My lady supports my pipe addiction and encourages me to keep buying tobacco until I find the one that "smells so good". I should have just asked the pipe smoker what he had in his bowl.
My wife only comments on the tobacco I smoke when she likes it. Yesterday she said "that's has a nice sweet smell" to a raspberry bulk blend I was smoking.
My wife doesn't mind my piping. Naturally she prefers the nicer room noted tobaccos, so when I'm around her I try to smoke more pleasant English blends (I prefer the heavy English blends). I rather smoke outside anyway, so the indoor thing isn't a problem. She does occasionally bring up the health aspect of it, but she's not nagging, just loves me. 16yrs and going strong - until death do us part.
I have only been smoking since around September of 2016. We have been married for over 22 years. So, I was not sure how she would respond when I wanted to begin the hobby. She has not complained about me smoking or my purchases. She has only asked me to smoke outside or at the cigar shop and to brush my teeth before I kiss her.
Which proves the non-addictiveness of pipe smoking. If it were nails you would be outside freezing your you-know-what to smoke. I prefer the warmth of the fireplace to keep my tootsies warm, she can air the place out when I'm gone.
I've mentioned before that on cold nights I dress warmly and go out on my enclosed, unheated porch late at night and smoke it's not just the smoke, it's the whole experience that I enjoy. My wife however, pokes her head out the door often to assure that I'm still alive. It's nice to know I'm loved.
Being in SE Louisiana I can handle the few days of winter that we have. Its the 200 days of summer that I have to get creative with. (The other 160 days are usually tolerable - if it's not raining, that is.)
I bought an evaporative cooler that can be used indoors or outdoors last year and it helped a little in the garage as long as I was sitting no more than 12 feet from it. I cranked it up outside for the first time this year and pointed it at a little bench I have sitting under a shade tree in the front yard. Worked nicely but it only got up to 89 today.
Evaporative coolers work better in low humidity which I believe doesn't occur a lot in L.A., N.J. being a peninsula has higher humidity as well. The one I built often needs a boost of ice.
Traveling and speaking at a family camp on the East coast this week. As I was packing, my wife said: "Are you bringing your pipe? You know how much you would like sitting out on the warm evenings smoking your favorite." I was delighted that she cared enough to not only ask, but suggest I bring it.
Here's to a few nice walks around the coastline of Maryland for this CA boy and his wife...
Woodsman - Yep, the instruction book tells you that about low humidity. Still doesn't stop Lowes and Home Depot from selling a lot of them down here. It does provide a slightly cooler breeze though. A couple of auto shops I've been to using bigger versions of the one I have in their bays.
My wife doesn't really let me smoke in the house but she doesn't mind if I walk in mid smoke to pick up a book or go to the bathroom and I'm puffing inside. She has also taken to joining me about once a week and has several pipes of her own. And I might add, a pretty discerning pallet of her own.
@motie2 -- I agree! Had a girlfriend ten years ago who loved smoking cigars. At first, I thought it was great. She came to all of the cigar events and hung out with my friends and I, smoking cigars. Problem was that she was smoking more cigars then I was and they were my cigars. She had her own humidor but never stocked it with cigars that she paid for. Though I enjoyed spending time with her, I must admit that I am a bit old fashioned. I believe there are some things a man should be able to do without a hovering female close by. I'm glad she never decided to take up pipe smoking. Would not want to be sharing my pipes or supporting another hobby.
SWMBO is mostly offended by the smell factor. We are only kidding ourselves when we say, "I'll have a Altoid after I smoke and it'll mask the sewer breath."
It doesn't. Vigorous tooth and tongue brushing barely suffices after a day of pipe smoking.... or even one bowl. The same goes for beard, hair, skin, clothes. Even the smell left by an aro can be a bit overwhelming.... I'm told.
Let's not kid ourselves.
And cigars? Forget about it. I went into a cigar shop in Cleveland last winter. I did not buy or smoke anything. I was only there for maybe five minutes. SWMBO waited in the car, and when I came out, she pitched a fit: "Jeez, hon, you stink."
I "can" smoke inside but only if I open every window and door in the place and then spray with a room deodorizer. Even then she can sometimes tell I'd been smoking. Cigars? Never.
The old lady doesn't mind me smoking my pipes in the house, though I'm usually sequestered to my office. She does prefer the room note of aromatics, though. Cigars are usually are hard "no" for inside, but she's made an exception this summer because it's only June and we're already breaking heat records here in the panhandle. The only rules are that it has to be done in my office with the window open and a fan sucking out the smoke.
Around here (Scottsdale) its only days (and nights) like we're having this week that drive me inside. I much prefer smoking outside and its perfectly comfortable (under the shade of my back patio) nearly all year. But when the heat pushes me inside, I always receive very authentic assurances from my bride that "It's really fine, just smoke inside. It's fine." So I do....
Peretti's VaPer (Park Square) is my indoor go-to, because it seems to dissipate very quickly. Next morning there's absolutely no indication that a pipe was smoked inside.
She got me a 2014 Dunhill Bruyere group 3 Prince (unsmoked) for Father's Day.
My wife enjoys the smell of aromatic tobaccos so I will often smoke a pipe while we walk. But I try not to push my luck with smoking in the house, so smoking in the garage is good enough for me!
My wife hates it. I try not to do it around her but then there are times she will sit outside with me. She doesn't mind when i have an aromatic but I don't always have them. I get tired of feeling that people see tobacco as so taboo. This is NOT a cigarette folks, not even close to the same thing!
OK, looks like we need a little continuing education, sort of like what lawyers do to keep up with the law.
Decades ago when I was first married my wife would walk into my smoke-filled shop, or wherever, and bleat out "are you smoking!?" I would calmly reply, "no". The more obvious it was that I was smoking the funnier I thought it was.The secret is to stick to your guns no matter what, even if you have to do a re-light while talking to her. I still to this day never acknowledge the fact that I smoke in the house. After awhile they give up, at least mine did.
Another hint (Mr. Monti pay close attention), mints do not work as you pointed out, but a better way to go is Aglio Et Olio. I prefer capellini but you may use what you want. In Italy I noticed they don't really use as much garlic as I was led to believe, but for this purpose use one clove per bowl smoked. Correct accordingly for latakia and/or perique. If you're going to attempt an odor 'cover up' you may as well do so in a delicious way.
Finally, for today, when another box shows up from UPS with your latest tobacco, just explain how [hated politician's name deleted] has made it so your favorite blend is going to be illegal in a few months and you have no choice to stock up while the gettin' is good. She will wonder why you need so much if you don't smoke in the first place and also assume that after you have amassed enough you will stop. The plan will work for some time until she realizes that "enough" is a relative term.
So where are we? Deny - enjoy your pasta - blame rotten politicians - and marry the right one.
@Philip - I've used the "They are going to ban cigars and pipe tobacco" excuse several times already - going back as far as the children health care act that first raised taxes on cigars.
But by that time they just think you're some moron and are glad when you go off and smoke your pipe. If you ever hear her yell out "we should have a date night", just fake a heart attack.
I"m fortunate my wife lets me smoke inside all the time. In the south Louisiana heat that is nice. Our living room is has brick walls, concrete floors and leather furniture with a rug that gets vacuumed once a week. Nothing holds the smell. She perks up when I smoke Lane 1-Q. Loves the smell. If I smoke something she doesn't like she doesn't say anything. She's also a cigarette smoker. I wish she would convert to pipes but I don't think it's going to happen.
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She does occasionally bring up the health aspect of it, but she's not nagging, just loves me. 16yrs and going strong - until death do us part.