.Deck this mornig /afternoon, a monte white clinched between my teeth, a big mug of Brazilian santos estae coffee medium dark roast. and the news from NPR on the radio,,, got to listen to all outlets & get the point of view from the right & left. ... I have decidied they BOTH SUCK in the reporting aspect ,,, you get the OPINIONS NOT THE NEWS .... bring back the real news people , Walter Croncite, Edward R Merrel, et all. yes I do remember Merrel... I am that old hahahaha....

todays hunk O beef is in the oven,,, happy wife happy life ,,, that is what she wants every sunday,,,, so 99% of the time she gets it.... makes my life simple.....
got a note from Grandson #1 ,, he is suffering with a flu bug & grandson #2 is just fine, he is working all the hours he can get at Kmart in Moon Twp. not far from the Pittsburgh Airport. with a cigar shop not far from him,,, he stopped & picked me up a few sticks I didnt have ... how he knew what I have is beyond me,,, I dont even know what I have ..... how ever I did pick up 10 diamond crown maduro torpedo's in the DISCOUNT bin no less,,, how they got there I have no idea but at under 10 bucks each..... I love looking in the discount bin ,,,, you never know what you might find,,, I enjoy going in & seeing the unknowing clerks pulling out slow moving cigars & discounting them ,,, the reason the cigars are slow movers is PRICE , not quality... , sure there are alot unknown sticks and some are fine cigars ,,, most of them are dog rockets , but with a trained eye you can stock up on great smokes ,,, I did notice a lot of flavored sticks and stayed away from all of them , but there were 2 makers mark cigars , in glass tubes, I dont care for them myself but a buddy who loves makers mark , I thought it would be a great gift,,,, he was way happy & gave me a hemming way masterpiece .... a great trade but I didnt do it to get anything from him as we always trade cigars ... I thought this was going to be just a gift, but he had this ready for me as he knows I like the masterpiece.... I got about 3 hours of great smoke out of it , with a big mug of Zimbobway & a snifter of Smokehead scotch, I was in heaven.... the label just says its an Islay scotch but no distillary is mentioned ... it is BOLD to say the lest, full of smoke seaweed and salt .... I like it ... not many of the scotch drinkers who stop here are big fans , so more for me ! not as refined as Laugavulian, or Laphroaig, more intence than Arbeg. all are great whiskys ..... I have a few bottles of Irish whisky getting ready for Saint Paddys day, redbreat, Connamarria ,& middletown. all single malt Irish whiskys .....

the shop was up and down, good days & bad,,, overall sales are up slightly but not back to last years numbers.... 9 years of sales records & still no clear patteren.... that I dont understand.

I have been trying to pay attention to the Presidential runs by all the canidates,,, if this is the best we have to offer we are doomed.... so many liberals are leaving this country if trump wins ,,, fine with me, BUT this is MY country & if billary wins I will live with it , I am conserative , & lean to the right a bit, but any one will be better than her, I am feelining the burn.... yes i know he is a socialist, but anyone ,, anyone would be berrter than her.... anyone !
I had a buddy who was assigned to the white house as a seceret service officer,, he asked for a transfer when the clintoians were in the whitehouse ...... he had NOTHING good to say about them ,, he lasted 6 months there & had enough,,, he did get his transfer .... & has since reired.....

I wonder what this country will do in the time to come .... I feel like it is time for we the people to get back in control of the government & stop the cash grab on the hill & in the government offices ,,, the machine called governmet is way to big & to expencive, to many jobs in governmet , time to CUT , when it snows in DC the governmet shuts down,,, GOOD , as Mark Twain said , as long as congress is in session none of us are safe.
Enjoy, Vince




 
Nice to see you feeling the Bern, best choice I see out there. It may be time for a bit of a left turn and a breal for the middle and lower classes. Maybe they will be able to afford some good cigars too. How's the foot doing ?

I remember Edward R. Morrow - could use someone like him to comment on Trump. Big time cigarette smoker and it killed him.
 
