We had our inaugural meeting this evening at Churchill's and I had a blast. It was a small crowd to be sure, but the membership fee is only thirty bucks and I'll make that up in tobacco tins within a few months alone. I made some new friends, got to know a few of the B&M staffers better and saw some beautiful smokers.
In a way, this first meeting was like a church potluck supper. Everybody brings their family favorite dish and the guys attending were smoking their Sunday best. Erik Nording shows up at Churchill's a couple of times a year and is universally revered by the patrons. I saw some great looking and well loved pieces of briar with his mark on them. Also, the owner of Churchill's used to be close friends with Preben Holms, before he shot himself to death with a bottle, and one of the attendees had a minty, fresh enough to slap PH pickaxe grained to true North. Jeez, what a beautiful piece of wood! (He wants to move it but my budget is more PH Ben Wade wood.)
All attendees were comp'ed a a tin of Sutliff's Country Estate. When I peeled off the top there was a piquant bouquet of Fruit Loops that assaulted my nostrils. Once past that, it really did taste pretty good and wasn't too terribly aromatic. I love Latakia and Perique is the stuff erotic dreams are made of but I'm doing my best to be more open minded as I approach my mid 50's and not be another axxhole stick in the mud.
A community is a group of individuals banding together for a common good. This evening a bunch of guys got togeher in Topeka, smoked some okay - or maybe mediocre tobacco, got to know each other a little better and shared some pipe smoking stories and experiences. I've got to report that it was pretty swell and I can't wait for our next get together.
Fnord
In a way, this first meeting was like a church potluck supper. Everybody brings their family favorite dish and the guys attending were smoking their Sunday best. Erik Nording shows up at Churchill's a couple of times a year and is universally revered by the patrons. I saw some great looking and well loved pieces of briar with his mark on them. Also, the owner of Churchill's used to be close friends with Preben Holms, before he shot himself to death with a bottle, and one of the attendees had a minty, fresh enough to slap PH pickaxe grained to true North. Jeez, what a beautiful piece of wood! (He wants to move it but my budget is more PH Ben Wade wood.)
All attendees were comp'ed a a tin of Sutliff's Country Estate. When I peeled off the top there was a piquant bouquet of Fruit Loops that assaulted my nostrils. Once past that, it really did taste pretty good and wasn't too terribly aromatic. I love Latakia and Perique is the stuff erotic dreams are made of but I'm doing my best to be more open minded as I approach my mid 50's and not be another axxhole stick in the mud.
A community is a group of individuals banding together for a common good. This evening a bunch of guys got togeher in Topeka, smoked some okay - or maybe mediocre tobacco, got to know each other a little better and shared some pipe smoking stories and experiences. I've got to report that it was pretty swell and I can't wait for our next get together.
Fnord
