Walking around the Fall Cottage Life Show I come across a booth I can’t even get near. People are lined up in rows waiting for the person in front of them to leave so they can take their place.

Gently manouvering my way to the front I see a sign that says, “The Oust-a-Mouse Bait House.” Mice it seems are a universal problem when it comes to cottaging, and a big one judging by the popularity of this booth.

The “house” is a white metal box that stores the poison, but unlike traditional mouse traps that are baited and placed inside your cottage, this is a lockable, weather-proof container that is placed outside the building. The idea is to kill the mice before they can get into your cabin and wreak havoc.

Unfortunately I don’t have any more details on this amazingly popular product, but if you suffer from mice infestations you might want to check out their site at www.oustamouse.com.

Here’s to building a better mouse trap.

Cheers,

Julie

There are things at the cabin that I call “cottage essentials,” then there is everything else. The essentials are different from the survival items like, fridge, stove, boat, dock, propane fireplace and generator.

“Essentials” are those items that I don’t realize I need, until I have to go and borrow them from a neighbor. I often think, ‘Oh wouldn’t it be great to have a cottage registry gift service for cottage owners, particularly new ones.’

While some cottages come equipped with the previous owner’s hand-me-downs, most do not. The first couple of years as a new owner required a lot of trips to the local Home Hardware store (often several times in the same day).

Standing at the cash register waiting to pay, I often wished I’d remembered to ask for the particular item for Christmas. After all, duck tape makes a great stocking stuffer.

Below is my list of Nine Cottage Essentials. These are items that I cannot live without, and would love to receive as a hostess or cottage warming present.

Nine Cottage Essentials

1. Ladder - tall enough to reach the cabin roof and one that is light enough to carry by myself
2. Duck Tape - works great on leaky pipes
3. Traps - mouse, ant and anything else that is small and moves quickly
4. Floating key chains - very important if you have a boat and small children
5. Good Tool Kit
6. Big Flashlight
7. Cooler that has wheels - and can hold lots of beverages (smaller one for the boat)
8. Nut & Bolts set
9. Squeegee for washing window- we have glass decks all around the front of our cabin…

This is my list, now tell me yours.

Cheers,

Julie

CottageDaily is changing with the seasons. You will notice we’ve put away the deck chairs and are now enjoying the fall colours.

Dockside has some new features too. Otis, this week’s “Top Dog” is just one of several items we have added to the site. Our pets enjoy cottage life as much as we do. We invite you to share their moments with us. Email your digital pets to julie@cottagedaily.com along with his/her name and lake area. We will post them as we receive them.

We have also added advertising to the site. Maintaining CottageDaily is a lot like owning a cabin. There is always something that needs to be fixed or “renovated.” While CottageDaily is a labour of love, there are costs associated with hosting and web development. It is my goal to keep the ads relevant and useful to you, the reader.

A lot of people have expressed an interest in finding cottages to rent. Over the next couple of months, we will be adding a cottage rental directory to the site, specifically for British Columbia properties.

I always enjoy reading your comments and am especially interested in hearing what you think about the new changes.

If you are heading out to the cabin this weekend, I wish you a safe trip with lots of sunshine.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Cheers,

Julie

“The undone business of one season will be the extra work of the next,” writes Tom Carpenter in his article, Closing up the Cottage. Never were truer words spoken. So on the eve of close up weekend, we do ours a little earlier to coincide with our Thanksgiving dinner, I am busy making a list of all the things we need to bring with us.

The better prepared I am, the easier this whole process will be, not only now, but in the spring as well.

So here is my Close Up Checklist:

1. 6 Rubbermaid storage containers for:

• liquids, dry goods, fridge stuff, valuables, kid’s games and bathroom toiletries (it’s recommended to bring home your bathroom toiletries, hand cream, conditioners and sunblocks as they will lose their consistency and effectiveness once they’ve been frozen)

2. Steel wool to seal the cracks and keep out mice

3. Tools to turn off the water

4. 2- Gallons of plumbing antifreeze (we have two toilets and rule of thumb is 3 cups of antifreeze per tank and bowl, plus 1 cup for every sink and drain, and 2 cups for shower-stall drains)

5. Recycling bags for old magazines, newspapers and cans

6. Baking soda for fridge

7. Vinegar for cleaning

8. Extra garbage bags for transporting bedding, and storing what remains
9. Straps to transport the kayak

10. Rain gear - it’s suppose to pour all weekend (sigh)

11. Registration for the boat trailer and prearrange with marina to drop off the boat on Saturday (heavy sigh)

Well that’s my list - if I’ve missed anything let me know.

Here’s to no surprises next spring.

Cheers,

Julie

When it comes to closing up the cabin for the winter you can never be too careful, especially when it come to turning off the water. The challenge of winterizing the cabin is, you’re not going to know you made a mistake until next spring, and by then, the damage is already done.

Ray Landry of Raymar Plumbing and Heating in Kenora, has lots of experience with cottage plumbing. He offers these suggestions to new cottage owners and women, who like myself, wish they knew how to turn off the water, but are overwhelmed by the whole process.

