www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, August 21, 2014 | 10 A Coffee droughts, higher prices may bring mornings under siege pparently, I'm soon to suffer the insidious and pervasive consequences of Hemileia vastatrix. And my misery will assuredly have plenty of company. Hey, who knew? I know I sure didn't know. But then my morning newspaper -- which has given me nothing but bad news of late -- informed me that Hemileia vastatrix is a parasitic fungus that causes coffee rust, a disease ravaging coffee-bean crops in java-growing countries. Coffee rust has caused more than $1 billion in economic damage across Latin America and the Caribbean over the past two years alone. That's Life Andy Juniper Guest Contributor To boot, severe drought in Brazil -- the world's top coffee producer -- has wiped out nearly one fth of this year's coffee crop. Bottom line: coffee prices are set to soar. With hikes predicted of up to 10 per cent. LABOUR DAY WEEKEND - AUG. 29 - 31, SEPT. 1 Country Heritage Park 2014 8560 tremaine road, milton On l7t 2y3 Yikes. Thanks, Hemeleia-whatchamacallit. Confession: I'm addicted to coffee. Granted, I'm not addicted to the degree that many people I know are hooked. I know people whose daily cup-of-coffee consumption is edging up into double digits. In comparison to these dgety friends, I barely qualify as a coffee consumer, what with my three measly cups a day. However, if you're measuring need, my dependency on coffee is off the charts. Without a coffee by my side, I seemingly cannot write -- so closely are the two associated. Worse, before I mug a coffee in the morning, I simply cannot function as a human being. Prior to that hot, inviting, aromatic cuppa, I'm but a useless shell of a man. Take this morning, the pup woke at 3 a.m., rustling in her crate, crying, and then getting all indignant because no one came running to her rescue. If you've never heard a Boxer getting all indignant, you're missing something truly hilarious, when not experienced at 3 a.m. Fortunately, the dumb-dumb fell back asleep. For ninety minutes. So, at 4:30 a.m., I rose and escorted her outside to do her business. Once back inside, I fed her breakfast, which naturally sparked the need for another outdoor bathroom excursion. That took way longer than anyone (other than a dog owner) would expect as she ceaselessly searched for the perfect place to relieve herself. By the time we got back indoors, she was exhausted. She promptly found one of her many beds and fell asleep, leaving me alone, wide awake (twice slapped upside the head by unseasonably fresh air), and craving a coffee -- the only thing that could possibly make that early morning hour tolerable, and possibly productive. Hey, I had 500 words written on a novel I'm working on before the sun inched up over the horizon. Thanks, puppy. Thanks, coffee. Yes, I need considerable, accessible, affordable coffee in my life. Just like I need the occasional boastfully big bacon and egg breakfast. Wait. According to my morning newspaper, we're on the verge of a signi cant... bacon shortage. High-priced coffee. No bacon. Good grief. My mornings are under siege. -- Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, found on Facebook, or followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thesportjesters. Coat Collection & Giveaway event Sept. 1 The Bronte Village Stakeholders are putting on their third annual Coat Collection and Giveaway event as the summer begins to wind down. "Based on the successful coat drive of 2013, we are again asking the residents of Oakville to look in their closets and nd gently-used, clean winter coats to donate to our cause," stated a press release. "It was through your generosity that more than 310 coats and jackets were distributed at our event in October 2013." All sizes of coats in children, youth and adult men's and women's outerwear will be accepted anytime after Sept. 1 at the Bronte Fire Station, 2535 Rebecca St. In addition, members of the Bronte Village Stakeholders will be at the Bronte Sobeys, 2441 Lakeshore Rd. W., on Sept. 6 and 13 with their "Coats, Coats, Coats" banner. Donations can be dropped at the southeast corner of the parking lot between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. "Help us make the third annual Coat Event on Oct. 18 even more successful that the second," stated the release. "Help keep someone warm this winter." Bathroom Showroom Featuring Operating Steam Engines Antique Tractors & Gas Engines Antique Cars, Trucks & Construction Equipment Period Ladies Fashion Show Sawmill, Shingle Mill & Model Displays Live Auction Learn to Drive Tractor & Threshing Demos Lantern Walk Military Equipment Display Family entertainment Mental Floss Sideshow Buster Canfield & His Amazing Fleas The Niagara String Band The Inventions Of Phinius Bodine Puslinch Country Squires 4-H Square Dancers OF LOTS ONE TIME ONLY Presents CLOSING Admission $10 oR $5 AFTER 6Pm Kids undER 12 FREE E RE F ING! PARK gate Hours Friday: 12 - 6 Sat. & Sun.: 9 - 8 Monday: 9 - 4 FAUCETS · SINKS · BATHTUBS · SHOWERS VANITIES AND MUCH MORE QEW APPLEBY LINE HARVESTER RD. SALE SATURDAY & SUNDAY AUG. 23 & 24 9:30AM - 3:30PM sPECiAL THAnKs To mAPLE LodGE FARm FoR THEiR sPonsoRsHiP www.steam-era.com 4325 Harvester Rd., Unit 8 & 9 (between Walkers Line & Appleby Line) Presented by the Ontario Steam & Antique Preservers Association WALKERS LINE