The Cigar Life

 Saturday, June 28, 2025 Dale and I had Mike and Charisse over for dinner tonight. Mike brought over cigars, Plasencias, and we smoked them before dinner.  I'd never heard of this brand before and it was pretty amazing. 

  Friday, May 16, 2025 Had Mike & Charisse over for dinner tonight. Dale and I drove to Stogies On Grand yesterday afternoon to pick up a couple of Camachos and some cans of strawberry lemonade Smazey seltzer for me and Mikey. Started out this evening in the backyard. I had an Old Fashioned, Charisse drank some Modelo, Dale had white wine, and Mike drank one of the seltzers (I had one with dinner). I gave Mike the choice of a Hoyo or a Camacho to smoke. He mentioned that the last time he bought a cigar he almost went with a Camacho but decided to go with something else. Anyway he was still curious so he went with the Camacho. Mike had never had one before and he thought it was pretty awesome. I came to them more recently in my cigar history and they're now one of my favorotes. I like the taste but also the girth. It feels good in my mouth. I smoked my Camacho a bit faster than Mike so I lit up a little Romeo y Julieta (see above photo).

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Dale and I had Mike and Charisse over for NYE. While Dale and Charisse had wine inside, Mike and I lit up a couple Olivas in the garage. We lasted about 40 minutes and weren't completely finished with our cigars but the cold got to us. Note to self: assemble the damn fire pit that's been sitting in the basement and brand new in the box for the last few years.  Magic number: 204 cigars.

Mike was over recently. We sat out back after dark and smoked cigars. He told me he loved sitting in my back yard. I love sitting in my backyard too. We sat facing north looking into Josh and Breanna's yard and beyond the other side of the street. With all the lights it really did look rather magical. We looked at the stars too and found the Big Dipper. At this time of year the Big Dipper is easily seen if you look up just past the north of our roof line.

 Sunday,  August 18, 2024 Gorgeous day.  Perfect for a cigar.  I lit up an Oliva while Dale was taking a walk.  Mike texted me earlier that he was on Sanibel Island. I texted him back.  Reading up on Paris as Dale and I are hoping to go there next year. 

Saturday, May 4, 2024 Mike and Charisse had Dale and I over for dinner tonight. We all sat out on their back porch which faces east and wasn't getting the sun however it was still nice enough to sit outside with a jacket or sweater. Earlier today Mike texted and said that if Dale wanted wine he should bring some but that he thought he should have enough gin for a couple of stiff martinis. He had some Bombay Sapphire left over from the last time they had us over on New Year's Eve. And yes, it was just enough to make a couple of stiff martinis.  Mike and I lit up cigars to go with our cocktails.  Mike had an NA beer while Dale and Charisse had some wine. I of course had my martini.  For dinner they ordered Bill's Chinese. We ate inside. It was delicious.  After dinner we played Yahtzee which I don't think I've played since I was a kid. Same for Dale and Mike. Charisse says she plays online. Anyway it all came back to us quickly and was really rather fun. Pictured abov...

Saturday, January 27, 2024 Had Mike over tonight. We smoked cigars upstairs and then ordered Chinese for dinner. It was good to catch up.  Photo by Mike

Saturday, September 9, 2023 We had Mike and Charisse over for dinner tonight. We all sat outside before dinner. Charisse had a beer, Mike had an NA beer, Dale had wine, and I had an Old Fashioned. Mike and I smoked cigars. I had an Oliva and Mike had a Romeo y Julieta. A friend of his gave him a whole box. Ordered Chinese for dinner from Bill's and watched the IT Crowd. 

Saturday, April 8, 2023 Had Mike over this afternoon for cigars. I met Mike way back in junior high school. I think it was in Spanish class. We were friendly acquaintances but not chummy. We reconnected on Facebook back in the late aughts when people our age were getting on Facebook. I invited him and his wife over for dinner and we've been hanging out ever since.  I had an Oliva on hand. We lit up in the garage and them smoked the cigars in the yard.  We listened to Oscar Peterson.  It's good to be outside again. It was good to see Mike and I let him know it. It had been since New Year's Eve.  Dale ordered Chinese for us and we watched Johnny Guitar. It's a camp classic and I think Mike quite liked it.  And Mike brought over some seltzer. 

Saturday, December 31, 2022 Dale and I went over to Mike and Charisse's house for fondue tonight. We were home by about 10:30 which gave me a chance to squeeze in one more cigar in 2022.  Trying to celebrate what went well this year and let go of what didn't.  By the way, the count this year was 150. Here's to 2023. Magic number: 150

Saturday, October 8, 2022 Mike and Charisse had us over to their place for dinner tonight. I brought over and Oliva cigar for Mike.  Mike and I knew each other back in Jr. High and High School but we became friends that actually hang out together about 12 years ago. Mike and I are Facebook friends and he saw a picture of Dale on my page. Mike introduced himself to Dale when he recognized him at a spin class the both took back in about 2010. When Dale told me about it I told him that Mike would actually be fun to have over for dinner. Dale worked it out and the rest is history. We've been cigar buddies ever since. Used the second of my 4 1-day drinking passes for semi-sober October. I had a couple of Beefeater gin martinis.  After a very nice cocktail hour we had burritos for dinner. They were delicious and I should have asked Charisse for the recipe. 

Tuesday, August 30, 2022 Had my good friend Mike over a couple weeks ago or so. It was great to see him. Love lighting up and having a cigar together. Above photos are from that night. We each smoked a Romeo y Julieta. Tonight I had the same kind of cigar. I've been back at work for a week now to get my classroom set up and I'm trying to enjoy the pleasant temperatures while they last. We still have a number of nice days ahead but eventually they'll start to become fewer and farther between. Not that colder weather has kept me from smoking cigars outside. No time like the present though. Dale came out with some wine to sit with me. He's been on vacation from work and goes back the day after tomorrow.  Although I'm back at work I won't have students until Tuesday of next week. We talked of retirement which is on the horizon and are looking forward to new possibilities.  Had Orville on the Bose.  Like I said, the weather was very pleasant.