1. Make an initial checklist and try to follow it. It is a good idea to work in pairs.
2. Turn off the power to the hot water tank first, if this gets drained and the heaters are still on, the elements will get burn out once the air hits them. Be careful in the spring when you turn the power breakers back on, making sure the hot water tank is turned off.

3. When setting up your plumbing system, try to put the drains where they are accessible, ideally, have two drain point valves. That way you don’t have to crawl around underneath the cabin making sure you haven’t missed a valve.

4. Don’t use ethylene glycol or car antifreeze on your drains and toilets. Instead, Ray recommended using RV or Plumbers antifreeze - it’s non toxic.

5. If you have propane appliances, try to seal the flue passage way, and have them checked in the spring, especially if you have a propane fridge. These are easily blocked and something as small as a spider can affect your cooling systems.

If you would like a detailed step-by-step guide on how to prepare your water system for close up, go to Winterizing Your Plumbing System.

This year, in addition to taking notes, I am going to follow my husband around with a video camera, that way I have a recorded version of cottage closeup. If might make for some interesting viewing depending how everything goes.

Cheers,

Julie

Well it’s almost here, the weekend I dread the most -closing up weekend. I think it’s mostly psychological. Preparing the cabin for winter consists of putting away the toys, including our boat, emptying all the cupboards, cleaning out the fridge, stripping the beds, and my least favourite job - draining the water and antifreezing the plumbing.

Actually, the water and plumbing are “blue jobs,” which in our household means Bill, (my wonderful husband) has to do them. I tend to hover in the background to make sure he is doing them “correctly.” The irony is, I have no idea how to drain the water, I just know if it’s not done correctly, i.e. water gets left in the lines, we will have a mess on our hands come spring. My real job is to pour antifreeze into both toilets. (Note to self, make sure we buy antifreeze on the way to the cabin this weekend.)

Our closing up ritual is not that bad. I read a “closing up ” check list on another cottage related website, and I am thankful our “to do” list fits on a posted note.

I think the reason I dread this weekend is because it signifies the end of cottage season. We are doing all this work for an ending. Contrast my mood to the May long weekend, the beginning of cottage season and I am downright joyous. Personally, I find opening up the cabin, way more work. But do I mind cleaning eve- troughs over flowing with black goopy pine needles, do I dread lugging bedding, planters, food and other necessities back to the cabin? Do I emit having sighs about all the yard work that needs to be done? No. I am pumped. Bring it on, let’s get this party started.

This week, in addition to our Thanksgiving recipes, I will be publishing some helpful tips on closing up the cottage. I am open to any suggestions on how to turn this into a “fun weekend.”

Cheers,

Julie

Some people make their new year’s resolutions in January, I make mine in September - at the end of cottage season. They usually go something like this, “Gee, I wished we’d had more time, I would have really liked to ….”

Despite all the fanfare, cottage season seems to slip by so quietly and so discretely with one weekend’s events quickly followed by another, and yet another. Before you know it, it’s Labour Day weekend.

This year was no exception. It seems like opening weekend was only weeks ago, when we endured three days of pouring rain, while we raked, cleaned and primed.

Now a blink later, it’s September, and close up weekend is fast approaching. So rather than dwell on what I didn’t do or get done, I have resolved to add them to next year’s list. Below are my resolutions for summer 2008.

Nine Things I’m Going to do Next Summer

1. Attend the Comox Valley Farmers Market.
2. Take a ride on the Alberni Pacific Railway in Port Alberni.
3. Go sea kayaking (I lake kayak).
4. Surf in Tofino
5. Spend a day visiting Duncan, Chemainus and Lake Cowichan
6. Plant grass at the cabin
7. Go windsurfing
8. Plant black eyed Susans
9. Buy a new boat

I would love to hear what’s on your list - please send me an email or leave a comment.

Cheers,

Julie

It’s early Saturday afternoon at Granville Island Market in Vancouver. A light rain is falling. We have just returned to our vehicle when my friend puts her key in the ignition and tries to start her late model SUV. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Nothing. Rrrrrrrrrr. Nothing. “Umm, I think you have a dead battery,” I tell her. A few more tries and the igniter starts making a clicking sound. ‘That’s not good,’ I think to myself.

No big deal. “Do you have any booster cables?” I ask, “No? OK, I’ll go find some.” Hoping out of the dead vehicle, I set off, walking around the market, flagging down passing motorist, and asking the same questions over and over again.

Out of the eight people I stopped, including two Volvo drivers, none of them carried booster cables.

Last year, BCAA responded to over 200,000 calls from their members whose cars wouldn’t start. The cause? Dead batteries.

Often in ferry line-ups, especially when there has been a lengthy delay, it is common to see cars with their hoods up, waiting for a boost. Running the radio, or watching a video, drain their vehicle’s battery, leaving motorists stranded.

Boosting a Dead Battery

When it comes to boosting a dead batter, there are a couple of things you need to be aware of, according to Dave Weloy of BCAA.

First, build a surface a charge with the other vehicle.  This is done by hooking up the booster cables to each vehicle and waiting five to 10 minutes before you start the engines.

