Fri, July 13th, 2007
We’ve spent a few days enjoying the place as this was the only week not rented out for the rest of the summer.
Dinner reservations for tonight at Red Sky Café---A couple of restaurants that we have especially liked are Owens in Nags Head (MP 16.5) and Kill Devil Grill (MP 9.75).
8PM-Just back from Red Sky---you can walk there from here. Very very busy place. We were seated immediately because we had reservations. Great food, loud music, typical Duck village ambience. Not much to lok at but GREAT FOOD as I said.
I forgot to mention that last night we strolled down to the ocean, about
9PM—the Town of
Frank and Linda Baldwin
Saturday, July 21st, 2007
What a lovely way to spend our first anniversary J!
My husband and I are absolutely in love with our Duck and ready to plan our next trip.
The house is charming and comfortable. The walk to the beach and village delightful, and all the neighbors super friendly. We did our best to enjoy Everything! Thanks for providing beach chairs and toys—they were put to good use, especially the boogie boards and kadima paddles!
Meals were cooked in, taken out (tommy’s—yum yum) and eaten out. We especially enjoyed our anniversary dinner at Blue Point. Our reservations were super early, but that gave us time to return and enoy a night walk on the beach.
We also enoyed The Roadside Grill—long wait but well worth it!
We took a drive up to Corolla—while it was a fun trip, we decided that Duck is definitely the place for us. We rarely got in the car once we were here (except for this morning when husband woke up super early to get his Harry Potter book from the super cute bookstore “Duck’s Cottage”)
All in all, a wonderful wonderful time! Thanks for sharing your delightful house with us.
Annie Perry and Gill A
August 7, 2007
We have been here for over a week and never want to leave! This house with all the extra touches feels like home away from home.
I am in love with the beach chair you can carry on your back. And my boys love playing with the kadima paddles too.
With all the kitchen necessities one needs for cooking, we have eaten in
most nights. We did dine out one night at Blue Point---important to
call ahead for reservations and try to go early (best chance for outdoor porch
seating. What a view of the sound!). We also went to the Black
Pelican (
If putt putt is your game, the whole family enjoyed playing at Professor Hacker’s (Nags Head?). Best to play at night when it’s cooloer outside….and everything looks cooler and better in low light!!
This is our first time to the OBX. After driving to the other “ports of call,” Duck is definitely our favorite. This beautiful home is in walking distance to beach and shops alike. You really don’t need to drive anywhere. However, we did find a small fresh produce market at Tim Buck II shopping center in Corolla. It also has go-cargts, a small putt putt course, and a great ice cream shop! Also a small playground in case your little ones need to burn off steam. It’s shaded too!
We hope to be writing again in this journal same time next year!
The H Clan
August 16, 2007
What a week for the beach! Beautiful home and we love the convenience
of walking to the beach or to
We are Jerseyans here with seven teenagers and two dogs!
The sunset at Jockey’s Ridge is a must see! Shooting stars on our first night here. Thanks for the recommendation of Red Sky Café, the food was delicious.
I have been coming to OBX since I was young with my parents and 5 siblings
when there was nothing here. Starting to become over populated
like the
Cindy, Richard, Deanna, Kristy, Lauren, Stephanie, Robbie, Dean, Layce, Abby, and Adele
September 1, 2007
What a Week! Fantastic weather—could not have been better—thank goodness for the air conditioning! Great waves—great sunshine. The beach chairs that you carry as backpacks worked out super—we used them every day!aisy the Beagle enjoyed her week at the beach too—at night she chased crabs like crazy. She really showed them who’s boss!
Of all the towns in the Outer Banks, Duck is #1.
Thanks for everything!
Back to
9/28/07
Two weeks at the Chatterbox Too—what a way to recharge batteries and reconnect. After the first week which was very windy and rainy, the second week was warm and sunny. This house has been the perfect second home. The notes around the house have brought smiles to our faces---My grandmother had notes on her furniture and paintings so we would all know where things came from—so for me seeing notes is like being home.
We went out onto Oregon Inlet. It’s only for 4X4s but if you have one it’s worth it. The waves are almost nonexistent near the bridge and the views are wonderful. My two year old loved the large puddles.
