Hays:

Good Morning Vince... Sorry to hear about the bad start to the day - I sure couldn't be happy about those temperatures, but fortunately I live a warm part of California. Hope the rest of the day turns up for ya.

warm? I forget what that is... our current temp is -13 with a windchill of -20.... BRRRRRRR

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Cigars are not an addiction, they are a hobby. An addicting hobby...(YankeeMan)

badge54fd:

Hays:

Good Morning Vince... Sorry to hear about the bad start to the day - I sure couldn't be happy about those temperatures, but fortunately I live a warm part of California. Hope the rest of the day turns up for ya.

warm? I forget what that is... our current temp is -13 with a windchill of -20.... BRRRRRRR

Gah!! I couldn't do that.. Right now we have dense fog with a temp of 46*..

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There are two kinds of people in this world that go around beardless — boys and women — and I am neither one.

badge54fd:

Hays:

Good Morning Vince... Sorry to hear about the bad start to the day - I sure couldn't be happy about those temperatures, but fortunately I live a warm part of California. Hope the rest of the day turns up for ya.

warm? I forget what that is... our current temp is -13 with a windchill of -20.... BRRRRRRR

Wow, we aren't that cold here in NJ but it is definately freezing right now.

I have a buddy in Sactomento., Jeff , he is on bunea vista way , where ever in town that is I have no idea , never met him other than the internet, he used to live in LA , but moved up north a few years ago, dont know what B&M he visits , the northern most pat of the left coast I was in was san fran, but that was back in the late 60's when I was in the Navy. Enjoy, Vince

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Please pass the gravy, GO NAVY

Enjoy, Vince

NJ, yea I used to live there when I was in the navy also, stationed in Philly lived accross the river in a little town called haddonfield, nice place but NO BARS in town , it was DRY, but just up the street in Cherry Hill, well that was a different story, there was a pizza & sub shop they had the best stuff I have ever had, a deep fryed calzone called a panzoritti , or some thing like that , great stuff, last night i was watching SNL, they were doing a little thing with the "governor " of NY & he was ripping NJ a new one , here in da burgh we pick on Cleveland & I guess in NY they pick on Jersey, Dammm I miss the place I worked in haddonfied , the argile rooster, great eggs bennidict , good food in jersey, when i was cooking there ! hahaha Enjoy, Vince

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Please pass the gravy, GO NAVY

Enjoy, Vince

Good Morning , it is Sunday 17 Jan. 2010a some what cool morning here in da Burgh for the first time this year we didnt go below freezing or get any snow ........ Barb was getting realy "bitchy" about all the shoveling she was doing ( more than her usual ) but then how can you tell??? hahaha breakfast this morning was a quick plate of bacon cheese & eggs , a fresh hard pressed cheese from some place warm as there were palm trees on the wrapper, caso fresco , a hard white cheese that grills well , just slice it & drop it right next to the bacon , turn & plate it, right along with the bacon, drop the toast & the eggs & every thing should finish at the same time .... the coffee this morning is Kona but I have some Community Coffee with chicory that will be the next pot & a Camacho 11/18 ( I think ) to go with it , I will be heading out to the Qtr.Deck to turn on the heat soon, , But I have a hunk of Veal that needs some TLC before I get to have cigar #2 for the day .......the red bell peppers will add some sweetness along with the onions , garlic, celery , & carrots , a 'splash' of wine a bit of stock & with a little brown rice , its time to eat , should be ready about 4 if the spirit moves you to show up ........ we still have about 4 inches of snow in the yard, but some areas are down to the grass , just depends on what side of the hill your on , the sun gets the stuff across the road but the way the hills are we are in the shade in the winter, but in the summer we get the sun, & need a bigger A/C unit, ahhh yes the worst of both hahahaha Last nights "Cigar ride" was a Los Blancos #9 , a toro size smoke with a maduro wrap, the first puff was toasted marshmellows , that great taste of smoke & burning sugar, a great way to start the drive ,,,,, we got home in time for Saturday night live , its been a mainstay for 35 years now launching to stardome a bunch comics & I also remember laying on the living room floor watching SNL & getting a little frisky with the wife & missing the killer bees sketch or the news update , now we just WATCH the show & save the frisky stuff after the arthritus pain meds kick in , dammmm its H3LL getting old ........ , with all the sub freezing weather & all the snow (14 days in a row) I havent been able to hang out with the grandsons all that much, talked to them on the phone & got about as much info as talking to the wall, ( they cant talk in front of there mother with out getting into trouble , so we just have a lite conversation about the weather & school, hard to tell me storys about there mother with her right there hahahaha , yea i know what a pain she can be, after all she is her mothers child hahahaha Not much else going on here , I hear the pots & pans in the kitchen calling me , time for the veal to get a workout , sharpen a few knifes , chop some veggies & pull the cork on a bottle of some thing .. Enjoy, Vince

