Generous Donor

[CherokeeBilly]

This may be long, fair warning LOL
I used to smoke a pipe about 7 years ago or so. It was a feeble attempt at best with mere house blend tobacco from my local B&M. Well during one of my military moves I lost my Nording pipe. This past February 2014 I retired from the Navy after 22 years and 2 combat tours. Well, last month I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I decided it was time to slow down and enjoy life's finer things and went to look for my pipe. It is truly gone, so I bought a $30 basket pipe and 2 local B&M aro blends and relaxed. I saw the FPP and thought what a great thing to maybe get an additional pipe to keep me going while one pipe rested so I posted up. Here's where it gets good!
An anonymous donor contacted me and wanted to express their gratitude for my Navy service. Much to my surprise I received a nice large box with 4 pipes and 14 different tobaccos to sample. I am totally blown away right now and cannot express my gratitude enough. I was wanting to get into non-aro tobacco's and boy did I ever! I experienced the single greatest smoking moment of my life last night in a nice Stanwell Billiard with Esoterica Margate tobacco. And I know there's better tobacco in that box so I am like a little kid on Christmas right now. It was like heaven on earth. The humanity that is displayed on this forum is a breath of fresh air compared to what goes on in our world these days and I wish it could spill over. My heartfelt thanks to the donor, and thanks to the people of this forum for making it what it is.
Billy

 

[elpfeife]

Nice things still do happen - especially around here! I expect you are in for a very enjoyable weekend.

 

[macabra11]

Congratulation huskysibe! I am sure you will be a piping junky in no time :puffpipe:

 

[gregprince]

Welcome aboard and thanks for your service. You found a great bunch of pipers here.

 

[tbradsim1]

You deserve it Billy, for all the deployments away from family. The way we do it here is pay it forward

 

[newbroom]

Always good to acknowledge the generous spirit found on this forum. I guess that's why I spend so much time getting back to these conversation threads. That and the wealth of information these folks have and the love for this rewarding pastime.

 

[derfatdutchman]

First thank you for your many years of service. As newbroom said there is a generous spirit here.

 

[sparrowhawk]

Thank you for your service. As for us forum members, you'll discover we are a generous breed here and more than happy to help out our fellow members. I have been the recipient many times of the generosity of forum members, and when I can, I try to return the favor, "pay it forward" as we say here. Welcome to our forum and write often!

 

[ravkesef]

Welcome to the forum. Chief, and welcome to the world of Navy retirees (yeah, me too.) I'm not only retired from the Navy, but not long ago retired from the civilian job I had after my retirement from the Navy. Life is good. In fact, life is beyond good, and having a good pipe to smoke makes it even better. Like you, I had a couple of combat tours, but it was a different war--mine was on River Patrol in the Mekong Delta (PBRs.) I even fought in a war that hardly anybody today knows about--the Dominican Republic revolution, April 1965. I made an opposed landing in an LST, and led a patrol inland to stave off a local situation. (they needed an officer who could speak Spanish, which, in those days, I could.)

 

[shaintiques]

Very cool!

 

[CherokeeBilly]

Its amazing how much better the experience is with good quality tobacco and pipes. I am so looking forward to getting home from work and sampling a different pipe tonight with a different tobacco. Its going to be a good weekend with a variety of tobaccos to choose from. Y'all have a good weekend as well.
Billy

 

[spud]

My thanks to Huskysibe---Your are now a member of retired Navy, a huge faternity. And now you are joining a much smaller faternity, pipe smokers. I did my time in the USMC but not retired, I was mucking around in the tidal swamps in Nam. I am very happy to be a member of these 2 groups.

 

[elduderino]

This thread made day! Thank you all that have served in protecting my freedom!

 

[yazamitaz]

I've said it before but it bears repeating; this is the most friendly and generous collection of people I have never met. You people treat me better than some friends and family. Glad you are enjoying some quality tobacco in good briar. I think your journey just took a sweeping port side turn and is heading for tranquil waters.
Happy smoking from a jar head.
Dan