We also went to the
Chatterbox Too couldn’t have beeen a more perfect home. I’m hooked on Penzey’s spices. The kitchen amenities were like no other I’ve seen. We’be been renting houses on OBX for 10 years, and this kitchen tops all. My two tear old loved searching for tomatoes in the vegetable garden, and I was overjoyed to have all the herbs in the garden to add to our dinners.
The wireless Internet was a life saver. I can’t say enough good things about our stay. We are hooked on Duck---and for the first time in 10 years, we will definitely be renting the same house twice!
C U next year……
Duckin’ on…..
The Ps
Saturday, 10/13/07
The last week has been very relaxing. It was just what we needed, however the weather was unseasonably warm. Not at all what we expected—therefore having limited need for the hot tub. The house and all the extras made the vacation feel like home away from home. We’ve been coming to the Outer Banks for 10 years and this is the first time we have experienced such care. If you are looking for something fun and interesting to do, we recommend Eco-Kayak Tours—check out North Banks Outfitters (they have 5 different ones). We hope to return to your home next May!
Hope to see ya then,
John and Sue B and our Whippadore Jorja.,
November 22, 2007
Thanksgiving Day—the sun was ablaze and the weather warm (high 70s) for the “Turkey Trot”. A large number of people participated—must be the nice weather!
Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful—we had all the necessary items to made a scrumptious meal—spices, cookware, utensils, etc.
The weather has been so nice that we spent a lot of time at the beach. There were not very many people in the water—mostly children and a few surfers.
We only went out to eat once, at the Roadside Bar and Grill. The food was delicious! The rest of the time we cooked all our meals so we could take advantage of the great Penzey’s spices!
Thanks Linda and Frank for sharing your house with all its nice personal touches.
Ron, Dawn Marie, Rocky, Ringo and Grandma and Grampa
December 23, 2007
A new floor!
Dave and Dan of “Dune Home Services” have begun installing an
engineered hardwood floor (
Linda and I are down for the week between Christmas and new Year’s to see the new floor and do some projects. The weather has been nice, 50s over 40s, and a nor’easter blowing on Dec. 26. The house seems to rock only just a little with 30+/- mph gusts. The ocean is big-time white caps. There are almost no houses in the neighborhood occupied—a ghost town! But we put up a Christmas tree and some minimal lights for our stay.
Dec 27: The “Ghost Town” is waking up! There are folks arriving at a way slower rate than in the summer, but evidently New Year’s is a big draw. The rents are very cheap. And the weather today was almost perfect, wind gone and sun shining. Linda and I walked down to the beach. The breakers were huge and pounding away on the beach, typical after a nor’easter. We took some pictures.
Feb and Mar, 2008
More work going on. We had the yard around the cottage cleaned up—vines and scrub underbrush removed.
Dave and Dan back to do some outside deck work and put new screens on the porch.
March 21, 2008
Down for a week with the grandsons Jamie (10) and Ethan (9) with us. They are so grown up, striking out on their own, walking down to the beach (no getting in the ocean without Cap or Grandy there!). Weather is not bad, upper 60s and windy. More later.
April 4-7, 2008
A long weekend @ Chatterbox Too—what a wonderful beginning to spring. We only had one partially sunny day—no wind—perfect for playing on the beadh. Friday it rained cats and dogs all day. We believe a rainy day at the beach is better than a sunny day at home—and it was. We splashed through puddles as we drove to Nags Head, hit the outlets, and had lunch at Duck BBQ and Delii—GREAT BBQ and yummie brownies.
The hardwood floors are gorgeous and the kitchen is superbly stocked. We always feel as if we are in a home away
from home. The new
Thank you,
The P’s,
June 22-July 6, 2008
Dear Linda and Frank,
We had a fabulous two weeks here in Duck! We didn’t miss one day at the beach! We were here with 3 children and two friends…it is great all around. We had one night out alone. We went to Aqua restaurant and it was wonderful! We also liked Roadside, and of course the Duck Deli was great! Stay away from Awful Arthur’s! Long wait and below average food. We hope to be back again next year! Thanks for sharing your wonderful beach house with us!