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Please pass the gravy, GO NAVY

Enjoy, Vince

Good morning , it is Sunday ,24 Jan.'10 , well the big question is it twenty ten or two thousand ten? , WHO CARES a two oh ten , what ever , well its raining here in da Burgh a welcome sight, you dont have to shovel the rain, we had about 12 days in a row or so of snow, my wife is realy tired of shoveling the stuff, me I just shovel BS hahahaha , brakfast this morning was a real nice hunk of slab bacon sliced thick, & I made a dippy egg for the boss, she likes the white crisp on the bottom but the yoke needs to be liquid , so i seperate them start the white first then add the yoke after the white has set a bit, its hard to keep the yoke centered & a real *** to NOT BREAK IT , but she was happy with hers & I had scrambled eggs ( from all the ones I messed up trying to get hers just right ) , well with all the rain this morning I havent had my Sunday morning Don Carlos #3 yet or my Kona , but the kona is in the French press & the water is on the boil so I will have coffee in a few minutes , right now I am sipping a mug of Moca Java from the local coffee roaster , he is expanding his operation to roasting peanuts , almonds & cashuew , making fresh nut butters , & he asked me to do the voice for his new radio spots , I told him I would be glad to , all I need was a pound of 100% kona , & some almond butter, Done deal, now all I need to do is wait for the rentvations to the shop, get the new roaster installed & working , & then I can collect my payment , , but he hasnt given me a script yet so I have nothing to worry about, untill I get it on tape, , I will be looking for the right music for the background , , so Vintage 50's rock, "Peanut butter", or "I like bread & butter"or even a ole blue eyes recording of the coffee song , "they got a lot of coffee in Brazil ", I have no idea what I might find when I start looking through the arcives , I might find one of my old banjo recordings hahahaha , back in the day when I was MCing a few Blues acts in the area I would strap on the old tenor banjo, & threaten to play it if they didnt tip the waitress & cheer for the band , "Alabama jubalee"is not the right song for this crowd of blues lovers .......... the shop has been super SLOW this past week, I didnt get paid , thats how slow it is , i went through 4 pots of coffee on friday, the place was full but everyone just bought A single cigar & smoked it & left, the place was full all night but the sales were so far down I dont know what to do, if it keeps up like this i will need to cut out the help & put in more hours my self, & I dont want to do that , I want to get more help & work less hours ( for the same amount of pay hahahaha ) but dammmmm when there isnt enough cash to pay me , how do I pay some one else? , yes we will ship, but I cant compete with the big on line places , they buy a truck load at a time , I get a few boxes here & there , they all give freebees & I have to pay for them ,,,, well the idea of opening up was never to go head to head with the mail order guys, I just give you a place to smoke relax sip a little coffee & BYOB , just like being at home with out your wife yelling about the cigar smoke , & so far its been working out OK, but about last August the sales went down & have stayed down, , we still get a nice crowd on Friday nights as soon as HS football is over , but the rest of the week is getting thinner & thinner , anyone out there want to make a BIG cash infusion for a small % of the bottom line ? hahahahaha The boys are with there father this weekend so nothing to report with them, I was going to take one to a Paino concert but I went home early last wed. & slept a few extra hours, sore all over, joints creeking mussels stiff & sore dammmm if i would have known I was going to live this long I might have taken better care of this body & not worn it out so fast ! haha! I have some bonless pork cuttlets that will be heading to the stew pot soon, a little onion, garlic, carrots ,celery & tomato , some brown rice & a little stock ,white wine , a bay leaf, & who knows what ever else fall out of the pantry , I think I will even make a little whole grain bread as i will have the oven on , should be ready about 4 PM if your in the area stop in for a bite ........ right now I will be heading out to the Qtr.deck & turn on the heat , come back in start the pork & get chummy with the boss for a few minutes or untill the chill is gone from the Qtr.deck, & she tells me for the last time to let her alone so she can read the Sunday paper hahahahah ahhh yes wedded bliss hahaha, we did go to the movie yesterday saw the movie with Steve Martin,Meryell Streep & Alec Baldwin , called "It's Complicated ", Funny in parts slow in others , nothing to win any awards but it did kill a saturday afternoon , then we went to applebees for a disapointing supper , as it always is at applebees, mass production food, No SOUL, NO LOVE , just average at best , no smoking , lots of little kids loud sports on all the TV's & all on different stations, hard to have a conversation with the wife , hahaha Yea just what I want to do hahahaha , last time I was there I said never again, well looks like I went back, & said NEVER AGAIN , AGAIN ! , I waited for a refill on my coffee for 10 minuts, , I ordered a cup of chili & it never showed up, till desert was almost over , I told the server no thanks but it was on the bill, , NO way will I go back , untill the boss wants to go again hahahaha I have a Camacho trippple maduro set out for this afternoon , right now the Don Carlos #3 is calling me , & I have a candella robusto thats been sitting in the humidor a few days , a gift from a Buddy who just came back from Tampa , its been a long time since I had a candella wrapper, so it might get fired up before the Camacho , yea probably will, might even go before the #3 , Hummmm maybe , depends on my mind set when i get to the Qtr.deck & what I pour to go with the coffee hahahahaha Enjoy, Vince

