What Pipes or Pipe Tobacco did you smoke today? (2024-2025)

[Sid.Stavros]

Fellow pipe smokers, i have been absent from the forum lately and for a reason. My father had a problem with one of his heart valves, we had a coronary angiogram in November 2024 but neither the local cardiologist nor the one at the public hospital we went to told us anything. The local cardiologist was very reassuring, "it's nothing...it's a minor operation...it won't take long...you'll be back the same day" etc. Suddenly my father's health deteriorated, we brought him here to Athens to a private hospital for a pre-operative check-up, the results were very bad and then we were forced to admit him for hospitalization, we spent a fortune and after 15 days the doctors told us "there's nothing we can do" because the damage was unreversed.
We took him home to the village and he passed away the next day in front of my mother. Yes, he was 87 years old but he walked with minimal help from a cane, he drove normally, he went shopping alone - to the pharmacy etc, if the doctors had warning us earlier he could live few years more, God rest his soul.

I am travelling tomorrow for the funeral's final preparation, few puffs with Captain Black Royal.

I will be ''Out of Forum'' for the next weeks too.

 

[deluxestogie]

I am sorry to hear of your father's passing, Sid. Alternative choices and alternative events always linger with us.

When I was 11 years old, my father (then 44 years old, what to me seemed like an old man) was admitted to the hospital for heart surgery (a valve replacement). He died in the operating room. Only when I grew older did I learn that, as a young man, he sang baritone at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

I light up a smoke to both their memories.

Bob

 

[Alpine]

My condolences Sid.

pier

 

[DaleB]

Breaking in the new custom briar bowl for my calabash with some pressed Pearl of Shibam. I wasn’t impressed with PoS until it had sat for a couple of months in a tin. It’s really good, it just needs either some age or a few days in a press to wake it up.

 

[Sid.Stavros]

Good morning Gentlemen, thank you for your kindly words, the shock from my father's loss is huge. Lot of bureaucracy here in cases like this and the worst is that my mother has mobility problems and now is almost alone.
Here in Athens we have sun with few clouds and 81 'F.

Skandinavik Vanilla.

 

[TigerTom]

Good day, everyone.



Stokkebye Bullseye Flake.

 

[Sid.Stavros]

Greetings from Athens-Greece, we have sun and 94 'F, the Summer already started here.

Planta No1.

 

[Sid.Stavros]

Major-General Lindsay Merritt Inglis, New Zealand (1894 – 1966)

Orlik Club Mixture in a Breebia.

 

[Sid.Stavros]

Hello from Athens-Greece, we have sun and 83 'F here.

Black and Elegant Vanilla.

 

[Comicman43]

I mainly smoke whatever I can afford at the moment but right now I am smoking OHM menthol tobacco

 

[TigerTom]

Lane RLP-6 in a Kaywoodie I got for a steal off eBay.

 

[DaleB]

Ropp 921 loaded with - I don’t remember!! Pearl of Shibam, I think. G&T while I ponder getting back into ham radio; haven’t been on the air in years. Coincidentally it’s Field Day weekend, but I doubt I’ll operate before getting my code speed back up to snuff.

 

[jackpine]

Ropp 921 loaded with - I don’t remember!! Pearl of Shibam, I think. G&T while I ponder getting back into ham radio; haven’t been on the air in years. Coincidentally it’s Field Day weekend, but I doubt I’ll operate before getting my code speed back up to snuff.
View attachment 56344

Just get on the air, speed aint every thing. Operate phone if nothing else- I'll be on 80M 40M 15M- 73 w8con

 

[Sid.Stavros]

Salutes from Athens-Greece, we have sun and 95 'F here.

Now that my father has passed away, my mother sits alone outside on the porch in the afternoons. For company now she has the stray cats that i have collected plus 2 that my brother brought. Now she pet and play with the: Bagy (he always search the bag for food), the Dayan (found with one eye only due to an injury), the Cleany Whity (always cleaning herself) and the Punk Blackie (has weird type of fur).
I will be Out of Forum due to my Summer vacations, with the grace of God i will come back in two weeks bringing some new photos.
Good bye, may you all be well !

 

[Alpine]

Happy holidays Sid!

pier

 

[DaleB]

Just get on the air, speed aint every thing. Operate phone if nothing else- I'll be on 80M 40M 15M- 73 w8con

So, funny story... there are many thousands of hams using keyers (and repeater controllers) that I designed. My sending speed is fine; I spent YEARS sending at various speeds while testing keyer firmware and hardware. My copy speed is down to about 7-8 WPM, though, and once I miss a character I'm completely lost. I just need a few hours of practice to get back into the "flow" and be back in action. Plus -- no antenna. HOA neighborhood, yadda yadda. I had a dipole in the attic that worked great, up until we had the steel roof installed. I need to launch a wire into the trees, but that will have to wait until a few other projects get done. Getting close, though. The TS-850 now occupies the space formerly occupied by my work laptop, and I'm bringing the HW-16/HG-10B up this week. Good times. And to keep it tobacco related, the same desk is where I do my blending, and when the weather is nice enough I can open the window and smoke a pipe here. Should be a great place to operate.

-.. . -. ----- -..- .- ...

@Sid.Stavros enjoy your holiday!

 

[TigerTom]

I figured I'd get out and enjoy the morning before we hit our forecasted 103°F today. There is a slight breeze that can't make up its mind where it wants to go, and a clear sunny sky.

A bit of Stokkebye 701 Virginia and 702 Burley, blended with some Cornell & Diehl Izmir is just the ticket. Good way to start the day.

 

[Faltown]

First time in a long time to enjoy where I live. Solani silver flake in a Peterson 306, that I found at a car boot, stamped reject, Republic of Ireland.

 

[deluxestogie]

Nice "reject" pipe. The tilted and crumbled, sedimentary geology is fascinating. Many a fossil alongside your beer.

Bob

 

[Faltown]

Nice "reject" pipe. The tilted and crumbled, sedimentary geology is fascinating. Many a fossil alongside your beer.

Bob

Yea it's a pretty special place to live. Cheers Bob