Love,
The Ks, Susan, Kail, Emily, Caroline, and Peter
and Our Dogs,
July 6-13, 2008
We enjoyed a great week in Duck. Your home was awesome and such a well equipped kitchen! The garden is a nice touch too.
We had rain one day and one afternoon, but otherwise the weather was incredible—not nearly as hot as ourjusual July visits to Duck.
We always enjoy ging to Lone Cedar in Nags Head. Incredible food and well worth the drive there! Dockside Seafood is great too for fresh seafood to cook in.
We hate to see the week come to an end, but there is always next year!
Blessings, The M’s and The Ps
P.S. Be sure to visit
July 13-20, 2008
What a beautiful and perfect week we celebrated at Chatterbox Too! We couldn’t have asked for more. From doing crossword puzzles on the deck to fabulous romps on the glorious beach.
We have to admit, we rarely left the area. Your home is so sweet and cozy. The cherry tomatoes are perhaps the most delicious we’ve ever tasted.
Thank you so much for sharing your home with us.
We celebrated our second wedding anniversary at Blue Point. Looks like we’re starting a tradition. (Note from Linda: They celebrated their first anniversary week at Chatterbox Too in 2007.)
We are in love with Duck and the wonderful Chatterbox Too.
Annie, Gill, and dogs,
July 20-27, 2008
Linda and Frank,
Your place is beautiful! We loved everything and had a great time! Spen many hours on the deck reading—and everybody loved having the Internet. Went miniature golfing at Professor Hackers—which was fantastic—and also ate at Owens which was fabulous as well. The weather was great; we went to the beach every day and enjoyed the hot tub at night. We also enjoyed the free movie rentals as well. All in all a great time!
Hope to be back again!
July 27-August 10, 2008
We love our Chatterbox Too and the time we get to spend here. This is our second year and we hope to keep up the tradition!
Our weather has been picture perfect…hot and humid during the day and thunderstorms at night! The new beach cart is a huge help in carting our “stuff” to the beach…along with the backpack beach chairs, it’s a breeze going to and from the beach. Gary and I both appreciate the new umbrella to keep us in the shade and youthful!
This is the most well equipped kitchen for a rental property. Linda and Frank take good care of us! I didn’t have to pack any extra culinary supplies…from all of the spices to the pots and pans, we were good to go for any meal.
We ate out a few times at Pizzaz Pizza (the boys’ favorite white pizza ever) and to Sooey’s (enough ribs to eat for days after). We also got take out from Fishbones….good eats but ask for salad dressings on the isde. The lettuce was a tad drenched.
Besides our usual treks to Professor Hackers’ Putt Putt Golf (got to go at night) and go cart riding in
Corolla. We rented wave
runners….what fun! We rented from
Until next year….I hope whoever is renting next will appreciate how lucky we all are to have such a special place to stay at OBX!
The H Brood,
August 17-August 24, 2008
We really enjoyed staying at Chatterbox Too. I was drawn to it because of the screened in porch and was so pleased to be able to see the water both from the porch and decks and the living room. We enjoyed watching the Olympics on TV, and my daughter was tickled with the free movie rentals.
We at in most nights and it was such a help to have so many kitchen tools and everything so well organized. We really enjoyed the beautiful skies, sun rises, and sunsets—it’s so great to be able to walk easily to the beach or to the sound. One night we had pizza at Angelo’s and ate while watching a beautiful sunset—what a treat! Thank you Linda and Frank for going to so much trouble to make your house so welcoming—from the herbs and spice to the fresh tomatoes and peppers. We have really enjoyed ourselves and plan to return next year.
Nancy S.,
August 24-31
Dear Linda and Frank,
Thank you so much for the great house. It was full of character and very well stocked. We felt like we were at home with all your attention to details. Even though the weather was against us, we had a blast. You have a great garden—made some great bruchetta for leftover hot dog and hamburger buns one night with all the ingredients from your garden. We cooked every night—how could we not with a kitchen like yours? Really love the Durkee’s six pepper spice. The kids took advantage of the free video rentals which came in handy that one really rainy day. We would definitely come back to enjoy your beautiful home.
Sincerely
Emeline and Dave T. and
P.S. Justin really enjoyed the ride in the Wheeleze to and from the beach!