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Please pass the gravy, GO NAVY

Enjoy, Vince

GGGOOOOOD MorMOR MORNING, BURRRRRRRRRR its Cold here in da Burgh Minus 5 last night, the last day of Jan. for 2010, we have a blanket of white all over the place, & last nights Full Moon was spectular on the snow, reminded me of Christmas's past & the poem "'Twise the night before Christmas", you know the one I am talking about , , well it was a Photo worthy evening even if it did freeze the balls off of the brass monkey , we did get a cigar ride in , be it short, last night was a Graycliff corona & a cup of Charbuck$ finest decafe, now theres an oxie-moron ! hahaha ( if I need to explane that one, send a note attached to the back of a nice new 20 dollar bill & a return post paid envelope for the explination ) well if its Sunday it must be Beef for the Boss yep she wants pot roast again, , dammmm getting her out of that rut is harder than I thought it would be , yea for a few weeks it was working but we are right back to the sunday beef , so what ever she wants she gets , its SOOO much easyer that way !!!! breakfast this morning was a bacon & chedder omlet with a few slices of hot house tomato & a great slab of fruit & nut bread, , , almost like a fruitcake but the same stuff in a heavy whole wheat bread dough , with out the rum & brandy of the fruit cake , LOTS OF FIBER in this bad boy , hahahah & I need the fiber hahahahaha , I think I might go on a sawdust diet to get things moving hahahahaha , dammmm its tuff getting OLD , didnt get a chance to interact with the grandsons this week, & dammmm I do miss it , but with the cold & lack of time we just didnt get any PLAY TIME with after school activitys & me going to the shop & there mother having issues with me taking them out in the sub freezing to go sled riding , after dark,,, well it just didnt happen .. I pulled the cork on a Laphroaig Qtr.Cask , dammmm its Great, so much smoke in the glass, it was briney , & went so well with the Camacho trippple maduro I had to have an other !!!!! , & that reminds me I need to stock up on cigars here at home , the count is way down , I havent made a MAJOR restocking of the home bound humidor in a few years now & it is looking shabby, I counted 4 empty humidors & a few almost empty ones , I need stock in the shop, sales are way off from last year ( about 60% off from the year before last ) & thats a real ball buster .... but I have smoked through my stash & need to replace it asap, they need time to rest before they step up to the cutter & lighter, speaking of stepping up, I was tuned in to Cigar Dave last night , & dammm he realy ticked me off , going on & on about forgetting his cell phone, dammm let go , you dont need to have an umbilical cord between you & your phone, dammm I grew up with a party line phone in the living room, ,, & my parents grew up with out a phone, yea classmates of Alexander Gramm BELL hahahaha , so in 2 generations we have grown to NEED to be connected, dammm I havent even got my FIRST cell phone , & my grandsons are on there second or third, one of them has a phone that will surf the web, he never needs to use the computer at all he carries it with him every where, has a phone & camera to record everything , dammm to me that OVERLOAD, , gone are the days of hauling arround the Nikon SLR & cassette recorder hahahahaha , now its all in the shirt pocket , I thought about it but the dammm phone screen is to small , but this new I pad, well if it had a phone in it , well maybe, it is big enough to read , but a phone that big , I dont know, but if I ever do break down & get a cell phone it will be like the communicators on the ORGINAL StarTrec , or maybe a pen like the man from Uncle had , I dont think many of you young people remember the man from uncle , but trust me it was a great show for its time , ahhhh yes the 1960's ,,,, seams just like yesterday , & speaking of yeasterday I saw a BONANZA , rerun , Pa, adam, hoss & little joe, the adds were for the new Chevy Impala , dammmm it brought back some great memeroies of my buddys Impala & the BIG back seat , & pantys hanging from the rear view mirror ....... OH to be young again, , Now I need a big bed , couch or even floor & a warm shower after hahahaha , that stuff in the car well I guess it might be OK in a pinch, but dammmm I didnt climb to the top of the food chain to eat rice & veggies the rest of my life, so why should I denie my self the comforts of a hotel or even my home , the sex in the car thing is for the kids & when you feel like a kid hahahaha lately I havent felt like a kid , dammmm , BUT I still think like one hahahaha with the cold smap we have been having I am passing on the Qtr.Deck today, , I will be heading to the shop for a Sunday afternnon smoke as soon as I get the beef in the hot box This morning first pot was a new one from Hallowed grounds in New Brighton Pa , a coffee med.dark roasted from High in the mountains called Panama Red , verry nice cup, a some what natual sweetness to it that is rather enjoyable , it went well with the eggs, but I have the kona in the press pot & will be brewing it asap, & the cigar will be the STANDARD of Sunday Morning , A DON CARLOS #3, still looking for a replacement but so far the search is still in full swing.........Thought I might have found a replacement for it , but the supply line of the ISOM Partigas series D #4 is kind of fragel & not to mention expencive, & the Cigar of the year the Padron @ 28 buks retail is just way to far out of sight to make that an every day starting smoke , well if I hit the lottery for 100 Millon I might think about that one hahhahaha looks like its time for me to get the beef ready , get some pants & a shirt on & fire up the DC # 3 , Enjoy, Vince

