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Decisions, decisions. Coffee or tea. Hi-test or decaf. Whole milk or skim. With whip or not. Mucky Duck or Nutty. Obama or McCain. Life's full of choices but one that you should not be contemplating right now is whether or not TO VOTE... it's a right and privilege that must be exercised by every American citizen over the age of 18. The only decision you should be making? Voting now by taking advantage of the early voting opportunities available in many states (like North Carolina) or waiting for the Big Dance on Tuesday, November 4. Whatever that decision may be, GET OUT AND VOTE!! |
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Between the Lines
Reading Recommendations from the Cottage Shelves |
 Oprah's latest book club selection- The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (David Wroblewski) has received a lot of attention ever since its summer publication. Borrowing heavily from the bard's Hamlet, it tells the story of Edgar, a mute, who trains dogs with his parents on a Wisconsin farm. A long lost uncle shows up, Edgar's father dies suddenly and turmoil ensues sending Edgar and three canine companions into the wilderness.Just out- Philippa Gregorys latest novel, The Other Queen. Gregory's lens this time is focused on Mary, Queen of Scots, and should provide an adequate fix to her legions of devoted fans. Tom Brokaw's Boom! Talking About the Sixties is now out in paperback and includes a bonus DVD. Brokaw looks at this spectacular decade and covers what happened, how it shaped today and its lessons for tomorrow. Just finished The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Swedish author Stieg Larsson. It takes about 50 pages to get into the book but then hold on for a crazy mix of eccentric and quirky characters, dark family secrets, unsolved mysteries and murders... you name it, this book has it. I also read Hurry Down Sunshine by Michael Greenberg, an account of his daughter's mental breakdown at age 15. Tries too hard to measure up to books that have come before it (Prozac Nation, The Bell Jar, Go Ask Alice) and doesn't come anywhere close. Another one I wasn't too fond of was Robert Goolrick's memoir, The End of the World As We Know It in which Goolrick recounts his rather sordid yet genteel Virginia upbringing and the impact alcoholic parents had on his life.
The Duck's Cottage Reading Group is currently working on Moloka'i by Alan Brennert for next week's discussion. Last month we read Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish and while we found her family's story of surviving the depression informative, it was fairly one dimensional and not roundly applauded. Coming soon to (or already at) a screen near you- the film adaptations of Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees (Oct. 17) and Cormac McCarthy's The Road (Nov. 26). Also out now- Jeanne DuPrau's City of Ember, Rachel Cohn's Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and David Ignatius' Body of Lies. In case you don't remember, I loved, loved, loved The Road and can't wait to see this dark, moving book on screen.
A Long Way Gone (Ishmael Beah) is out in paperback- another book I highly recommended for adults and teens as well. Moving over to the youth fiction shelves, Charlie and I both just read Suzanne Collin's new book The Hunger Games and devoured it!!! Set in a future North America separated into 12 districts ruled over by The Capitol, each year one boy and one girl from each district are sent to the Capitol as tributes and pitted in a televised Survivor-type fight to the death. It was a suspenseful page-turner and the first of a trilogy! I've been telling everybody about this book and Charlie is doing a school powerpoint project on the novel. Apparently it was a big hit at the recent FFMS book fair, too. Sarah's drama group is going to perform The Best Christmas Pageant Ever this year which made me go back and re-read the children's novel of the same name by Barbara Robinson. This was one of my favorite books growing up and is now one of Sarah's as well. Nothing like a story about a family of juvenile delinquents taking over a church's annual Christmas pageant to get you in the holiday spirit- cigar smoking girls, fighting shepherds, wisemen bearing canned hams. This is a little book you can read in one night- go read it now!! Please!
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| Flotsam & Jetsam
Footnotes from life at a coffee shop |
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The Second Annual Town of Duck Jazz Festival was a huge success... the event kicked off to a great start with performances by local groups Connected and the FFHS Jazzhawks then continued to sizzle with Jackie Scott & the Housewreckers, The Fuzz Band and headliner, Gerald Veasley.. an estimated crowd of 4,000 enjoyed a beautiful fall day provided by the Town of Duck and their many generous local sponsors... some dates to remember: the Kitty Hawk Elementary School Fall Carnival- Saturday, October 18, 10 am to 4pm; Pigstein- a celebration of beer, BBQ and the Outer Banks- October 25 at the Promenade in Kitty Hawk,... and of course, Halloween on Friday, October 31... the North Carolina State Fair also takes place this month in Raleigh October 16 - 26, always worth the trip! our family loves it... the new Harris Teeter in Kitty Hawk (set to open Spring '09) is really taking shape- we're counting the days... the fall menu at The Blue Point is terrific- Duck's Cottage employees recently enjoyed a staff dinner there hosted by John and Allen; I am still dreaming about my meal- thanks again for a lovely evening! ... Turkey day is coming- why not spend it in Duck?... plenty of houses to accommodate the entire family (and friends), everything's open (stores, restaurants, etc), the weather is usually fantastic and, honestly, there isn't a better place to reunite with those you love and rejoice in life's bountiful gifts... Outer Banks surf fishing has been great- blue fish, speckled trout, puppy drum, spanish mackerel, flounder ... our favorite seasonal employee Deanna is back for the Winter! Yay! (have we mentioned her adorable little Jack Russell puppy, Addy?)...the First Flight Middle School Golf Team went undefeated, go Gnarles!... the Steelers are 4 - 1... William & Mary is 4 - 2 and everything here in Duck is 10 - 4... plus, we got the cheapest gas on the beach! Go figure!
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| An Economic Recovery Package |
 I know you've been hearing plenty about the economy the last few weeks and I won't beat a dead horse or get up on my soapbox, etc. I just want to remind everyone that despite all that's going on we the people still hold a tremendous amount of power in our hands. Especially during times like these, we have one tool we can choose to use that benefits not only our families and friends, but the people we live with and work with and see everyday. Something that makes an immediate difference, has instant impact, in the place where we live.. not on Wall Street or at Corporate HQ but in the very town where we eat, sleep and breathe. Please try to remember every time you reach for your wallet that you have this awesome power and can wield it however and whenever you choose.
Of course, I'm talking about the choice to shop locally. What happens when you spend your dollars with a local and independent restaurant, coffee shop, hardware store, boutique, pizza place, gas station, grocery store, farmer's market, or gee, even a bookstore? You invested in entrepreneurship. You helped the environment. You nurtured community. You conserved your tax dollars. You created more choice. You created local jobs. You embraced what makes these businesses unique. And you kept dollars in the local economy.
We can make this choice wherever we are- at home, here on the Outer Banks, or any locale we find ourselves in has locally owned businesses. With the holiday season approaching, I challenge you to ask yourself with each and every purchase- could I buy this from a local and independent business? If the answer is YES, then challenge yourself to do so. Now more than ever, you-the consumer- have great power... use it wisely! Please! It might be the only bailout a lot of small businesses ever get. | |
Whether this finds you out fishing, on the Soccer sidelines, at an Autumn festival, pumpkin carving, watching a Homecoming game, canvassing for your candidate or enjoying any of the other vast delights this season brings, enjoy the Fall!
Jamie Layton
Duck's Cottage
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