Good afternoon it is Sunday 3/20/16 the first day of spring , it is 37F with snow flurrys , what a difference, the first day of winter was , then it was 63 & sunny.......
the foot is getting better by the day , still a bit tender & a small amount of swelling in the toes , but all the redness is gone from the foot & is just in the toes now,,,, If I would stay off of it , it might get better faster BUT I have things to do , cigars to smoke coffee to roast , brew & drink, and I have shopping for scotch & consuming it ,,,, I have perfected a way of turning coffee & scotch into PISS ,,,, & I am veryyyy good at it ...... it still needs a lot of practice & that is what I am all about !
we have a basket ball pool at te shop, this one is easy, the last 32 teams go into 2 hats , 16 on the left & 16 on the right, you get 2 pulls one from each hat , that is the entire 16 guys in the pool , 2 teams each....20 bucks final 4 get paid the 20 bucks back and the over all last man standing gets all the rest of the money ..... , even a non sports minded person has a chance , I ended up with Indiana & Hawaii ,,, Havent any idea if any of them are any dammm good, but to get to the tourney you must be a good team I don't think a team with a loosing season gets in ????

the hunk O beef is in the oven with Yams this week, along with a bread pudding ,,, I had some rolls left over from Fridays fish fry & the BIG yeasty rolls were just getting a nice crust on them so it was time to rip them up add a custard to them with some golden rasins & cranberrys ,,,,,,, it will come out of the oven soon. the hunk O beef will be done about 3:30/4 , depending on when I get off my lazy ass & make the gravy hahahahaha .
I found out I can talk to my grandson I south America on my phone , with out charge , dammm just like Skype on the home computer , I have no idea what it is called but the other grandson added the ap to my phone ,,,,, & with history of computer hacking & programing I have no idea what the dammm thing is called or how it works , I just tap on the photo of who I want to talk to & Bingo there they are , if they have this what ever installed, you get to see the person just like Skype, ,,, who would think that Dick Tracys wrist TV & phone would be working in the real world!!! Science fiction is the drive behind future inventions, like the flip phone /communicator from star trek......

I have been digging deep in the humidors & have been smoking some OLD stuff , this past week I had a 20 Year old Partagas ISOM Toro , a 10 year old Hemmingway Maduro Masterpiece , a Camacho Robusto from 1999 & today I have a Don Carlos #4 from 2001


I also have a few new whiskys to pare them with A single malt Irish called the Quiet Man ,8 year old & after the hunk O beef there is a bottle of Port Charlaote that has been HEAVELY peated ,,, I am excited to try both of them,,, ahhh what great piss they will make hahahaha added to todays cold press Kona I will be in taste bud overload ! ,,,,,
Almost time to get the bread pudding out of the oven, & that cigar isn't going to smoke it self ..... Enjoy, Vince



 
Good Morning it is Easter Sunday 3/27/16 a cool bright morning here in da Burgh. It has been a busy week here I didn't get anything finished , as I didn't get anything started,,,, just didn't have the time or the energy,,, but I did look busy every day hahaha,, I did get a lot of cigars smoked, drank a lot of coffee & managed to sip a few drams of whisky..... my hobby has become turning coffee & whiskey into Piss & am verrrrrry good at it.... a champion to say the lest,,,, I will remain a champ till I miss the urgent call & wet myself hahahaha
I have a Skype moment set up to talk to my grandson later today , , The Easter bunny left me some cigars this moirning , marina Mancini magic mountain maduros ,,,, a great smoke , & cost is LOW ,, a diamond in the trash bin , along with Bahia maduros I find both cigars to be great tasting & that's all I need ,,, I don't care if the package is a celephane sleve or a mahogany box , if the taste insnt there why smoke it ,,, I remove the band from 99.9 % of my cigars that even have bands on them, that .1% that I don't remove are stuck on & I don't want to rip the wrapper .... I don't care what you smoke , unless it is a flavored or infused piece of dog shit , & then just stay down wind . Breakfast was hot cross buns ,,,,,, coffee ,,,,, nuff said about that... it was the wifes idea to have that ,,,, so I went along with it , she was not happy , but like a trooper , she endoured, I will be sneeking out for a burgher some time soon,,,,, hahahah
NO ham or lamb today she asked me to make a turkey breast...... so that's what we are having, the stuffing is almost finished , & the breast is getting a final soak , it will go in the oven about 1 Pm ....

