@Wolf41035 -- Sutliff Barbados Plantation -- It's all I've smoked for the past five weeks, except for an occasional bowl of Mrs. Hudson's. Barbados Plantation is a nice pipe tobacco. The rum flavoring is not overbearing. No bite, and a nice beard freshener. Great room note. Smoked it right out of the tin; only a little on the moist side. No harshness. Mellow throughout the bowl. Overall an enjoyable smoke. Best rum based tobacco I've found. Highly recommended.
@ghostsofpompeii and others -- So many of the below listed Sutliff Private Stock blends have been lost since this list was issued in 2010. It's a tragedy that's only going to get worse.....
Great Outdoors - (Perfect for fans of Field and Stream) It is perhaps ironic that a blend named Great Outdoors should be appreciated for its room note. This outstanding aromatic is a mixture of Burley, Vanilla, and flavored Black Cavendish.
R-Blend - (Perfect for fans of Revelation) This unique blend astounds with its dominant yet still subtle fruity notes. The base is an equally complex mixture of Burley, Virginia, Latakia, Perique and Flake.
BRG Mixture - (Perfect for fans of Briggs) This pleasing blend of Burley and Virginia is as comforting as a good time spent with your best friend.
Navigator - (Perfect for fans of Argossy Black) Chart your course for an adventure in smoking pleasure with this mild all Black Vanilla flavored blend.
Maple Street - (Perfect for fans of Mapleton) A fantastic blend of complementary ingredients: Rum and Maple applied to golden Virginia and mellow White Burley.
Sunrise - (Perfect for fans of Early Morning Pipe) The perfect way to start a good morning. This lavish mixture of pressed Virginia Ribbon, Pressed Black Ribbon, Turkish and Latakia is sure to awaken the taste buds.
CD Blend - (Perfect for fans of Country Doctor) This remarkable blend is the cure-all for smoking nostalgia. Burley, Virginia, Latakia, Flake and Perique combine to provide that Old Time flavor.
Man’s Best Friend - (Perfect for fans of Barking Dog) Another American Classic in the English vein. Smooth toasted Burley cubes blended with premium grade Latakia and Lemon Virginia Flake. Cased with a uniquely mild rum top dressing to produce a subtle pleasing flavor and room aroma.
Blend 5 - (Perfect for fans of Dunhill 965) A robust English blend with character. Plenty of Latakia, Pressed Virginia and Burley provide the base.
French Quarter - (Perfect for fans of Bourbon Street) The French Quarter is never boring; nor is this intriguing mixture of Burley, Black Cavendish and Virginia.
Bacchanalia If ever there should be a blend worthy of the Roman God of Wine that blend is Bacchanalia. In consensus among wine connoisseurs and smokers alike, this fine Burley and Virginia blend is worthy of lasting admiration.
Barbados Plantation In terms of quality Barbados Rums unquestionably rank among the world’s best. This superb blend of Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish reflects the Rum itself, sweet, smooth, and rich.
Westminster - (Perfect for fans London Mixture) Could anything be more English than Westminster? Reach the pinnacle of English Blends with this skillfully blended mixture of Latakia, Virginia, and Turkish.
Golden Age - (Perfect for fans of Elizabethan) We can thank the Golden Age of Exploration for introducing the Old World to Perique. Perique lovers everywhere will marvel at this distinctively flavored mixture combined with Turkish, Burley, Black Cavendish, and Virginia.
Top Shelf While age and proof help define a Top Shelf Bourbon, the deciding factor is taste. This extraordinary mixture of Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish is unsurpassed in smoothness and richness.
Bosphorus Cruise Experience the breath-taking beauty of the old Byzantium Strait with this magnificent mixture of Oriental, Latakia, and Red Virginia.
Taste of Summer This delicious mixture of Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish is reminiscent of incredibly juicy, ripe peaches of summers past.
Tabac Noir Exotic best describes this unique Black Cavendish, for it is dark, flavorful, and strikingly unusual.
Balkan Luxury Blend 957 Just as the Balkan Countries are a melting pot, this intriguing blend is an intermingling of Oriental, Perique, Latakia, and Black Cavendish. Experience the rich flavor as each of these fine tobaccos marries into the mix.
