Saturday at the Hut - 11/12/11

Today we had a small, but fun group at The Tobacco Hut. In attendance were Ed B and Barry C as well as a new, and hopefully regular, guy - Jim S. Good to see Barry two weeks in a row after a long absence, and Ed, of course, roaring up in his topless Jeep.

We were expecting to see Coast Guard Don but he was AWOL. Not only was Ed prepared to buy him a premium cigar, but we had brought lots of food in preparation to throw kind of a mini-party. Well, when I say lots of food, I mean Joe K replenished our supply of peanut butter pretzels and Barry surprised us with a big tub of Cheese Doodles. But the thought was there.

Joe K was absent as he was taking his dog Sammie to some sort of dog reunion to the south somewhere. Apparently he stopped by on Friday with the express purpose of bringing the peanut butter pretzels (thanks man!). Scott R also stopped in sometime on Friday, according to Lou. I don't know if Adrian made an appearance during the week as he sometimes does, but let's not forget that Saturday is the day. At least that's the day that I'm at the Hut, and the world revolves around me, after all.

I pulled the trigger and ordered
myself a new iPhone 4S!

I was hoping Joe was there as I wanted to announce that this very morning, before I came to the Hut, I ordered an iPhone 4S! I'm finally ditching this ancient cell phone I've been carrying around for two years and getting a smart phone. Of course, nobody has them in stock, so I had to order it from the Apple store online and it should arrive sometime during the last week of November. It's going to be a tough few weeks waiting for my new toy!

So yes, we have not only a new guy, Jim, but he's a pipe smoker! Actually, he just became a pipe smoker today! Welcome to the Brotherhood of the Briar, Jim. A longtime cigar smoker, he's been thinking of taking up the pipe and he certainly came to the right place. He ended up buying a nice Ben Wade smooth finish bent and loaded it up with some of Lou's Goldenrod tobacco. We must not have scared him off, because he pulled up a chair, settled right in and began puffing.

A lot of the conversation today centered around Joe Paterno's woes at Penn State, and we watched the Penn State/Nebraska game. Other entertainment included making fun of the Special Forces guy (our nickname for him - I seriously doubt he served in the Special Forces, at least of our military) who stumbled past the door a couple times with his two dozen eggs. He's famous for "taking out a guy with one judo chop" some time ago at Wal-Mart for calling his wife a name. Apparently, Wal-Mart rewarded him with two dozen eggs at the time and today he appeared again with two dozen eggs. I presume they are not the same two dozen eggs, but who knows?

Today found me smoking a bowl of McClelland's Wilderness tobacco (third Saturday in a row for Wilderness) in my Cassano tan-colored sandblast. This tobacco has just the right amount of Latakia for a nice, pungent, woodsy flavor. The Cassano handled it nicely, smoking cool and dry all the way down to fine, gray ash. I brought a La Gloria Cubana cigar with me that I had bought a couple weeks ago, but decided to save it for another day.

Kudos to Scott, our resident knife guy. His blog was featured on the Knife Depot blog and our man was interviewed! Knife Depot is a large online knife retailer and a link can be found to Scott's interview here. Congrats man! BTW, Scott has also recently prepared a calendar for sale just in time for next year featuring his knife photography. It can be found here.

We're all wondering how Mike G is doing in Bradenton taking care of Vic's nuts. Vic is on a chartered tour to Israel and, as Ed suggested, perhaps he's exploring franchise opportunities for his nuts in Tel Aviv. As long as they're Kosher nuts, I think you might be sitting on a goldmine there, Vic!

Completely off topic, but how about a little brain teaser as a diversion? Maybe I'll make this a regular - or at least semi-regular - feature of the blog. Here we go...

A landscaper returns from work and is sitting at the kitchen table with his kids. The kids ask, "Did you work hard today, Daddy?"

Dad says, "I did. I planted five rows of four trees each." His little third grader, wanting to show off her new found skills with the multiplication table, says, "You planted 20 trees, Daddy!"

He says, "No, I'm sorry, that's wrong. I planted 10 trees." She responds, "That's impossible!"

The dad responds, "No, it isn't, and here's a hint: If you look at one of the math or history test papers that your teacher has returned to you recently, you're going to find the answer."

The little girl sits there and thinks for a minute, and then she says, "I've got it!"

What did she find on her paper that gave her the answer? 

Leave a comment below or send me an e-mail with the answer. I'll provide the solution next week.

