After a particularly difficult day which included more of the demon snow and various work related lunacy, I decided to dig deep into the humidor and pull out a lonely old Fuente Hemingway Short Story for my evening walk. For many years this was a favorite of my wife’s, and every one I came across went her way. This one has been in my humidor for the better part of a decade just waiting for her to ask for it. She informs me that that day will probably not come as she has gotten away from cigars, so I decided last night was the night to smoke it. As I said, it’s been many moons since I enjoyed a Hemingway of any size, so I clipped it a lit it up. It took a few minutes to burn past the tip and open up, but when it did I got that wonderful, although milder than I remembered, Cameroon goodness which I enjoy so much. For a tiny cigar this one lasted for my entire 1+ mile walk and even had a little left for the all-important cool-down period on the front porch. I haven’t priced these recently, but I remember when they were $103 a box, and $4 was a lot to pay for a little cigar, but this is a cigar that everyone who likes cigars should enjoy. I’ve smoked most of the Hemingway line and the only one I never cared for was the Classic, which always had a metallic taste to me. I bet I haven’t had a Signature in 10 years. I may have a couple more floating around the humidor, I thin kI have a Work of Art in both Cameroon and Maduro wrappers, and there might be a Best Seller hidden someplace. I’ll wait for warmer weather to smoke them as they are all well aged and I may have missed some of the subtleties of the Short Story smoking it in the cold as I did last night.
Here’s the latest from Tommy Berry:
This past week was a bit different for me! I spent some time outdoors, which with a desk job as an architectural designer is a nice change every now and then. I spent two days doing some surveying for a current project. Now, I could have smoked me a cigar or two…or even three each day…but I failed to remember my traveldor. However, I spent a total of six hours walking…walking…climbing…and only getting to enjoy my Copenhagen Moist Snuss/Snuff. (A habit that I don’t wish on anyone…but I guess it’s a cowboy thing down here in Texas!) Anyway, I was able to get in a lot of constant walking…a lot! It was a blast to be outdoors, but I have to admit that from my recent walks…I am very sore! That though is a plus…as obviously I am exerting some energy during each walk. I hope to get out for some time with a cigar and the next walk tonight (Monday).
With all of this going on, I have failed to “weigh in”. I have a goal to use this challenge to not only get healthier…but to lose weight as well. Soon, I will begin to update you with my current weight…helping more with accountability…in regards to actually losing weight…which will require eating less and properly…more often.
I would love to hear from some of you, if you are being challenged by this (in addition to those that have already commented on past posts) and what your thoughts and/or suggestions are.
Until next time…long “walking” ashes to ya!
Great to hear Tommy moving in a positive direction with his personal goals! Let’s continue to support him through comments here or wherever you might encounter Tommy, as well as by taking a cigar for a walk yourself. My offer still stands to publish any other guest reviews you wish to submit.
I’m going to try to make it to The Wooden Indian Tobacco Shop in Havertown, PA Saturday as they are having a Drew Estate event. They had sponsored a recent Cigar Safari Trip and I’m looking forward to hearing about their trip. I’m sure it will be the subject of a future article. They have one of two Liga Privada Lounges in the country and it’s very nice as well as an enormous walk-in humidor.
Tommy stole my “Until the next time” line, so Adios Amoebas!
CigarCraig
I enjoy visiting your blog, Craig, because its refreshing to read about what you do while you smoke cigars, rather than read those ‘serious’ cigar reviews, which are seemingly a dime-a-dozen. Since you began the ‘Tommy’ series of blogs, however, I’ve become even more drawn to your posts. It’s kinda like reality blogging, if you will. I’m interested in Tommy’s quest for a healthier lifestyle because I want to be healthier, too. I’ve since started to have a more disciplined diet, due to missing a week of work from a gout attack. That week of leave should’ve been spent on a small vacation (such as this year’s IPCPR in Las Vegas), rather than being stuck in my home, unable to walk. I’m eating healthier, but I still haven’t started walking my cigars yet. I’ll start again soon & I’ll keep following you and Tommy to inspire me. Keep it up, Tommy, I’m pulling for you.
Lloyd…you can do the same as I! Get up…grab a good smoke…one you will enjoy (as this is for pleasure…with the benefit of getting healthy, so you don’t want to smoke a cigar that is drab…FYI) and start walking. I have a goal to walk one hour each day. That’s for me…you may want 30 mins., less…more…that’s the great thing about this “workout”, you name the game!
Thanks for the support!
Craig, enjoy your posts as always thank you! The short story has been a favorite of mine for some time! Keep up the good work.
What?! No contest for commenting?
I have a sealed box that dates back to Boondoggle III, shoot me a snail address and when it warms up I will mail you a couple.
I can’t believe you still have an unopened box of Short Stories from 1999! I still have the Opus X from BD3. Boondoggle is a whole ‘nother series of posts, as most of my readers may not get the reference.
Craig and Tommy,
I didn’t walk a cigar today cuz SoCal got doused with more rain, but I hit the gym for the first time in several years! Rode the life cycle, hit some light weights for arms/shoulders and finished off with some work on the treadmill. My legs feel like noodles and I’ll be sore when I become a Godfather at a baptism tomorrow, but it felt good to put the body through some work. My little kids even enjoyed walking the treadmills too, so much so that we’ll do it again next Saturday. I hope to get a cigar walk in during the week, but for now I’m patting myself on the back for getting started.
Great to hear, Lloyd! In this case, it looks like you substituted spending time with a cigar with spending time with your kids, which is excellent. It all comes down to motivation, and having little kids is a great motivation.
This is a great series, I really enjoy reading each installment. I’ve taken a cigar out a few times over the past couple of weeks (Whenever the weather was pleasant) and had a good time. Sunday I left the house with a La Aurora 1495 BME and came home about an hour and half later.
It looks like I finally have a use for those big cigars (Churchills and 60 ring varieties) that have been accumulating in the humidor. The larger the cigar, the more time I am likely to be out walking.