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Please pass the gravy, GO NAVY

Enjoy, Vince

Good morning , it is Sunday 7 Feb.2010 ( Super Bowl Sunday ) the Sunday AFTER the 4th largest snow fall in history here in da Burgh , I stuck the yard stick & there were 27 inces of snow but I had a snow drift as high as my head , there was over 32 inches on the top of my car, , but a lot of that was wind blown, we went out just after noon with broom & shovel in hand it was 26F according to the national weather broadcasts on the noaa radio network @ 162.550 mh on the weather alert radio we have ... well they were calling for 6 to 10 inches , I say they were off just a weeee bit hahahahawell we took a brake at 3 & again at 5 & didnt get finished till 7:30 THERE IS A TON OF SNOW HERE. , went to sleep fast , slept soundly all night & at 6AM the call of nature woke me , time to Pee , dammmmmmm I was comfortable & warm, BUT I had to get up & that when it hit me, dammmmmmm the only thing that isnt hurting is my hair , it pains me to lift a coffee cup this morning & we have an other storm heading here tue. & wend., with an other 3 to 5 inches called for , damm I have no idea where we will put it , the pile of snow is over my head arround the drive way , the walk way to the Qtr.Deck is clear as we used it as a warming station yeasterday when we were cleaning out the mess mother nature left us , & I did have a nice cigar or 2 when we were finished, I poured my self a POT of coffee & a weeee dram of my hooch that was distilled last week, , thursday if I recall hahahaha , so I sat in the Qtr.Deck, listened to NPR for the new from Lake Wobegone & when it was over I tuned in Cigar Dave on a station out of Youngstown Ohio , , long ashes to you general... well as I was enjoying a Maduro Hemmingway classic , taking stock of all the streched mussels & tendons , I was hoping for a good night sleep & a good day today, well I got the good sleep, but dammmmm I HURT BIG TIME today , I am way to old to be doing this stuff, & Barb isnt in any better place in her old age than I am , no kids in the area who want to make a buck anymore, they sit on the couch & play x box , the grandsons were with there dad, so I didnt get to use child labor this snow fall dammmm , hey ...... 12 & 14 now, big enough to help, & earn a few bucks we didnt get the shop open till 5 Pm saturday , there was so much snow no one was out & about, side walks were covered, the parking lot needed plowed & no one was out anyhow , but when I called in last night there were 5 guys stitting & smoking , but sales were still slow, damm guys keep bringing there own , , I gotta figure out a way to stop it , , I understand if the cigar you like is something I dont have on the shelf, like Davidoff or God Of Fire , but if your smoke is an excaliber , damm I have them, , so you get them on line, well smoke them on line , I have a monthly nut to crack, lights heat water cable tv & nice leather chairs to pay for not to mention FREE COFFEE , , BUY something even if you dont smoke it now, I dont want to be a *** but dammmm I dont want to close the doors , & then both of us will be unhappy, so SPEND a buck or 2 at your local B&M shops ..... I will be making chicken & rice today, , forgot to get the hunk of beef out of the freezer & the chicken will defrost fast & be in the oven before the hunk of beef would be defrosted ........ I was in a chicken mood anyway, I had thought about frying, but thats to much work, brown it , put it in the oven to finish, a little rice & bingo , its DONE , I will be heading out to the Qtr.deck soon to turn on the heat there is a Don Carlos #3 & pot of kona calling my name , BUT first I want to get in the shower, & drain all 75 gallons of hot water from the tank & loosen up all the tight joints sore gluts & stiff knees , from the top of my head to the soles of my feet the only thing that isnt hurting is my hair hahahahaha , I think that retirement appartment is looking better & better all the time , no grass to cut, no snow to move , BUT no room to smoke , well theres always the drive to the shop, but I like a little nip & a nap at times & want to be at home for the nap hahahahaha , I wonder if I could just move the Qtr.deck to the roof of the apt.building ? hummmm gotta check in to that ! Super bowl party will start at the shop some time today, as far as I know there might be a few there starting to drink all ready, or they might still be there from last night , getting a BIG jump on the booze, & dont forget the BIG halftime toilet flush, according to some Burocratic in DC more toilets are flushed during half time than any other time in the year, NOW WHO PAID FOR THAT STUDDY ? we sucker s thats who , your BIG Government at work. , we need more people like Ross Perot & Jessie the Governer Ventura , INDEPENDENTS , not party hacks , well before I get off on that ball of wax , I better get this BS posted, not that anyone ever reads this BS or has much to comment but for a few people who do , I need the therapy of expounding my week, it is a good way to share the trials & tribulations of life in a small town with only one cigar shop & not enough customers ..... I was thinking of installing a shoe shine chair, I used to slap a mean rag when i was in the Navy , BUT no one wheres shoes that need a shine anymore, nikes just dont need polished !! Enjoy, Vince