Cheers!

Saturday at the Hut - 11/5/11

We had a great crowd at The Tobacco Hut on Saturday, consisting of weekly regulars and a couple folks we haven't seen in a long time. The regulars in attendance were Joe K, Peter G, Paul O, Bobby M, and Ed B. And we welcomed back some, er, irregulars - Scott R and Barry C. To be fair, Scott showed up last Saturday but had to leave as soon as he arrived, but this week he stayed and smoked two cigars (not at once, of course).

Scott's recent acquisition
(Click to enlarge)

It was show and tell time as Scott brought along a very special knife he reviewed recently on his blog. This is the Sunset Smooth Bone Moon Pie Trapper by Canal Street Cutlery. Quite the impressive knife and Scott generously passed it around to fondle and smudge up with fingerprints. Fingerprints? No matter, as soon as it was passed back, he took out his handy polishing cloth and lovingly buffed all the smudges off, carefully placing it back in its box.

Scott is living the snowbird's life, having recently returned from summering in New York, in the same region that Paula and I traveled to a couple months ago. We compared travel notes and talked about how spectacular the scenery is in upstate New York (see my blog from a few weeks ago for photos).

We had an Oliva Cigar rep join us for awhile. Very nice guy (unfortunately, I can't remember the fellow's name) who knows a lot of the same people that Scott knows since Scott used to work at Blue Smoke in Clearwater. We all commiserated about the sorry state of FDA regulations over tobacco and insane tax rates on cigars and tobacco. Unfortunately, it's only getting worse.

Snack Alert! Snack Alert! The beloved peanut butter pretzels are now gone. Paul and I finished off the last of them. So whoever wants to go to Sam's Club to replenish our supply, please try and go before next Saturday. I, of course, am philosophically and violently opposed to all things Wal-Mart, cannot patronize such an establishment. But will gladly consume products purchased from there.

Bobby arrived and it was show and tell time again. He was describing his new invention, which I won't go into here since it's still in the development stage, but he brought along a cardboard mock-up to demonstrate the concept. Paul, whose mind apparently never leaves the gutter, instantly saw the mock-up not as what it truly demonstrated but, in his words, "a paper airplane with an erection." It didn't help that Bobby was using terms like "shaft" and "penetration".

Some of you may remember that a few weeks ago I called some of our no-shows out on the carpet. A virtual "Wall of Shame" for those who seem to have forgotten that Saturdays are for gathering at the Hut. Honey-do list? What honey-do list? There are cigars to be smoked with the boys at the Hut! Well, my gentle admonition seems to have had an effect on one used-to-be-weekly visitor...Barry C arrived. Great to see you, Barry! Your picture comes off the Wall of Shame!

Peter wasted no time trying to engage Barry in a debate about the Dallas Cowboys, but sparks didn't fly as much as they have in the past. The laughter did ensue when Lou told us his pants size. I can't for the life of me remember how we got to discussing what size Lou's pants are, or what prompted him to reveal this, but apparently he wears a 44/27.

Could this be Lou?

Barry burst out laughing, asking Lou to confirm that his inseam measures only 27". Bobby made some mention about his own sleeve length being longer than Lou's inseam. Bobby later sent me this photo to demonstrate approximately what a 27" inseam would look like. Lou was definitely a good sport about it, having eased himself into the proverbial barrel.

A couple of reminders about upcoming events...Coast Guard Don will be here next Saturday, November 12th, Veterans Day weekend. And February 3rd of next year is Scott's 50th birthday. How about we throw him a Tobacco Hut party on Saturday, Feb. 4th? I know it sounds like a long way away, but we can put together something nice, like we did for Joe's son James when he came back from the west coast a few years ago. You remember all the various caterers we had plus the dancing girls, right?

A big thank you to everyone who came on Saturday! It's nice to have a full house. See you next Saturday!

Saturday at the Hut - 10/29/11

Saturday at The Tobacco Hut found me enjoying a pipeful of McClelland's Wilderness in a tall Ascorti rusticated - it's a rich mélange of both Syrian and Cyprian Latakias, red Virginias, Orientals, and even some Yenidge, which is a smooth Turkish tobacco. Combined with Diet Mountain Dew and peanut butter pretzels, my palate was more than satisfied!

