Good morning , it is the 29th of August 2010, a wonderful warm clear day here in da Burghlast night it was 55F & a nice breezecomming through the open bedroom window made for a great night to cuddle up to the wife, to bad we have seperate bedrooms hahahaha, but we can visit on occasion, not as often as we did 20 years ago!!!! The weather has been spectular here in the burgh this past week, warm clear days & nights LOW humidity & no need for the A/C or the furnace, My kind of climate , right now I dont even have the cieling fan on ..... I got a late start this morning , we went out for breakfast, a local place for steak & eggs , not bad but the steak was sliced so thin it only had one side ! , but you got enough of it , the eggs were scrambled dry & hard, , not the way i like them, but for a fundaiser it wasnt all that bad, when you get enough tabasco & ketchup on the eggs, they slide down easy , the onions were the best part of breakfast, poached in a little beef stock & browned on the flat top all they needed was some bell peppers of chili peppers to add a bit of ZIP to them, But now that we are home I have the press pot filled with the Sunday Morning Kona & will be hitting it asap ....
We got in a ton of new cigars this past week, the shipments from the show are starting to arrive, the UPS delevery guy is now "prsona non gratta "
in the shop, 15 cases of humidors , all at the same time ...... NO NO NO , no more room ! , yea I got a good deal on them but I wanted shipments staggered , over 3 months , 5 cases a month, not all 15 at the same time ! dammmmm sales people , they will tell you anything to make a sale ! with all the new cigars we will have about 600 different facings in the shop...... thats just NUTZ , I dont need every size of every brand, why do I need 6 deferent blends of Monte#2 Torp? the classic,platnum,white,series c& maduro& then carry as many R&J torps as well, , I have to much overlapping stuff, time to cut back on the blrends & sizes, first I eleminated the brands that didnt move well, now it will be a tighter look at blends & size, I have tons of robusto sizes , but not a lot of Double coronas, , lets face it there is more PROFIT on 2 robustos than on one DBL corona , but the guys are starting to ask for the DBL.Corona when we first opened the robusto & toro were most asked for sizes ..... so I will be making adjustments to the inventory.... AGAIN ....
Well since we started out the day with steak & have 2 nice sized NY strips sitting inn the fridge in a littel marinade of crushed garlic, peppers,onions EVOO & a dash of apple jack , it will hit the grill some time about 4PM with some yams & carmelized onions & peppers , this should make the beef lover wife of mine a happy camper today , Me,,,, I'm happy with a slab of tofu when its done right !!!!!
Well I need to get out the tool box, we had a new storm door installed last week or so, but we never checked to see if the lock worked on the door, well it didnt so out came the tool box & the problem was fixed with a few washers behind the latch plate, the latch was just catching it on the close but when you locke the knob the latch moved so slightly but you were able to pull on the door & it would open, now with the washers in place it gets a much better grip on the latch & no POP open , a 2 minute fix that the installer wanted 35 Bucks for a service call, well he can KISS me where the sun dont shine ..... he should have checked it before he left & since it was his fault there should not have been a charge for a service call, , but dealing with large company & getting an operator NOT the business owner, means a lot, no more from now on its the little guy down the street not the national chain , its just like PIZZA, go local not chain store & get better stuff !!!!
The boys are back in school much to the dismay of a few teachers hahahah, both are good students & both are achivers , one is driven to be better &the other is so laid back I wonder what keeps him from forgetting to take a breath.......... My wife just refilled my mug with this morings end of the pot of Kona , so it is off to the back deck for my sunday morning conversation with my buddy Don Carlos III ...... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning to you Vince! If you find yourself in need of somewhere to 'store' all that excess inventory, I'm sure I can find room! ;-) (you know, it's the ubitiqous remark someone was gonna make). Glad to hear life seems good, and looking forward to next week's post!
Good morning to you Vince! If you find yourself in need of somewhere to 'store' all that excess inventory, I'm sure I can find room! ;-) (you know, it's the ubitiqous remark someone was gonna make). Glad to hear life seems good, and looking forward to next week's post!
Not to disapoint you BUT I bought the building next door, it might be a few years but we plan to expand the space, punch a hole in the wall & connect the two , it was a bar & resturaunt joined at the wall a few decades ago, but the passage way was filled in when the bar lost its licence & it became a cermaic shop , still have a few thousand molds in the basement, , now if you want some of them..... take one, take them ALL.... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning, it is Sunday 5th of September 2010, a cool sunny day here in da Burgh , after a few days in the 90's last night it got down to 49 , made a few nipples stand up for sure ! we are in the middle of the Labor day weekend, the unoffical end to summer & the start of the Jerry Lewis muscular distrophy telethon ........ quite a few years ago I saw a short film clip by Jack Pallance , a moving shocking 5 minute clip that end with him telling you that his name is Muscular Distrophya verrrrry moving piece of film, scarry & shocking , BUT it worked ,that year & every year since I have donated to the MDA telethon not only cash but in time, lately I have had to cut back on both my time & cash , but the desire is still there to do more , I luckly have no family that is cursed with MD & pray for anyone who has ..... there are so many great programs out there for so many ailments its hard to keep up with them but I always try to keep a little something for the MDA & Jerrys Kids , & speaking of GERRYS kids we have a few of them at the cigar shop, Gerry is a lawyer & some of his clients stop at the cigar shop to make payments on there accounts , I take the cash, check or money order & give them a recipt, some times his paraleagle will call with a credit card that I run through my machine , so when the client gets his visa statement , no leagle fees show up but a big purchase of cigars do !!!!!! hey he owns the building so let the clients pay the rent hahahaha .. well breakfast was just short of fantastic , even if I had to cook it my self, I took a few slices of whole wheat bread , buttered & grilled till crisp bacon, caso fresco ( a dry cheese that is grilled like bacon ) & a PERFECT scrambled egg , light & creamy , it hit the tastebuds full tilt , some thing as simple as a scrambled egg when done Correctly is a jewel to be savored & enjoyed to the last drop.... the pan should be hot & the clarifed butter /olive oil mixture at room temp, the egg should be beaten with a drop or two of cream till a light foam started to form, , then add the oil to the pan , & drop in the beaten egg, NEVER let the pan sit still shake it when stiring the egg with a silicon spatula, as soon as it sets, get it out of the pan & on to a warm plate , garnish with a sprig of fresh chive & DIG IN , salt & pepper to taste, I like a lot of pepper but this morning it was pure straight up egg flavor no additions , but a side of cheese & bacon , but that egg was one of the best I have tasted in a long time , right now the local Grange fair is underway & the eggs came from there laid Friday , eaten Sunday , , would have had them last night but there was a lot of stuffed peppers left over & needed to get finished before they got tossed out..... dont want to toss out anything ,so we ate them asap !
The shop was busy at the start of the week but slowed to a dead stop on Saturday afternoon, but as I was closing up a flood of customers remembered I am closed Sunday & Monday & they needed weekend smokes , I did more business in the last hour that I did the rest of the day combined, ,,, some times I wonder what people are thinking, they need to understand I have a life outside the shop....... I am not some guy living upstairs from the store & willing to open up for anyone at any time , some @$$HOLE called me here at home about 11:30 PM & wanted me to come down & open the shop so he could get a cigar to celebrate a big win at the track, I told him unless he was willing to pay double for a BOX of cigars I was not getting out of bed to come in & open for ONE CIGAR , he was pissed TO BAD .... what an @$$HOLE but he most likely is saying the same thing about me , SO what ! , hey I need my beauty rest hahahaha , besides I had had a few drams of malt whisky & didnt need a DUI ........
