MY FIRST PIPE

Huzzah! My first pipe arrived today! I picked it up on ebay from a fellow in North Carolina. It's a Peterson Meerschaum #999. I was impressed when it arrived, because it looked even better in person. The colour was very nice, and it came ready to smoke. Finding the time to actually smoke it was more challenging however. It arrived at 9am, and what with family politics, personal responsibilities, and work, on top of the fact that I wanted to give my first bowl my full attention...I have only just finished the first bowl, and it's midnight.

I had two types of pipeweed to choose from, Peterson's Old Dublin, and McClelland's Aged Virginia no.22. I figured one Peterson deserved another, and went with the Old Dublin. For those newbies like myself, this is "a medium English blend." I have been reading up on everything pipe for a couple of weeks, so I think I managed to avoid some of the major pitfalls. I took my time, tamped appropriately...sipped and kissed and all that. Overall it was quite lovely...being a once-every-month-or-so smoker, I am still buzzing...in a really mellow way.

So...a few observations. I definitely need to work on my packing skills. I used the traditional method because I wanted to just start with the basics. I think I packed the first pinch too hard, as the draw was fairly slow. I did the "charring light" and tamped the ash, and relit, and was having a bugger of a time getting anything out of it at all. About a quarter of the bowl in, I sucked a tiny piece of tobacco right up out of the pipe into my mouth, and BINGO all off a sudden my mouth was filled with creamy white smoke a-plenty. I was having a cup of tea with some friends as I puffed away, and as the bowl wore on they headed home to bed. I had been smoking for about 40 minutes, and I figured I was about done.

After my friends headed out, I pulled out my handy dandy pipe tool (tamper-pick-scoop/reamer) and started picking out some ashes. I noticed that there seemed to be a fair bit of brown tobacco still in there, so I relit. Wow... I don't know what I did, if it was the lack of distraction, or the bottom of the bowl, but the next 20 minutes was FANTASTIC. The draw was really smooth, the bowl was warm in my hand, and the flavour really came through nicely. It was quiet and cool outside, and I was nicely buzzing from the smoke...I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship...

After breakfast tomorrow, I'll try the no.22. I can't wait!