The New Year

As a parent you learn to take advantage of opportunity when it knocks. My opportunity came in the form of the grandparents who wanted to spoil the boy rotten this weekend. With the boy being off to the land of fun and the wife relaxing with her newspaper, I decided that tonight would be a good time to smoke a cigar and have a drink. After the week I had, I felt that both were well deserved.

I headed over to the humidor to select my smoke for the evening, quickly settling on one the Cohiba Coronas that Santa had left for me under the tree. My focus was now centered on what drink to pair with my cigar. I have to admit that I am a beer man, and lately I have been enjoying my smokes with a Land Shark Lager made by Margaritaville Brewing Company. The maduros I smoked had matched up quite nicely with the beer. However, tonight I felt the best choice for my cigar and perhaps my mood would be bourbon and coke. I poured myself a Maker’s Mark and Coke in one of my new monogrammed bourbon glasses, the lovely wife gave me for Christmas. The temperature outside was warm enough to open the door in the cigar lounge (my garage) so I settled in to unwind. The Cohiba and the bourbon coupled with the rain soon had me thinking about the beach. The sound of the rain on the pavement soon had the smell of salt in the air. The tastes of the cigar and the bourbon complimented each other perfectly, affirming that I had made the proper selection. With each draw and sip I could feel my anxiety slowly disappearing. Laura joined me in the lounge and we were engaged again in the conversation that had dominated my week. Change, a fitting topic for the start of any new year, this year had already started with change being a large part of the game plan. Until now, our conversation had a stress filled overtones, but now a sense of excitement was in the air.

The Cohiba and Maker’s combination were so smooth that both were over rather quickly. Just like the last year.

Tonight Glassware was supplied by The Pink Bee.

Twenty-Four Days and Counting

Well here we are, the Christmas clock is ticking and I have to get busy. This is my favorite time of the year. There are a lot of things to get done in a relatively short time, so a plan is a must.

Lets take a quick look at stage one, the time frame. The month is shaping up nicely so far. I have three vacation days left and with a little strategic planning I have been able to secure two three day weekends and the long five day break over Christmas. This should allow for plenty of time for shopping, wrapping, and relaxing with a few good cigars.

Stage Two is shopping. The boy is in full “I want that mode” so his list is increasing daily. We will be lucky if Santa can have all of his stuff taken care of by New Year’s. I have most of my shopping done for my wife, thanks to my Gift Consultants, Lisa and Theresa at The Pink Bee. So I only have a few things to pick up and the wife’s list will be complete. That just leaves my customers, and most of them I can take care of in stage three.

The next stage is vital, Stage Three: The shopping trip to Lexington or Knoxville. At this point I’m not really sure what the destination is, but I am sure that it will be a challenge. I’m not big on the malls and crowds. The Wife however is a champion. I am looking forward to a good meal and the trip to the smoke shop. Unfortunately, my little town of Somerset doesn’t have a cigar shop, so I try to stock up when I can. So that brings me to my holiday cigar and spirit list. Both are a must to get through the holidays.

I mentioned to my wife’s brother at Thanksgiving about bringing a few cigars to our Christmas Day gathering at my wife’s parents. Of course I have images of the guys standing around on the back patio enjoying a Maker’s Mark Bourbon Cigar with a glass of what else Maker’s Mark Bourbon. So Three Maker’s Cigars, I always have the bourbon. I have been itching to try Padron’s cigars. Two Padron’s. I know that I have to pick up a box of my favorite Macanudo Maduro. I have decided that if you are going to be the cigar guru of the group you need to be well stocked on both knowledge and smokes. The Maduro’s have a great balanced taste, and is one that I feel the guys will enjoy. One box of Macanudo Maduro. I will also have to pick up something in a flavored smoke for my girls at the Bee. When the gang gets together, a fine flavored cigar is a must. I will opt for either an Oliveros Cognac or maybe a few Acids. I will need at least five or six. I will have to pick up a fifth of Gentlemen’s Jack to round out the bar and I should be set.

Well now comes the hard part, the execution. I will have to be at the top of my game to pull this one off. The wife is smarter than I am so the smoke shop and liquor stores will be the last stops on out shopping trip, which means best behavior. No whining, no temper, or no stogies and booze. Who ever said Santa Claus’s rules were tough, must have never met my wife when we shop.