Readers from last week's blog will know that Adrian arrived last week more than satisfied himself, which I reported dutifully in said blog. Apparently Adrian came in again during the week not entirely happy that his peccadilloes were broadcast to the blogosphere, for which I apologize. Well, not really. I mean, the man did burst into the store all atwitter about his triumphs. I did treat his "activities" with a modicum of discretion, I believe, and left it to the gentle reader to fill in the blanks, as it were. His absence this Saturday, however, was noted by many. We can only imagine what happened, or didn't, this weekend. Hope to see you all smiles next Saturday, Adrian!

So we know that Adrian was a no-show on Saturday...who did make it? Here it is - big announcement - lots of fanfare - drumroll please...Scott R showed up after his long trip south from New York! Wait, wait. Time out. While it is true that he showed up, his visit was a short one. In fact, he called me in the morning whilst on his way to the Hut, but by the time I called him back twenty minutes later he was headed home. Apparently he had some business to attend to on the home front and he had to take off. He did pledge to make it next Saturday, so hopefully he can make it and we can catch up with the Knife Guy!

You guys are reading his knife blog, right? Scott certainly knows his stuff when it comes to pocketknives, is a prolific writer, and can take a damn decent photo of his favorite steel subjects. Like I've said before in this space, I'm not even that into knives, but his blog is an entertaining one and I always learn something from it.

Okay, Adrian was a no show, Scott had to do an about face upon arrival, so who was at the Hut? Well, Bobby M couldn't make it either. He was at a boat show in Ft. Lauderdale but will hopefully be in attendance next Saturday. Peter G was MIA as well. No Tom L either. But here's the rollcall: Joe K, Paul O, Ed B, and - winning the prize for traveling the farthest for a cigar - Mike G from Tennessee. Sorry, Scott, if you had stayed you would have won the prize!

Yes, in a surprise visit, Mike arrived and it was just like old times at the Hut. Mike is actually in town to watch Vic's dog and take care of his nuts (Vic's nuts, not the dog's). Remember, Vic is the proud owner of a Nutty Bavarian Roasted Nut cart at a local flea market. Mike will be roasting up Vic's nuts and serving them up to customers while Vic is out of town.

Mike regaled us with stories from the backwoods of Tennessee, from rattlesnakes, coyotes, and man-eating bears, oh my! And, of course, his own beloved pets through the years. Great to have you back, Mike. Hopefully you can visit again during your stay.

Ed B has a bit of a reputation when it comes to food, specifically deli trays. Years ago at one of Lou's cigar tastings or open houses, Ed apparently made short order of the meat tray, and the legend has stuck. Well, around 4 o'clock, Mike was asking about various regulars at the Hut, including Ed. We said that Ed comes in now and then, and was here last week. Mike replied, "Call for a deli tray and he'll show up." Moments later, the mere mention of a deli platter is all it takes, because in walked Ed!

If you read last week's blog, you might have seen a comment from Coast Guard Don. He's planning on spending some time with us on Saturday, Nov. 12. Looking forward to it, Don! Here's Don's comment:

I miss the Saturdays at the Hut, last time I was in town no one else was...well I will be there on Nov 12th and since it is veterans day weekend I better get my choice of a chair and someone should by me a cigar!!! 

Well, Don, I'll gladly buy you a cigar, but I don't know about giving up my chair!

Bracelet made from paper beads
(Click to enlarge)

Time for a shameless plug. As many of you know, my wife Paula makes jewelry on the side. She has a booth next Saturday, Nov. 5th at the Arts & Crafts Show at the North Bay Community Church in Clearwater. It's at 3170 N. McMullen Booth Rd, between 580 and Curlew, across from Morton Plant Mease Hospital, between 9am-2pm. She'll be featuring her paper bead bracelets along with some other items. Most pieces are just $5 so please help spread the word. With the holidays coming, these make fantastic gifts! And, I've even created some of them to help her out. The beads themselves come from various third world countries like Uganda and Nicaragua and help the women who make them rise out of poverty.

Finally, you may have noticed that the blog looks a little different. I posted a quick article a few days ago that I was experimenting with different color schemes, fonts, sizes, etc. Anyway, I'd welcome any feedback. Thanks!

Cheers!
 - Bob

Blog Redesign!

In the words of one of TV's greatest sci-fi series, The Outer Limits, do not attempt to adjust the browser, we are controlling transmission. In other words, I'm monkeying around with the look of the blog. The color, size, fonts, etc. All the content is the same but I've also added a Shop tab and will feature some nifty products from my online shop.