Molto Dolce Suffice it to say Molto Dolce is the Cream of the Crop. A rich and creamy texture of Vanilla, Caramel, and Honey is applied to Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish.
This is a list of Sutliff Private Stock Tobaccos in 2010. Consider how many have been lost since then and how many more will disappear soon.
Great Outdoors - (Perfect for fans of Field and Stream) It is perhaps ironic that a blend named Great Outdoors should be appreciated for its room note. This outstanding aromatic is a mixture of Burley, Vanilla, and flavored Black Cavendish.
R-Blend - (Perfect for fans of Revelation) This unique blend astounds with its dominant yet still subtle fruity notes. The base is an equally complex mixture of Burley, Virginia, Latakia, Perique and Flake.
BRG Mixture - (Perfect for fans of Briggs) This pleasing blend of Burley and Virginia is as comforting as a good time spent with your best friend.
Navigator - (Perfect for fans of Argossy Black) Chart your course for an adventure in smoking pleasure with this mild all Black Vanilla flavored blend.
Maple Street - (Perfect for fans of Mapleton) A fantastic blend of complementary ingredients: Rum and Maple applied to golden Virginia and mellow White Burley.
Sunrise - (Perfect for fans of Early Morning Pipe) The perfect way to start a good morning. This lavish mixture of pressed Virginia Ribbon, Pressed Black Ribbon, Turkish and Latakia is sure to awaken the taste buds.
CD Blend - (Perfect for fans of Country Doctor) This remarkable blend is the cure-all for smoking nostalgia. Burley, Virginia, Latakia, Flake and Perique combine to provide that Old Time flavor.
Man’s Best Friend - (Perfect for fans of Barking Dog) Another American Classic in the English vein. Smooth toasted Burley cubes blended with premium grade Latakia and Lemon Virginia Flake. Cased with a uniquely mild rum top dressing to produce a subtle pleasing flavor and room aroma.
Blend 5 - (Perfect for fans of Dunhill 965) A robust English blend with character. Plenty of Latakia, Pressed Virginia and Burley provide the base.
French Quarter - (Perfect for fans of Bourbon Street) The French Quarter is never boring; nor is this intriguing mixture of Burley, Black Cavendish and Virginia.
Bacchanalia I - f ever there should be a blend worthy of the Roman God of Wine that blend is Bacchanalia. In consensus among wine connoisseurs and smokers alike, this fine Burley and Virginia blend is worthy of lasting admiration.
Barbados Plantation -- In terms of quality Barbados Rums unquestionably rank among the world’s best. This superb blend of Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish reflects the Rum itself, sweet, smooth, and rich.
Westminster - (Perfect for fans London Mixture) Could anything be more English than Westminster? Reach the pinnacle of English Blends with this skillfully blended mixture of Latakia, Virginia, and Turkish.
Golden Age - (Perfect for fans of Elizabethan) We can thank the Golden Age of Exploration for introducing the Old World to Perique. Perique lovers everywhere will marvel at this distinctively flavored mixture combined with Turkish, Burley, Black Cavendish, and Virginia.
Top Shelf -- While age and proof help define a Top Shelf Bourbon, the deciding factor is taste. This extraordinary mixture of Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish is unsurpassed in smoothness and richness.
Bosphorus Cruise - Experience the breath-taking beauty of the old Byzantium Strait with this magnificent mixture of Oriental, Latakia, and Red Virginia.
Taste of Summer -- This delicious mixture of Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish is reminiscent of incredibly juicy, ripe peaches of summers past.
Tabac Noir -- Exotic best describes this unique Black Cavendish, for it is dark, flavorful, and strikingly unusual.
Balkan Luxury Blend 957 -- Just as the Balkan Countries are a melting pot, this intriguing blend is an intermingling of Oriental, Perique, Latakia, and Black Cavendish. Experience the rich flavor as each of these fine tobaccos marries into the mix.
Molto Dolce -- Suffice it to say Molto Dolce is the Cream of the Crop. A rich and creamy texture of Vanilla, Caramel, and Honey is applied to Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish.
I'm well into a tin of Barbados Plantation and agree with @motie2 that it really is an enjoyable smoke. I've traditionally not been a fan of rum flavored blends, but this one has considerable appeal. It's a little more moist coming out of the tin than I would like, but it's a nice cut and seems to burn pretty well. I'll probably now add BP to any orders I place with P&C.