September 2, 2008
Whoosh! There went the summer. Chatterbox Too was fully booked with absolutely terrific folks. As you’ll see below, the garden, the beach cart, the new umbrella (can’t believe it survived the summer), and the extra backpack beach chairs, now up to six, were a hit. There were only a few problems that needed only money thrown at them: In the spring, a friend from Powhatan backed into the retaining wall out front, and we had to replace that one section. Then shortly thereafter somebody else backed into another section doing minor damage which was covered by the rental company’s damage “plan” included in renters’ agreements. Somebody did a number on the front screen door. We were sorry to see that because we had just installed a new one. Anyhow, our faithful maintenance guys (Dune Home Services) put a new one in for us, same day service. We had to make a quick mid summer trip down for Frank to do a temporary fix on the outdoor shower plumbing. He’s going to install all new shower plumbing this week.
Thanks to all our guests! You all treated our little cottage as if it were your own! The garden looks like a jungle thanks to your faithful watering. Though the tomatoes were plentiful, they had terribly tough skins and not a particularly good flavor. I’ll try to figure out what happened and do better next year. I did some fun shopping as usual. I’ve never been happy with any toaster since my 1969 toaster died about 10 years ago, must have tried 6 or 7. I think I finally found the best toaster in the world. It’s a Breville die cast 4 slicer. It’s totally automatic, push a button for the bread to go down, push another for it to come up for quick inspection and go right back down, push another to extend the time a little. Settings are very consistent, and it does bagels beautifully. The best part for me is that when the toast comes up, it exposes at least a third of the toast, no more having to fish small slices out with tongs. This sure sounds like an advertisement doesn’t it? I promise I’m not on the take from the company, but I did buy a second one for Chatterbox Too. Frank had a really powerful and quiet exhaust fan installed over the stove. It works great! Mid summer we also had gates built for both upper and lower decks which will be a welcome addition for those with pups and small children. All the cheap cookware has been replaced with seasoned iron skillets, fully clad stainless skillets, and ScanPan sauce pans.
Summer of 2008 saw guests from 2007 come back for six of our rental weeks. So far those folks have already reserved 7 of our weeks in 2009 for their third year at Chatterbox Too! It appears from journal entries that some of our first timers are also thinking about coming back in 2009! Thanks to you all!
Linda
Sept 14-28, 2008
Top 10 reasons our trip to Duck was better than ever before:
10. There are gates on the deck so the child and the dog are contained.
9. For the first time ever we went to historic Manteo…..how charming.
8. We met Captain Jack Sparrow and had our picture taken with him.
7. Baldee’s Ice Cream, the perfect spot to stop on a bike ride.
6. The vegetable/herb garden has grown exponentially—we love it!
5. The new shower head in the outside shower—you can bathe a 3 year old and a dog in one fell swoop.
4. Mom, Dad, daughter, popcorn, and free movie rentals…does it get any better?
3.
We discovered the
2. We learned how to sleep in a house that was slightly moving. 93L is the official name of the “Hybrid Subtropical Storm” otherwise known as a Nor’easter that hit while we were here.
And the #1 reason our trip to Duck was better than ever…….
1. This house! It doesn’t get better than Chatterbox Too: the location, the kitchen, the beach chairs, the sandbox, the beach wagon, the Penzey’s spices….I could go on and on and on.
Simply said we’ll be back next year for the 3rd time.
You have made an amazing beach cottage. Thank you for sharing it.
The Ps,
Oct 12-21, 2008
Linda and Frank,
A restful and relaxing time was spent at Chatterbox Too. Being able to extend our time here was fabulous! The attention you give to your beach house is very much appreciated. Our decision to return will certainly be an easy one.
Took advantage of the free movie rentals and watched a variety of new releases. What an awesome perk!!
Enjoyed our walks in the morning, afternoon, and early evening. The dogs really looked forward to them. So much calmer here in the off season.
Well, we’ll be returning refreshed and anxious to return next year.