Over the next few days, I'll be experimenting with the different color schemes and templates, so bear with me. I'll settle on one I like soon, but if you have any feedback, don't hesitate to leave a comment.

Thanks for reading!

 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 10/22/11

I haven't written a blog post in a month and I'm not sure how to really recap the goings on at The Tobacco Hut this Saturday...at least without offending the more sensitive readers. Let's first start with the attendees: Joe K, Paul O, Ed B, Adrian, Lou, myself and, later, Bobby.

The discussions were fairly benign when it was just Joe and Paul and Lou and me. Some sports talk, some computer talk, etc. But then Adrian walked through the door and right away the topic changed to, well, sex. As I mentioned, I don't want to offend the more delicate reader, so I won't go into specifics, but let's just say that Adrian was fired up from certain recent activities. None of the rest of us were and some were lamenting that fact more than others. The talk even turned downright bawdy and would probably make a longshoreman, or even Tom L, blush.

Ed B brought his own twisted sense of humor to the festivities when he arrived and, before long, we were all laughing so much and so loudly that I'm surprised the sheriff's department wasn't called. Maybe it's because they were already represented.

I will say that Adrian is an expert pantomimist, adroitly (and somewhat crudely) re-enacting various, um, postures that he recently engaged in. Suffice to say that the more base and Neanderthal urges were on display throughout the afternoon. It is my hope that next week will bring more sophistication and culture to the establishment.

It wasn't all lust and fornication at the Hut, however. After Joe had left (he was mumbling something about taking a cold shower as he was leaving) the talk turned to the economy and, specifically the merits of a flat tax. It was at this time that Bobby arrived and he joined in the conversation as well. My position was that a flat tax (call it 15%) is actually a regressive tax, i.e. it takes a larger portion from the poor than it does the rich.

My argument is that while a flat tax sounds fair because everyone is taxed equally, it actually affects the poor more deeply than the rich. The way to think about this is that when someone making $20,000 per year is subject to a flat 15%, they are left with $17,000 to pay for their rent/mortgage, food, utilities, gas, etc., something quite difficult to do in today's economy. But if someone making, say, $1 million per year is taxed at that same 15%, they are left with $850,000 which is still a princely sum of money and they can still live more than comfortably on their net income. Therefore, a flat tax is actually regressive.

Lou was my ally in this debate and we battled valiantly against Adrian, Bobby, and Paul. The opposition argued that there is nothing to stop the person making $20,000 per year from improving his lot in life and working up to making a million per year. Moreover, their argument went, why should the rich be penalized with a higher tax rate for working hard. The debate evolved (devolved?) into how easy or hard it is, to work oneself out of poverty. Lou's and my argument was that the poverty cycle is extremely difficult to break out of. Adrian, Bobby, and Paul maintained that with a positive attitude, perseverance and hard work, one can indeed rise out of dire circumstances.

Several examples were offered as proof of the rags to riches story, but anecdotes don't tell the whole story. Indeed, there is a large body of evidence that the cycle of poverty is widespread and a growing trap for large segments of the population. The curious reader can view a short synopsis of the problem here.

The final debate was between Bobby and me. I was wearing my Tom Wahl's t-shirt, from a drive-in restaurant in Avon, New York where I recently traveled. I maintained that they have the best hamburgers anywhere, but Bobby quickly disputed that, pointing me in the direction of Alachua for a Stogie Burger at Conestoga's. It does get good reviews and if I'm up that way I may have to try it, but I also encourage Bobby if he's ever in the vicinity of Rochester to make the drive for a Wahlburger or, my favorite, the Hollywoodburger (pictured).

Well, we didn't solve any of the world's problems, but probably created a few, and had a great time along the way. Hope to see everyone next week!

 - Bob

Saturday at the Hut - 9/24/11

This week's gathering at The Tobacco Hut wasn't as wild and raucous as last week's - of course without Tom L and Adrian making wild and unfounded accusations of racism toward me like last week the discourse was more subdued. In attendance were Joe K, Bobby, Paul O, Lou, and myself.

It was good to see Joe again as it's been awhile since we've connected. I was gone on vacation for a couple weeks, then Lou closed the store while he was on vacation and last week Joe was MIA as he was suffering from swimmer's ear. He ended up going to an ENT doctor and undergoing some treatments that sounded less than pleasant but he's on the mend now. I don't know why he didn't just pour vodka in his ear like his son James did several years ago when he swam across a retention pond that probably measured well above safe levels for fecal material.