Hey guys and gals, I have been smoking a lot of Cigars and just a little pipe tobacco, things have been bad around here, my personal life is really bad, I usually try not to share to much but I think of a lot of you as good pipe smoking friends so I will tell you just a little so you know why I have been in such a bad mood and not on here as much. First off I am Disabled, the Doctors say yep your disabled. Problem is they are all controlled by ONE local Hospital and the Hospital will not allow them to put much in writing so when I filed for Disability back in 2008 because my Doctor and a few specialists told me I could not work full time and I would be lucky to work at all and I should file for SSD (Social Security Disability) I filed but had no help from the Doctors, I had fought this until just last month when I received ANOTHER letter denying me disability because I had no proof I was disabled on the date I filed. Well the Judges (2) said there was no doubt I was and I am disabled but without proof on and before the date I filed they could not give it to me. So I have now filed SSI but still have to prove I am disabled, I just won't get back pay or work credits from back in 2008, I can deal with that even though I paid into the system to protect me in case something like this happened.....I will be happy with an income! I worked hard all my life, when I was in College I worked, when I went to Tech School I worked THREE jobs and went to classes, most of my life I worked two jobs or a job that had a lot of overtime, I did this to get things I wanted and live good. Hard work did pay off at that time but it also killed my body, so in the long run I am not so sure it was all worth it! I have a lot of health issues, some from childhood and some from jobs I worked including military. When I was young I was bit by a tic carrying Rocky Mountain Fever, it stunted my growth, I would have been a midget from the tic bite but I took Growth Hormone shots back in the 70's, I grew from under 4' to almost 6' I was 5'11" when I was 19, I had the original Growth Hormone from dead bodies and then the synthetic Hormone that replaced it (health issues from that?) Had a very hard life growing up short, didn't start growing until I was 15 so imagine being smaller than a first grader going to Elementary school, middle school and part of high school..... ....Anyway when I was still younger (19-20) the woman of my dreams (16 almost 17) was killed in a car accident, her parents denied me to see her in the Hospital before she died and did not tell me where she was going to be buried, I was Heart Broken! She was out with friends while I was working, they flipped the car, she was the only one injured, her head was crushed into her shoulders, I lost part of my life that night! Never really found a woman after her although I have dated several, just never worked out, the one I thought was a possible good one cheated more than once, I have a daughter with her but we could never stay together (she married and ended up divorced) She even admitted she was wrong and had a lot of personal issues. I had custody of my daughter for a while because her mom got into drugs and was not a good mother at that time. her mother tried to keep me from finding out I had a daughter, we broke up before I knew she was pregnant, she told everyone it was the guy she was dating child, I found out after my daughter was born (over a month) right then and there I started paying child support, paid for DNA test and all court costs, I paid for the lawyer and started seeing my child! I have always been there for my girl! As some of you may know I am a Husky lover, I like all Spitz breed dogs buy Huskies are my favorite, I have....Had two, last night or early this morning I lost my Husky female, buried her just about an hour ago, she was a great dog she will be missed....so you see that is a VERY SMALL portion of things going on in my life.....Very Small portion....So when I was upset last week, it had nothing to do with the site or anyone here, I just needed a vent just like me typing this now.....I hope you guys will understand and forgive me if I upset any of you. I will try to get back in here the first of November and hopefully I will be in a better mood! I am filing for SSI today, it will be a couple weeks before I officially am filed for it and not sure how long it will take and how hard this is going to be, if all things go well I should know something by the last of October or the first of November and be in a better mood and start moving forward!!
Until you walk in another persons shoes do not judge them people....I know I don't have it as bad as some but my life has been Hell almost all my life, a few times I tried to give up and still think I would be better off gone at times but I always remember things eventually have to get better and I wouldn't want to miss a day of my daughters life!!
@Wolf41035 -- Not that it is much comfort, but we're all gonna keep a good thought for you.
...and a small prayer:
The paths of our lives are filled with peaks and valleys. When we are on the top of our peaks, we become so self satisfied that we tend to ignore the things of importance. When we are in a valley, we feel a sense of abandon and again can focus only on what is directly ahead. Remind us, Lord, as You do in nature, that above the tree line the mountain-tops are barren and only in the valleys can we find the opportunity for true growth. Amen.
