Hi All,

Hope you are enjoying what they call the dog days of summer and hope you all have had a chance to appreciate some time with family and friends. I think if someone offers me another hot dog, I am going to go postal on them. There does come a time that the thought of another hot dog or hamburger “on the grille” just drives me mad. I am unquestionably looking forward to some cooler weather and getting back into the kitchen and preparing some comfort food. My pipe smoking really isn’t affected too much as I do have the luxury of smoking in my office in the basement. That’s one thing I owe the significant other a two thumps up for tolerating.
I owe the group an apology for not writing a message last month and for not having a president’s raffle. I promise to make up for it this month. I recently acquired a nice estate haul of about 40 pipes I am going to restore and have chosen a well-known maker for this month’s raffle.
I also would like to welcome our newest member Craig to the group.  We’ve seen Craig down at C.B. Perkins for over the past year but we finally got him to pull the trigger and join.  Welcome Craig.
We have a lot of aged flake tobacco to sell at reasonable prices at this month's meeting so I hope we have a nice turnout.  If you like flakes, you won't want to miss this month's meeting.  See below for more details.

(excerpted and adapted from Wikedia)

Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor and singer who appeared in more than 100 films and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s.

MacMurray was most well-known for his role as the pipe smoking aeronautical engineer Steven Douglas on the TV series My Three Sons.  Douglas was a widower who was raising three kids on his own.

Douglas smoked his pipe on camera throughout the series. Sitting on a bench in the downtown plaza on Sundays, reading the newspaper and smoking the pipe was one of the trademarks of his character.  Between scenes he would sit in a chair, smoke his pipe and often be reading something which didn’t seem like much of a stretch from his TV character.........

Based on some overheard conversations at the club last month, not everyone is a fan of the new Amphora Burley Blend.  But SHPC past President Eric Kahn said this blend came to his rescue and he found it quite enjoyable.  Here's what he had to say:
So I'm heading down to the Cape for the weekend just to hang with family. Clothes all packed, extra pipes and a couple of cigars. In the pipe case I put in cobs and a Sherlock Holmes head Meer, some pipe cleaners and an extra lighter.... you know the usual stuff. Oh! There is that Amphora Burly blend I've been meaning to try. Throw it in, just in case I run out of my usual and off the wife and I went.
First thing I want to do is sit in the densely wooded back yard and have a bowl. Birds of all types singing their songs, little critters scurrying about and even some mice minding their Ps and Qs. It was really relaxing. I reach for my usual tobacco in my back pocket. Hmm..., other back pocket. Hmm..., thigh pockets? Oops! Good thing I brought the Amphora. I hope it's good.  Ready rubbed, nice aroma in the pouch, moderate moisture, packs well, should light nicely.  First charring light, I'm expecting a bite... no bite. Let's see how it goes. Subsequent light, no bite. In fact throughout the smoking experience, no bite. Pleasing taste, if not exceptional. Mild. Nutty. Pleasing. Overall I'd rate this blend very nice. After I finish this pouch I'll try another and if it stays as good as the first I will buy a large can. I don't usually expect much from a Nutty blend, but from my view, Mac Baren’s has hit this one out of the park with their new Amphora Burley blend.