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Please pass the gravy, GO NAVY

Enjoy, Vince

Morning Vince.

Thats a sore spot with me too. I've got no issue with buying online but we need to support our local shops or they won't be there. More and more shops I'm going to are requiring you to purchase something to smoke there. I've also been into a few shops with signs that say something to the affect of "If you didn't buy it here, you can't smoke it here."

I ALWAYS buy something when I go to my local B&M. There have been many times that I smoked something I brought with me but I picked up a stick or two. A lot of times I'll bring one with me and I'll buy one. I tend to smoke two everytime I make it up there.

Vince I've been reading your posts ever since I have become a member. I look forward to reading it every week either when I first get up on Sunday or when I get home, depending on my work schedule. Just so you there are 325 posts in this thread and 32,156 or so views right now......people are reading and ejoying your posts. Hang in there with the shop, I'm sure things are going to turn around soon for you. Next time I'm out that way I'm going to stop by.

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Hayblet:

May the Beard's shade provide you with a hiding spot.

MOW Special Forces Badge w/Ranger tab 09/04/10

www.smoketherevolution.com

Hey Vince I started here last year and I read your posts.

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I am the rocks of eternal shore: Crash against me and be broken!~ En Sabah Nur

How can somebody walk into a B&M and smoke a cigar they didn't buy there? That should be rule #1!! Kick em out, you'd be saving money. Or, if you are too nice to do that, tell them that they get free coffee with any purchase. If they don't purchase anything, they have to pay a buck a cup. I think I'm more upset than you and it's not even my business.

undulac:

How can somebody walk into a B&M and smoke a cigar they didn't buy there? That should be rule #1!! Kick em out, you'd be saving money. Or, if you are too nice to do that, tell them that they get free coffee with any purchase. If they don't purchase anything, they have to pay a buck a cup. I think I'm more upset than you and it's not even my business.

The coffee thing is a great idea! And vince, I look forward to hearin what's happenin in da burgh all week!

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Alex the unabomber and recipient of the MoW Special Forces Badge

doromath:

Some folks bomb your humidor: Alex bombs your mind.

I have been roasting & brewing coffee since we opened, I feel like a stooge when I get taken advantage of but a buck for unlimited coffee a day isnt a bad idea, should have thought about that one my self,& a corking fee for the booze is also a good idea, but when i am not there no one will collect it ??

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Please pass the gravy, GO NAVY

Enjoy, Vince