The grandsons are back in school & enjoying ever second of it hahahahaha yea like a fart in church !!!!! my daughter is back at Duquensne working on her masters in Ethics , some sort of Program to make LAWMAKERS closer to being real people , we elect them , they in turn put the shaft up our keaster, well I have no idea what the masters in ethics will do for her , or if the politico's will ever learn anything from it
But she is working hard & Might go for a PH.D , with that she might get a job teaching this BS to other egg heads who will do nothing with it ..... just my opinion & as they say opinions are like @$$HOLES , every one has one !
I was pleased to find out that we are going to my sister in laws place for a picnic today , I dont have to cook!!!!!, (till I get there ) , I have no idea what she will be serving, I am taking a few snacks , chips & dips , salsa & some cheese, if I feel up to it I might cut up some veggies & slice up a sausage or peperoni stick , who knows what I will feel like after my moring cigar , BUT last night I fired up a CAIN F 60 ring master blaster, , a real POWERHOUSE , almost to strong it did overpower the OLD Bushmills Irish whisky I was sipping at the time , should have had a Laphroaig !!!!
I have a few new facings in the shop & will be sampling them all this week, I had a Britania by Executive cigar ( the makers of Kristoff) , Nice smoooooth smoke nice flavor & a knot on the tip instead of a cap, , nice touch, break it off with a twist & fire it up, no cutter needed , I dont know the propper ediquite but who gives a flying leap , I smoke what I want when I want where I want , unless my wife tells me otherwise.... hahahaha ... thats about it from the Burgh have a great weekend whats left of it ! Enjoy, Vince
Good morning Vince! Quite the bit of news today eh? That breakfast sounds good, and I think I'll have to try your method of scrambled eggs (I have 4 scrambled eggs and two pieces of toast every morning for breakfast, but it's never quite as divine sounding as that!). Hope you enjoy the picnic, and looking forward to next week!
Good morning , it is Sunday 12 Sept.2010 the day after the 9th anniversary of the twin towers comming down........ I am not opposed to Islam ,as an American but some of the teachings & practice of the religion of Peace just dont add up for me , the laws of behaviorare not what I was raised with , a man is NOT superior to the woman , the burka is not what I am looking for at the beach , true Paris Hilton could use a little "education" along with a few other 'famous' ladys in the lime light but thats FREEDOM , we have a growning number of Islamic fallowers & by 2050 to 2070, just 40 to 60 years from Now they will be the majority in Europe , never fireing a single shot, Just breading, & take over the world... so you young guys & gals getter get off the computer & back in the bedroom & GET BUSY !!!!!
I get the day off today the wife (Barb) & our daughter are picking up Barbs sister & the 3 of them are going shopping at a little village about an hour north of us , a small collection of shops that have everyting from soup to nuts an artist in residence ( some guy I never heard of before) will be selling his "collection" for the upcomming Holiday season , well I am thinking Halloween , but I was informed that was held in the spring, now its Thanksgiving & Christmas themes , OH excuse me !!!!, all I know is they have home made jellys at the place , made right there when your watching, so I know I will get some thing out of this, what ever fruit is local & ready to go is what they will be making ...... Since I dont have to cook for the boss today , a crock pot of chili will feed me for the day I got it on a few hours ago , I might get little ambition & make some corn bread, but as good as it sounds , I just dont see myself making it right now, , but it is a good idea, , just need to overcome the lazy part of the day, well I could just go to the store & buy some , but that would involve getting dressed & driving to the store, right now I am comfortable in my jocky shorts & slippers ........ Oh dammmm put that thought out of you mind , that just might make you sick hahahahaha
There is an Air show at the Pittsburgh Air National Gaurd station next to the Pgh. airport , but its a dark overcast day & not great for watching airplanes doing tricks ,flips & spins , but it will be hard to see from Inside the Qtr.Deck ........ Even if we were closer to the airport....... Its about 20 minutes by the highway & 30 seconds at mach2 ( if its that long ) ... ,
We have an event at the shop with Pedro Gonzalezes this Tuesday he is bringing a master roller with him & we will be enjoying cigars & coffee plus a weee dram of course !!!!
Monday I will be taking the older grandson to his Piano lesson , I have a few cigars to share with Tom the teachers husband , he is a big fan of the Ashton VSG ,,, a little expencive but thats what he likes ....... ,
the chili needs a little more time to blend the flavors & I need a refill on the Sunday moring Kona & will be heading to the Qtr.Deck with my Sunday Morning Don Carlos #3 ..... I have a few sticks to sample today & a few different coffees to taste, the fall blening season is upon us , I have a mix of dark roast columbian & light roast mexican coffies so I will be tasting a few blends this afternoon , if I have the time hahahaha, I might just pass on it & dump them together & grind them ....... there is about 2.5 pounds of the columbian & 1.75 pounds of the mexican , , I have no idea what I will mix with them , or in what amounts ,,,, , I would Love to find out how to make a bacon flavored coffee .... hahahahaha
well the troops are getting ready to hit the road & i will be heading out to the Qtr.Deck asap.......Enjoy, Vince
good morning , it is Sunday 19 Sept.2010 a rain filled morning here in da Burgh , a light rain & just what we need to fill the wells & save the grass, as it has all but burnt out & turned a dull brown, but this morning the grass is soft to walk on dosn't crunch when you walk on it . But this mornings paper was laying in the drive way looking like a bath sponge , so right now the Sunday paper reading is on hold till it drys a bit ......
My wife got a package of coffee from SanCristobal , she thought it might taste good with a san cristobal cigar , & she was Correct , a small batch of san Cristobal coffee from $tarBuck$, was made available at a few shops & via the internet, so my wife got a 10 ounce package , the only size they had, should be good for 4 small pots , went well with the Don Pepin made for Ashton San Cristobal Toro I had Friday morning & with this mornings perfecto , looks like the Don Carlos III & kona Sunday will get delayed till next Sunday ........ well maybe Monday morning since I am off on Mondays , yea I hear you "he 's a little off all the time " sure kick a guy when he is down hahaha ....
My eye sight must be getting bad or my brain isnt connected to the eyes , I thought I got out a hunk of beef last night to defrost , looks like its a pork roast, not beef, hummmm I wonder if she will notice ???????? , I will be cooking it with Gala Apples , carrots, onions , garlic & some Prunes & maybe some dryed apricots if we have any that havent been coated in dark chocolate ,,,, well maybe a few that have been hahahahaha , a nice chrisp dark beer , St.Pauly Girl , might add a bit of contrast to the meal . & speaking of contrast, breakfast this morning was a departure from our regular bacon & egg on a toasted muffin, we had a nice shared 3 egg omlet with hot peppers & cheese , a few rings of breakfast sausage , filled with smoked pork shoulder, apples , Grapes & fennel seed, a Big pinch of black pepper a small pinch of white pepper & a tiny pinch of red pepper , all it needed was a few shots of tabasco & it was ready .......
I had 4 tickets to the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game last night , but I was busy with the wife so I gave the tickets to the boys & they took there dad & step mother to the game as it was Mikes turn with the kids for the weekend, ( Mike is the father of the grandsosns & former son in law, he has remarried as well as my daughter who has remarried, the boys seam to do ok with both familys but the "rules of engagement "are different at both places , as they are here also but they adapt quickly .......
we had a good week at the shop a great day Tuesday I ended up staying open till almost 11PM , Normal closing is at 7 , But the customers just kept comming in , & spending a little of the money that has been eluding me in the past few months , One guy showes up & I thought he had died a few months ago ,,,,, Turns out it was his twin brother , Bret & Bart, they were named after the Maverick TV show from the 60's , bret & bart, Maverick , to card players from the wild west getting in & out of trouble at the poker table & bedrooms of the old west, some of you young guys dont know that Tv was in black & white for a long time before Color Tv was standard issue.. Well I never did know who was who with this pair, they chaned there names back & forth over the cousre of the evenings you didnt know who was who even with a score card, , so the Surviving twin STILL plays with our minds ( what little we have left) , Now playing Both brothers at the same time like my brother dosent smoke , & he takes a puff, & soon the "Brother " will sneeze & say how elergict to smoke he is as he takes a puff on a Monte Churchill.............. Oh you just got to understand the People that come in the shop, .... I thought about a book, but this is enough , one time a week & get the therapy over with, , No deadlines for a new chapter & argue with an editor & proofreader, dammm I dont even have the spell check turned on , it keeps beeping & I forget where I am at in what ever BS I am trying to tell you all about, so you just got to figure out what I am saying on your own, I get the words close as I can , its up to you the reader to fill in the gaps & figure out what the H3LL I amn trying to say !!!
