Just wondering where our summer is; I feel like we’re being ripped off. Good thing the new Pymatuning Pavilion is a covered picnic shelter; nice tables secluded therein and we can watch the waves come in on the Lake while enjoying our burgers and dogs in total dryness.

The Espyville All-Boys Coffee Klatch, which meets every Wednesday morning at the Countryside Restaurant, was out in full force last week, with 9 members present and three female guests. Noticeably absent was unofficial President Dewey Forsythe, called away on important Pymatuning Lake Association business.

The weekly collection for the Good Samaritans was taken up, with a nice donation given to them from the Klatch.

The guys couldn’t linger long over their Java this time because the grass keeps growing in the yards and weeds are getting taller in the garden. I don’t know what’s worse, the infestation of weeds or all the slugs who are out in full force, leaving their slime trails behind them.

Is it true that slugs like beer? Has anyone ever seen someone’s Grand Father put salt in their beers after a hard day at the mill? It’s a great Hunkie tradition from way-back.

Perhaps the slugs would like some salt in their beer, too.

Does anyone remember the "Chuckles" brand gum drops, packaged in a row inside the wrapper? They had orange, cherry, lime, lemon–does anyone remember the last flavor? Was it grape, perhaps? They were coated in sugar, except for the steel mill workers, theirs were coated in salt.

Karen the Cougar is sick of the slugs, too. The other day, she slipped on a slime trail while playing in the yard and broke a claw.

Remember to purchase your tickets for Gun-A-Week from the North Shenango Volunteer Fire Department. They are on sale now for $50.00 from any member. The drawings will be held in 2010, every week end, and if a gun isn’t suiting, a gift card from Gander Mountain can be claimed instead. Check local papers for their Bingo schedule, too.

Happy July Birthdays go out to Phyllis Dunmire on the 8th and Maxine Bunnel on the 11th. Also, Happy Birthday to Cat Woman Lynnie Niemi over in Andover, on the 10th.

I see Ron and Bonnie’s old Causeway Inn has reopened again, they will be serving fried foods with a full bar and there is a Keno Room with a Keno Girl for any gamblers in the crowd.

Remember, too, if you don’t feel like cooking, head over to the Lakeside General, the Bomb comes in two sizes and is made on fresh, heated bread. They also have pizza and subs that are very good.

If you are looking for something to do or to meet new people, the 3 Shenango Crime Watch is an interesting stop. There are citizen patrols, a State Trooper gives a crime report for the area, a guest speaker gives a talk, there is a 50/50, a cook out each summer and at the end of the meeting, everyone has cake and coffee.

That cake is good, too, home made by the members, and sometimes there’s even two different kinds. If luck would have it, maybe Bobbi Heida will bake one, and put her famous Bobbi Heida Dream Icing on it.

Come out and give it all a try, the third Thursday of the month at alternating township buildings.

Oh, well, all right. Guess we should wrap it up for this time. Here’s salt in your beer and toasting our late, great steel mills and Grand Fathers; wish they were all still here.

Keep the bugs off your bumper and the dust off your tail. Leaving you, as always, with the immortal sounds of the Glenn Miller Band and a little "Moonlight Serenade," sponsored by Chesterfields.