Where in Texas are you located again? Are you all under evac. orders?

 

Hi

We are watching the situation very closely but it seems as though Rita is going a little way to the north. We are pretty close to the Mexican Border...it's only 20 miles away, but we are only a few feet above sea level right by the Laguna Madre by South Padre Island.

Yesterday we decided we better get ready to evacuate and I got all our storm shutters ready to put up then got just about the last motel rooms available in Texas...I'm not kidding !!

However just a few minutes ago we cancelled them as I am sure there are people from the Corpus and Houston area who really will need them more than we do.

It's going to be bad though further north and we have friends with businesses in Galveston and around that area...the way things are going there won't be much left for them to return to unless it weakens considerably.

Anyway thanks for thinking of us !

 

Yeah Lenny I was thinking about you too. Hope all will be well for yall where you're at, and hope it spares your friends places as well. Does not look good right now tho. Keep in touch and let us know how you and frineds come out.

praying for the best for all involved.

We lost one plant completely in New Orleans and one damaged pretty good in Slidell from Katrina. 1150 people out of work currently right now and 50 workers still not accounted for. Over 500 people lost their homes completely. Textron has stepped up and is paying them their full 40 hour weekly wages, plus all health benefits in tact. Currently hovering around the $1mil mark Textron has put in the employee fund so far, along with $250k from other Textron businesses employees who have donated, mine included. I just hope it's not as bad as it's looking right now.

 

Well, I'm glad to hear that you're, generally, out of harms way. Keep us updated as to how things progress bud. We're thinking about you.

 

MAN, that storm is huge. I truly hope this stays to the north of you. I don't know your exact area very well (lived in Dallas for six months and traveled to NASA in Huston a few times). If things turn (and you know they sometimes do), would evacuating to Mexico be an option, given the sorry state of the highways leading out of the storm's path right now? Maybe a few Coronas on the beach somewhere?

We are getting our butts kicked this season! I hope this is the last of it for '05.

 

I think people back in the UK wonder why the hell we live in an area so prone to scares like this.
However the drawbacks are more than compensated for by the relaxed lifestyle down here.

No way would I be sitting on my porch in the UK in September, with temperatures in the high 90's watching hummingbirds zooming around.

Just feel sorry for people further up the coast and praying they don't suffer as much as those in Katrina did.

 

You sure wouldn't. I just spent a night in London late last week. It wasn't bad, but it sure wasn't 90! Or sunny. Or nice, really. OK, it was London.

 

I used to live only 40 minutes by train from London, and would travel up determined to accomplish so much.
Book shops in the Charing Cross Road....Cigar Stores in Piccadilly...Watch stores in Bond Street.....then after being there about a couple of hours I just wanted to get back out to the peace of the Kent countryside. (The Garden of England).
Now we're planning a move to the hills of Wales...even more peaceful, but a Land Rover might be more use than an Aston !

 

Ahhh, I see we have more in common than fine rides, leather interiors, and testy wives. My local cigar shop recently moved quite a distance away, so I now pretty much smoke what I bring back from overseas exclusively (cigar smokers will know what this means as far as country of origin). I'm going to have to get a handle on myself, but I usually smoke from four up to seven cigars a week. I love:

Cohibas, of course, of all sorts (Siglo IV particularly)

You can't beat the Montecristo No. 4 with a stick (sometimes I smoke two of those in a single sitting, or just one No. 3)

Partagas Serie D No. 4

Any number of the various "Edicion Limitada" -- I currently have in the humidor 2004 versions of Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo Y Julieta, and (a great value for the $$) a very nice Hoya I picked up at my favorite Tobaccos shop in Sevilla last week

OK, that does it; in spite of an early morning coming up for the year’s firewood run, I’m off to launch an MC#4…

 

Davidoff Tubos for me as a treat...otherwise Villiger Kiel for every day !

 

Cigar Aficionado I'm not familiar with the Kiel. I'll have to poke around for that. I'm looking for some reasonably priced "every day" smokes I can throw in the humidor. I'll just have to buy more per trip in order to avoid long drives to the new store location here in town (which probably means another humidor!). I feel guilty smoking Cubans every day, but the MC#4 usually runs anywhere from $8 - 10, so it's not too terrible a waste. But I would prefer to find some more in the $4 - 6 range. Cigar Aficionado does all of their cigar tastings/ratings "blind," so they often rate such affordable cigars at 90 or above, right along with the big boys. But I never remember to write the lesser known names down before I head to the shop!

My problem is that I have to have a reasonably strong smoke. At the lower end of the price spectrum, strong often equates to harsh. I think the Davidoffs are mild to medium, no? Are the Kiels pretty much the same?

 

I think 'you know who' will move this thread if we go on about cigars too much....
But what the heck !

Yes Davidoffs are a milder smoother smoke using Conneticut Shade wrappers.

I presume you will have heard of Villiger per se. ? ...if not Kiel.
Of course Villigers are a Swiss brand and come in many varieties.
See link below.

I first came across Kiel many years ago in France. They have several strengths, but are known for their yellow plastic tip.Easy to suck like a dummy (I think you call them pacifiers or something!) without actually being lit !
If this seems to put you off don't give up because they really have a unique flavour and are worth seeking out.
I get mine direct from Holland now as the only place in the UK to stock them was Harrods...frightfully expensive.
They are available in 2 lengths and come in cartons of 10 or tubs of 25.
I can bring you some over next time I come back if you can't find any.

I always used to tell people I wasn't addicted to cigars but then in the days when I was doing a lot of flying (ie piloting myself) I found I was planning trips into Holland, Belgium and France, to towns where I knew there were Tabacs that stocked Villigers !

Then of course there are stacks of discarded yellow plastic tips all around the world as evidence of where I got to !!

(PS Searching on the internet can be confusing..The correct spelling is VILLIGER, but even retailers spell it VILLAGER.



http://www.retail-discount.com/en-gb/dept_1609.html

 

A fine truck, a fine cigar - why split hairs? OK, to tie this all back in together, it's funny how that Castano leather closely resembles some of the finest cigar wrappers, isn't it?


No, I can't say that I had come across this name before now.

I have found some really drinkable white wines in small boxes lately, so I suppose a plastic tip shouldn't put anyone off from the attached tobacco.

I tried to do some Christmas shopping there once years ago - didn't walk out with a very big bag!

That's very kind!! I'll keep my eye out for this in my travels. If I don't score, I'll keep up on your whereabouts and check back with you next time you're making the commute back.

I gave cigarettes up several years ago and had to lay my beloved cigars down for a few years too - just to be sure one thing wouldn't lead to another. I appreciate my cigars now more than ever and couldn't think of lighting up another cigarette! But they are an addiction in their own right. I routinely stay up much, much later than I should just to sit out on the back deck and enjoy a fine smoke. Speaking of which, the nights are getting colder and I had better enjoy this favorable smoking weather while it lasts (and yes, I have a one-piece, neck-to-ankle Carharts overall for dead-of-winter smoking too)...