I am stopping the Sunday Kona for a bit, , it has been a long time coming, for the price of a pot of Kona VS the price of Jamacian Blue Mountain, VS an estate coffee from Columbia or Brazil, VS any coffee , I have decided to stop spending hard earned cash on "designer coffees" maybe my taste buds are dropping off but dammmm I just cant see paying for the BULLSHIT & enjoying the stuff I roast my self just as much.... so when the bag of sealed beans is gone , unless I roast it myself I refuse to pay for the Privalage of drinking Snob coffees , whats not to like about a pot of Columbian AA ? I can get it green , roast it myself and save 10 bucks a pound,,,,,, Cigars and whisky are a different story, AGE is the factor here I don't have the time or storage space & this is the wrong climate for curing tobacco, And the Islay climate is so different from the Burgh I cant make or age my whisky ,,,, and the dammm government has some sort of a law saying I cant make my own,,, hahahahaha , yea that works hahahaha .. well I need to get to the kitchen & get started ,,,,, Enjoy, Vince



 
GOOD AFTER NOON it is sunday april3 ,2016 a cold SNOW covered day here in da burgh, last night we got about an inch of snow , now it is melting as the temp has hit 35 F , the winds are high at 15 to 20 mph. it is down right COLD. todays first cigar is a Casa fuente robusto that as been in my humidor since 2009. this mornings coffee is a dark roast Ethopian yourgachef but since it is now after 2 PM i guess its afternoon ! I have the flags of our fathers on the tape player. the hunk o beef is in the oven. so what else is new hahahaha. it is 70F here in the Qtr.Deck .
the shop was ok this week, sales were fair, and the grandsons were having a busy week , I did get to talk to them a few minutes,,, the Boss has a basil cell carsonoma on her face & had it removed this past wendsday , just a few days after the biosopy , she is a bit tired & getting back to her regular routine , her attitude is good and the doc tells us that she should have a 100% recovery , THANK GOD.
not much else going on . I do have a lot of cigars to smoke and a lot of coffee to drink.... after the hunk o beef i might just have a weee dram ... hahaha
enjoy, Vince




 

Good morning it is Sunday 4/10/16 a COLD snow covered day here in da Burgh,,, yep it snowed again ,,, will some one PLEASE shot that dam groundhog...
the day started out slow, breakfast was a ham , cheese and egg sandwich on a grilled cressaunt ( dammm spell check ) , you know that flakey French bread shaped like a 1/4 moon, coffee was a pot of Eathopian & now I have switched to the Columbian .... and I don't miss the sunday kona , the price was just killing me , and I didn't find it that much better that the price vs taste vs retirement income vs more cash for cigars & whisky.... haaha
The Boss has not bounced back from her cancer scare , the doc said she will be 100% , but I guess the shock & the placement of the operation on her face has left her sort of down, right now she is taking a morning nap & not reading the Sunday paper... & she didn't want a hunk O beef today !!!!!! I have a set of veal shanks defrosting in the fridge right now & soon there will be Oaso Bucco cooking , then I will make some rice & a fresh veg ,,, no canned or frozen stuff today. I will be going to the market soon to see what's on the shelf.

the weather here is OFF THE HOOK right now I am looking at Snow on the ground , gray overcast sky's and birds saying WTF is going on ????? we went down to 19F last night, I don't think I am going to the Qtr .Deck at all today, I will be heading out for a smoke later ,,, at a local pub ,,, But I have cut back on the cigars a weee bit only 2 yesterday ,,,, don't know why , that's just the way yhr day went, & right now I haven't figured out how to get my pants and shirt on with out removing my robe & I am so comfortable right now I might just say to hell with it & go out like this hahahaha