I have been smoking a few new sticks this past week, Don Gonzalezes ( not to be confused with flor de Gonzales or Raphile Gonzalezs ) has a new Signature series line, & the Corojo wrapper is my favorite , it also comes in natural & maduro & for some reason I hit the corojo more that the maduro, , I did have one of the natural connectcut & it was a fine smoke just didnt envoke the spice that the corojo did & I enjoyed it, well being a maduro kind of guy I was suprised that i like the maduro second to the corojo, , it just hit my taste buds that way .... But this afternoon a Contraband Fonseca will be turned into ashes to be sure .........
I know the days are getting shorter, as I have come home from the cigar shop & now the drive way lights are all ready on when I get home, they are on a dusk to dawn sensor , help Giude Barb into the parking place so when she opens he door she dosent hit my car or the end up on the walkway .... kind of liike the landing lights on an air field ......... stopped a lot of door dings over the years !!!!!!!
There has been a blue jay outside for the past 2 days & it seam like it has lost his mate , going from tree to tree calling & to no reply , poor B@$t@RD has no idea how good he has it now hahahahaha ...... Oh dammm the wife just brought in a fresh baked pumpkin Cookie & more coffee, , & I wonder why I keep her arround at times then she reminds me AHHHH yea thats it !!!!!!!!
Its about time to get the pork cooking , I have potatoes to peal ,bacon to render for the fat, veggies to chop & cigars to smoke, ...... Enjoy, Vince
Vince, thanks for inviting us into your world on Sundays. I would be very dissapointed and miss it if you ever stopped your Sunday Morning post . Smoke on brother ...
Good morning , it is Sunday 26 Sept.2010 a cool bright morning here in da Burgh , we had a low of 48 F last night , & this morning the sun is out & the sky is BLUE with out a cloud in sight, ... Great sleeping weather& I plan on a nap later this afternoon..... most likely During the football game I will catch a few winks of sleep, as long as my wife keeps her cheering to a low rumbel hahahaha ......... the shop was S L O W all week , it did pick up a bit on Friday & Saturday started off with a BIG RUSH, then its like some one closed the street & traffic STOPPED , I sat with one of the regulars for 2.5 hours & NO ONE came in , we sipped a few cups of coffee & a weeee dram or 2 of Spayburn Single malt & smoked a nice Don Gonzalez's Signature Series 60 ring torp with a maduro wrapper , A tasty little bugger of a fat stick called the FATBOY , I like the PUDGE better my self it is a 56 ring , a lot easyer on the jaw , but the torpedo is a big help on the 60 ring, , , , I like a max of 54 when I smoke anything that isnt tapered ........ 42 to 52 is the ring size I like , I have been smoking a lot of coronas lately, that 42 to 45 ring seams to be very comfortable to me ... But this morning I fired up a Diamond Crown 54 ring , by 7 inches for smoe strange reason instead of the 43 ring Don Carlos #3 .... I dont know why but when I opened up the humidor this morning , THERE it was , calling my name & the coffee this morning isnt my usuall Sunday morning Kona, this morning its an Organic grown ( Now what the H3ll is a non organic grown coffee I have no idea) but thats what it said on the package organic Nicarauagan, it was in a burlap bag tied with a piece of twineit was roasted to a medium dark roast & a course grind made it just right for the Press pot , so it went in & 4 minutes later had Coffee .......Not bad at all, a great pot with good water & great beans makes one fine beverage ........ it went well with the mixed up breakfast, scrambled eggs with onions & peppers , sausage pattys & a handfull of shredded cheese all over left over chopped baked potatoes rewarmed in clairafied butter , I did make some toast but didnt eat it, ???? wel not with the eggs anyhow, I will save it for lunch , drop some cheese or peanut butter on it & warm it up in the microwave oven. Well since the season has changed from summer to autumn, the menu has also changed , we are back to the Sunday hunk o beef ......... what ever keeps her happy !!!!!! boring but happy !
I havent seen the grandsons since last Monday , with work for me & school for them its hard to get anytime with them... I cant wait till the oldest one starts to drive .... then he can take me places like I did with my "pappy" ...... One trip to Cleveland will be a great memorie for me .. i was just 17 ...... he wanted to visit an old friend who was in a nursing home , he had a grandaugher who was visiting him at the same time, she was 25 & just divorced ..................... we were late getting back to the Burgh ....I wonder what ever happed to her? dont remember her name BUT I do remember the body ........ dammmmmmm , I need to take a cold shower hahahaha
we have been OVER RUN by Stink Bugs a bettle like bug that STINKS when you smash them, THOUSANDS of them have decended on our area , with no know natural preditors they just swarm all over the place, they dont bite but the Smell is NASTY, they have been comming down the exhaust fan vents in the bathrooms , getting stuck in the light fixture in the fan set up & when you turn on the lights or the fan they get ground up & cooked by the heat of the light bulb, , & STINK, I clean out the lights a few times a day & keep the fan on high to keep the bugs out but some how they get by the blade, later today I am heading up to the roof, to see if I can cover the vent pipe with some kind of screen or Foam to keep the bugs OUT..... Not looking Forward to getting on the roof , Because my wife will want the skylights cleaned when I am all ready up there .... dammmm More work hahahahaha , the more I think about it the less I think about getting the ladder & getting it done hahahaha...
we went for a little ride last night , a cigar with coffee & a little music, stopped at the local Jaguire dealer ship just to look, well there was this 2007 in silver with 48,000 miles on the odometer... it was nice but just to small , no place for the coffee cups & ashtray....& to be honest, I just dont want to go back to driving a stick,,, I am getting lazy in my old age, dammmm I have been Lazy all my lifeI just get it done when it need to be done, as long as I dont need to give extra effort to get anything donr on time & Done to perfection I am happy, I hate to wait till the last second then RUN to get things done, I am more of the slow & steady , with built in rest spots along the way ,,, I am easyly distraced , thank God ladys have only 2 Breasts ... I wouldnt know whatto do with any more than 2.......
well its time to get the hunk of beef in the oven, brew up a fresh pot of kona , fire up a Don Carlos & head out to the Qtr.Deck for a nap hahahah Enjoy, Vince
Good morning, it is Sunday 3 Oct. 2010, a cool wet morning here in Da Burgh , last night it got below 40F for the first time since last May, , not much frost but I think it got a few plants along the fence but not cold enough to kill off the stink bugs ...... dammm what a problem...
Breakfast this morning was left over Anduie sausage minced fine in an omlet with cheese,garlic & diced tomato, a slice of whole grain bread was grilled & buttered , the coffee was a Peruvian fair trade bean roasted to a medium dark roast , but the press pot of kona is waiting to go on as soon as I get my posting done this morning , I have a Diamond Crown #3 this Sunday instead of the Don Carlos #3 , are my taste buds telling me some thing? for more than 10 years Don Carlos was my Morning smoke almost EVERY morning , now not so much , I thought I might switch to the La travitia corona by CAO , & it lasted a few days & I went right back to the Don Carlos, Not that I am getting tired of the Don Carlos , I guess smoking it so often it has become a trusted friend that you sort of take advantage of , Knowing it will be there for you when ever you need it no matter how bad you treat it , yea like a cigar has feelings hahahaha ...
the shop was so slow this past week, end of the month blues , Tuesday to Thursday were so slow I could have phoned it in , BUT Friday BAMMM the checks hit the bank & all the wellfair people were out in force , the street was busy & a line at the bank,Payday for the drug dealers & loan sharks , they are the ones who spend the cash in the shop, I love it when the "collectors" come in with bloody knuckles & get a Cohibia XV , Monte 75th anniv. or some other high end smoke or two, drop a 50 on the counter & tell me to keep the change ....... hahahaha like that happened more than one time , But one time is fine with me , nothing like a BIG tip to start out the day , week & month !