This makes two weeks in a row for Mike G's son-in-law Bobby and it's nice that someone's finally classing up the joint! Bobby has an interesting background, from living abroad in various exotic locales to his boat racing and his Puerto Rican heritage. In fact, he told a good self-depracating joke about his own ethnicity: Why aren't there any Puerto Ricans on Star Trek? Because they're not going to work in the future, either. It's probably better coming from Bobby himself than me since I'm not Puerto Rican. Me telling the joke just makes me sound racist. Damn, maybe Tom and Adrian were right!

Lou was complaining about the slowdown in his computer's speed lately and Joe and I were giving him some advice on what to do about it. Well, actually Joe was giving him practical advice and I was just advising him to get a Mac instead. Joe was estimating that Lou's computer was 4-5 years old and rather than installing Windows 7 on it to speed it up, the recommendation was to just buy a new computer. Rebuilt computers can be had for such an inexpensive price that at that age (the computer's age, not Lou's), it really makes sense to just replace it. Bobby agreed, having had good success with rebuilt devices.

By the way, thank you Joe for passing along the glowing recommendation from your friend who hasn't had any problems with their computer because (drumroll please)...it's a Mac.

It was also good to see Paul O as it's been several weeks since we've both been at the Hut at the same time. Paul's dry wit is always appreciated. He's built up quite a repertoire of jokes and one-liners about death - perfect for his line of work in funeral pre-planning.

Later in the afternoon, the talk turned to politics and included such topics as the influence of lobbyists, "Obamacare", and unions. It wasn't too divisive and I think everyone agreed that voter apathy is one of the biggest problems. I was proudly wearing my NPR shirt but was a little disappointed that Joe hadn't worn his "Pipe Down You Silly Liberal" t-shirt but he said he had to visit a customer about a computer before he came to the Hut, and didn't want to potentially upset a revenue source.

Saturday saw me smoking a bowl of G.L. Pease's Westminster tobacco in my Ser Jacopo sandblasted Canadian. Unfortunately, I had packed it a little too tight and had some trouble getting it going at first, but it soon loosened up and turned into a wonderful smoke. The sharp aroma from the Latakia was most enjoyable. Thank you in advance, Lou, for cleaning up my Corona Old Boy lighter as it's getting pretty gunked up with carbon and having difficulty lighting.

A reminder if I didn't include anyone in my change of address alert: I've switched from Verizon to Bright House as my provider so have changed e-mail addresses. My new e-mail addy is bob.harrison@tampabay.rr.com

I couldn't resist the allure of what the Bright House salesman when he came to my door. Well, let me correct that. I couldn't resist the allure of what he was selling. He actually looked a little like Mike G. In any case, we're now getting almost a hundred more HD channels for $25 less per month and the first month is free. Bright House is working hard to win back customers that they've lost over the last few years to Verizon and I'm obviously not loyal to any particular company. Except to you, Lou! In contrast to Paul who called himself a "cigar whore."

Everyone's favorite knife guy, Scott R, is on schedule to return to Tampa Bay in late October, so hopefully we'll see him in a month or so.

Speaking of missing regulars...where have some of you guys been? I'm thinking of Ed B and Darryl G. And Paul V - yes, you Paul, I'm talking to you! Box Ed, where have you been? Even Peter has turned irregular on us. Hey Vic, put your nuts down and make another trip up from Bradenton man! And I've all but given up on Barry. And there used to be this landscape guy who came in who always regaled us with his dating prowess. Steve was his name, I think. And Preacher Jim, how are you going to "save" me if you don't come in? Of course, I was gone for two weeks myself recently, so if you think it's hypocritical of me to call you guys out, come in and tell me! Seriously, would love to see some packed houses in the weeks to come!

'Til next time...

Saturday at the Hut - 9/17/11

It's been five weeks since I've updated the blog, but I have some good excuses. Last Saturday, Lou and Dotty were on a gambling trip to Tunica, Mississippi and the store was closed. The two Saturdays before, Sept 3 and Aug 27, Paula and I were on the Mother of All Road Trips, traveling from Florida to Tennessee to Ohio to New York and back. More on the trip in a moment. And the Saturday before, Aug 20...well, The Tobacco Hut was open and I was there. I guess I just didn't feel like writing a blog post that week. In any case, I'll try to catch up on what's been going on the last several weeks, starting with our 3,313 mile vacation.

