Instructions:
Dear
We hope you will enjoy your vacation at the Little White Cottages!
Payments: We have received your _______ payment for the cottage(s), Nymph & or Seadog, for the week(s) beginning _________________ & ending ________________. Your damage deposit of ________ will be returned within one week of departure. Due to the short season, refunds due to cancellations will be available only if we are able to re-rent that particular week.
Our weeks run from Friday to Friday.
Check-in is anytime after 4:00pm Friday.
Check-out is anytime before 12:00 noon Friday.
Short stays of 3 to 5 nights will have a before 12:00 check-out on departure day.
Weekends (regular 2-night special) are from after 4pm Friday to before 4pm Sunday.
Your promptness in respect to these time guidelines is
appreciated.
How to open your “locker lock”:
Spin to the right three times and stop on the first letter.
Full spin to the left, passing first letter, stopping on the second letter.
Turn right directly to third letter.
Push button down to open lid.
The key to your cottage will be in a “key box”, to the right of the front door, at eye level. The Seadog and Nymph use a standard “locker lock” combination of 3 letters.
8469 Seadog: ___________________. 8471 Nymph: _______________________.
Cleaning: The cottages are available on a “leave them as you find them” basis. This system depends on some light cleaning by each family before they leave. Just sweeping, cleaning the bathroom (sink, toilet), kitchen (sink, refrigerator), and a light damp mopping of the heavy traffic areas if necessary is fine. We have experienced so much trouble with vacuum breakage, that we ask that you please do not use the vacuums. Sweeping is all you need to do! We do employ cleaners who come in between 12 and 4 to do the heavy duty cleaning. If you find that they are not reasonably clean when you arrive please call us immediately. Also, if you are unable or do not wish to clean up on your vacation, for an extra $75. we can arrange for extra cleaning! But we need to know this a couple of days ahead of time, and check-out time would be 10:00 instead of 12:00.
The toilets are both water-savers and may need plunging occasionally. Do not put any “feminine hygiene” products down the toilets- the plumbing just can’t handle it. IMPORTANT: Please check before leaving; that toilets aren't running, & all taps, appliances are off.
Child-proofing: The cottages are not child-proofed. Please check under the sink and in all rooms to insure your child’s safety. You may want to move items to a higher shelf, etc. Like most vacation areas the possibility of poison ivy in the woods or yellow jackets under the eaves always exists. Our beach is gently sloping, with a mixture of sand and pebbles, but adult supervision of children at all times is a must. Undertows can be a factor during rough weather.
Boats and beach: There is a public access located at Orchard Beach, 3 driveways to the south of us, and people often keep a boat at the public boat access or marina in Lexington. Boats and trailers are not allowed at the cottages (due to space and accessibility) but small, rubber boats can be fun.
Our beach varies quite a bit year to year, with some years having more beach than others. When the water is low it is possible to walk along the water’s edge, but most years, not so much. A nice walk goes south of us a couple of houses to the public access route, and up that through Orchard Beach, and down again through Orchard Beach Park, (a public park, albeit an extremely small one).
Pets: We’re sorry but pets of any kind are not allowed, for renters or visitors.
Smoking: No smoking inside-- - if you choose to smoke outside, please pick up and dispose of any butts before you leave.
Trash: A small dumpster is located at the end of our driveway opposite our sign, in which bagged trash may be placed all week. Please bring trash bags, since like toilet paper, it may or may not be in sufficient supply for 1 week. A $75 fine will be assessed to those who throw in unbagged trash or leave piles of trash in or around the cottages or beach. (I hate to even mention something so obvious, but inconsiderate leaving of the trash has been a problem occasionally). Same goes for broken bottles, glass or other materials that would be hazardous to the next set of guests. For 99% of our guests -- I’m not talking about you! Most people are WONDERFUL they way they take such good care of the cottages!
Flowers: People have asked about this, so “yes, feel free to water the flowers if you wish”.
Laundry: There are Laundromats in Croswell, and in Port Huron.
Fireplace and Woodstove and Baseboard Heat System. The Nymph has a baseboard heat system, with 2 thermostats, 1 controlling the heat in the bedroom and 1 controlling the heat in the dining/living room area, and a small woodstove with glass doors (16” log tops) The Seadog has an electric “hearth” in the dining room and a fireplace insert with glass doors (18” log tops). You would need to bring your own wood, but many places sell wood up there. It just needs to be very short wood for the fireplaces. I recommend buying some of the “firestarter bricks” for the stove or campfire. They are much safer than the liquid fuels, but if you do bring charcoal starter, please take it when you go.
Electrical capacity, and the circuit breakers: Being older cottages, the electrical capacity is limited, especially if multiple large-draw appliances like the electric heaters (hair dryers, irons, etc) are used. IF there were to be a power out, simply unplug one of the appliances, and reset the circuit breakers. Locations: Seadog: Back Bedroom east wall
Nymph: Kitchen cupboard above refrigerator
Barbeques and Bonfires: Many people love to grill (our grills are charcoal) and everyone enjoys a bonfire on the beach. There is one “bonfire area”. Please make sure everything is completely out when you are finished. Sand will not completely douse coals, plan on using water.
