Details of the September Meeting
No one had a camera at the September meteing so we have no pictures this month. But believe it or not... we did get another new member. Due to a scheduling conflict we had to meet at the Sportman's Club this month. This is always a nice change of pace and people seem to like it and if the mosquitoes are not too bad you can always sit on the deck in the night air and smoke your pipe. Dinner will be at 5 Guys again this month. Cobbs Corner.

Another good thing that's happened lately is that Steve Gutz has a driver (Francis) who can bring him to the meetings. He's been to the last two meetings and to Eric's cookout (more on that later) so we hope he will become a regular again.

Our New Member Bob
Well it's sort of a small world story since we found out that Bob lives a few houses away from Derek in Billerica and although he doesn't know him, he recognized him right off as the guy that drives the Model A around the neighborhood. Here's a little more about Bob:

Bob works in the computer industry and currently manages a network of 2000 users worldwide. He's been a pipe smoker on and off for about 30 plus years and generally prefers to smoke Savinellis and Meerschaum pipes. He has a tendency to lean towards aromatic tobaccos but will try almost anything.
He also collects both fountain pens and watches and has about 200 pens in his current collection.

Welcome aboard Bob.

2010 SHPC Cookout
In September, SHPC President Eric Kahn invited us into his home for the SHPC annual cookout. We had a nice showing of members including some wives or girlfirends. Steve Gutz, who was the originator of the SHPC yearly cookout was also able to make it. The weather was a little chilly but the Patriots won so everyone was happy. Ken's wife Mary makes scarves in her spare time and brought a dozen or so give to those who wanted one. Ken seemed pretty happy about it too.... he says they have far too many scarves at home. Everywhere you look around the house you see a scarf. He was even encouraging people to take more. The scarves were well made and beautiful, a very generous offering.
It was a nice time and was good to get together outside of the usual club setting. Thanks Eric and Ceil for putting the time and energy into making this such a memorable event. I just wish I had more room left for dessert.

---

Better Days - The Final Chapter
A Series on Pipe Smoking's Nostalgic Past
                                                           By Ernie Whitenack

The following is Part 2 in the final chapter of Ernie Whitenack's "Better Days" series. I am very happy to have been able to include these stories in the SHPC Gazette and I hope you got as much enjoyment out of them as I did. While reading these recollections of smoking's past, I kept thinking to myself.... "I wish I could have been a part of it all back then". Thanks Ernie. I truly appreciate all the time and effort that went into putting these stories together and I hope you will be able to dig up a few more tidbits for us in the future.

The Final Chapter - Part 2
... One evening in 2004 as I sipped a Scotch and gazed at my pipes still in the wall rack, so long ago relegated to inactivity, it dawned on me that I was seventy six years old and healthy. If smoking all those years hadn't killed me by now it probably never would. With Scotch and ice close by, I spent the rest of the evening reaming and cleaning several pipes. In the morning I attempted to call Ehrlich's for a shipment and found they had moved and changed to primarily a cigar store. I was stunned. It was like learning that the Old North Church was now a parking lot – such a piece of history gone.
                                                                           [Read More...]