The grandsons are keeping a low profile this week, havent seen them since last Monday , But will see them again this Monday as I take the older one to the Piano lessons ..... he loves Beethoven , Brahms & Mozart, But plays Brubeck for me , he tells me its a different pattern in his mind when he plays jazz , he likes the classical , I do as well but I like jazz & Big band sound form the 40's , I am not real big on Vocals I love the sound of a Piano, sax ,& upright base......... dont get me wrong Billy Holiday has a fine sound, as well as Frank , Dino & Sammy, Eartha, & Ella & some names I dont even remember but I get caught up in the words & miss the sounds , like my right brain & left brain stop working together & I just hear the words & not the MUSIC , But when I hear the music I can add the words in my head, dammmm its confusing, be glad you dont have the problems I have , you have your own, but every Sunday I get my therapy right here at the key board hahahahah , thank you doctor the check is in the mail hahahaha ,
since it is cool out & its sunday the Boss wanted her Hunk O beef But since its not as cold as she thought it was going to be I defrosted a nice set of delmontcos, & have them in a light marinade of EVOO , citrus Vodka & sambucco ......... first time for this combo in my kitchen , how bad can it be? I can drink the marinade & hope for the best , some grilled yams will go with the beef & maybe a little carmelized onions on the side , I will be checking the produce shop for a veggie some time today .... I am tired of summer squash & corn on the cob, with fresh tomato, , maybe some grilled asparagas or brussel sprouts .... well what ever it is , it will be picked today...... time to head out to the Qtr.deck fire up a cigar pour a mug of coffee & sip a weee dram of malt whisky & listen to some music , when every one else is watching foot ball here in Pittsburgh I will be looking at the inside of my eye lids enjoying where ever my mind takes me ....
Enjoy, Vince
Hey Vince I've been following your Sunday posts since I joined the forum and I have a question for you. When you say "sip a weee dram of malt whisky" what do you reach for? Is it whatever strikes you at the time, what's on sale, or do you have a rotation, or even a favorite? Thanks for sharing and I will look forward to your post this week.
Good morning , it is Sunday 10/10/10....a Fantastic morning here in da burgh, , Blue cloudless sky, mid 60F temp heading for the upper 70's might hit 80 reeze comming out of the SW & low humidity ... a wonderful autumn day , some of the trees have started to turn red & gold & a few leaves are all ready on the ground, the grass was given its final cut for the year (I hope) but now its almost time to put the lawn furniture away & get out the winter supplys , the chairs on the back deck will be replaced by the snow shovels & the bird seed will be replaced with bags of potasium cloride it will not eat up the cement like sodium cloride( salt) , the local weather man is predicting about 40/45 inches of snow this winter , about average for the burgh .... dammm I wish I had been raised in Hawaii ......... I hate Snow !!!!
Since its so nice out today I will be grilling some pork chops & a few yams today , along with a baked apple or 2 , maybe 3 or 4 , depends on how the apples are , , its so easy, pop the core out , fill the hole with butter , cinnomim,nutmeg & sugar add a pinch of lemmon zest , wrap it all in foil & drop it on the grill with the porkchops , when the chops are done , leave the apples on , go eat & relax a bit when your ready for desert, the apples will be ready to eat, apple pie with out the crust..... This morning I started the day with a Big fat Diamond Crown #7 torpedo & a mug of Kona , right now I have a cup of Fair trade Pervuian & will be working on a Los Blancos #9 as soon as I get this posted & out to the Qtr.Deck .....
The week was a bit slow at the shop, Friday saved the week as it has been my best day of the week since we opened 4 years ago 4 YEARS , dammm havent made a big profit yet but the shop is holding its own ...... I would love to expand the hours of operation but I am maxed out myself & cant afford to pay anyone to SELL cigars , sure I can get some one to sit there & take the money , BUT I need some one to get in the humidor with the customer & SELL, I try never to let some one out with just ONE CIGAR , what if you see some friends, & you would like to share a cigar with , if you just have one your out of luck, hopefully your buddy will have one for you , so shouldnt you have one for him? , you dont need to buy a Monte or a Padron anniv, there are a lot of low priced cigars that are just Fine , as Lew said the difference between a 2 buck cigar & an 8 buck cigar is 6 bucks .., my go to cigar a maduro Bahia torp retails for 40 bucks a bundle of 20 , 2 bucks a stick , sure I enjoy a Don Carlos #3 but I have about 5 a week , some times more some times less a box will last about a month, sure some times it last 6 weeks & some times it lasts 2 weeks , depends on the box , & how they smoke & how I feel & what I am eating & drinking at the time , & who is here visiting , or if I am visiting some one else, its never a set pattern , I go with the flow some of the time & direct the flow some of the time , BUT ALWAYS listens to what the wife has to say , when she can get my undivided attention, , & some times the A.D.D . kicks in & my mind wonders off like dammm I bet she would look good with the t shirt wet ... Oh what was I saying hahahaha .
The grandsons have been busy with school, & music lessons, I take the older one to Piano & have a cigar with the piano teachers husband every Monday while my wife take the younger one to his Music & art lessons , works out great for all of us, we get to spend a little time with the kids & mom & dad get a break from the kids .... & the kids get a break from Mom & Dad........ , I will be closing the shop a little early this wendsday , it is Sr.Night at the high school & my daughter has a foster child playing Vollyball & the game is at 7 Pm , so I will shut up the shop about 5:30 to get down to th school & be in the bleachers with the rest of the family , Cigars to the Winners hahahahaha just like the hockey team , pop a few Molsens & light up a Cohiba ,,,, sure that will go over big in the school !!!
Thats about all I have from the Burgh this week, looks like a pot of Tanzanian Peaberry is up next, & a snifter of 18 Y.O .Glenlivette, just might help solve all the peoblems of the world.... Enjoy, Vince
Hey Vince I've been following your Sunday posts since I joined the forum and I have a question for you. When you say "sip a weee dram of malt whisky" what do you reach for? Is it whatever strikes you at the time, what's on sale, or do you have a rotation, or even a favorite? Thanks for sharing and I will look forward to your post this week.
I have no general rotation, I try to keep random bottles around to fit the mood, weather & cigar ... I love the Isalay in the cooler months & tend to move to the lighter Lowlands in the hot summers , some times I get whats on sale, some times I get what I want & can afford, Johnny walker Blue is just way to much to pay for a blend, I dont mid paying for a GREAT whisky if I like it , But I spend between 40 & 80 bucks a bottle as an average , I have a friend who is an internation pilot & gets to the duty free shop for me , he is a scotch drinker also , But he is a Cheep B@$t@rd & want s to get the stuff on sale all the time ........ I want a mix of Islay, highlands, lowlands, Campbell town , heavy peat, low peat & some No peat Irish whisky, there is even a Welsh whisky out there that is not bad, , I still havent had any malt whisey from Japan or Tibet , But from what I am told & have read its good, but the proof of the pudding is the taste & my taste buds dont have to please any one but ME!!!