@Wolf41035 I am SO sorry to hear of your plight......I wish I could do something for you besides just praying.
I have also worked extremely hard all my life and I have to continue to do so at the age of 69. I have no pension, I have Social Security and a pittance of a veterans Benefit which I spent years and years getting. Big deal, I got hearing aids and $130 a month for tinnitus but they won't give me another 10% for hearing loss.....yet they give me hearing aids and all the Audiologists that have seen me said I have "significant hearing loss". The VA is just a typical government bureaucracy.
I still have to work hard just to pay my bills, and just like when my wife and I started out, and I began my career, we stress over money constantly.
At the risk of perhaps pissing some people off ( perhaps you as well although I don't think so) look to God. He cannot and will not (I don't think) drop a pallet of money on your lawn, but he will pick you up mentally and spiritually so long as you trust in him and open a line of conversation.
Never give up. Volunteer somewhere to really feel your true value of life. You will see people who may be worse off than you but maintain their attitude and still add value to us all. All the churches in my area have various groups that you can join, some are luncheon and social groups that you might enjoy. Just DO NOT give up
I might suggest you contact an attorney who specializes in SSI and other benefits. Several firms do pro bono work, contact your local American Legion or VFW to get the names of qualified Veterans' Advocates who could look into any VA benefits that might be available to you. Do not shut down no matter the urge to do so. Extend your hand for help whether it be for tangible or intangible things, And, discuss these issues here even though this is a pipe smoking forum, I am sure everyone would like to extend their thoughts and prayers to you.
I apologize to all for hijacking this thread to a degree, but our friend needs our support.
After my back surgery it didn't look like I was going to make a full recovery, making it impossible to get my old Milwright job back at US Steel. They don't want employees with a restriction. So it was looking more and more like I was going to have to accept the fact that I was disable and get on SSI. When I went to the Social Security Office to apply for disability - walking on two canes at the time - I was told that just because I couldn't work at my old job didn't mean I was disabled. The lady looked me in the eye and said, "If you can flip burgers you can work".
That set a fire under me and I worked twice as hard at my rehabilitation. Before long I was walking with one cane. Then none - but I still kept one with me for balance should I need it. I then began running uphill on sand and climbing up and down a ladder. Climbing a ladder is something the doctors told me I could never do again because of the permanent nerve damage in my foot. The doctor would bang on the back of my foot with his little hammer but there was no reflex action. I had something called drop foot. Eventually I was able to function like a normal person. Let me rephrase that ... a person in constant pain. But I was able to get my old job back for a time, then because I was a good employee for over 20 years and developed a good relationships with management, when a position in the office opened up they trained me for the job allowing me to get out of the shop and into an office job, where I eventually finished the remainder of my career and got a pension after 35 years. But the last 10 or 15 years was a constant struggle and the extent of the original injuries worsened with age. I'm now in bad shape once again ... but remain as tenacious as before and refuse to give into the pain. That tenaciousness got me back on my feet - but also broke down my body to the point I don't think it's repairable.
I guess if there is a moral to this it's that because the woman treated me like an free-loading lazy-ass looking for a hand-out I became so angry and tenacious that I worked doubly hard during my physical therapy sessions and pushed myself into doing things the doctors told me I was no longer capable of doing safely. At that point in my life I became a stubborn bastard and wanted to prove everyone wrong and show them I could. And eventually I did - but at a price. Yet it did get me the extra years I needed to qualify for a full 30+ year pension. Something I would not have gotten had I never returned to work and was eventually accepted for SSI. And if I did get disability I might have followed the doctor's instruction to the letter and not done the things that ended up getting me back up on my feet and moving around. I may very well have ended up like one of those characters you see on TV laying in bed weighing 600 pounds, eating junk food and watching TV 24/7.
@motie I'm slowly discovering that just as you've taking a genuine liking to Barbados Plantation, the more I smoke East India Trading Company "Officer's Club" the more I'd be willing to declare it my desert island blend should I ever be forced into only smoking one blend.
