The Cigar Life

 Thursday, June 18, 2026 Dale and I went to the Y this morning. Afterward we went to Northbound for lunch. We both got salads. I also got their Canadian Old Fashioned. As always it was great. We stopped by Lund's on the way home to pick up dinner. I smoked 3 cigars this afternoon. The first one was a little Macanudo.  The second one I smoked was a Payback. That's a nice cigar.  Before my final  cigar, another Macanudo, I ran in and grabbed a jacket. It was about 70 degrees out and very dry so it felt a little cool when the sun wasn't shining.  Dale grilled up burgers and we had cole slaw and potato salad will them. It was all very delicious.

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.                                  

Sunday, May 5, 2024 Absolutely gorgeous day. Seventy-one degrees. Lit up a Macanudo which was beautifully mild. My On the Rocks pre-made Old Fashioned was a perfect compliment.                         A Macanudo was the first premium cigar I ever bought.  I was 18 years old and I believe I made the purchase at a cigar store in Southdale.  Dale sat outside with me for a bit and we got a kick out of the neighbor kids playing on their jungle gym. Listened to Oscar Peterson. 

 Saturday, April 4, 2024 Picked up some cigars at Stogies On Grand a week ago today and got more of a variety than I usually do. Olivas have been my go-to lately but this time I chose a Macanudo, Romeo y Julieta, and a Hoyo de Monterrey. On Saturday, April 27, I smoked the Romeo y Julieta. It was nice and not too bitter.                         On Sunday, April 28, I smoked one of my little Macaudos. Pulled out the cowboy hat for the first time in a while.  On Tuesday, April 30, I smoked the Hoyo de Monterrey which I had picked up this past Saturday. The start and the finish were quite enjoyable however part of the center section was a little bitter for my taste. It's been ages since I've had one of these. I'll have to try another one soon to see how it compares.  On Friday, May 3, I went back to smoking an Oliva which is one of my favorites.  These are consistently nice to smoke. Their mild taste makes...

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. 

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.

Saturday, March 2, 2024 This afternoon I made it a 2-cigar day.  Dinner at Warren's tonight. 

Saturday, March 2, 2024 Looks like it's gonna be a nice sunny day again.  Lit up my first cigar, a Macanudo, before 10 a.m. Not as warm as it's gonna get yet but still pleasant enough to be able to sit outside. 

 Friday, March 1, 2024 After finishing my Oliva I decdided to make it a 2-cigar day.  Went with a little Macanudo.  Sun's getting a little lower for the day... But we gained a degree in temperaure.  This has been such a stressful year and considering how overall stressful my job is that's really saying something.  I'm really happy the weekend is here and I'm so excited that it's supposed to be sunny with high at least in the upper 50s through Sunday!

 February 2024 Started Febrruary out in Arizona. My first full day there is was 75 degrees and sunny.  The rest off the weekend it got into the 50s and 60s. "Cold" for them but very spring-like for us.  Barely any snow on the ground this month.  Due to above average temperatures nothing ever really accumulated.  It even got into the 60s. Scary but not enough to keep me from taking advantage of it.  Perfect leather jacket weather most of the month. On days it was a little to chilly I'd light up in my upstairs cigar lounge.  Valentine's Day Cigar.