Well I had one hell of a birthday! My daughter took me out for the day to the nearest Big City which is Salisbury, Maryland - nearly two hours drive - I really do live out in the sticks.
First stop breakfast chow from Arbee's then gas station to pick up a carton of my Pall Mall menthol 100 vice, cigarettes are probably cheaper here in Virginia than anywhere (BTW any English smokers know, do they still make Consulate's? They were my favourites back in the UK so much menthol in them)
Heather and her husband gave me a $100 Barnes and Noble gift card and I can easily spend hours in a bookshop so that was the next stop, picked up three Terry Pratchett books. Still have $50 left on card so if something good shows up in the future I can still get it. Looked for anything Spectrum like that coffee table book but no joy, didnt expect to get lucky with that one.
Next stop Hobby Lobby not for priceless Iranian artifacts (like what? Cuneiform slabs?) but for basswood as I used up all mine making a vast bridge for my grandchildrens trains, also some more ink for fountain pens I still prefer to ballpoints or fiber tips and found a pad of very small squared paper for plotting Speccy screen images with. She also bought me two T-shirts, a Doctor Who police box and Darth Vader though I always saw myself more a Harrison Ford character but apparently not.
Okay now a boring aside. I've had nothing but trouble with buying shoes. I dont mind spending $60 but when they still fall apart inside three months and are adequately wearable but not so much that you dont take them off first chance you get, well that pisses me off and on my retirement income $60 is a big chunk of it. So I lowball it and buy a Walmart cheap sneaker every other month and put up with them being wearable but no more.
So we were doing a lot of walking because her car had to go in for maintenance whilst we shopped and thats a long walk and theres no sidewalks, all 3 lane roads and vast carparks, my feet were giving me gyp. Heather took me to a shoe store (a Clarks one) and the guy actually measured my feet and recommended a pair that were nearly $200, orthopedic shoes, absolutely amazing, most comfortable shoes I've ever worn, they altered my stance and stride so I could walk like someone turned the clock back. Amazing! You dont want to take them off they are so comfortable, they made various annoying aches and pains I've had for years just go away. Well worth the money.
Finally a sushi nosh up for dinner, pick up some for my wife who volunteered to stay home and keep the dog company, Dad and daughter havent had time alone for years so that was a treat all in itself. I'm so proud of her, she's built herself a successful restaurant business even though its miles off the beaten track, the locals all go there and recommend it. Her three daughters (one I wrote the How to Program the Speccy book for) are all bright and Heather has spared no effort to ensure they get properly educated, gets them separate art lessons, music lessons, all kinds of activities like Space Camp where they all are at the moment. The difference between them and other kids that are left to the mercy of TV and X-box parenting, is astonishing.
Mind you I did the same for their mother so it obviously paid off. My two boys not so much, the middle one is bright and if he could just stay away from getting blitzed and running amok every so often, he could easily be a star but I love him anyway and I'm in no position to preach staying on the straight and narrow as I was worse then he is until about aged 50/55 when the booze stopped being enjoyable and I had the sense not to try anything stronger mainly thanks to all the disastrous family examples of why its not worth it, whatever it may be.
I probably shouldnt post this but I like you guys and dont want to create a false impression which is so easy to do online by default as it were. I may be a grey beard but theres still some life left in me. I'm not some wise old fart I'm afraid I have 'feet of clay' as a man I admired (father of a friend) once told me when I said how much I looked up to him. To prove it he taught me the words to several disgraceful songs including Eskimo Nell - no, I don't remember them. Maybe a few verses...
I hope this gives someone a grin, anyway. Evening all! (shades of Jack Warner)
BTW any English smokers know, do they still make Consulate's? They were my favourites back in the UK so much menthol in them)
gave up cigs nearly 10yrs ago but I only ever bought menthols once. Berkleys iirc... think I got through all 20 in a single afternoon which probably put me off them after that, lol.
not heard of Consulates. all tobacco has to be hidden from view behind shutters in uk shops now so you cant even see them anymore.
Menthols were phased out last year I believe.
They were never my weapon of choice when I smoked,Park Drive or Gold Flake were my poisons way back when.
I remember consulates, 2 of my best pals started smoking those things, either those or Dorchesters. I thought they were a bit odd. An ex-girlfriends mother used to smoke Dorchesters, but would buy Consulate if the local shop was out of them.
I actually smoke menthols now, I'm seriously thinking about quitting, I'm not really enjoying my snouts much these days.
I bit late to the party old chap, but I've been off grid (sic) for a bit and have only just read your postings. so Happy Birthday for a big big round number. Sounds like you had a great time. If you wanna avoid the Sidhe pop over to my site and get some tips ;)
The one thing that helped me quit was that I remembered going to pubs as a non-smoker, as I discovered alcohol before tobacco. Made me realise that I could probably have a few drinks without needing to have a smoke. I remember Consulates though.
The one thing that helped me quit was that I remembered going to pubs as a non-smoker, as I discovered alcohol before tobacco. Made me realise that I could probably have a few drinks without needing to have a smoke. I remember Consulates though.
Another good thing to do if you're giving up, especially if you're more of a social smoker like I was, is to keep going out with smokers when they leave a building for a smoke....you'll get some funny looks, but just tell them you're quitting but this helps! I still go and hang with the smokers sometimes yet, even though I haven't smoked for almost a decade...
This was me back in the 60's - no really, I had a BSA A7SS and a Norton Atlas but hey times move on, alas!
That brought back some memories!
