The Cigar Life

 Thursday, June 11, 2026 Been hot and humid the previous couple days.  Smoked a big, fat, long La Flor Dominicana. Today was bit cooler that it's been lately so it made for great leather jacket weather.  Put on my gloves too. Diggers take a long time to finish. That's part of the reason I like them. It's usually about 2 and a half hours smoke. I mostly sat out in the yard but then rain moved in and I headed for the garage.  And listened to Django Reinhardt.

  Dale took me to  Stogies on Grand a few days ago so I could add some more cigars to my humidor for June. I was down to one Camacho but picked up a couple Asylum 13s, a Digger, and a Payback, which, by the way, I've really come to love.  T'was a nice day to sit out in the yard. (Most days have been lately.) Picked and Asylum 13 for today. Poured myself an Old Fashioned. And thoroughly enjoyed myself. I love summer in Minneapolis. And always have since I was a kid. June is always nice because it's not as humid yet, generally cools down in the afternoon, and isn't as buggy as it will be.  (Photos and AI enhanced image from June 4)

Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Late this morning I stepped out to the back stoop to light up a cigar.     Shortly after doing so the next door neighbor let out her obnoxiously hyper Cockapoo, Marcia. She'll bark at you incessantly and it doesn't matter how well she knows you.     I walked around to the side of the house so Marcia couldn't see me. However it was incredibly windy and the side of the house was like a wind tunnel. The wind made my cigar burn unevenly and it was nearly impossible to relight it to even-it out. The wind kept stealing the flame from the lighter. After many attempts I finally got the cigar lit again. Between Marcia and the wind this was a less than optimal cigar smoking experience. 

Monday, April 1, 2024 Third cigar in only 4 days of break! I'm really starting to relax which feels great.  Lunch earlier with Dale at The Howe. I had the Maple Old Fashioned. Wish I coulda had it with this afternoon's cigar. They woulda gone well together.  

Saturday, March 30, 2024 Lunch with Noel at Frost's. Stopped by Stogies On Grand in St. Paul afterward to pick up some cigars for the week.  I'm all set. And then some.

 Sunday, March 24, 2024 Finished shoveling, ran inside to get another cigar.  I asked Bing to write another story. This time about a man enjoying a cigar in the garage after shoveling,                            Here's the result: "After a long session of shoveling snow, the man retreats to the solace of his garage, a place that feels like a sanctuary away from the biting cold. He leans his snow shovel against the wall, it's blade still dusted with a fine layer of snow, evidence of his labor. With a sense of accomplishment, he reaches for his prized cigar, a ritual that marks the end of his wintry chore."                            "The rich aroma of the cigar fills the garage, a stark contrast to the crisp outdoor air. Each puff is a celebration, a moment of respite. The smoke swirls around him, creating a dance of shadows against the dim...