nothing going on with the grandsons,,, Same old BS , , seams like everything is the Same old BS with the exception of todays Veal.
on the political front....... IS THIS THE BEST WE HAVE? a socialist, a lying bitch , a Canadian & a blow hard billionair ..... where are the STATESMEN, not politians, where are Jefferson , Madison & Franklin lets get back to our roots.... and this time lets not screw over the AMERICAN INDIANS , they had the life, the men went hunting and fishing all the time , the medicine man was free, the squaws did all the work & the stupid white man thought he cold make it better.... DUMB asses all of them.... had I had the knolage I have today my life would have been a lot different,,,, first , I would move where there is NO SNOW..... clean water, access to coffee, whisky cigars and hookers, live my life eating drinking smoking & renting a lady for the afternoon, a few times a month ,,, not responcable for anything but myself, Sure I was happy doing what I did , but the pressure of family & the responceability is starting to get to me a bit, for 17 years I have been going o a cigar crawl with 49 other guys , this year we are all set for 6/10/16 a week or so later in the year as we have gone on the third Saturday in may for most of the time, but bus problems had us move our day,,, the day My youngest Grandson graduates High school....... do I crawl or go to graduation? this should be a NO brainer, I should be with Family,,,, my heart says Family First..... But I need this time away,,, for ME I offered to take my grandson with me but that was like a fart in church , he is going to graduation ... my wife dosen't want to go alone .... so I am getting it from 2 sides,,, my grandson said no problem he understands, My daughter & wife on the other hand are not happy...... do for others... do for yourself,,,, this is my pilgrimage one weekend a year Just for me & 49 Friends, a bus a bottle & lots of cigars ...... between a rock & a hard place hahaha

Enjoy, Vince



 
Only down to 22 last night here and the snow and rain went by to the south. Sunny today and into the 40s. More rain coming tomorrow and I need to get out and turn over part of the garden and plant snow peas. My advice Vince, is to do the graduation. Remember the adage, Happy wife, happy life.

Good week here with Uconn's basketball women winning their 11th Championship - Go Huskies.
 
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Gppd moring it is Sunday 4/17/16 a warm sunny day here in da Burgh ,the goof up on the roof with all his weather gear said it might hit 80 today,,, so I am dressing for the day flip flops & shorts , planning on a Cook out as I have a nice t bone for the boss and a porterhouse for me , some zuccunni & yams and all of it will go on the grill later today... breakfast was a bacon & egg sandwich on a grilled English muffin with Swiss cheese , and tomato,, I had a wee squirt of sweet mustard & a few drops of tabasco on mine , we finished a pot of Columbian & the boss made a second pot of it ,, I am getting ready to fire up a La Imperosa robusto & plan on spending the day on the back deck, we took all day Saturday cleaning the furniture, moving it from the shed to the deck, hanging all the potted plants, lights & wind chimes , she is a happy camper today, we both are stiff and sore, every joint in my body went snap crackel & pop when I went to bed last night, this morning I HURT all over , from the top of my head to the soles of my feet,,, I am in PAIN,,,,, and the advill didn't touch it,,, looks like I might need to get out the Scottish pennicillen ,,, a nice 16 YO Laugavulin , just might be what the dammm oldman (ME) needs , noithing better than an early morning buzz,,,, well late morning , afternoon buzz... BUT I need to be on my game when it is time to cook,,,,,, so I might hold off on the medication till after we eat,,,, hahaha fat chance of that hahaha .

had a few good days at the shop & one day I didn't break 70 bucks for the day,,,, I just don't get it ,,, 9 years open & there is not a visible pattern to the sales , when I was cooking I could see the trends by the holidays & weather ,,, not here ,,, it is a mess trying to antisapate the public,,,, when it gets close to Thanksgiving I would make sure I had turkey on the menu,,, here, no one cares what is on the shelf, what ever they want , I never have it according to a few customers,,, so I tell them to stop back when I an looking at the sales records & see what I need to order, some come in most don't, but they are amazed at the amount of work this place is,,, every one thinks I just sit all day & smoke cigars sip whisky & insult everyone,,, HOW do you think all this stuff gets here & put on the shelf,,, its not Magic.... what to get where to put it , high shelf, low shelf, where do you move the old stock to make room for new, how do you price some things , , cant charge to much, cant charge to little, got to find that sweet spot, ,,, what do you do with cigars that don't move ,,,, how much do you mark it up or down depending on the amount of inventory & the past sales of a stick,,,,, if it sells great do I shave a little off & hope sales go up, keep it the same or raise the price a few cents on the next box? its all nickels and dimes .....
well enough BS I need a smoke ,more coffee & a weee dram of pain killers,,, Enjoy, Vince



