Hello from West Virginia

[WVOldFart]

I thank you for having me in the forum. I have read and appreciated your views and taste buds for a long time and respect all of you. I have been smoking a pipe for 41 years when I started as a Park Naturalist and Program Director for a park in the West Virginia Park System. My Mentor smoked a pipe and my hero, Sherlock Holmes smoked a pipe so the natural thing was to smoke a pipe. Back in the 60's and 70's more people smoked pipes so it was not an uncommon practice. My first pipe tobacco was Borkum Riff Whiskey and it is a wonder that I am still a pipe smoker after that, but I progressed to many, many others. I am a Burley lover so I prefer the "Old Codger" OTC blends, such as Carter Hall, Velvet, Prince Albert, Sir Walter Raleigh, Half and Half, Field and Stream Match and Hines Mixture Match etc etc. etc. I enjoy many of the newer blends, such as Molto Dolce, Plum Pudding and Barbados Plantation, but most blends to me are just trying to make a better mouse trap when the original still works best. I remember as a child walking into the old tobacco shop and smelling those wonderful smells and the atmosphere. It was heavenly. I would be interested to read about your first experience with the TOBACCO SHOP.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

Hello and welcome from London

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I still walk into tobacco shops all the time. I will actually be at The Briary this afternoon to pick up some pipes that need repair bands.
Welcome...

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

Welcome from NC!

 

[mso489]

A park naturalist sounds like an interesting career, interpreting and communicating what was at hand. I had the same sort of job with a biomedical science organization; scientists are a sort of wildlife of their own, interesting folks and intensely various. Welcome aboard from central North Carolina. I'm a burley smoker too. I think you might like some of the C&D blends, like Dark Burley and Big'n'Burley, bulk blends.

 

[STP]

I had similar experiences when younger and walking into the Tinder Box store. Sadly, most of the local tobacco shops have closed. Welcome to the forum

 

[WVOldFart]

A park naturalist sounds like an interesting career, interpreting and communicating what was at hand. I had the same sort of job with a biomedical science organization; scientists are a sort of wildlife of their own, interesting folks and intensely various. Welcome aboard from central North Carolina. I'm a burley smoker too. I think you might like some of the C&D blends, like Dark Burley and Big'n'Burley, bulk blends.

Unfortunately, I was only a park Ranger for 6 years because I like to eat. It was the best job I ever had, but didn't pay much. I have had a rewarding life of helping veterans in various capacities.

 

[Inspired Idler]

Hello and welcome!

 

[WVOldFart]

I had similar experiences when younger and walking into the Tinder Box store. Sadly, most of the local tobacco shops have closed. Welcome to the forum

Today, the closest Tobacco Shop to me is 45 minutes away. Thankfully, most blends can be gotten on line, but I do miss the feeling I had walking into those old shops.

 

[kcghost]

Welcome from KC!! I went into a tobacco shop when I was in my early 20's. My god what a place!! I could have stayed for hours, but I knew the mother of my little child would throw a fit.

 

[MattRVA]

Welcome from Virginia

 

[Tar Wheel]

Hello and welcome from North Carolina.

 

[lelik]

Welcome.

 

[anotherbob]

Unfortunately, I was only a park Ranger for 6 years because I like to eat. It was the best job I ever had, but didn't pay much. I have had a rewarding life of helping veterans in various capacities.

the sad reaction is for Park Ranger not paying a good salary. It seems like how important a job is rarely translates to how much it pays.

 

[Bobby Bailey]

Welcome from the hills of Arkansas.
I've never been in a tobacco shop.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Welcome from the Central Coast of California!

 

[FurCoat]

Welcome from North Carolina
I have family in the Clay area

 

[mso489]

WVOld, I started out my working life, after the Navy, as a veterans counselor under the old Veterans Administration, most specifically helping fellow vets get their GI Bill checks, but any other applicable benefits, from home loan guarantees to dependent educational benefits. I was stationed at several campuses, so it was a good transition from school. Then I found my science writing/editing job. But it was good just to get into the middle class, have a wife, an apartment with a kitchen, and a little vacation money, for examples. I scrimped in the Navy and saved enough to pay out-of-state tuition in grad school and later to buy a new VW bug, and still later, the downpayment on a house.

 

[Jacob74]

Greetings from Spokane, and welcome!

 

[--dante--]

WVOld, I started out my working life, after the Navy, as a veterans counselor under the old Veterans Administration, most specifically helping fellow vets get their GI Bill checks, but any other applicable benefits, from home loan guarantees to dependent educational benefits. I was stationed at several campuses, so it was a good transition from school. Then I found my science writing/editing job. But it was good just to get into the middle class, have a wife, an apartment with a kitchen, and a little vacation money, for examples. I scrimped in the Navy and saved enough to pay out-of-state tuition in grad school and later to buy a new VW bug, and still later, the downpayment on a house.

Thank you Sir for your work -- it was folks like you that guided me through the red tape jungle that was the GI Bill so that I could attend college -- and also later buy a home with a VA loan. I appreciate the work you have done, as I'm sure many others do too.