In the Thanksgiving mode, I owe thanks to so many here on Forums and in the pipe community. A member sent me a near full package of Semois after he didn't like it, because someone else had sent me a sample and I had raved about it. This was a leaf I had read about in the newspaper, from Belgium, that I assumed I'd never smoke. Well, that's just the beginning. When the box with the Semois arrived, I was delighted to discover that it also included a full unopened large tin of Frog Morton Cellar; I was ecstatic. When I thanked this generous member for this lavish gift, he asked me how I liked the pipe. The pipe? I dove back downstairs for the box, and sure enough I was astounded with a magnificent Ferndown bent billiard with the signature Les Wood (artisan carver) hand crafted band! I hope I was lavish enough in my thanks, because I was literally speechless. On a different occasion, after two or three pipe shows stopping to admire the exquisite carving of the late award-winning artisan Bob Hayes, I was making my way through the pipe show late in the afternoon and he casually offered me one of his pipes for a staggering low price. Again, I hardly knew what to say, dumfounded. I think I stammered something about it being an offer I couldn't refuse, but frankly I thought I'd smoked something other than tobacco in my sampling. I went home and opened my prize with considerable disbelief. Here lately, after discussing Meers on Forums, and admitting that I hadn't yet taken that plunge, fishnbanjo sent me a wonderful estate Meer, a lightly colored wine-grape-etched straight billiard, which has been a total adventure in cleaning up and exploring the wonders of Meer smoking. Not to mention the wonderful lighter etched with the image of my U.S. Navy ship U.S.S. Gallant, MSO 489 ... what a great gift for a vet. And many Forums members have sent me excellent samples of many genres of tobacco, recently a whole array of samples from the Chicago pipe show, not one of which has not been a winner for my particular tastes, today some Peterson 3-P. So thanks are not enough, and I celebrate Thanksgiving with humility and gratitude. I hope I have reciprocated, and I also thank Chaplain Jim for giving us the opportunity to donate pipes and tobacco to the brave men and women in our military at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Thank you one and all, and a great Thanksgiving weekend all around.