 
I feel your pains Vince. I've been working in the garden the past few days and today I got to put the mailboxes back up after last night's hooligan attack on the street. I must be getting old as it's only 4 PM and I'm whupped. Got to get back out and try to finish turning over the side of the garden to plant the snow peas tomorrow as some rain is coming in tomorrow night. I can't even figure out what cigar to smoke next, so I can imagine the choices you have to make are much harder.
 
good morning/afternoon, it is Sunday 4/24/16 a cool bright sunny day here in da Burgh, we had a touch of frost last night & now the sky is blue and not a cloud to be seen in any direction, but we have a NW wind & it is Cold air moving in ... looks like I might need a little heat in the Qtr. Deck today..... , after an other bad week at the shop , one day was just 3 cigars the entire day........ I find myself between a shit & a sweat,,,, should I stay open as many hours looking at the 4 walls of cut the hours & hope the sales go up..... I don't know .......
I am feeling lazy today , breakfast was a bagel & cream cheese..... & a pot of Eathopian coffee,,,, brewed as strong as I could, Now I am settling down with a mug of CharBucks espresso roast that was brewed cold in the press pot over night , a quick zap in the microwave & its warm,,, NOT hot , just take the chill off it , , & I will be firing up a Padron 1926 anniv. that has been in the humidor about 5 years , should make a nice combo.

I am in a bad place right now stuck between a BIG rock & a Bigger Rock, I have been going on the western Pa Cigar crawl for 17 years in a row,,,, this year it is set for the weekend of June 10........ Grandson #2 Graduates from High School that day,,,,, do I stay or do I go...... I paid for the crawl, and the room , talked to my grandson about it , he is ok with me not being there but my daughter is upset to a point that I don't like ,,,, come on I gave up many things for both of the boys and her , over the years , I attended countless dance reviews & recitials , spent weekends taking them to shows & performances, ,,, I am not trying to make any excuses , But I think at my age I need this weekend as I don't know if I will be able to hang with the big dogs much longer, soon I will be relegated to the porch & I see that time coming soon,,, but now I NEED this .....


todays hunk O beef is in the oven, BUT Monday I am making a cod filet wrapped in Filo , flavored with lemon, onion, spinich & feta going a little Greek in the menu... I never did like cheese with fish , but this just sound good , a lot of different flavors competing for top billing, as well as some great olive oil and sea salt & fresh ground white pepper.


we went out for sushi last night, and as we were walking into the front door my daughter & one of her HS friends was just parking her car, & we ended up a table of 4 not 2 ...... yep my tab.... as usual


the back is holding up with a lot of discomfort, but I am enjoying the back deck with all the seating & wind chimes , a great cigar, a mug of coffee, a snifter of single malt scotch & listen to the wind.... sort of a toss up ,,,, Qtr. DECK or back deck ,,, inside with jazz and a comfortable over stuffed chair or on the back deck outside on the lawn chair & listen to the wind chimes with the same cigar /coffee & scotch???? ,,, I just might rotate between the two !
I must be getting old , cant make a decession.... but my spelling is still bad, thought that might improve with age hahahahaha

I am heading to the humidor & get my day off the starting block & get it in high gear,,,, well maybe just second gear, don't wnt to commit to an all out race right away ! Enjoy, Vince




 
Long time away for me Vince - but glad to see your Sunday morning posts are still here! Hope all is well in da Burgh! Good luck between a rock and a hard place - never easy making everyone happy!!

Have a great smoke - hope to catch up soon.

- Kelvin
 
Kelvin good to hear from you ! don't make it so long next time...