Rs and Ss,
Oct 30—Nov 1, 2008
Ah, it’s been three weeks since we were here last. Last weekend we moved Mother from assisted living to a nursing home and Molly (daughter) and I visited with her every day last week. At first it seemed like a disaster, but Mother has settled in very nicely. She’s a social kind of person and has already made several friends there. It’s been tough, and you young folks will have to face it some day. Anyhow, we’ve been biking around Duck in this glorious weather, what FUN! Frank did some policing up of the back yard, trash, cig butts. We’re a non smoking cottage, so we appreciate that smokers smoke outside. However, it would be really nice if they’d put their butts in a can or something and throw them in the trash. We’ve had one week of guests who actually smoked in the house. I guess we’ll have to replace at least the pillows in the king room, had trouble sleeping with the smell. Frank put all the living room cushions out in the sun to air out. HOWEVER, ALL our guests have been terrific.
We have never been happy with the lousy dishwasher, it just doesn’t get the glasses and dishes sparkling clean. I think there’s something wrong with it. We’ve ordered a new one that will be delivered and installed in the next week or so.
Linda
Nov 14-16, 2008
WOW! The new dishwasher is terrific! It’s a tall tub (or some name like that) so even the big cutting board will fit. The glassware just sparkles! It has three whirligigs, top, middle beneath the top rack, and bottom! We didn’t do much maintenance because we were too busy running all the dishes and glasses through (and marveling at) the new dishwasher. We’ll be back Thanksgiving night after the family groaning board in Goochland.
Linda
Nov 20-27, 2008 (from emails)
Dear Linda....just wanted to let you know that we are really enjoying your
delightful house...we love staying here.
Also, we need to compliment you on your well equipped kitchen. Fantastic. Also, the many thoughtful
'extras' that you include. The house is just so welcoming and
would gladly recommend it. The notebook is very helpful.
We are having a great time. Weather at start was very cold, and even a
little snow. However, the last two days have been beautiful and warm.
We will be leaving Thursday morning and will have everything in good shape for
you when you arrive.
Also, I need to let you know that when I took the hand mixer out to use it, it
just simply did not work. The motor ran but did not turn the blades and
smelled like it was getting hot. I was happy to pick up another one for
you at Kelloggs. I will let both on the counter
for you.
I do appreciate the offer for the veggie peeler and scissors. Am very eager to try them. Will think of you and your
wonderful house each time I use them.
The temperature did go below 32 degrees and alas, the basil was frozen as were
the tomatoes. I do hear that the weather is to be very nice here the next
couple of days so you will be able to enjoy a few warm days.
I left you a pumpkin pie in the fridge...baked today...that you can use for your
dinner tomorrow. When you are finished you can give the pie plate to
Harold or Jen.
Also, I made fresh ice for your arrival.
Harold and I have gone over everything so that the house will be clean for your
arrival.
Your attention to detail has made our stay here wonderful and I thank you
again. Hopefully, we can come back earlier next year and stay
longer. Thank you again for everything.
Have a great Thanksgiving!!
Again, thank you for a lovely week...Carol and Harold
Nov 27-30, 2008
We’re BAAAACK! This time with Frank’s sister Katherine, her husband Mike, his brother Skeeter (who made the seafood seasoning in the spice cabinet) and his wife Belinda from Savannah, GA. We girls had a really relaxing weekend, but the guys spent the better part of one day putting in a new drain pipe for the kitchen sink. Hope that leak problem is now resolved. We had one dinner at our absolute favorite restaurant, Roadside Grill. As usual everybody’s food was outstanding. A great surprise was that they had fresh lobster at rock bottom prices, so I had (and shared) a whole one…..cooked perfectly. If you’re in the OBX after Thanksgiving, be sure to check out Sound Feet for half price shoes. All three of us girls got some really good deals.
Dec 4-7, 2008
We took Frank’s father with us, first time he’d seen Chatterbox Too. It was his grandfather who built the original Chatterbox on Willoughby Spit in 1895. It was cold and rainy much of the time, but Grampa just loved being at the beach.
We’ll be back on Christmas Day to spend the week and bring a bunch of presents we got for the cottage, mostly for the kitchen of course.
Linda
Fall and Winter 2008-2009
Nov ’08-Thanksgiving: Mike, my brother-in-law and his brother Skeeter helped (or rather did the work) to do a BYPASS for the kitchen drain system.his will be temporary until the siding on the house is replaced in a while.
Christmas and New Year’s ’08-’09: Total ghost town. We love it!