Second, be careful when starting the dead car’.  Most drivers press down on the accelerator and to rev the engine, thereby sending a high voltage back to your vehicle. This can blow your ignition modules.  Have the driver of the dead battery turn on all their instruments i.e. heater, radio, fan etc.  This will absorb the extra energy that’s being produced and save your car from a power surge.

Also, according to BCAA’s website, you should have your battery tested as part of your regular vehicle inspection. The actual life of a battery is three to five years.  People assume their batteries are going to last much longer than they actually do. It is easy to test the condition of the battery without having to remove it.

You can help maintain your battery by checking the water levels and topping them up with distilled water.  Cleaning the corrosion from your battery’s connection point is also recommended.  This is done by removing the clamps and scrubbing the metal with a wire brush, baking soda and water.

Despite having a BCAA membership, it was faster to pay a cabbie $15 for a boost. Note to self - cab drivers always carry booster cables. Not that I’m gloating or anything, but your’s truly does carry them. So if you are ever stuck on the side of the road, or your car won’t start in the ferry line up, if you spot a silver Jeep with “CottageDaily.com” on the back window, flag me down. I will be happy to give you a boost.Cheers,

Julie

PS. Red Positive - Black Negative

Now that the kids are back in school, I have been bitten by the cleaning bug. First there was the outside, cleaning out flower beds, weeding, trimming, raking and ordering spring bulbs. With the yard straightened up, I am now focused inward.

The kitchen utensils, once a tangled mass fighting for space, are breathing easier in my recently purchased Rubbermaid organizers. My children’s summer clothes have been distributed to their friends’ younger siblings and the goodwill bags are waiting to be picked up.

Next weekend, I will unleash my urge to purge on the cabin.

Fall Housekeeping at the cottage involves a fair bit of work and some planning. Aside from just getting organized, there are also some safety and survival concerns, particularly if you use your cabin in the winter. Neighbors tend to be fewer and farther between in the winter months, and getting in and out of the cottage can be treacherous.

The following suggestions will hopefully help you get organized and keep you safe.

1. Have an emergency kit that consists of water, food - canned or dehydrated, battery-powered radio, flash lights, first aid kit and candles. Fall winds and winter ice storms can wreak havoc on power lines.
2. Check to make sure you have winter coats, rain gear, boots, gloves and hats.
3. Organize your clothes drawers - before you pack away your summer clothes, make sure they still fit, otherwise donate, sell or turn them into rags.
4. Clean and defrost the refrigerator. Put in a box of baking soda. If you’re turning off the fridge for the winter, tape it open so it doesn’t mold.
5. Wipe down the cupboards that store food. Bring home any food that is not in a can or jar. Mice are attracted to food sources - empty clean cupboards are the best deterrent for rodents.
6. Make sure your boat house has shovels, sand and salt if you’re planning on using it in the winter.
7. Check your heating sources
   1. Stack your firewood and make sure it’s in a dry location
   2. Check your propane tank
   3. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned
8. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and change their batteries.
9. Organize a fall raking party - many hands make light work
10. Clean out and store planters, especially if they are terra cotta or ceramic. If water gets into the planters, they will crack once the temperature drops below freezing.

If I’ve missed anything, or you have some organizing tips, please leave me a comment.

Cheers,

Julie

“From those to whom much is given, much is expected” this quote comes from a speech Bill Gates gave at a recent Harvard Commencement. As a cottager, I have the incredible privilege to enjoy a lifestyle that very few people can afford. I am surrounded by rugged snow capped mountains, tall cedar forests, a pristine lake that my neighbors drink from, and spectacular sunsets.

Our vacation retreats allow me the unique opportunity to view wildlife, bears, deer, eagles, and osprey, from my own backyard. While most people can only read about them in books or visit them in zoos, they are my neighbors.

So used to city living, I forget how fragile this eco-system is, and in my attempt to make my cabin look nicer, more “home-like,” I am unconsciously destroying precious habitat.

This past spring, I received a copy of CottageLife’s The Green Cottaging Guide, you can view it online at www.cottagelife.com/greencottaging. It contains easy-to-follow advice on how to “Go Green” – yes, there’s that word again, at the cabin. Below are some recommendations, from the guide, on maintaining a healthy shoreline.

• Don’t rake the shoreline or remove driftwood or fallen logs. Yes we want everything to look neat and tidy, but these logs and rocks provide feeding grounds, and spawning areas for aquatic creatures, such as frogs, fish, and salamanders. Also, leave the weeds alone. They may tickle us when we’re swimming, but they hold sediment in place and provide shelter for water creatures.

• Rebuild the buffer zone – if in the building process of your cabin, you removed trees, shrubs or grasses from the waterfront, replace them. This foliage will help trap harmful runoff in the roots before it gets to the lake. Allowing leaves to decompose will further help to reduce erosion.

• Opt for a low-impact dock – if you are considering building a new dock, chose a floating, pipe or cantilever dock with is less disruptive to the lakebed. Try to chose a design that requires little to no modifications to the shoreline.

I realize that while I “own” a cabin, I don’t really own it, I have only paid for the privilege to use it. I am merely its steward.

Here’s to being good tenants.

Cheers,

Julie