When you own a piece of paradise it is only natural to want to share it with your friends and family. This is what makes cottaging so special. Occasionally, these group get-togethers can go south, placing a strain your relationship. So, as we near the peak of cottage season, I have put together a list of the “Top Ten Things a Cottage Guest Should Never Do.”

I have left number 10 open for you to add your thoughts. Please leave your comments in the space below ( I promise I will not spam or send chain emails to you).

Number 1.

Hog the bathroom, as there is usually only one, be considerate, especially if you’re the first one up

Number 2.

Make lots of noise - cottage walls are very thin, be careful what you say and what you DO

Number 3.

Ignore you children - little people need extra care, especially around the water. If your kids are not strong swimmers make sure you bring a life jacket or check with the host ahead of time to determine if there is a jacket that will fit. Walmart is a great place to pick up a cheap life jacket. Bring your family’s favourite board game to play.

Number 4.

Use all your hostesses stuff - Bring the stuff you think you will need - bathing suit, sunblock, shampoo, flip flops etc. It’s OK to borrow stuff in a pinch - totally expected - but try to plan ahead.

Number 5.

Complain about the facilities i.e. the lake, the cabin, the boat, the grass - get the picture? Pointing out a cabin’s flaws and shortcomings is a good way of ensuring you won’t be invited back. We love our cottage and we want you to love it too.

Number 6.

Ignore everyone else and do your own thing. Cottagers are very social people. We love to party and have fun. While everyone needs some down time, don’t ignore your host and spend the whole day reading a book - unless it’s a book club get-together or a librarian’s retreat. We invited you for a VISIT - so spend some time with us; we crave attention.

Number 7

Similar to number 4 - Don’t come empty handed. This is always tricky because most hostess will say, “Oh, don’t bring anything - just come,” we are actually lying when we say this. I and this is just me, love it when people make a meal or bring a meal. It makes life easier. I get to spend less time in the kitchen and more time in the water.

Number 8

Pick a fight with your spouse. Everyone goes through rough times, but deciding to “work-it-out” in front of your friends is sooo not the way to go. Save that conversation for the car ride home.

Number 9

Stay too long - a good guest knows when to come and they know when to go. Always leave them wanting more.

Now it’s your turn - what are your guest no-no’s? Leave me a comment and I will post it on the blog.

Happy Holidaying.

Cheers,

Julie

This entry was posted on Monday, July 23rd, 2007 at 7:00 am and is filed under Entertaining. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.