Vince - good to hear all is well in the 'burgh. It's too bad I don't live closer - I really would be happy to work your shop and sell effectively - when I'm at my regular shop, the amount of money I've made for that guy just mingling with the transients... Ah well - take care Vince!
wish you were closer, dammm , I do have a few guys with keys to the place but they just dont get agressive, , , , we have been open 4 years this month, started out with 20K in inventory, now we have close to 100K in inventory, no paycheck yet but the place is up & running !!! , I have a buddy in sactromento , he is a pipe smoker ... Jeff, bunea vista way ... where in h3ll that is I have no idea hahaha Enjoy, Vince
wish you were closer, dammm , I do have a few guys with keys to the place but they just dont get agressive, , , , we have been open 4 years this month, started out with 20K in inventory, now we have close to 100K in inventory, no paycheck yet but the place is up & running !!! , I have a buddy in sactromento , he is a pipe smoker ... Jeff, bunea vista way ... where in h3ll that is I have no idea hahaha Enjoy, Vince
You should pass him along my name... I'm familiar with that area, and I'd love to meet a fellow pipe smoker.
Good morning , it is Sunday 17 Oct.2010, a sunny cool morning here in da burgh , after a few days of Stink bugs all over the place it has cooled off & they have slowed down in the quest to get inside for the comming winter, the bathroom exaust fans werefilled with them & the furnace had a ton in the blower , but the old shop vac got most of them, it was not any fun at all. I have no idea where the bugs came from, but they are trouble with a capital T ... they dont bite but they STINK when you swat them, so you need to pick them up by the edge, carefull not to break the exo-skeleton, & drop them in a jar of dish washing soap & water, , the soap makes the water penatrate the shell & they drop to the bottom of the jar , no smell !, But you got to catch all of them , I am talking about THOUSANDS of them , I filled a pint jar with them in less than 20 minutes , YUCK, I had on a pair of rubber gloves I got at the Doctors office , & the oder still penatrated the gloves & my hands smelled like the bugs, , lots of perfumed soap & hot water took care of it but dammmmm now I smell like a flower shop ...... A few cigars will take care of that !
The Grandsons have been busy at school & we did get to see them when they stoped at the cigar shop last week with the royal pain in de-az( my daughter) .... they were on there way to the movie theater to see who knows what .... no thats not the name of the movie, I have no idea what they were going to see, , But the Pilot (AL) had his dog there & the boys loved feeding her treats & commented on how well behaved she was , nothing like the Mastive they have at home ... & speaking of Al, the scotch he brought back from Spain was damm good, a bit sweet for me & lacking a lot of smoke but a tasty dram in its own right , a spayside single malt , light in color & taste it went well with the Diamond Crown I was given by a Customer ........ Bless his heart ! Bless both of them , fine smoke, fine drink, all I need is to hit the lottery hahahahahaha
We have a few real outstanding regulars , as well as a few shall we say not so much ..... but a fun group non the less, we have doctors , laywers, Ministers , factory workers , unemployed house husbands who take care of the kids when the wife is at work, damm thats the job I want , , since I all ready take on all the cooking , & some times I will get out the sweeper or the vac ( when I spill some thing when the boss isnt home ) , if she was home I would hear about how hard she is working to clean up MY mess ! , so I try to get things ship shape before she can yell about it .... yep if my wife had a job , damm that would be more of my retirement income for cigars & whisky hahahahaha ... But Laundry, now thats a problem, shure I can get them in the washer & dryer, but folding & putting them away, , hanging is not a problem BUT I can never get the second shirt the same size as the first one , so every thing gets hung up, from the t shirts to the sox , well the sox I just drop all the white ones in one pile & the darl ones in a different pile, match the colors as close as I can ... BUT I bet our house husband can do laundry , but his brother, well he had on 2 different shoes for a job interview & the guy noticed , , well we all got a great laugh out of that one ..... , yep we have a real crew, teachers , Guidance counslours , pizza makers, sales people, government employees & a some times an elected offical stops in to get abused ...... Just like every one else , dont come in unless you are ready to have the $#i! get deep & have your nuts in a vice ..... Everyone is fair game , I take as much abuse as I give out & maybe more BUT its a FUN place to hang out & I wouldnt have it anyother way, , , , when we first opened 4 years ago, I thought of a Formal English club , , I would have on a tie & vest with dress pants & shined shoes , But looking at the area we thought it over & went with PITTSBURGH SHEEK , shorts & t shirts , Beer Vs Burgandy ..... but we do have a few wine makers & drinkers & a few home brewers who bring in some of the best in the conditioning cellar as well as thouse of us who like a weeee dram of fine old Scotch or Irish WHISKY, ahhh yes mothers milk hahaha, even a snifter of rum works as well & anytime some one has a bit of brandy they are welcome to stop in & share a sip with the gang , so bring enough to share !
Looks like its time for the hunk of beef to hit the oven, I hear a Don Carlos III calling me to the Qtr.deck the pot of kona is almost finished & ready to press ..... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday 24 Oct. 2010, a cool bright morning here in da Burgh , the trees are almost at there peak coloe for the fall, still a touch of green here & there but lots of reds,golds yellows & oranges , looks fantastic in the morning sun, BUT next comes the withered browns & soon the leaves are on the ground & time for the rake & the blower to clean up the yard.... times like this I wish I was in the city in a high rise apt. , I could look at the colors & not need to clean it up !!! I am getting LAZY in my old age , But with age comes wisdom Yea right , & now I just save my energy for the more inportaint things in live like walking , breathing , eating & drinking, got to conserve my energy, who knows when a bear might walk out of the woods next to me & want my cigar , , he will be in for the fight of my life hahahaha
& speaking of getting lazy , right now I feel as if I have the right, I retired a few dozen years ago & still "work" 40 plus hours a week, nothing like the hours I put in as a young man making a name for himslf in the world, working 2 jobs at the same time , picking up odd jobs that paid cash , doing anything I could to make a better life for my wife & daughter , Now my baby girl is almost 38 & her sons are 15 & 12 & she & her husband provide for them as well as I did for her , I taught her well But NOW is the time of my life I can spend time with the grandsons like I did when I was a young lad I spent time with my grandparents, I remember fishing with Pappy , drinking beer with Gramps & Uncle John( I got a shot glass of draft beef) & they had large mugs with a whiskey chaser ..... Fond memories of a great childhood , & I want to give my grandsons the same as I had , & they seam to enjoy it & they dont complain about the cigars !!!
What I have a hard time understanding is the lack of work ethic in todays youth , I dont see my grandsons ever NOT working , but some of todays youth & young adults are just worthless BUMS Give me this Give me that, GET A JOB YOU LAZY S.O.B. you say there are no jobs, I say BULL$H!T, the news paper is loaded with want adds , OH you dont want to get dirty, Oh you dont want to work at night Oh that pay is less than you welfair checks , SO what GET off your Lazy MFING @$$ & get to work, , I will never have to worry about my grandsons , they see there parents working hard all the time going to school, & holding a job , sure they spend time on the x box & nintendo & what ever else they have hooked up to the Tv & computer, But they all have jobs , even the young one has a set of things that he will do in the yard & in the house, EVERYONE pulls there own weight , they all go to church & take life for what it is , NOT a Lazy bone in thier bodys , & as they should be , kids learn form there home life , if dads a drunk or a drug addict Or just not in the home the kids will get off the path & end up lost like the father or mother , , yes Moms get there kids taken from them , what man wants a drug dependent or boozed up woman taking care of his kids? No matter how good she is in bed, she must be a good Mother to his children & well as the man being a good FATHER to his children, way to many lost souls out there My daughter has a foster child living with her now, & nice girl a Senior in high school, she was living with her drunk aunt , her mother is in jail her father is Gone to find himself in California growing pot , so this girl was floundering .... not a structured life by any interpation of the word & when she came to live with my daughters family there were a few hard times but she settled in & is a great kid , there were some problems but there was a hot meal every nigh clean sheets on a bed clean clothes & a family that cared about her , TALKING at the supper table, telling everyone How your day was , hearing how others day went , a feeling of FAMILY, nothing like she had at her aunts place , she was told she could go back to her aunts place any time she wanted , but she had to decide where she wanted to live if you get grounded you cant just pack up & go back to the aunts place , you serve your goounding before you can go & if you go you dont come back, well a few times she got grounded lost use of her cell phone & had a 9PM bed time for a few weeks , but it all worked out , now she is working at a pet grooming shop, loves the job grades are not as high as they could be , but she is doing better than she was before she moved in with the family ...... it makes a Father pround to see his daughrts family make a difference in a young girls life & give her a better chance at a much better live than her own family was willing to show her.