@ghostsofpompeii -- I hear ya, brother. I really wanted to like Officer's Club, but it just wasn't my cup of tea (-10 pts. for terrible analogy). I'm glad you've found your desert island blend.....
Ghost, I have had the 3 tins of the Hansotia blends sitting in my office for about 4 months now. I hear GREAT things about the "Officers Club", but having been enlisted, not granted "officer and gentlemen" status, I have so far shied away. I will overstep my bounds shortly and take a bowlful for a test drive only being enlisted or not. I have been having so much fun with my tobaccos, buying, testing, blending, etc. that I just have not yet gotten around to opening the tin. But I will, and I will report my humble opinion.
Smoked a bowl of Peterson's Holiday Blend 2015 today. Been conserving this wonderful blend. Just LOVE it. Much, much better than the 2016 version - IMO.
Hey buddy.....leafing through the latest P&C "catalog" I saw something that just screamed your name. I know you like the Carey pipes, but Peterson has a nice little number called the "Barbados" that looks real sweet, and under $90. I had visions of you smoking your favorite Barbados Plantation in a Barbados pipe. I had to take a minute here to give you a heads up.......
Well, @pwkarch, bless you for trying, but I have never -- in either of my pipe lives -- spent more than $20.00 (plus shipping) for any of my pipes. Two were from my first pipe life, back in the day, purchased at retail; six are used, won at auction on eBay, and one (that I did not buy.... a gift from a dear friend, and probably expensive, is a Charatan. All the rest are Carey's. I loves me my Barbados Plantation, and I would probably enjoy the Petersen Barbados pipe (I noticed it in the catalog, too!), but it's waaaaay out of my league. But again, thanks for thinking of me.... very kind, Sir.
@Corey562 - Yes, indeed you should try Barbados Plantation.
OK my good friend.....at some point soon life owes me a tangible windfall (already blessed me with all the intangible things I could wish for)......and when it does, I am going to buy that for you.I might even bring it to you.
BTW, I too never spend much on my pipes. Just like a decent Scotch. I am SURE, having experimented "several" times (Alter Ego typing here, who does he think he is kidding?) over many years that a scotch from a $300 bottle is NOT exponentially better than a bottle of Dewars or even, dare I say it, Cutty Sark. Same thing with pipes, I see some for many hundreds and even over $1000.00 and up from there. Can anyone convince me that a $1,000.00 pipe provides a smoke 143 times better than one of my Corn Cobs at about $7.00? And if it is for collectible reasons, save that 'frivolous" excessive money and donate it for Karma Points.
My pipes are either gifts, estate pipes fixed up, or my wonderful Corn Cobs. And I am a happy guy......
Still not back for good and still not feeling that good but darn it I miss you guys so here goes....Although I have been smoking a lot of Cigars and drinking a heck of a lot of Rum, Bourbon, Whiskey and still Brews I still pick up my pipe every so often, last I smoked was some Villager 1888 Early Day, Mid-Day and Late Night I have also had a little W.O. Larsen Signature. I would like to say thanks to all of you who read and replied to my comment above, going to dig in and try to go day by day and see if things get better. As for smoking anything today or the next few days.....I don't see that happening, it is COLD outside and I do not smoke in the House or Garage, thinking about building a small smoking shed with heat!
Comments
Great Outdoors - (Perfect for fans of Field and Stream)
It is perhaps ironic that a blend named Great Outdoors should be appreciated for its room note. This outstanding aromatic is a mixture of Burley, Vanilla, and flavored Black Cavendish.
R-Blend - (Perfect for fans of Revelation)
This unique blend astounds with its dominant yet still subtle fruity notes. The base is an equally complex mixture of Burley, Virginia, Latakia, Perique and Flake.
BRG Mixture - (Perfect for fans of Briggs)
This pleasing blend of Burley and Virginia is as comforting as a good time spent with your best friend.
Navigator - (Perfect for fans of Argossy Black)
Chart your course for an adventure in smoking pleasure with this mild all Black Vanilla flavored blend.
Maple Street - (Perfect for fans of Mapleton)
A fantastic blend of complementary ingredients: Rum and Maple applied to golden Virginia and mellow White Burley.
Sunrise - (Perfect for fans of Early Morning Pipe)
The perfect way to start a good morning. This lavish mixture of pressed Virginia Ribbon, Pressed Black Ribbon, Turkish and Latakia is sure to awaken the taste buds.