Paula and I arrived in Coker Creek, Tennessee the afternoon of Fri, Aug 26 and were able to find Mike & Diane G's place with no problem. We'd been there before - about six years prior - and the GPS certainly helped. Mike and Diane have a wonderful piece of property in the mountains of southeast Tennessee and Mike has a new friend - his dog Shya (not sure of the spelling). She showed up on the front porch one day and they've been inseparable ever since. See pictures below of Mike, he and Diane's home, and his dog Shya.

Shya, on the banks of Coker Creek
(Click to enlarge)

Mike & Diane's home
(Click to enlarge)

Mike, in his element, spinning some yarn
(Click to enlarge)

Thanks for putting us up for the night, Mike & Diane! Diane's cooking is fantastic and enjoying a cigar on the front porch was a perfect way to end the evening. We'd love to pay you an extended visit in the spring perhaps. Nothing too long, just three or four weeks!

The next day found us pulling into Columbus, Ohio to visit my son Ryan, just entering his junior year at Ohio State. He took us to a wonderful Thai restaurant in the Short North district and the next day he gave us the grand tour of the campus. I have to admit, it was a little surreal having my son show me around the buildings and grounds of where I went to school almost thirty years ago. Below are some pictures from our stop in Columbus.

Ryan, Paula, and I at Nida's on High, a fabulous Thai
restaurant in Columbus.
(Click to enlarge)

Paula and I clowning with Brutus at Ohio State
(Click to enlarge)

We arrived in Cleveland the evening of Sun, Aug 28, staying at my friend Mike and his wife's house. It was great to see Mike, who I first met in 4th grade and we've been best friends ever since. This was Paula's first trip to Cleveland so I enjoyed showing her where I grew up, went to school, hung out, etc. We also had lunch one day at Mr. Hero's where I enjoyed a Romanburger - a sandwich I had at least once a week when I lived in Cleveland. It still tasted as good as I remembered, but my 47-year-old digestive system had a little trouble handling the grease.

Mike had gathered some old friends at his house our first night there and it was great to spend time with them. I did embarrass myself thoroughly when I went out to the car later in the evening to get a cigar. It was dark and I didn't see a landscape paver, and did a full header into their flower bed. In addition to scraping over a rock with my ankle, I took out a landscape light of theirs, crushing it as I landed on it. Fortunately, no one saw me, but there were some questions when I returned to the party as to why I had a big rip in my shirt. Sigh...it's hell getting old.

The "Bob Harrison Reality Tour" continued as we headed off to the Rochester, New York area to visit with various cousins. Paula fell in love with the Finger Lakes region, especially the little village of Honeoye Falls. We spent a day driving entirely around Seneca Lake, and visiting eight or ten of the wineries that dot the shores of the lake. We had lunch at the southern end of the lake in Watkins Glen at the marina - with a beautiful view of the lake.

Paula and my cousins tasting some wine at the
Damiani Winery on Seneca Lake.
(Click to enlarge)

 The next day was one of the highlights of the trip for me. We spent the day at Letchworth State Park, a 17-mile park on both sides of the mighty Genesee River as it travels northward to Lake Ontario (The Genesee River is one of the few rivers in North America that flows northward). Over the millennia, the river has cut a deep gorge (in some places over 500 feet high) through the bedrock, earning the park the name of "Grand Canyon of the East".

Glen Iris Inn at Letchworth State Park, NY
(Click to enlarge)

Middle Falls, Letchworth State Park, NY. This is the view
from the front porch of the Glen Iris Inn above.
(Click to enlarge)

I shot this just for Peter. A US Food Service truck
making a delivery at the Glen Iris Inn.
(Click to enlarge)

Railroad trestle and Upper Falls at Letchworth State Park, NY.
The Erie Railroad built the 820' long 240' iron and steel
bridge in 1875 and it is still in use today. My late Uncle Roger
actually flew under the bridge in his private plane once or
twice in the 1970s. Probably illegal. Equally as illegally,
I have swum at the base of the Upper Falls, careful to not
swim too far downriver and over the Middle Falls.
(Click to enlarge)

I made sure to enjoy a Hollywood Burger at Tom Wahl's in Avon. I have very fond childhood memories of Tom Wahl's and even once made a 14-hour roundtrip excursion while in college so I could have one of their burgers. See pictures below of what you're missing if you haven't been to Tom Wahl's.