I started with an NSU Quickly then up to a Tiger Cub, a succession of mid weight oilfields sorry Enfields followed and finally a Triumph T120 Bonnie I then got fed up of British unreliability and oil leaks so bit the bullet and went Japanese.
A 60's advert in the local rag for a BSA dealer read something like..
"No more dirty driveways get a free drip tray with every BSA purchased before...etc"
Bikes were just as cool back then. My old man had Nortons and Triumphs. The whole ton up and a cuppa at Aces sounded so appealing. Sadly my mum lost a boyfriend from trying the ton up over Chelsea bridge, when she was a teenager. Very sad.
Comments
https://mb.boardhost.com/BikerMike/index.html?1593001131
I'm 5 oh next year. Hope i'm posting the seven oh message in twenty.
All The Best,
M
First stop breakfast chow from Arbee's then gas station to pick up a carton of my Pall Mall menthol 100 vice, cigarettes are probably cheaper here in Virginia than anywhere (BTW any English smokers know, do they still make Consulate's? They were my favourites back in the UK so much menthol in them)
Heather and her husband gave me a $100 Barnes and Noble gift card and I can easily spend hours in a bookshop so that was the next stop, picked up three Terry Pratchett books. Still have $50 left on card so if something good shows up in the future I can still get it. Looked for anything Spectrum like that coffee table book but no joy, didnt expect to get lucky with that one.
Next stop Hobby Lobby not for priceless Iranian artifacts (like what? Cuneiform slabs?) but for basswood as I used up all mine making a vast bridge for my grandchildrens trains, also some more ink for fountain pens I still prefer to ballpoints or fiber tips and found a pad of very small squared paper for plotting Speccy screen images with. She also bought me two T-shirts, a Doctor Who police box and Darth Vader though I always saw myself more a Harrison Ford character but apparently not.
Okay now a boring aside. I've had nothing but trouble with buying shoes. I dont mind spending $60 but when they still fall apart inside three months and are adequately wearable but not so much that you dont take them off first chance you get, well that pisses me off and on my retirement income $60 is a big chunk of it. So I lowball it and buy a Walmart cheap sneaker every other month and put up with them being wearable but no more.
So we were doing a lot of walking because her car had to go in for maintenance whilst we shopped and thats a long walk and theres no sidewalks, all 3 lane roads and vast carparks, my feet were giving me gyp. Heather took me to a shoe store (a Clarks one) and the guy actually measured my feet and recommended a pair that were nearly $200, orthopedic shoes, absolutely amazing, most comfortable shoes I've ever worn, they altered my stance and stride so I could walk like someone turned the clock back. Amazing! You dont want to take them off they are so comfortable, they made various annoying aches and pains I've had for years just go away. Well worth the money.
Finally a sushi nosh up for dinner, pick up some for my wife who volunteered to stay home and keep the dog company, Dad and daughter havent had time alone for years so that was a treat all in itself. I'm so proud of her, she's built herself a successful restaurant business even though its miles off the beaten track, the locals all go there and recommend it. Her three daughters (one I wrote the How to Program the Speccy book for) are all bright and Heather has spared no effort to ensure they get properly educated, gets them separate art lessons, music lessons, all kinds of activities like Space Camp where they all are at the moment. The difference between them and other kids that are left to the mercy of TV and X-box parenting, is astonishing.
Mind you I did the same for their mother so it obviously paid off. My two boys not so much, the middle one is bright and if he could just stay away from getting blitzed and running amok every so often, he could easily be a star but I love him anyway and I'm in no position to preach staying on the straight and narrow as I was worse then he is until about aged 50/55 when the booze stopped being enjoyable and I had the sense not to try anything stronger mainly thanks to all the disastrous family examples of why its not worth it, whatever it may be.
I probably shouldnt post this but I like you guys and dont want to create a false impression which is so easy to do online by default as it were. I may be a grey beard but theres still some life left in me. I'm not some wise old fart I'm afraid I have 'feet of clay' as a man I admired (father of a friend) once told me when I said how much I looked up to him. To prove it he taught me the words to several disgraceful songs including Eskimo Nell - no, I don't remember them. Maybe a few verses...
I hope this gives someone a grin, anyway. Evening all! (shades of Jack Warner)
https://mb.boardhost.com/BikerMike/index.html?1593001131
not heard of Consulates. all tobacco has to be hidden from view behind shutters in uk shops now so you cant even see them anymore.
They were never my weapon of choice when I smoked,Park Drive or Gold Flake were my poisons way back when.
I actually smoke menthols now, I'm seriously thinking about quitting, I'm not really enjoying my snouts much these days.
I'm beginning to feel like that myself. Probably too late to be of benefit to me.
https://mb.boardhost.com/BikerMike/index.html?1593001131
@luny@mstdn.games
https://www.luny.co.uk
Another good thing to do if you're giving up, especially if you're more of a social smoker like I was, is to keep going out with smokers when they leave a building for a smoke....you'll get some funny looks, but just tell them you're quitting but this helps! I still go and hang with the smokers sometimes yet, even though I haven't smoked for almost a decade...
https://mb.boardhost.com/BikerMike/index.html?1593001131
hhahaha nice
That brought back some memories!
I started with an NSU Quickly then up to a Tiger Cub, a succession of mid weight
oilfieldssorry Enfields followed and finally a Triumph T120 Bonnie I then got fed up of British unreliability and oil leaks so bit the bullet and went Japanese.A 60's advert in the local rag for a BSA dealer read something like..
"No more dirty driveways get a free drip tray with every BSA purchased before...etc"
@luny@mstdn.games
https://www.luny.co.uk