CD Blend - (Perfect for fans of Country Doctor)
This remarkable blend is the cure-all for smoking nostalgia. Burley, Virginia, Latakia, Flake and Perique combine to provide that Old Time flavor.
Man’s Best Friend - (Perfect for fans of Barking Dog)
Another American Classic in the English vein. Smooth toasted Burley cubes blended with premium grade Latakia and Lemon Virginia Flake. Cased with a uniquely mild rum top dressing to produce a subtle pleasing flavor and room aroma.
Blend 5 - (Perfect for fans of Dunhill 965)
A robust English blend with character. Plenty of Latakia, Pressed Virginia and Burley provide the base.
French Quarter - (Perfect for fans of Bourbon Street)
The French Quarter is never boring; nor is this intriguing mixture of Burley, Black Cavendish and Virginia.
Bacchanalia
If ever there should be a blend worthy of the Roman God of Wine that blend is Bacchanalia. In consensus among wine connoisseurs and smokers alike, this fine Burley and Virginia blend is worthy of lasting admiration.
Barbados Plantation
In terms of quality Barbados Rums unquestionably rank among the world’s best. This superb blend of Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish reflects the Rum itself, sweet, smooth, and rich.
Westminster - (Perfect for fans London Mixture)
Could anything be more English than Westminster? Reach the pinnacle of English Blends with this skillfully blended mixture of Latakia, Virginia, and Turkish.
Golden Age - (Perfect for fans of Elizabethan)
We can thank the Golden Age of Exploration for introducing the Old World to Perique. Perique lovers everywhere will marvel at this distinctively flavored mixture combined with Turkish, Burley, Black Cavendish, and Virginia.
Top Shelf
While age and proof help define a Top Shelf Bourbon, the deciding factor is taste. This extraordinary mixture of Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish is unsurpassed in smoothness and richness.
Bosphorus Cruise
Experience the breath-taking beauty of the old Byzantium Strait with this magnificent mixture of Oriental, Latakia, and Red Virginia.
Taste of Summer
This delicious mixture of Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish is reminiscent of incredibly juicy, ripe peaches of summers past.
Tabac Noir
Exotic best describes this unique Black Cavendish, for it is dark, flavorful, and strikingly unusual.
Balkan Luxury Blend 957
Just as the Balkan Countries are a melting pot, this intriguing blend is an intermingling of Oriental, Perique, Latakia, and Black Cavendish. Experience the rich flavor as each of these fine tobaccos marries into the mix.
Molto Dolce
Suffice it to say Molto Dolce is the Cream of the Crop. A rich and creamy texture of Vanilla, Caramel, and Honey is applied to Burley, Virginia, and Black Cavendish.
@ghostsofpompeii -- That's two.... I have had a great BP vision......
Just moments ago I posted a review of Barbados Plantation in the Tobacco Review section......I agree with you both
First off I am Disabled, the Doctors say yep your disabled. Problem is they are all controlled by ONE local Hospital and the Hospital will not allow them to put much in writing so when I filed for Disability back in 2008 because my Doctor and a few specialists told me I could not work full time and I would be lucky to work at all and I should file for SSD (Social Security Disability) I filed but had no help from the Doctors, I had fought this until just last month when I received ANOTHER letter denying me disability because I had no proof I was disabled on the date I filed.
Well the Judges (2) said there was no doubt I was and I am disabled but without proof on and before the date I filed they could not give it to me.
So I have now filed SSI but still have to prove I am disabled, I just won't get back pay or work credits from back in 2008, I can deal with that even though I paid into the system to protect me in case something like this happened.....I will be happy with an income! I worked hard all my life, when I was in College I worked, when I went to Tech School I worked THREE jobs and went to classes, most of my life I worked two jobs or a job that had a lot of overtime, I did this to get things I wanted and live good. Hard work did pay off at that time but it also killed my body, so in the long run I am not so sure it was all worth it!
I have a lot of health issues, some from childhood and some from jobs I worked including military.