Jan 30, ’09:P Scheduled delivery of new “high class” mattresses for the king and queen beds---cool.
Frank
Jan 23, 2009
I met Marilyn March at Home Depot. She lives a few miles north of Christopher. Marilyn put me to work—said I had to cut back the pampas grass, so I did. She also encouraged my idea of putting snake plant in the cottage because you can’ kill it.
Linda
Jan 31, 2009
New mattresses delivered yesterday for king and queen beds. Ahhh, great night’s sleep. I’m sure you who are returning will notice a huge difference.
Linda
April 10, 2009
Boy what a great week! Our family has enjoyed a week here at Chatterbox Too. We started off with a trip to Ocean Atlantic Rentals to outfit every family member with a bike and helmet. The guys who run the shop are sweet and helpful. For Emilee, our youngest, we rented a co-pilot bike trailer so she could “ride in style” behind her daddy’s bike. This was a wondervul ecperience and highly recommended. Our family and the Masseys headed off right away on a ride down Route 12. Sun shining, breeze blowing, and children laughing…you can’t get any better than that.
The beach is beautiful and we really appreciated the great collection of sand castle building tools. Courtenay, Ethan T., Ethan M., Jamie, and Emilee all truly enjoyed them all. As a “princess in training”, Emilee, 4 yrs old, was delighted to find a Cinderella mold in the bucket. She spent at least an hour creating sand Cinderellas along the beach.
For me on a personal level, it was great to spend some time with dear friends after the children had fallen asleep. The movie rentals program is such a generous gift for guests of Chatterbox Too. We watched “Slumdog Millionaire”. It was moving.
Thank you for sharing your home with us!
Greg and Carol Taylor, Courtenay, Ethan, and Emilee
April 10, 2009
Can’t believe the week has already ended! We’ve had a blast during this spring break with the Taylor Clan! The weather has been crazy—it started nice (60s and sunny) and deteriorated to rain and 50s by mid week, so we made good use of the free movies from Ocean Atlantic Rentals as well as the Roanoke Island Aquarium---especially the shark exhibit!
We cooked all but two meals for 4 adults and 5 children in athe awesome Chatterbox Too kitchen. We really appreciated the sharp knives and fresh cilantro from the garden.
Lour two meals out were lunch at Mulligans—great food and relatively inexpensive---and dinner at Tale of the Whale---expensive but good (too much sauce on the marinated tuna according to Justin).
A few other touches were much appreciated—the XBOX in the living room, great for kids and dads on r ainy days, laundry baskets (this was a big deal for us), hardwood floors (the men Swiffered every day because it was fun!), soap dispensers in every bathroom, toilet paper available on arrival (no explanation needed), warm water in the outdoor shower, and backpack beach chairs. There were lots of other little touches that didn’t go unnoticed. I just can’t remember them all here.
Thank you for sharing the Chatterbox Too with us. We had such a good time and look forward to visiting again soon!
Love,
Molly (your daughter), Justin (your son-in-law), Ethan and Jamie (your
grandsons), and Bonnie (your granddog),
PS Pictures are on the way J
May 13, 2009
Pilates at the park was fun! Everything is so clean—I don’t feel like I have to wear flip flops in the house all the time.
The location of Chatterbox Too is perfect—so much you can readily walk to.
Discovered the Rundown Cafe this trip. Like the “island” flavor in food and decorations.
And the owners are out of this world , owners of Chatterbox Too that is.
Janis Ranck
May 13, 2009
I fell in love with this retro style used creatively throughout. Comfortable beds, beautiful floors. Kitchen was so cute. We had 2 wonderful restful days, great shopping close to the beach and park. Thank you for allowing us to stay, came May 11 and left May 14, 2009
Lynda Ellington,
May 25, 2009
We’ve been coming to OBX for over 10 years and have been here at Chatterbox Too three times. We love your home!
The week started a little rough with rain and lots of it. But by mid week the sun cam out, the wind died down, and it was a wonderful time.
The new cushions on the sofa and chairs are beautiful and give us a very homey feeling as does the new porch setup. What a great idea.
The garden is coming along great. We believe the plants have grown in the last few days.
