El Bandito

Book

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Hey Tiff Romancing the smoke is what they call it. It is the trick that your addiction plays on you by equating your need to relieve withdrawal by re administering the drug as 'I enjoy it' I never posted this before Tiff, so listen up. My Mum and Dad both smoked. As a kid I was the noisiest whiniest kid in the world about the smell of smoke. I hated it. HATED it. I never stopped begging them to stop. They knew I would never smoke. Proved them wrong by 13. It's a fact. Parents smoke makes kids much much much more likely to smoke. FACT. At 59 my Dad developed an Aortic Aneurysm. The operation went well. As a lifelong smoker, his lung capacity was so diminished that it was a struggle to get him off the ventilator. The Docs were never able to wake him from the coma. My Dad got less than 5 years after his retirement. His wife was left alone in a beautiful house in a mountain village in Cyprus. Now her prison. My Dad never saw me start my own business. My Dad never saw me succeed. My Dad never met the love of my life. He probably thought he enjoyed smoking though. That what you going to tell your kids Tiff? I'm sitting here listen to my Mum wheezing. She has quit now, but too late. She has COPD. I flew to see her because last week she had to call her own ambulance in a foreign tongue because she could not stop her nose bleeding. She had to do that twice. Today I took her to the ENT Doc. Tomorrow is the generalist. Wednesday, the lawyers, to try to make sure that inheritance goes smoothly. Just non stop fun. After "enjoying his cigarettes" deprived her of her husband, she mourned in the house they built. Then a financial crisis hit, effectively trapping her here. Now she can't make a bed without struggling to breathe. I'm over here trying to work out how the hell we manage this going forward. She enjoyed smoking too. Tiff. My parents were given cigarettes as Birthday presents. They were told it was glamorous and harmless. As the evidence grew, they were able to stick their heads in the sand. You and I know that there is NOTHING that we enjoy about smoking. We understand addiction. As the son of one parent killed by cigarettes and another soon to be killed by cigarettes, I plead with you, I beg of you Tiff don't show your kids that cigarettes mean more to you than them.

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Anyone not understood Bob as a shortening of Kate, Google "Blackadder". El Bandito. I have the figure of two athletes and came to Golf quite late in life. I therefore had a high golf handicap. There are people who cultivate a high handicap to gain an unfair advantage. To hustle in effect. These people are known as bandits. I turned out to be OK at the silly game - Hence El Bandito. Handicap is now cut, but name stuck. Other Nicknames, mostly credit to Porky. Some extra ones.. Fat Stu. My wingman is also named Stuart and he was known as disgusting Stu. El Porco, from aforementioned wingman. Stewpot. Skewragi (from my time in Cyprus). Chief, Boss from work

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Sarah, as is well known to those Islanders of a certain vintage, with a penchant for a well known comedy The shortening of Kate is in fact Bob. Henceforth you shall be known as Bob. By me at least. :-)

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Hey Evelyn, if you can read this.. Hi! Look forward to hearing from you!

5 Mum is doing ok thanks Saz

Great work. Congratulations!

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Nope from sunny Cyprus.

This has started me thinking...

Sick? Sorry to hear that Wiley. Get well soon!

Zero Humbled...you been drinking?

Morning all 5

Nope

Wow.

Morning T! Get out there for a walk. Bracing stroll, just the ticket. 45 minutes, quick pace. If that hasn't worked, spicy Bloody Mary.

My sleep patterns went hay wire early in the quit. Exercise is a good one. Meditation can help. A glass of something before bed?