"GET OFF YOUR LAZY @$$ & do some thing with your life , Simple & true ."
OK the soap box has been put away & the BS from the week will be hitting the screen soon !
Breakfast this morning was a HOT sausage patty on a toasted muffin, with swiss cheese ,tomato, & egg , a nice zippy sausage realy started the day with a little spice , so I am passing on the middle light roast kona this moring & went for a full city roast eithopian bean , Mixed with a dark roast mexican bean that was as bright as a newly pained black car in the sun, a BOLD flavor to be sure , & I think I will go with some thing from the Camacho line this morning to get past the heat from the sausage ,,, it did bring on a runny nose & watering eyes ....... GOOD STUFF ! hahahaha
The weather forcast for today is in the low 70's so I will be tosing a few Porterhouse steaks on the grill later today , a few Yams with get the grill treatment as well as a few apples , peaches & plantains .... should be a fun day on the back deck & I might end up later tonight in the Qtr.Deck as the temp will fall like a rock when the sun drops below the horizon & I hate to get cold whn I an enjoying a fine cigar sipping scotch & drinking coffee, , if I get into the Qtr.Deck Before it gets chilly out I never feel that urge to get out the quilt & take a nap hahahahahaha
This past Friday night we had the Oliva sales rep in the shop & had a great time sold a lot of cigars & drank a lot of Irish coffee ....... when I went in Saturday morning one of the guys trucks was still there from the night before , but he was no whare to be found, I guess he went fishing with one of the other guys or some one took him home as I did find an EMPTY bourbon bottle where he had been sitting the night before ... Pore Tony Every one picks on him........ But his Brother mike what a guy , he finds a Jose Llopis MADURO corona in his humi, & he gives it to me , well I did give him one back should have been 2 , as this cigar has been out of production for MANY ,MANY years a Costa Rico cigar that I used to smoke a ton of, but as my tastes changed & new things came out I tryed them all & soon forgot about them , well a few months ago a stash was Found in the basement of the Pittsburgh shop,& with 10 plus years of age on them WOW is all I can say , I bought all I could afford at the time * soon they were sold out, But Mike had one stashed away & he saved it for me , Bless his heart , hahahaha, I say that because he I know he reads this BS every week & it give me a boost to hear about the BS at the shop, , well I have to get my foemerly fat @$$ in gear & get on with the day , TIME FOR A CIGAR, Enjoy, Vince
I agree with 100% of what you have to say Vince. Also, thanks for not mentioning the ass beating your Midshipmen put on my beloved Irish this weekend. Boy are they in trouble. No D-Line and no speed from their outside LBs. Luckily most of them graduate this year and they'll get some young blood in there. You can teach how to tackle, you can't teach speed.
Good morning , it is Sunday 31 Oct. 2010 a cold over cast morning here in da burgh , the trees have given up most of the leaves & the yard got a good raking yeasterday & & I was able to use the leaf blower to clean out the gutters & down spouts on the roof over the back deck, not a fun job at all, I just dont like yard work no matter how easy it is hahahaha, One good thing about the cold nights & frost , the STINK BUGS have gone into hibernation , we did get a few in the house last night , but nothing like we have had in the past, they are sickening, ...... but now the cold will keep them at bay for a few months , look out next spring ....... BUT for as many as we have here at home I have yet to find ONE at work, ........ this past thursday I went to Pittsburgh Rivers Club for a fund raiser, rolled a lot of cigars for the people there , it was a fun night , Fellowship of Christain Athlete's , yep & the Christain Athletes smoked cigars & drank scotch .... I might join this group if I were an athlete hahahaha ....... I have a slab of ribs to meet the heat later today , looks like the BBQ will give way to the oven today , I just dont want to sit outside & watch it , way to cold, I will be turning on the heat in the Qtr.Deck soon & getting my self in a relaxed position for an afternoon of cigars ,coffee, single malt scotch & some great music ... if your in the area stop in & enjoy your self....... we had a roof leak at work, there was a high wind warning , & a heavy down pour on Tuesay after closing , there were a few guys still in the shop having a BS session & a smoke , I was in the Qtr.deck with a scotch & a cigar , when the phone rang, , dammmmm I went in & started to move product out & from under the leak, , we lost a few sticks But salavaged a lot & smoked a few semi wet ones , , the reallly wet ones a box of hoya rothchilds , went on the grill to add smoke to the burghers .... I have not made up my mind as my judgement was clouded by 18 Y.O. Macallen , & a lot of it .... more than I should have had ...... good, bad or indefferent the burghers filled the void in the gut so I guess they were good .....The grandsons have been quiet this past week, havent had much time with them as school is taking up a lot of thier time , I will see them Monday as I take one to his Gutar & art lessons & the other to his Piano lesson, so we have a budding Vladamire Horiwitz & Les Paul, 2 different styles of music , 2 different personalitys , hard to believe they are brothers ...... Tuesday is election day & from all the negative adds , mud slinging & & personal attacks , I dont want A N Y of them repersenting me , to lesten to them talk each other is the antichrist , But we the people need to select one or the other ....... I have never missed an election in my life & will be voting this Tuesay but I plan on a lot of write in votes for Captain Kirk & Mister Spock for some of the race's , these guys are way out in space if they want my vote , I will toss imy vote away before I vote for a few of the CLOWNS running for office as you all know opinions are like @$$holes , every one has one , & thats my opinion on this years election.... we need to dig up Jefferson,Washington,Hamilton,Franklin & Adams & clone them , not to run anything but to add wisdom & Thought to the political charged left leaning government we have now , , WHAT THE H3LL DO WE NEED GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTH CARE , I dont want some burocrat tell me to wait 6 months to have a hammer toe fixed or 3 weeks to have Xray of my back ... lets do it NOW , I pay almost 500 bucks a month for medical insurance , I can afford it , if you cant then you get the government plan fine all is well but when you tell me I will give up my insurance & pay the government directly for coverage & the next guy gets his free, then there is smothing wrong .... redistrubation of wealth might be fine for the have nots but it creates more have nots when they see they can get some thing for nothing , making me work that much harder to give my share to the LAZY BUMS who cant find a job , because they dont want get out of bed & go to work..... or start at the bottom , I washed a lot of dishes & scrubed a lot of floors before I was allowed to clean the deep fryer, many years were spent learning & perfecting my craft before I was called CHEF.