Thank you for sharing your home with us. We had a wonderful time and will be back in October
John, Sue, and Jorja
June 6, 2009
Linda and Frank,
Thank you for sharing your home with us! It is so clean and well cared for. We appreciated how well-stocked it is and the many extras that you provided for cooking, etc. It made us feel at home.
We enjoyed a week of just being together and spending time with our two
college age daughters. We had five days
of perfect weather, then some clouds, rain and wind. We took many walks to the beach and town of
The love and care that you put into your home is evident. We appreciated being able to use your home for our restful vacation.
All the best and God bless--
Joan, Bob, Lauren, and Alison,
June 13, 2009
We had a great time this week at Chatterbox Too! The weather was excellent all week. Ella, our dog, had a blast digging for crabs and actually caught a few! We really enjoyed the garden and used the dill, oregano, and parsley. One afternoon we rented a jeep and went on the beaches north of Corolla and saw some wild horses! Thank you for sharing your wonderful house, and your time and effort making it welcome to visitors was much appreciated. We look forward to returning to Duck and OBX some time very soon!
Warmly,
June 20, 2009
All the extras, like the sand toys and the beach chairs and beach cart made our first OBX stay so much better.
We walked everywhere—the only time we used the car was to get people
to the
While we were disappointed with our dinner at the Red Sky Café, the Blue Point was a raging success with all who dined there.
The porch setup was terrific and we spent lots of time on the deck in the sun—and the cloudy days too. It was still great.
Thanks so much for sharing your home with us and for working so hard to make our experience a good one.
The Stansburys (5
July 19, 2009
Linda and Frank
Thank you again! It just keeps getting better!
When Gill and I got married on a beach 3 years ago, we decided that it would be wonderful to spend our anniversary on a beach. We never planned on returning to the SAME beach, but Duck and The Chatterbox have charmed us so! We find we simply NEED to return!
We really love the outdoor shower head, which made rinsing off sandy dogs so much nicer.
We found on this third trip, third anniversary that we really feel like The Chatterbox Too is our home too. Thanks for making us feel so at home. It’s pure heaven.
We promise to email p;ictures. Our week could not have been more perfect!
Annie, Gill and Penny and Sophie (Danes),
July 26, 2009
Our first trip to the OBX. Great time! Great home! Everything we needed was here! I have rented homes before and they cannot compare to the Chatterbox.
Linda Makes sure that everyone has what they need. The garden was lovely! I ate many of the veggies! We also made a special pasta dish from the peppers, tomatoes, and basil.
We had a few cloudy, overcast days, but spent them sight seeing. Visited Jockeys’ Ridge, Wright Memorial, and all three lighthouses. Spent many hours on the beach during the sunny days and the nice cool evenings. Well, back to reality. Time to go home. You both are exceptional providers for your summer tenants, or guests like Linda likes to call us.
Oh, one more thing. We ate dinner at
the Sunset Bar and Grill. I ordered a
special drink which was supposed to be a souvenir glass from the Sunset. It was a plastic souvenir glass from
I hope the next guests have a great week!
Tom and Sandi Finch, Brendan and David Farley,
July 26, 2009
It’s dark; and quiet….a perfect night for sleeping…then they attack! GIANT, CLAW-FOOTED reptiles (about the size of German Shephards)…the launch themselves against the house, and try to claw their way up the wall to get to the roof.
Herds of them attack – all night long…and only the wtrong will survive.
The moral of the story? If you have a VIVID imagination, sleep does not come early when a tree is banging against the house in a wind storm!! (cut down the tree!)
Tom Finch
Note from Linda:
We had the offending tree cut down and removed on the following Tuesday (July 28).
August 8, 2009
We are winding down our time here at our home away from home. This was our third year here and it gets better every time! I love the new porch furniture…a great place to have your morning coffee and read the paper. The new cushions in the family room are so bright, cheery, and perfect for a nap! And where else can you step outside your front door and pick fresh herbs and tomatoes….yum.
Our two new adventures this year were the Wild Horse Tour and the Ghost Tour at the Whalehead Club, both in Currituck. We took a guided, open air jeep tour first thing in the morning. The weather was cool and picture perfect. Our guide was Wily and a 30 year native of the area. During the ride along the pristine beaches of Corova, Wiley gave us such insight into the secluded region. We also saw the beloved and beauriful horses roaming wild amongh the beach houses. A tour worth experiencing, but make sure you plan on going early or late in the day so you won’t get too hot and sweaty!