Good morning it is Sunday MAY FIRST 2016 , a cool WET Sunday here in da Burgh , Rain , Rain & more Rain , Nothing like they flooding going on in parts of the country , a nice soft rain , just enough to get in the way of doing stuff outside, like sitting under the trees with a cigar, just to wet , BUT the Qtr.Deck is a great place to spend the afternoon . I plan on doing just that today,,,
The boss is getting her Hunk O beef today , it is in the oven all ready ....... so BORING , but a happy wife, is a happy life.....Chuck roast, in the cast iron pot , onions, carrots celery & garlic..... browned in BACON FAT , covered with Beef stock & slow cooked in a 300F oven for a few hours , like 4/4.5 ,,,, the Yukon Gold spuds will go in the pot about 2 & we eat at 4 or when ever I finish the gravy. ......
so its th same old thing week in & week out..... Breakfast was a Grilled Croseant roll with swiss cheese , tomato, bacon & egg ,,, a pot of Sumatra coffee & with a shot of Tobascco
on the egg .....

we went to the grocery store yesterday & I stopped at my favorite sushi stand & picked up lunch , I got enough Tuna & salmon to feed a small army , he had this PINK pickeled ginger not the regular natural color stuff , it just didn't look correct the wasabi was the standard green dye job ,,, why add colors to a fine Natural product???? , who wants BLUE Coffee? so lets stop & take a good look at the stuff on the shelves ,,,,, made to look & ship well, to hell with the taste,,,,, nothing better than an tomatoe that was grown from the old seed stock looks like hell BUT has FLAVOR, not meant to be shipped , made to be eaten when it is picked..... I love the farmers market , not crazy about the big chain stores pre packaged BS.

My Grandsons are both well , number 2 is going to graduate HS this summer & number one is still in south America ..... he has been there 2 years & I think he is getting tired of living in an area with out a lot of the BS he grew up with,,, like Privacy, he is sharing an apartment with a friend & an other family , a common kitchen for the entire building & 3 apartments , food just vanishes ,,,,, geee I wonder why ? hahahaha

My wife just told me that today is the celebration of Easter for the people of the Orthodox Faith ..... hummm is some one roasting a lamb by any chance ????


not much going on at the shop ,,, same old BS , in fact my entire life is just that the same old BS , Uncomplacated , plain vanallia , , I get up about the same time every day, go to bed about the same time every night , smoke a few cigars, in between , sip a little scotch & drink a lot of coffee, the only exercise I get is running to the bathroom..... and doing what ever the Boss wants me to do, as soon as the rain stopps I have a small project on the front beck, over the winter she was shoveling the snow from the deck & the shovel caught the edge of a board & it is split, I put wood putty on it but it didn't hold so Now I need to sand it all off & try smething different ...... I don't want to replace the board it has been down 15 /18 years, the new piece wouldn't match & I would need to make it the same color as the rest to keep her Highness happy , & since it is a natural finish & not painted , I have no idea how to match it , so I will do my best to repair it .
I put on a press pot of Kona in cold water last night before we went to bed, , it is time for the Press to do it magic , a ISOM R & J corona is first up today.......
Enjoy, Vince





 
Good morning it is Sunday 5/8/16 a cool bright morning here is DA Burgh, , we started the day with a bagel and coffee , nothing fancy or labor intensive , Just a lazy day & to all the Mothers out there Happy Mothers day , the day we remember all the mothers with flowers & candy,,, how ever nothing from the daughter today , & to say the wife is not happy is an understatement,,,,
Yesterday a local horse farm had a fund raiser tied to the Derby,,, a lot of big hats , mint julips,& men in bow ties ,,, I rolled 320 cigars for the event, sold less than 50 all money going to the charity , & I got the cost of the tobacco back ,,,, not a big day for me , the weather started out OK but got cool & wet as the day went on ,,,, rain & rolling just don't fit well.

the FDA is on my SHIT LIST ,,, leave well enough alone , the government shop keep its nose out of my bedroom, Kitchen & Humidor , Congress makes the laws & now the FDA a fed agency is mandating some thing that will SCREW UP cigar sales ,marketing & the simple pleasure of smoking a cigar,,,, the bigger the government the less freedom we have , some one is always looking to make a name for them selves , lets get the cigar smokers, look what they are doing to the coal miners, regulation are killing them & our cost for electric is going up due to the restrictions on coal,,,, , the government is getting involved in to many things, of every day life,,, secure the boarders ,provide for the common defence , back the money system & deliver mail ( a private federal corperation since the US POST OFFICE became the US Postal SERVICE) , it needs to go back!!!
we don't need the dept of labor, the department of education, the dept of energy, all made up BS by burocrats who found that feeding from the public is easyer than working for a living, any thing the government gives you , they must take it from some one, they don't make a profit they spend our money how ever they want , it is time to get greed out of DC , ,,, can some one please clone the founding fathers & get this country back on the right path????
enough soap box BS


