From: ??????????????????????
Subject: posting from pipes page

Gentlemen-: It's been a while since I last posted so thought I'd add a
few thoughts to the various items that are being discussed here. I'm
really interested in the shaving ideas that were mentioned
previously. My Dad taught me how to shave when I was in jr. hi. and I
never thought much about it till I went to basic training in 1968. It
was Summer in Ft. Dix and the heat and humidity was a killer with the
daily shaving we had to do to keep the drill sgts off our back. One of
the guys had a Playboy that gave a decsription of the proper way to
shave. I don't know if I follow it exactly today but from what I
remember; wash your face with hot soapy water; apply a hot wash cloth
to your face to soften the beard; apply the shaving cream to your damp
face and let it sit for a minute or so before beginning shaving. I've
used all manner of razors and my favorite right now is the Gillette
twin blade job. The straight razors seem to be a bit dangerous to me,
but with practice, it should be fun. In the old days a barber would
trim behind your ears and down the back of your neck with a straight
razor after applying a hot shaving cream from a dispensor on the
counter. The army quit doing this in 85 or so because of the AIDS
business. I used to just love having that razor run over the back of
my neck and really miss it. I just got my hair cut last week by a
barber who used to do that and we had a nice talk about some of the
old ways they used to do things. Remember Butch Wax? Wildroot Creame
Oil? Anyway, I've had a beard for three years but just may shave it as
I kind of miss the ritual.

I just got back from two weeks of vacation in Iowa and managed bag a
few pheasants and ate some great meals to include a venison loin roast
that was some of the best venison that I've ever had. I smoked some
new tobaccos to include Gawith's Grousemoor and Dunhill's Three Year
Aged Virginia. I guess I'm not a big fan of the Virginia's as they
remind me too much of cigarettes. I love the taste of latakia and it's
hard to get used to some of these other tobacs. In WA here it's hard
to find some of the tobaccos you guys write about so it looks like
it's going to be a mail order deal for me. I just read an article in
the paper and wished I'd save it but it looks like the liberals in BC
are going to ban smoking in all resturants and bars in the province. I
was wondering how this was going to affect the RCMP meeting. I've
wanted to join this group but just have'nt the time to drive up there
for an overnighter. My wife and I do enjoy an occassional weekend in
Victoria and the last time I was there they'd outlawed smoking in bars
in Victoria. At my hotel bar I had to take my beer and smoke my pipe
outdoors in a covered area.

I hope all are well and enjoy reading your letters. Keep puffing.   

Big John  


[They're trying in Princeton, aka Prisstown, NJ also. Possibly that
one's been killed due to pressure from restauranteurs. -S.]


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