The other tour was an evening tour of the Whalehead Club…a beautifully restored mansion of a very wealthy couple, Mr. and Mrs. Knight, who wanted a place to go in the winter for duck huntins. For this tour, bring your flashlights and courage. The house is dark and your guide walks you through the house while telling of “weird experiences” that have occurred over the years. If you do believe in ghosts, it’s a “fun time. If you don’t, you might as well do one of the day tours…actually, the day tour of the house would be of interest to any history buff.
We ate out a couple of times. Our
favorite place was called the Bad Bean…a Mexican restaurant with a
Frozen margaritas are fantastic at the Sunset Grill, but I would go just for the drinks and the view of the sound. Dinners there are bland and not worth the wait.
This year we also rented a surf board from Ocean Atlantic Rentals. Great board, great service, and renting for a week is a better buy.
Thank you Linda and Frank for another restful and beautiful stay at Chatterbox Too!
Love,
Gary, Sarah and The Boys
August 30, 2009
We had a wonderful week at Chatterbox Too. The house is beautifulm and the hosts have thought of everything. Garden is wonderful, and we ate a tone of basil, quite a few tomatoes, and some bell peppers. Will rip the rest of the basil flowers off tonight. Rosemary and parsley were also delicious!
Notes for Linda and Frank:
-A boogie board snapped in two on our watch, so we bought a replacement today and stashed it with the others.
-We will leave the beach cart outside when we leave. It was inside when we got here, and it looks lik lots of people before us tried to squeeze it through the door, scratching the door in the process. Maybe the problem warrants a label to warn folks?
-As mentioned on the phone, the top center tomato plant has gone to seed. But everything else looks phenomenally good right now. Peppers and tomato plants are absolutely covered in blossoms, and herbs are great. We watered well twice, and there were two good rains while we were here---Bill and Danny, so things are in good shape.
-We loved the free movies from Ocean Atlantic—thank you!!!
Great time had by all. I hope we’ll be able to stay here again.
Thanks and good wishes,
The Alexanders,
September 19, 2009
Our week @ chatterbox too was wonderful. The house is just what we needed for a week with the family. The weather was made to order. Thank you Linda for the SUN DANCE, it worked! The ocean was great, a little choppy Thurs and Fri but that only makes the sound from the deck greater to enjoy!
We had seafood with chocolate martinis for dessert almost every night. Made some great friends next door.
Free movies were great, got some more new releases before they were out on the shelf. Good thing everything was so close, we walked and shopped, don’t leave out the ABC store so close.
The things you have done to this house make it a wonderful and beautiful place to kick back and relax. Our family all needed this time to be with Mother and relax if only for a few days. It was one of our best beach trips .
Thank you Linda and Frank for everything you have done to prepare a wonderful experience to be had by all.
Maybe we can come again and enjoy your home. Thank you! Thank you!
Mike and Joyce Thompson,
October 4, 2009
Frank and Linda—
Thank you for all the little extras you do to make staying at Chatterbox Too – not just staying in a rental house but staying in a home.
The Pollards,
November 9, 2009
Frank and Linda,
Thank you so very much for this weekend. We all had a great time with the unexpected warmth, 65-70 degrees.
The plants have all been watered including the tomatoesJ. Please let me know if the fruit gets any bigger – I can’t believe how healthy the one on the deck is. The one growing in the driveway made me laugh out loud
Hope you have a wonderful and winter cozied in at the beach.
Allison !Pollard
PS Pictures to come soon
April 11, 2010
Linda and Frank,
Thank you for sharing your home with us! All of the little things you do for your renters are very much appreciated. We especially enjoyed the games and free movie rentals. This has been our best vacation in the Outer Banks yet.
Thank you, Linda, for the sun dance. Who would have thought we would have had 85-90 degree weather for 4 of our days here.
This was a wonderful way for our family to relax. Thank you again for renting to us. We hope to be lucky enough to rent from you in the future.
Annemarie, John, Kaitlynn, and John Michael D, Virginia Beach