When I was young I was bit by a tic carrying Rocky Mountain Fever, it stunted my growth, I would have been a midget from the tic bite but I took Growth Hormone shots back in the 70's, I grew from under 4' to almost 6' I was 5'11" when I was 19, I had the original Growth Hormone from dead bodies and then the synthetic Hormone that replaced it (health issues from that?) Had a very hard life growing up short, didn't start growing until I was 15 so imagine being smaller than a first grader going to Elementary school, middle school and part of high school.....
....Anyway when I was still younger (19-20) the woman of my dreams (16 almost 17) was killed in a car accident, her parents denied me to see her in the Hospital before she died and did not tell me where she was going to be buried, I was Heart Broken! She was out with friends while I was working, they flipped the car, she was the only one injured, her head was crushed into her shoulders, I lost part of my life that night!
Never really found a woman after her although I have dated several, just never worked out, the one I thought was a possible good one cheated more than once, I have a daughter with her but we could never stay together (she married and ended up divorced) She even admitted she was wrong and had a lot of personal issues. I had custody of my daughter for a while because her mom got into drugs and was not a good mother at that time. her mother tried to keep me from finding out I had a daughter, we broke up before I knew she was pregnant, she told everyone it was the guy she was dating child, I found out after my daughter was born (over a month) right then and there I started paying child support, paid for DNA test and all court costs, I paid for the lawyer and started seeing my child! I have always been there for my girl!
As some of you may know I am a Husky lover, I like all Spitz breed dogs buy Huskies are my favorite, I have....Had two, last night or early this morning I lost my Husky female, buried her just about an hour ago, she was a great dog she will be missed....so you see that is a VERY SMALL portion of things going on in my life.....Very Small portion....So when I was upset last week, it had nothing to do with the site or anyone here, I just needed a vent just like me typing this now.....I hope you guys will understand and forgive me if I upset any of you.
I will try to get back in here the first of November and hopefully I will be in a better mood!
I am filing for SSI today, it will be a couple weeks before I officially am filed for it and not sure how long it will take and how hard this is going to be, if all things go well I should know something by the last of October or the first of November and be in a better mood and start moving forward!!
Until you walk in another persons shoes do not judge them people....I know I don't have it as bad as some but my life has been Hell almost all my life, a few times I tried to give up and still think I would be better off gone at times but I always remember things eventually have to get better and I wouldn't want to miss a day of my daughters life!!
...and a small prayer:
The paths of our lives are filled with peaks and valleys. When we are on the top of our peaks, we become so self satisfied that we tend to ignore the things of importance. When we are in a valley, we feel a sense of abandon and again can focus only on what is directly ahead. Remind us, Lord, as You do in nature, that above the tree line the mountain-tops are barren and only in the valleys can we find the opportunity for true growth. Amen.
I am SO sorry to hear of your plight......I wish I could do something for you besides just praying.
I have also worked extremely hard all my life and I have to continue to do so at the age of 69. I have no pension, I have Social Security and a pittance of a veterans Benefit which I spent years and years getting. Big deal, I got hearing aids and $130 a month for tinnitus but they won't give me another 10% for hearing loss.....yet they give me hearing aids and all the Audiologists that have seen me said I have "significant hearing loss". The VA is just a typical government bureaucracy.
I still have to work hard just to pay my bills, and just like when my wife and I started out, and I began my career, we stress over money constantly.
At the risk of perhaps pissing some people off ( perhaps you as well although I don't think so) look to God. He cannot and will not (I don't think) drop a pallet of money on your lawn, but he will pick you up mentally and spiritually so long as you trust in him and open a line of conversation.
Never give up. Volunteer somewhere to really feel your true value of life. You will see people who may be worse off than you but maintain their attitude and still add value to us all. All the churches in my area have various groups that you can join, some are luncheon and social groups that you might enjoy. Just DO NOT give up
I might suggest you contact an attorney who specializes in SSI and other benefits. Several firms do pro bono work, contact your local American Legion or VFW to get the names of qualified Veterans' Advocates who could look into any VA benefits that might be available to you. Do not shut down no matter the urge to do so. Extend your hand for help whether it be for tangible or intangible things, And, discuss these issues here even though this is a pipe smoking forum, I am sure everyone would like to extend their thoughts and prayers to you.
I apologize to all for hijacking this thread to a degree, but our friend needs our support.
