Time For Some Serious Smoking Of My Bulk Blends
ghostsofpompeii
Master
Once I discovered the Pipe Smoking Community on YouTube about two years ago, I went from being a normal pipe smoker to a full fledged pipe enthusiast. Before then I tended to smoke one or two readily available brands - either an OTC like Captain Black or one of the house blends from The Tinder Box. And for the most part was perfectly satisfied. I'd liken it to eating a hamburger from Burger King or Wendy's. The burger satisfied my craving for some kind of meat, and I walked away with a full belly. But once I discovered the Pipe Smoking Community and started trying a variety of blends from mail order sites like P&C ... it was like discovering prime rib for the first time and realizing the difference between fast food and good food. Not that there was anything wrong with those OTC blends ... I still love them the same way I still enjoy occasionally chowing down on a fast food burger. But there is a noticeable difference.
The problems for me started as a result of arriving on the Pipe scene at around the same time threats and rumors of the impending FDA Deeming Regulations were about to go into effect. And so began my obsession with building a tobacco cellar.
I started with bulk blends mostly from Sutliff ... lots of them, and in vast quantities. I have enough jars of aromatic to last me, no matter what the final outcome of the Deeming Regulations entail. But then I started buying higher quality tinned tobacco and found myself reaching for the tins more often than the jars of bulk tobacco. Even though I still enjoyed the bulk blends. Then when the tins were empty rather than reach for one of my many bulk blends I immediately put in another order for a few more tins of tobacco. All the while my bulk blends (which had already been paid for) sat quietly in the cellar waiting for me to dig into.
So now I'm going to try something different to insure I'm making a dent in my cellar before forking out additional cash to replenish the few tins blends that have been monopolizing my smoking time. I plan on smoking one bulk blend - and only one blend a week for the next few months. Not sure how that will pan out, but I'm going to give it a try.
I like all the blends in my cellar so it's not like a form of punishment. But in good conscious I can't justify another tobacco purchase until I see a considerable dent in my supply of jarred bulk tobacco. And this might just provide the visuals I need to see my supply dwindling to a point where a re-order is justified.
Comments
I remember being 69
Thank you for the good wishes. My best day came yesterday however when I returned to my Oncologist to find out a very recent PETscan and MRI came back clean. I was diagnosed with Malignant Melenoma on my right calf. I had surgery July 2 and have been bandaged pretty much since then. The damn hole is the diameter of a cue ball and about 1/4" to 3/8" deep. It is just now healing. I also have a skin graft donor site, and had 2 lymph nodes removed from my groin. Last week I had these referenced tests done, and yesterday I was given the good news. I will need to repeat the PETscan and the MRI every 6 months or so. So it has been a summer of not going to the beach (minutes away) or even in a pool.
I have a lot to be thankful for to God. A great loving family, a wonderful supportive and caring wife, and having been born with a strong and fighting attitude. And the sense to find good doctors.
This was a harrowing experience full of worry and trepidation. I am now going to celebrate by placing a nice order for some new (to me) aromatic blends, since I have a decent shot at this point to live long enough to smoke them. I have my eyes on the Amphora "Full Aroma" since it is getting good reviews. I am also looking for some more fruit and nut blends. I want to try the Russ's Monthly Blends "chocolate covered espresso bean", but it is out of stock at P&C. I was looking for the Rattrays' "Exotic Orange" which gets a good amount of positive reviews. There are several Peach, and a few Chocolate blends out there as well that I would not mind wasting money on to try an ounce or so even if they turn out to be duds. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
So you, Ghost, Pappy, Woodsman, and the rest are just going to have to put up with me and my BS for awhile.........I am a happy man that loves his pipes.