Misc. Photos, History: The photos in the cottages are all of my relatives- The land for the cottages came into the family in 1924, as a gift from Ellen Petersen to her sister, Mattie Jasnowski. A small cottage was built in 1925, and remodeled around 1953. The back cottage, the Nymph, was built later, probably in the 1940’s.
Parking: The parking will accommodate 3 cars per cottage. Overnight guests are allowed up to the stated capacity of the cottage.
Sharing the ground, visitors: Visitors are expected to observe the stipulations of the rental (i.e., no pets, etc), and please, no large gatherings or loud parties. (also no tents or trailers) Both cottages share the beach, swings, bonfire pit, and outdoor furniture.
Problems: We hope there will be none!! But if something comes up we need for you to call us immediately so that we can arrange a solution. We can usually be reached at one of these numbers. If you get the answering machine please talk awhile to it-- we may be home but need to run to pick up. Any time day or night- please call with ANY concerns or questions, anytime.
Our home phone: 1-616-669-5187 Steve's cell at work: 1-616-262-3517
Before leaving: Please check to make sure that the key is back in the box for the next family. There is a $25.lost key fee. Also, please take a second and make sure that no water is running, and that all toilets are quiet. Check all coffee pots and ovens and especially heaters to be sure they are OFF. I know leaving can be hectic but we appreciate your looking around so much!
That’s about it---- Thank you again for staying with us!!
Sincerely, Lisa & Steve
P.S. What we provide: Blankets and pillows are already in the cottages, also all cooking utensils, dishes, . Each bed will have a cotton mattress pad and a bottom sheet on it. Plan to bring your own sheets and put right on top of these. If there is any possibility of an accident due to a small person sleeping in a strange bed, please bring some protective sheeting. Deposits will not be returned in the case of a wet-on bed.
We can provide sheets for all beds if we know in advance. Cost is $10. per bed or $50 per cottage.
What we don't provide: towels, or wood. Trash bags and toilet paper should be brought. There is an initial supply, but more bags & paper are often needed.
For those guests who will be staying multiple weeks, we do have our maintenance team mow the lawn, water the trees/flowers, and tidy up the patio & firepit area 1 time each week. Usually Fri afternoon...
Things to do: People often tell us that one of the most fun things their family did was have a bonfire at the end of the day. We agree! At our family reunion we love to get together and sing and play guitars around the fire, while toasting marshmallows for s’mores. The lake seems to carry the noise away…
Another favorite activity is board games, especially with a giant bowl of popcorn and pop. So bring your chess, checkers, risk, scrabble, and monopoly games along! Also cards… who can forget the high stakes penny poker, or the exciting games of “spoon” ( sort of like musical chairs).
Things to bring:
Swim shoes or flip flops Games, binoculars, star watching guide
Kindling, fire starter bricks, wood, Radio, Flashlight, trash bags, life jackets
Child proofing items Protective sheeting for little ones
Towels, Favorite pillows, sheets for all beds toilet paper
We are only 15 minutes away from the 24 hour Meijer, so if you forget something you can almost always run in and pick one up there.
I think that about covers everything. Sometimes something gets broken accidentally during someone’s stay. It’s easiest for us if you just call us or write a note and say “we had an accident with the coffee pot- here’s a check to cover getting a new one.” This avoids our having to take money out of your damage deposit, which can take longer for everything to clear.
Directions to 8469 and 8471 LAKESHORE ROAD (M-25)
We are located in Sanilac County, just slightly over the St. Clair/Sanilac county line. (House numbers are reversed when the counties change so you don’t need to watch the #’s until you are quite close or it can be confusing.) Google maps has an excellent map. (mapquest is inaccurate)
From the Detroit area: Take 94 freeway til it ends above Port Huron.
From Lansing, Flint area: Take 69 freeway to East 94 to Canada (not downtown Port Huron) the furthest left lane will be 94. (if v familiar w/area, you may prefer the Waddams exit "alternate route", to avoid some bridge traffic at certain times--- but it is somewhat tricky, involving several turns etc)
Once Freeway 94 ends above Port Huron you’ll be on Pine Grove. Follow Pine Grove past 2 traffic lights and it swings left onto M-25 (Lakeshore Road).
Once on Lakeshore road you’ll notice the larger Birchwood Mall on your right. We’re 11 miles North of the mall.
Go through Lakeport (4-5 miles to go)
Past the county line (entering Sanilac) (This is when st. #’s reverse!) past the United Methodist Camp on the right (Lake Huron Retreat). We are about 1 ½ Miles North of the Methodist camp. Past “Orchard Beach” (very close now—put on turn signal) We are between “Orchard Beach” and “Roehl's Beach) The sign will say “Nymph and Seadog”