I have a nice light Sunday supper for the Boss & myself, , I am going to wrap some cod in Philo dough with spinach ,onion & Feta cheese, maybe a little hot pepper flake ,,, easy , simple & tasty,,,,, NO BEEF TODAY ,,,, AMEN


the #2 grandson had his Prom last night , I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet & I think he might be sleeping it off or at a picnic , what ever ,,,, I didn't get to see him (other than Photos)

One of my daughters friends is moving to Travers City Mich. & there was a going away party for her, a few cigars were passed around the fire pit, a great deal of booze was consumed & a lot of food was scarfed up by the dog, DONT set your plate on the coffee table ,, just the right hieght for the dog ,,,, meatballs , Gone , cheese GONE, even the hard boiled egg, GONE , next plate dint leave my hand hahahaha


the shop ,,, what can I say just one word ,,,,, S L O W .....
I have a few cigars ready for today , after the Don Carlos #3 , I have a nice old Davidoff corona , and if I get to it today a FINE OLD Hemming way Masterpeace Maduro , but I might bypass that in favor of a Padron 1964 , depending on the time & when I need to start cooking ,,,, I plan on getting both of them before bed time tonight, as my wife will be watching the final episode of the good wife ,,, I will be in the Qtr. Deck with a scotch & cigar ! Enjoy, Vince


 



Good morning it is Sunday 5/15/16 a down right cold day in May , we hit 35 last night , a bit of frost might have hit early this morning but I didn't get up till 8:45 , so the sun had removed all signs of that by the time I got a call from the wife to get up and make breakfast, had she not called I might still be in the sack! , so I did make her breakfast, cheese filled blintz with sour cream & a pear compote for me , but she didn't want any pears. her loss my gain.... , I stuck a hunk of PORK in the oven ,,,, NO beef , going to make pulled pork later today, some deep fry tempura veggies to go with it . ,
the weather has been keeping the streets of down town Monaca Pa empty as well as all the road work going on all over the area, seams like you cant get anyplace in the county with out a detour and traffic jam. , there is NO way from My home to the shop that is not under construction, no matter what direction I go , , both ends of town , the bridge in the center of town as well as the roads leading to it , if I go up river and cross I get stuck in traffic coming into town , if I go down river & cross , I get traffic at the other construction site,,,, I cant even get out of Freedom (My town ) to get to the highway , as the downtown is the staging area for the work on the highway..... what brilliant light bulb thought that one up??? no wonder sales are down you cant get here !!!

Noting new with the family or the shop, the political outlook is ,,,,,,, IS THIS THE BEST WE CAN DO????? a tired old socilist, a lying thief, and a pompus billionair..... Paging MISTER JEFFERSON, MISTER ADAMAS, MISTER FRANKLIN, MISTER MADISON, we need some STATESMEN not political hacks


well I have a lot to do besides pontificate from here , there is coffee to make, whisky to drink & cigars to smoke, , no time like NOW to get started, Enjoy, Vince





 

I am back with an update on todays happenings,,,,, ITS SNOWING,,,, THIS IS BULLSHIT. 4:20 Sunday afternoon, 15th of MAY and it is Snowing..... it is melting when it hits the ground but it is snowing.... it is 75 F here inside the Qtr.Deck , & I have a nice old Trinadad TTT that has been floating arround in the humidor a few dozen years or so ,,, a wee dram of Smokehead Islay single malt a big mug of coffee & some new age music on the CD player... the PORK was well recieved by the boss & the bacon gravy was to die for ,,, all I need now is a nap ...


