Soldiers' Stories ~ "In Their Own Words"

A very special guest will be in the Neat Little Bookshop on Saturday, August 15. Cayuga author, Kirk Du Guid, will be available to sign copies of his latest book, Soldiers' Stories. New release, http://www.firstchoicebooks.ca/

A graphic and emotional testimonial to the horrors of war, made even more poignant by the fact that Kirk's subjects -- twenty-five in all -- are for the most part living in our home-county of Haldimand. All are from Ontario except for one; she is from Prince Edward Island. All Canadians. All having served their country. You will recognize the names. You will recognize the wars.

Saturday Hours: 10:30 - 3:00. Please watch for details of Kirk's visit on Saturday, August 15. Other books by Kirk Du Guid, The First Cold Case.

What is a Book Worth?

The first ~ and only ~ time that my husband and I ventured into a used bookstore with a few of our treasured editions ~ editions that we had agonized over (it is not easy parting with books), we were slightly miffed that after an illusory glance, the proprietor dismissed all but one of our books. And that was in the trunk of our car; we didn't get past the curb.

Now that we are on the other end of things, we agonize over telling people that we are selective about giving credit for books. Many are destined for the clearance bin or worse, the recycle. We have a written Trade-Credit Policy. No musty, smoky or mangled books. Must be in demand, of recent publication and required for our inventory. That eliminates health-related books from the 80's, for example. (There are books that went the way of the buggy whip.)

What is a book worth? Yes, it is usually only an illusory glance that sends books into the yard sale, the dime-a-dozen charity, the antiquarian internet search or ~ the one or two worth shelving in a small bookshop.

For Dan Brown Fans

The new Dan Brown book, The Lost Symbol comes out on September 15.
For anxious secret-society fans, the book cover was recently revealed depicting a wax seal, a double-headed Phoenix and the Latin phrase, "Ordo ae chao," meaning Order from Chaos.
This all set against a background of ancient symbols.

The Lost Symbol follows several best sellers, The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Digital Fortress and Deception Point.

Good Reads

Invitations are extended to us everyday on the internet. One intrigued me this week ~ probably because of the person who sent it. Grace is going into third -- or is it forth? -- year English, at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.

http://www.goodreads.com/ "See what your friends are reading" is the websites' claim. The Most Followed screen is interesting. Regular contributors discuss books that they are reading. There is an Author Blog Post where you will find names like Alice Hoffman discussing her latest book. Other features: Authors Recently On-line, Exclusive Interviews, Author Blog Post.
goodreads is definitely worth exploring.

At the Cottage

Stop anytime now. Four days of rain at the cottage...

We are Eating the Squirrel's Nuts

Future Planning for Downtown Core

We will post the details of public meetings, apparently to be held tomorrow, Thursday, July 23, regarding planning of Haldimand's downtown business sections as soon as we have the information.

UPDATE: PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE,

Cayuga Lions Hall, 57 Munsee Street, South.

3:00p.m. - 4:30p.m. and 6:00p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Please plan to come.

Corner of Cayuga and King

Cayuga Street between King Street and Hwy #3 is not unlike many small Ontario towns.
After decades of being the hub of activity with hardware stores, drug stores, grocers, clothing shops, the barber ~ usually the Post Office, Library, Village Green and a couple hotels ~ the street falls into neglect as strip malls lure shoppers to new locations.
The events of this past week have drawn people back to the downtown core and shown that with a little planning ~ and a lot of heart ~ downtown Cayuga-On-The-Grand is a fun place to be.

Watching the Parade

The Neat Little Bookshop will re-open after holidays on Wednesday,July 29.

Heritage Haldimand

Heritage Haldimand, formerly known as LACAC,* is a small group of dedicated individuals whose mandate is to identify historic sites and advise municipal council regarding designation for preservation.
*Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committe

Cayuga Street is potentially a streetscape worthy of consideration for designation. A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 23, 2009 for the purpose of planning the future of the downtown business section of Cayuga. Watch for details.

Sights on Cayuga Street

150 years

The Town of Dunnville is celebrating 150 years in 2010. A ceremonial flag will be passed from Cayuga to Dunnville half-way between the two towns.

Haldimand Stewardship Council

Proud Owners ~ Cayuga Motorsports

Number 8 Cayuga Street N.

http://www.cayugamotorsports.ca/

(Herb Martindale opened the first Neat Little Bookshop at Number 8, Cayuga Street in 1976.)

Watching 150th Birthday Parade

Cayuga 150th

Artists, writers, historians ~ many new faces ~ lined Cayuga Street this week. Outdoor patio umbrellas shaded sidewalk wares on display for the celebration. Lively music filled the Village Green.

Oil paintings by Mary Galli.

Ray Galli welcomes admirers to Mary's street display.

Photo: by Lorna

The Bookshop Dog Gallery

Buddy seems content with his new fame. The girls were waiting on the doorstep, before the bookshop opened, to have Buddy's picture taken for the "Dog Gallery." We have man's best friend in every size, shape and colour.