The famous Hollywood Burger at Tom Wahl's, Avon, NY.
(Click to enlarge)

After a few days in the Rochester area, we headed off to the Thousand Islands area of New York. We originally planned on meeting up with Scott R for breakfast in Palmyra at the Acropolis restaurant, but he had to cancel as he and his wife were headed to New England for the holiday weekend. Note to Scott - maybe it was for the best, my cousins who live in Victor referred to it as the "Acrapolis" restaurant!

The Thousand Islands is where Lake Ontario flows into the St. Lawrence River. An island is officially counted as an island if it has at least one tree on it, and the area boasts exactly 1,864 islands. We took an hour-long boat tour from Alexandria Bay, and then spent several hours touring Heart Island and Boldt Castle.

Boldt Castle, built at the turn of the century by George Boldt,
owner of the Waldorf Astoria hotel, for his wife Louise. When
George received word that his wife had died, he halted
construction and abandoned the project. The Thousand
Island Bridge Authority purchased the castle in 1977
and restored it to the point where it had been abandoned.
It remains unfinished.
(Click to enlarge)

Pump house for Boldt Castle, Heart Island, Alexandria Bay, NY.
(Click to enlarge)

Smallest inhabited island in the Thousand Islands.
(Click to enlarge)

 We had dinner in Clayton, NY, at the Thousand Island Inn, and the home of the original Thousand Island dressing. Paula ordered it on her salad; I had ranch. Interesting side note...I didn't know until we returned that the Thousand Island Inn is where my mother and father stayed for their first wedding anniversary in 1951.

The motel in which we spent the night at Alexandria Bay was a little, well, creepy. We affectionately call it the Bates Motel and it didn't help that the proprietor looked remarkably similar to Norman Bates. I think the place was built in 1961 and hasn't been updated since. See pictures below.

The "Bates Motel" we stayed at in the Thousand Islands.
It was more than a little creepy.
(Click to enlarge)

Interior of our room at the "Bates Motel". Note the original
orange shag carpet, rickety furniture, hideous bedspread,
and strange white patch on wall where we presumed
the owners tried to clean up the blood splatter.
(Click to enlarge)

Paula had never been to upstate New York and we are seriously considering moving up there at some point. If we could get out from under our house, we'd be up there in a heartbeat. Of course, she might think differently if we visit the area in the wintertime. That being said, she's originally from Boston and I'm from Cleveland, so winters are not unknown to us.

Our return trip involved driving 1,420 miles in two days. I was never so happy to get off the road. The last little bit from about Ocala to home was the toughest. But all in all, we had a fantastic trip, saw some great people, the weather was perfect, and I ended up shooting almost 1,000 pictures.

I was sooo looking forward to re-joining my smoking friends at the Hut after my return, but Lou had the shop closed that next Saturday, so I had to wait until this weekend. It was worth the wait, not only for the first pipe I'd had in several weeks, but for the fun and hijinks that ensued, especially with Tom L and Adrian in attendance.

Also in attendance were Peter G and Bobby M, Mike G's son-in-law who paid a visit back in August when Mike was in town.

There was extensive discussion about the state of our economy and who's to blame. Most of us agreed it was largely the fault of the bankers and, thank you to Tom for recommending a documentary titled "Inside Job" from filmmaker Charles Ferguson and narrated by Matt Damon. It's a look at the outrages that occurred leading up to the 2008 economic meltdown, with plenty of blame for the Republicans and Democrats alike.

Bobby talked a lot about the Dave Ramsey personal finance course, which Peter was familiar with as well. There are some great ideas for achieving "financial peace" including eliminating debt, building up emergency reserves and even paying off mortgages early.

The talk turned a little edgier, and a whole lot funnier, when Adrian arrived. Somehow I got painted as some sort of racist though. Maybe it had something to do with saying that when playing chess with Adrian, I always won with the white pieces. Or when I came out of the restroom with a "White's Only" sign. It's all in fun though, right Adrian? Seriously, Adrian dishes out as much as he takes and there's plenty to pile on about white culture.

Even Peter and his Greek heritage took a bit of ribbing. No one is immune at The Tobacco Hut; everyone has their day in the barrel as Lou and Joe like to say. Speaking of Joe, I was sorry to hear that Joe was feeling under the weather with an ear infection and couldn't make it in on Saturday. Hopefully he'll make it in next week.

Until then...
 - Bob