After my back surgery it didn't look like I was going to make a full recovery, making it impossible to get my old Milwright job back at US Steel. They don't want employees with a restriction. So it was looking more and more like I was going to have to accept the fact that I was disable and get on SSI. When I went to the Social Security Office to apply for disability - walking on two canes at the time - I was told that just because I couldn't work at my old job didn't mean I was disabled. The lady looked me in the eye and said, "If you can flip burgers you can work".
That set a fire under me and I worked twice as hard at my rehabilitation. Before long I was walking with one cane. Then none - but I still kept one with me for balance should I need it. I then began running uphill on sand and climbing up and down a ladder. Climbing a ladder is something the doctors told me I could never do again because of the permanent nerve damage in my foot. The doctor would bang on the back of my foot with his little hammer but there was no reflex action. I had something called drop foot. Eventually I was able to function like a normal person. Let me rephrase that ... a person in constant pain. But I was able to get my old job back for a time, then because I was a good employee for over 20 years and developed a good relationships with management, when a position in the office opened up they trained me for the job allowing me to get out of the shop and into an office job, where I eventually finished the remainder of my career and got a pension after 35 years. But the last 10 or 15 years was a constant struggle and the extent of the original injuries worsened with age. I'm now in bad shape once again ... but remain as tenacious as before and refuse to give into the pain. That tenaciousness got me back on my feet - but also broke down my body to the point I don't think it's repairable.
I guess if there is a moral to this it's that because the woman treated me like an free-loading lazy-ass looking for a hand-out I became so angry and tenacious that I worked doubly hard during my physical therapy sessions and pushed myself into doing things the doctors told me I was no longer capable of doing safely. At that point in my life I became a stubborn bastard and wanted to prove everyone wrong and show them I could. And eventually I did - but at a price. Yet it did get me the extra years I needed to qualify for a full 30+ year pension. Something I would not have gotten had I never returned to work and was eventually accepted for SSI. And if I did get disability I might have followed the doctor's instruction to the letter and not done the things that ended up getting me back up on my feet and moving around. I may very well have ended up like one of those characters you see on TV laying in bed weighing 600 pounds, eating junk food and watching TV 24/7.
I'm glad you've found your desert island blend.....
Ghost, I have had the 3 tins of the Hansotia blends sitting in my office for about 4 months now. I hear GREAT things about the "Officers Club", but having been enlisted, not granted "officer and gentlemen" status, I have so far shied away. I will overstep my bounds shortly and take a bowlful for a test drive only being enlisted or not. I have been having so much fun with my tobaccos, buying, testing, blending, etc. that I just have not yet gotten around to opening the tin. But I will, and I will report my humble opinion.
Hey buddy.....leafing through the latest P&C "catalog" I saw something that just screamed your name. I know you like the Carey pipes, but Peterson has a nice little number called the "Barbados" that looks real sweet, and under $90. I had visions of you smoking your favorite Barbados Plantation in a Barbados pipe. I had to take a minute here to give you a heads up.......
@Corey562 - Yes, indeed you should try Barbados Plantation.
OK my good friend.....at some point soon life owes me a tangible windfall (already blessed me with all the intangible things I could wish for)......and when it does, I am going to buy that for you.I might even bring it to you.
BTW, I too never spend much on my pipes. Just like a decent Scotch. I am SURE, having experimented "several" times (Alter Ego typing here, who does he think he is kidding?) over many years that a scotch from a $300 bottle is NOT exponentially better than a bottle of Dewars or even, dare I say it, Cutty Sark. Same thing with pipes, I see some for many hundreds and even over $1000.00 and up from there. Can anyone convince me that a $1,000.00 pipe provides a smoke 143 times better than one of my Corn Cobs at about $7.00? And if it is for collectible reasons, save that 'frivolous" excessive money and donate it for Karma Points.
My pipes are either gifts, estate pipes fixed up, or my wonderful Corn Cobs. And I am a happy guy......
Yeah, but not so much everything else........
I would like to say thanks to all of you who read and replied to my comment above, going to dig in and try to go day by day and see if things get better.
As for smoking anything today or the next few days.....I don't see that happening, it is COLD outside and I do not smoke in the House or Garage, thinking about building a small smoking shed with heat!
Hang in there buddy.....we need you here.