June 2007

Club Info & Events

Details of the May Meeting
Another scheduling mishap almost forced a postponement of the 2nd Annual SHPC Swap & Sell but we were able to make other arrangements and pull it off. This years event was a little bigger than last year thanks in part to Dock's friend Bob Turin who was thinning out his collection and had a nice variety of quality pipes for sale along with two very nice 36 count pipe racks. Ken Collins, Dock Perry, Tom Martin, Nelson Pidgeon and others also contributed items for swap or sale. Although the sales were limited I expect the popularity and success of this event will continue to grow in the coming years.
We'd also like to welcome new member, Bruce Wallace to the ranks. Bruce has been on our email list for quite some time and finally decided to come and join us. All members happily welcomed Bruce to the ranks but Tim "Newest Member" Martin was particularly happy to pass the "new member" torch to the newcomer.

SHPC Website
You may or may not have noticed that the SHPC website was unavailable for a short time this past month. Due to the uncooperative nature of our hosting service we were forced to changed hosting companies. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Steve Gutz
Our old friend Steve Gutz has been under the weather as of late and may require and extended period of convalescence. Steve, on behalf of the entire club we want you to know we're thinking of you and wish you well and hope to see you up and about and attending meetings soon. If you'd like to contact Steve and say hello you can email him at sgutz(at)tiac(dot)net.

Upcoming Events

The 2007 Northeast Regional Pipe Show - “Signs“
By Tom Martin (formerly our Newest Member)

And the sign said "Long-haired freaky people need not apply." So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why. He said "You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do." So I took off my hat, I said "Imagine that. Huh! Me workin' for you!"
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind. Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?
I heard this song by The Five Man Electrical Band on my way to the Northeast Regional Pipe Show, and it couldn’t have been more appropriate, even prophetic.... [read more]

Dock's Corner

Only five or so years ago I was sitting in my then girlfriend's house looking online for some information about the Sherlock Holmes Pipe Club of Boston. I had heard about the group through the club directory in the back of "Pipes & Tobaccos Magazine." There were two names listed as folks to contact, one was Steve "4dots" Smith and the other was Don Powers. I could then only imagine what fun attending a meeting would be like! In my mind I delighted at the thought of being surrounded by a dozen or so like minded gentleman whose vast intellects I could probe for more knowledge about the new hobby that I was becoming increasingly passionate about! Up 'til then I had only seen quality pipes in magazines and honestly believed that a good briar pipe could never cost much more than fifty bucks! After calling Mr. Powers and finding out where this secret society met, it would take nearly a year for me to make my first trip out to Mansfield. I knew that my schedule had to be re arranged so I could continually make every monthly meeting. If I was going to do this I sure wasn't going to be "half fast" about it!

They say that listening to the Boston Red Sox on the radio is truly better than TV because you're able to actually "build the Fenway of your imagination". In the year it took me to make my 1st meeting, I did just that. When I finally did attend I was delighted to see that it was damned close to exactly how I imagined it to be!

In the years after, I went from a loyal member to President of this noble group, something I never would have possibly imagined just a few years ago. I've made some lifelong friends and gained more knowledge about this hobby than one could possibly believe or retain : ) A big thanks to all SHPC members past and present who contributed and continue to contribute to making our little group so great! The 1st Tuesday of the month just wouldn't be the same without you all...

Best, D. Perry