House rules
The rules, and why each one exists
Short list, and none of it is arbitrary. Neighbours live here full time, the cottage runs on a septic system, and there is a lake at the end of the lawn.
The list
House rules
- Twelve guests maximum
- Check in from 4:00 pm, check out by 11:00 am
- Quiet hours 11 pm to 7 am
- No smoking or vaping inside the cottage or the bunkie
- No events or parties
- Septic system — only toilet paper down the toilet, no wipes of any kind
- Fires in the fire pit only, never unattended, and check the local burn ban first
- Children supervised at the water at all times
- Use only the firewood on this property
- Nothing into the lake — no litter, no golf balls
Not a party house. A guest put it better than we could: this is a family and adult space, and people looking for a party place should look elsewhere. We are relaxed about most things and completely inflexible about this one.
Dogs
Bringing your dog
Genuinely welcome, and not as a grudging exception — there are leashes, bowls, a dog bed and a cat-io on site, and roughly a third of our guests bring a dog. One learned to swim here at eight years old.
- Clean up after them
- Trim nails so they do not mark the floors
- No chewers left unattended
- No pets on the trampoline
- Set leashes clear of the garden solar lights
- Our neighbours have a dog — keep yours leashed if it would run over
Safety
The things that could actually hurt someone
Most listings skip this section. We would rather you read it before you arrive than find out on the day.
There is no lifeguard
Children must be supervised at the water at all times. The shallow side has soft footing; off the dock it is about eight feet deep with a rocky bottom.
Life jackets
On site for the kayaks. Please use them — Transport Canada requires one per person aboard, along with the rest of the safety kit in the shed.
The wood stove
Instructions are in the cottage. Pull the silver knob out for more air, push it in as the fire builds. Never leave it open or unattended.
The fire pit
Fires in the pit only, never unattended, fully out before bed. Check for a local burn ban before you light one.
The septic system
Only toilet paper down the toilet. No wipes, even the ones sold as flushable, no paper towel, no hygiene products. A septic failure ends everyone’s week.
The driveway
The final hill is steep. Four-wheel drive can go down; otherwise park at the garage and walk. In winter it is plowed only as far as the garage.
On your way out
Checkout, by 11:00 am
None of this is a deep clean — that is what the cleaning fee is for. It is the handful of things that make the turnover possible.
Towels and cloths
Used towels, face cloths, dish towels and dish cloths into the bathtub.
The BBQ
Give it a scrape. There are spare propane tanks by the wood pile.
Food
Everything out of the fridge and freezer, surfaces wiped. This is genuinely about ants.
Garbage
Bags and separated recycling into the old outhouse beside the bunkie, or take it with you.
The wood stove
Shut tight and cooling down. Ashes cleaned up.
Turn things off
Lights, televisions, ceiling fans.
Lock up
All three cottage doors — sun room, living room, front — and pull the bunkie door closed.
Full arrival instructions, the door code, the WiFi password and the local emergency numbers are sent to you a day or two before you arrive — not published here, for reasons we hope are obvious.