I wish I could move off the grid some place warm, but still have access to my doctor and be able to use my c-pap for the sleep apena no bugs, no snakes nothing in the water that will eat me or make me sick. a good supply chain of cigars ,coffee and whisky. Utopia, Heven or just a small place in my mind with no outside interference from anything,,, a quiet life ..... ,,, maybe next life will be like that but now its not,,, i cant complane about what i have now , its been good , my family is well, my glass is full, my bed is warm. i am better off than most in this world. just the trials of life are starting to be a small burden on my ageing body . i want to retire but what will i do all day? I need a purpose ,,, I did a lot with rhe Jaycees as a younger man , but i have tryed to get back into it but there is something missing,,, motivation i think,, i must find something besides cigars and coffee to pass the day.... time is moving faster all the time, seams just like yesterday i was in high school. now my grandson is graduating. life is moving to fast for me now,,, winding down,,, i am not ready to pull the plug yet, but i guess i am looking for the outlet on the wall so when my time comes i will be able to find the switch to turn everything off. dammm that sounds so dark and forbiding... but thats just how i feel. now , who knows in a few minutes or days , i will be feeling like a new person, ready to take on the world all over again... but right now i need more coffee, whisky a cigar and change the cd
enjoy, vince




 
Hopefully it's just the time of year, but I feel like I got old this year. No snow at home but temps in the 30's. 40's this morning on Cape Cod where I'll be for the week.
 
Good after noon it is Sunday 5/22/16 a cool coludy day here in da Burgh. a lot better than the snow we had last week, the sun is peaking out here and there & hopelefully no cloud cover tonight as Mars is going to be close enough to see with out much trouble with the naked eye ( hahaha he said naked) a through back to bevis and buthead , well I spent the morning putting the finishing touches on 300 cigars I rolled for my brohers golf outting tuesday, putting bands on the sticks is not one of my favorite things , but I am a whore & do it for the money hahahaha.
Breakfast was a ham & swiss omlette with hot peppers , a toasted cressaunt and a pot of kona , and right after that I fired up an aroma decuba editions especial #5 . & i have it clamped in my jaw right now, sitting here in the qtr.deck, on the computer that has no sound anymore & the hard drive runs all the time but it is an old tired unit that has tons of hours on it , been in the shop as many times as I can afford & been updated to a pendium III chip hahahaha
todays hunk o beef in is the oven , & the boss is happy... AMEN... the numbers at the shop are scarrrry, may sales to date down 52% from last year..... still in the black by 2% but I cant stay open much longer if sles dont pick up..... time to cut inventory, to much on the shelf, so I will sell what I have and keep my reorders down to restocking the main movers .... cutting hours for the paid peole & putting in more hours myself.... dammm I hate that....
grandson #2 is graduating the same day as the cigar crawl,,, so itlooks like I am going to miss the morning & hope to catch up at lunch ..... grandson #1 is comming home from Columbia SA the end of june /start of july... when ever he can get his flights arranged.... he has been there 2 years in total ... i dont know if this is for good or a year or what,,,, ///

I restocked the bar got a few Irish single malts & a few single malt scotches... I dont collect it , I DRINK it ... investment whiskys do make some money but I have no desire to spend hard earned cash to by a bottle and NOT DRINK IT , no matter what the profit I buy it to ENJOY IT. the hard work of the still man should be savored & enjoyed asap !!! after all it sat for 16 plus years , in a cold rack house, so why put it off anylonger.... the oldest whisky I have drank was a 50 yar old Macallen , it was great but I am glad I didnt pay fpor the snifter I had of it , I could have made a house payment..... and a car payment ,,,, it was dammmmm good but not worth the price ,, I draw he line at 400 bucks a bottle one time a year, & lately I have never come close to that , when it gets close to a Cnote I am done, sure I do go a weee bit over that at time sbut not verry far, last week a weee bram of 34 YO lonach did pass my lips , a fine whisky , but dammmm the price is STUPID high,,,,,


onto the political arena........ is this the best we can come up with a disbarred lawyer, fired from the watergate commity for ethics, an old socialist who never had a real job in his life & a blow my own horn self made billionair who got his start with a 1M loan from his father.... is this the best we can get??? sure I feel th burn, every time I pick up the news papper , it is as simple as ABC, ANYONE BUT CLINTEN , it might be nice to have government run like a business for a different approach & see how capitilisum realy works.... lets just wait & see.
Enjoy, Vince






 
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