...........GET A JOB ...... ANY JOB .... apply your self, learn, get promated , move up the rungs of the ladder ... if you dont like what you are doing , change your attitude or the job it self, or the location & people you work with , stand up for yourself & dont become a ward of the state have self respect ... BE a MAN , not a lazy drunken dope smoker .... Sure I drink & smoke But I am able to enjoy the fruits of my labor , no food stanps or government cheese here , I didnt get a big cash influx from the death of my parents, no mony at all, just a few photos & a pocket watch, that sits in my Chest , right next to my undershorts & t shirts .... , & a set of cuffliks I gave to my father for a Christmas gift may years ago.... , I do use them every time I get dressed with a shirt & tie & thats about all I have but for the memories ,,,, no stocks, no bonds ,,, no property other than a plot in the family section behind the church I was baptised in ........ & my family will get the same from me , the grandsons might get a little more, but my daughter has all ready got everything, she all ready has the deed to the house I live in , & I rent it from her , I pay the taxes, so when the day comes that the boss & I are no longer here she will be free & clear to do what ever she wants with the house , no probate to worry about as she will have clear title to everything before we go ,,,, & I hope thats not for a long time hahahahaha, I am having to much fun to get old & sit down to die .... there are cigars to smoke scotch to drink & music to listen to as well as see the USA before it becomes the USSR of Americia ...... The founders gave us a wonderfull country , but big government has taken a lot of the fun out of it, way to many regulation& no recourse , if an elected offical votes for a law or bill that we dont like we can vote them out , but if a deptment CZAR has a itch to scratch , we have no power to vote them out as they serve at the request of the President & he isnt up for reelection anytime soon ........ dammm I dont want to get political this morning , but I need to get in then kitchen so I will fire up a pot of kona , turn on the heat ,in the Qtr.Deck, & get going on the ribs & buy the time they are in the oven the Qtr.Deck will be warm & ready for me to enjoy a day of RELAXATION........... Enjoy, Vince
Good Morning , it is Sunday 7 Nov. 2010, a sunny but cool day here in da Burgh , Daylight savings time ended last night , well early this morning at 2 AM , & we rolled the clocks back to 1AM , got an extra hour of sleep , But the kidneys didnt know that & got me up at the same time as they always do , when you got to GO ,you Got to GO ..... , so I went back to bed to toss & turn for an hour or so, , , should have just got up stayed up & went on with the day ........ We had a verrrrry slow week at the shop, , the first week of the month is usually very good , but this week was worse than the last week of Oct. ..... I have a few guys who I carry on the books till they get paid on the first of the month, only one guy was in to settle up , they were all in but no complete settlement, , this is the first time in 4 years they didnt settle up in the first week, so now it looks like I need to rethink the credit situation .... they are all good guys & I have known all of them a long time before I started to run King Beaver Cigars ..... I dont mind pulling stock out for a customer & leaving it in there locker , I get paid the next time I see them , during regular hours, , sure a few of them have keys to the front door, I trust them, I find cash in the till for the soda & bottled water they drink watching TV or just hanging out.... but some guys just come in a few times a month, get a few handfulls of cigars & pay me at the end of the month , all works out well, I have one Guy who has had a balance over a year, but he sends a few bucks when I call him & remind him, he has a balance, he claims he is having a hard time getting in as he needs a knee replacement , we have ONE Step up from the curb........& No steps up from the back door...... ...... I think he has gone back to the cheep machine rolled stogies ............ his loss , I will just find some one else to fill his late paying shoes ..... , My frugal pilot friend just came back from Germany , with a liter of Johnny Walker Green & 2 tubes of mustard ,,, one is Hot & the other ids mild, the hot one has a great flavor but reminds me more of Asian mustard, , yes I did say tubes, like toothpaste comes in , not a jar or bottle like American mustard is packaged in , I like it , no knife or spoon is needed , just give it a squeeze ,,, I had some of both types on a cheese sandwich , cant say with any athority which one was better, they were both good in different ways .... just like a cigar , good but different than the last one !
No news about the grandsons this week, havent seen them sice last Monday ..... I dont know if thats good or bad, as they say no news is good news, , so they havent got in any trouble this past week or I would have heard about it , I will see them again Monday as I take one to his art/gutiar lesson & take the other to piano lessons, I get to have a cigar withthe teachers husband as well as a weee dram of Irish whisky , as he perfers Irish to Scotch, but if I gave him a lowlands Scotch with out any peat he would be happy I am sure ....... ME , I like the PEAT... Laphroaig in the winter, Laugavulin in the spring & autumn....... the summer well I tend to move about in the Highlands , Lowlands ,Spay, & Cambelltown , & leave the Islays till the cooler times of the year to get the all over warmming effect of the whisky .... But there are a lot of whiskys that I havent tasted yet & I will stick to the quest to sample them ALL before i pass on to the big distellery in heaven.... , as Mark Twain said , if there are no cigars in heaven... I will not go .... well I hope we get to sample some of the good whiskys the Lord has maturing in the from the Angles share that disapears from the kegs each year ........... a chance to speak with some of the Giants of the cigar & whisky industry, a chance to talk with Sparticus,Alexander,Plato, Eric the red, kings ,queens Founding Fathers , Not that I am in any hurry to get to heaven if I get to heaven is also a good question...... we are looking for a high temp today in the low 40's so I will get the oven all fired up toss in a chuck roast & be putting on the feed bag about 4 this afternoon........ Oh dammm I almost for got to say GOODBY TO NANCY POLIOCY, looks like she will be giving back the airforce broom come January, , ms. you must pass the bill before you know whats in it .... & a few years ago I was thinking bill & hillary were bad, not as bad as what we have now, IMHO ........ time to tighten the belt, stop spening our grandchilderns money with prices going up on EVERYTHING & my savings /retirement account going down , I will be out of cash in a few years UNLESS I cut back on my cash out go , or if the cigar shop starts to bring in a TON of profit, right now its paying for it self & giving me a small income & keeping me in Cigars , a small loss for the cigar shop as I tend to smoke a great amount of the high end stuff just because I can .... to be honest there are a LOT of LOW priced Bundles that are better than the BIG ticket sticks , the wholesale cost of some great bundles of 25 cigars are less than the retail of ONE Davidoff , or Padron Anniv. cheeper than a Casa Fuente , or a contraband Monte#2... ...... if your High Buck smoke gets YOUR rating of 92 or 93 & you give your bundle smoke an 88/89 ,,,, for the few points difference, I go cheep & save the big $$$ cigars for special occasions, for me the sun comming up is a special occasion or it getting dark at night.Yep a celebration cigar is in order hahahaha , just got to cut that out & remember I am not a Senator .... I am the one who is paying , not the taxpayer....... Time to turn on the heat in the Qtr.Deck & get the hunk O beef in the oven...... Don Carlos, WhanValdez, & Johnny Walker Green calling me...... Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday 14 Nov.2010 A wet cool Morning here in da Burgh, it has been raining all morning but the local weather radar shows it will be clearing soon & it better , as I have a set of rib steaks to go on the grill about 4 PM, it is a bit cool to grill out in the low 50's , but with a cup of coffee & a cigar , I will stand by the grill & make sure the baked apples & sweet potatos get done just right ...... I just might need a weee dram to ward off the cold ........
the shop was slow this past week, I dont have any idea what has happened to the cogar smokers, just as the turn down in the econemy I did notice a switch in the price of the cigars the guys were smoking , they passed on the Montes & Diamond Crowns & slid back to the lower priced stuff, well it looks like they ( well some of them ) have stopped all together or switched to the machine made gas station stogies, .... I would rather NOT have a cigar rather than smoke a Chocolate Phillies Blunt ......... Sure I started with Marsh Wheelings & Graduated to Grenideres & then to the cut filler & before you know it , I was loving the 8.5 X 52 maduro Fuente , its been so long I dont remember when I had my first hand rolled .... that was thousands of cigars ago.... , I dont even want to think of how much CASH has gone up in smoke ..... BUT IT WAS F U N.......& its all my Uncle Rileys fault he got me started back in the mid 50's when I was just a weee lad , hahahaha , well my parents didnt help , as both were smokers , as well as 3 of the 4 Grandparents , back in the 50's everyone had a cigerette hanging out of there mouth, I didnt , just didnt like the taste , But I enjoyed the aroma of Uncle Rileys Marsh Wheelings & my Dad's Carter Hall Pipe tobacco ,,, I ended up a pipe smoker in High school, 3 piece suits , pipes & patches on the elbows of the jackets, a tweed vest when I was at the shotgun range & a great Dog at my side ... I was the happy teen ager of all the fiction stories ....... then I went to work for real , not just working For my Grandmothers bestro but woring at a Country Club in a fast paced kitchen, didnt have time for a smoke , didnt have time to date much , had to be sharp at my craft, had to be 100% all the time , & when I got the running shoes broke in & saw the light at the end of the tunnel & was sure it was the end & NOT an on comming train I was able to relax a bit , & start to enjoy life & I have been doing so for many years now ... I have turned coffee, scotch ,beer ,wine & lots of other distilled spirits into urine , & I am GOOD at it for sure ,,, DAMMMMM good at it hahahaha ...... I will be heading out to the Qtr.deck to turn on the heat soon, it is 50F here with a cool 10 MPH wind out of the NW , it is gray & overcast & I want to be comfortable when I fire up that Don Carlos #3 the Sunday moring coffee is a great 50/50 mix of Dark roast Sumartra & a med.dark Columbian, Ground a little fire to use in the press pot so I made it in the drip pot with a gold mesh basket ... I have the Kona on standby in the Press pot as soon as I head out to relax & get my Sunday traditional day started & forget all the cares of the world, loose my self in the smoke , Coffee & scotch ,,, a little jazz in the backgroind... HEAVEN.