(This photo was taken in front of the new Treats and Treasures doorway, 15 Cayuga St. Thank you, Colliene. http://www.grandtreatsandtreasures.com/ )

http://www.cayuga150th.com/

Summer Holidays

July 20 - 28. The Neat Little Bookshop will be closed for holidays

The logistics of keeping the shop open extra hours this week has been a challenge. The cell-phone battery is dying. Two of three printers are down and the digital camera is malfunctioning. Creating a reasonable outdoor Cayuga 150th display and maintaining some semblance of normalcy with family and friends has tested our endurance. (Missy's wild dinosaur knocked the plant off the piano ~ dirt everywhere, including in the keys.)

In addition, the seat belt in my trusty vehicle works only if I lever a turkey-skewer into it. (The Haldimand O.P.P. are never going to believe this one.) Then finally yesterday, the clock stopped in the store.

We will spend some time watching the geese at the family cottage on Lake Erie. On Wednesday, July 29, the fresh coffee will be on again in the Little Bookshop; come and see us. Stay a while. Read a Book. http://www.cayuga150th.com/

The Law Office of Shawn Richarz currently occupies the former bank building at the corner of Cayuga Street and Highway #3.

One need only to look upward to see the impressive architecture that defined an era of colonization and craftsmanship.

http://www.cayuga150th.com/

Cayuga Street Architecture

Much of the architectural detail on Cayuga Street has been randomly "modernized." Vinyl-siding, timber and paint, for example, hide some of the original structures. Decades of changing businesses leave remnants of old signage.

However, one need only to look skyward to witness the ornate brick and stonework that an earlier generation considered worthy of village life.

www.cayuga150th.com

Heal the World

~ by Michael Jackson

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me. . .
There's a place in your heart
And I know that is love.
Make a little space to make a better place.

~ Michael Jackson

Haldimand Art Works

After occupying three different locations on Cayuga St., downtown Cayuga, Haldimand Art Works is on the move again. Regretably, this time not in Cayuga. We wish them only the best in their new location in Hagersville.

A gallery of stained glass, pottery, oils, pastels, wooden carvings ~ every medium that one can imagine. We will miss their cultural touch ~ and if they decide to move again...
www.cayuga150th.com

Cayuga Street ~ Downtown Cayuga-On-The-Grand

The Neat Little Bookshop is one of twenty businesses on Cayuga Street. We occupy less than two blocks. This quaint little street in the heart of Cayuga runs parallel with and is one street back from the Grand River. The Post Office -- both old and new -- the Library, the Village Green and the Fire Station are on Cayuga Street.

The current businesses are: Anet Computer Services, Back 40 Tap & Grill, Cayuga & District Chamber, Cayuga Motorsports, Cayuga Printing, Cayuga Variety Video, Come Again Laundromat, Grand River Chiropractic, Grand Treats and Treasures, Grand Visions Print & Copy, Habitat Haldimand, Haldimand & Area Woodlot Owners Assoc., Haldimand Stewardship Council, Hartwick Insurance Brokers Ltd., Miller Funeral Home, Neat Little Bookshop, Needles At Work, Peerless Dry Cleaning, P.L.P. Titles Ltd., Sears, Shawn Richarz Barrister and Yanch & Kiernan LLP Barristers. And gracing our street this year, on the corner of Cayuga Street and Highway 3, is the headquarters for The Cayuga 150th Centennial.

http://www.cayuga150th.com/

Your Books ~ "Fondle them; Peer into Them..."

"If you cannot read all your books, at any rate handle, or as it were, fondle them ~ peer into them, let them fall open where they will, read from the first sentence that arrests the eye; set them back on the shelves with your own hands, arrange them on your own plan so that if you do not know what is in them, you at least know where they are.

Let them be your friends; let them at any rate be your acquaintances."

~ Winston Churchill

Elizabeth ~ Not a Care in the World

What did the Chicken Say to the Librarian?

The chicken said to the librarian, "Book, book, book!" Thank you to the reader who provided us with not only the punch line to the chicken/frog joke but the entire story and the history of it.
Leave it to the librarians. They have their own website of best jokes. It is worth a visit.
http://lisnews.org/node/15200 The joke is too long to copy here ~ refer to the June 25th, 2005 entry, "Long One."
Oh, and by-the-way, thank you to the unknown author for the perfect copy for a bookshop sign.

The Effectiveness of Signs

Some signs are more effective than others. I think it is fair to say that most portable postings intended to grab the attention of passers-by are not always well-phrased or funny. (Sometimes, words and letters rearranged in the night by a creative Scrabble buff are the best.)

A recently posted sign at Clappison's Corners caused me to Goggle the company name. It was the saying that caught my attention, "Why has no one written the book Ventriloquism for Dummies? Now that is clever.

The company http://www.airsolutionshamilton.com/

Signs

Signs come in every imaginable art form. I like ours. The chicken crying, "Book, book, book." The frog claiming, "Read it, read it, read it."
A customer once told me that his favourite joke is on our sign -- a customer about the same age as our son who created the sign. Why was I not aware of the joke? For a moment, I was startled until I decided our son wouldn't display anything inappropriate. Would he?

The joke goes something like this...
The chicken brought his friend the frog a book.
"Book, book, book!" said the chicken.
"Read it, read it, read it," said the frog.
The frazzled chicken ran for another book, "Book, book, book!"
"Read it, read it, read it," repeated the frog.

Oddly, apparently no one in our family is familiar with the punch line. If the reader knows it, please let us know; after all, it is our shop sign.

11B Cayuga Street ~ Cayuga-On-The-Grand