The Cigar Life

  First cigar back after visiting Arizona. 

  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)

 Thursday, March 19, 2026 Smoked a Digger today. 

 Monday, February 16, 2025 Back when I was working today woulda been a day off. Now EVERY day is a day off! After the Romeo y Julieta I lit up a Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur.

Monday, June 16, 2025 Long day. Spent a good chunk of it in the emergency room with Mom. She's okay but will be in the hospital for a few days.  She's now got a diagnosis which is a huge relief. I didn't get home from the hospital until about 7:30 p.m. Dale and I were both starving and went to The Lowbrow for dinner. I had a couple Old Fashioneds and then a Macanudo when we got home.  Today marks the end of the first full week of the rest of my life. I'm getting out of full time teaching and my last day was a week ago. It would be an understatement that I'm really excited.                                  

Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Lighting up a Hoyo. Great fucking cigar. I'm feeling a level of relaxation on my first day off that I usually don't feel for a week into my summer break. 

  Monday, June 9, 2025 Went in this morning to finish cleaning my classroom and turn in my keys. Dale came to help. Was out of there by 10:00. Two cigars today. First was a Hoyo Excalibur. The second was a Romeo y Julieta. Ready to get my summer break and sabatical underway. 

  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).

  Wednes day, April 23, 2025 Close to entering the 30-day countdown of. number of school days left. I can do this.

 Sunday, April 13, 2025 Drove over to Saint Paul to Stogies on Grand to get together with Steve for a cigar. He's kept a really low profile over the past 4 years or so. I've seen him a few times over the last year although he hasn't had a cigar in that time and I haven't had a cigar with him in the last 5. I think the last time was February of 2020 at Anthony's Cigar Lounge in Minneapolis, just before the pandemic. Anyway, it was good to see him and light up. I forgot my wallet so I had him buy me a stogie. He asked me what kind I wanted and I told him to get me whatever he was having which turned out to be a La Gloria Cubana.

 Sunday, October 20, 2024 What a fantastic 4-day weekend.  The weather's been great and especially so today, Got in a Romeo y Julieta after finishing up some more yard work.   So very pleasant out at 78 degrees.  Can't believe our good fortune with the weather these past 4 days. We were supposed to have gone to Phoenix but plans got cancelled at the last minute due to our host becoming quite ill (it turns out he'll be fine). The weather here turned out to be better than what we would've gotten there. Since this weekend began Wednesday afternoon I've gotten in 4 cigars. Not bad. 

Thursday, October 17, 2024 Cigar this afternoon while Dale went on a walk. Smoked a Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur #1. These have always been one of my favorites although I went for a long while without them and only recently picking them back up again. Did a little bit of reading as I sat in the sunlight. The most recent book I've been enjoying is A Year at Clove Brook Farm by Christopher Spitzmiller. He takes the reader on a month by month journey of all the goings-on at his estate in New York's Hudson River Valley. I remember visiting out that way when Sam at Becky lived near West Point. It's a beautiful area. The book is full of wonderful pictures.  Had an Old Fashioned to go along with the cigar. Dayum they go well together.   Dale sat with me for a bit.  We said hi to Marcia as Andrea was taking her out on a walk.