I havent seen or even heard form the grandsons since last Monday , Busy times for Busy people ... Them Not me , I have it down to a science , get up east, $hit, Shower, go to work, come home, eat , talk to the wife, go to bed, repeat....... Sunday post BS on the Cigar site hahahaha , Monday start all over again...... Last night we went for our Saturday night Starbucks coffee & cigar ride, , all most was run into by a big doe , but she slid on the asphalt when she jumped over the fence on the side of the road, I didnt hit her but the guy going the other way did get smashed ,,,,, later as we were heading home I slowed down & made a left turn a few miles from our home to take a country lane over to a different road & there were a few dear in the field & a nice 6 point buck crossed the road in front of us ... Good Eats on the hoof.... , But My car would have been totaled had I used it as a battering ram ... So we sat & watched him & the does wonder around the old corn field for a few minutes & when a second car came down the lane they all scattered, so much for watching the wild life.
The holiday season is getting into high gear, so many sales have started all ready , seams like the day of Christmas has turned into a MONEY maker for the stores ,,,, Some thing that ha made me wonder for a few years, Christanity is based on the life of Jesus.... but it seam like the Birth is celebrated more than the RESERECTION......... that is what should be celebrated , more than the birth IMHO anyway .... Sure Christmas is a great time , but EASTER is what sets us apart for the rest, ..... How many others have come back from the grave ? ..... Lets not get to Deep here I dont want this to turn into a political, religion , or moral issue, it should be a FUN time for all , especally ME as I am the one writing this BS ! , I have been hard at work about 20/25 minutes now, hunting & pecking on the key board , the index fingers are getting blisters & the knuckles on both hands are starting to hurt, . so its time to end this BS & get on with my DAY ..... Enjoy, Vince
Good afternoon, I am a bit late today as the Boss wanted to go out for breakfast, & shop for God knows what for her sister, I bought a jar of garlic salsa & she didnt get anything .... but it killed a lot of time & I didnt need to dirty the kitchen this morning !!, didnt have time for a Don Carlos #3 so I had the #4 , just a tad smaller & my taste buds were happy, I have the kona on right now & will be heading out to the Qtr.Deck soon a vega5 relic in tow & who knows whats will come next, I have the porkchops in the oven with some gala apples & prunes with onions , all simmering in a nice stock, should be tender & falling off the bone by the time we get to eat,
The shop was S L O W all week, we were advertising a cigar event for last Tuesday & the rep never showed or called, so Piss on him , I had the stock in place so i ran it myself.... gave away a few hats & shirts , a few cigars , but the weather was crappy & no one showed up, BUT this FRIDAY , Black Friday, the night after Thanksgiving , we are having a WHISKY tasting , 20 plus single malts, & a ton of other "waters of life " from around the globe ...... dont miss it !!!!!
I did get to Slippery Rock Cigars last night for a big Birthday party .... we had the guest of honor smoke a nasty acid, , it smelled like an easter ham all the clove ,,,, made me want a ham sandwich....... rye bread, sliced swiss melted over the ham, a bit of dark brown mustard & a cold dark beer, ,, , , but I settled for a slice of pizza & coffee...... ....
nothing much else going on here in da burgh..... Enjoy, Vince
update 24 Nov. 2010, Wed.Evening.... it is chilly, the bird is in the brine & will be comming out in the morning,, the bread is in the oven for the stuffing in the morning, , the wine is in the fridge, the cranberry sauce is made & in the fridge , all I need is some time to get the turkey stuffed & in the oven.... mash the spuds & brown the brussel sprouts....... & what ever else I need to do ....... I am sure my wife will tell me what ever it is ! , have a happy Turkey day, , dont eat to much, drink to much or watch to much football, Enjoy, Vince
Good morning , it is Sunday the 28th of November, 2010 a cold clear morning here in da burgh , a bit of frost on the cars & grass this morning...... we have had a "***" of a time the past few months at the shop sales are way down from last year, the roof needs work, the car, well has been reduced to a pile of scrap, the motor went just under 200,000 miles , the body is rusting, the shocks need replaced , the tie rod ends & idler arm are loose, as well as a few ball joints, the cruse control hasnt worked in years & the heater core is leaking, well comming home from the shop last week, the head cracked , so its time to start smoking in the wifes car hahahaha,, , we had a quiet Thanksgiving meal, just the 2 of us , the kid & grandkids & in laws did show up till later & just for pie & coffee, I passed on the pie had a cigar with a big mug & a weee drammm, hahaha , just like any other day ..... , my son in law & brother in law went outto the Qtr.Deck with me & we fired up a few nice celebration sticks to go with the single malts , but my son in law went for the dark beer & brandy on the rocks, ...... got to put some learnin' in the boy, drink the brandy warm, savor the flavor, dont freeze out the taste buds & wash it down with a chilled beer, Oh well Kids , what can you do about them? ... So the car died, we ate well, & the shop is slow, Oh yea i did get new glasses, I went back tio the trifocals , .... even with the implants in both eyes , I still need help seeing to read, , & the computer is just out of my reach for the bi focals , & the long distance lens at the top is not working for the screen so back to the tripple lens ... I have the line in between , I like it better than the no line , it gives you a sharp line between focal lengths, no blured area ...... the grandsons are doing just fine, I took them both to there lessons last Monday, enjoyed the Irish whisky at the piano lesson , looking forward to this weeks lesson also ..... & the redbreast ..... I have the afternoon planned out, I will empty the trunk & glove box of the car, get the paper work out to take it to the junk yard, maybe get a few bucks for it ... AFTER I drain the gas tank, , just filled it before the motor went ..... the car is worth more with a full tank, but the tires & wheels are good , nice 6 spoke aluminum wheels with touring tires , the CD player will come out of the trunk ...... I have no idea what to do with it as the boss has a cd player in her car, maybe I can get a 12 volt inverter & put it in the Qtr.deck, , the cd player in there has 5 cds, the one in the car holds 10...... to much to bother with, I would need an amp & all that BS... dont want to just let in in the car, as the scrap man will end up stripping the car, I might be able to get a few bucks for it , paid over 400 bucks for it 10 years ago, it has never missed a beat jammed or skipped , maybe when I get a new cigar car it will just get installed it that ride , as I dont see me being allowd to keep the bosses car & getting her a new one... I will most likely get some used bucket of bolts for the winter & look for some thing in the spring or summer .... I have my eye on a 63 Monza Spyder convertable , just like the one I had when we got married ...... I dont see her letting me spend the bucks on that one hahahaha ...... well I have a lot to do today, I will be in the shop Monday's till the Holiday season is over , so no more work 5 off 2 , now its a 6 day work week & one day off..... it Sucks I am just to old for this, I retired to get out of work & here I am burning the candle at both ends again.. I got talked into cooking a bit again, dammmmm this is hard work, no wonder I retired !!!
Time for a big mug of coffee ,a scotch & a cigar ... Enjoy, Vince
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