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.
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