Cottage Rules

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi CREED xiii INTRODUCTION xv Why Use These Rules xvi Who Can Use These Rules xvii 1. HOW OUR COTTAGE RULES EVOLVED 1 Bush Camp 2 Manitoulin 2 Inheriting the Cottage 3 Coming Together 3 2. OVERVIEW 5 The Eight Steps 5 v Contents Your New Business - The Cottage 6 A foundation for the Rules 6 3. THE COTTAGE CORNERSTONES 9 The Basics 9 Meetings 11 Booking 13 Double booking 14 Collection 15 Time limits 15 Reminders 16 Bumping 16 First come, first served 16 4. MONEY & BANKING 17 User Fees 17 When to charge fees 18 What to charge 19 The Ledger: Keeping Track 21 Banking 21 Naming your accounts 25 The double signature 25 Borrowing money 26 Realtors work 27 Insurance 27 Succession Planning 28 The will 28 5. A WRITTEN HISTORY 29 The Log Book 29 Website 30 vi The Cottage Rules 6. CARE & MAINTENANCE 37 Work Weekends 37 Spring Cleaning 38 Preparing for the Off Season 38 Each Visit 41 Using the Lists 41 7. PANTRY & LAUNDRY 43 Guests 46 Cooking for guests 46 Clothing 46 Laundry - Why Change the Sheets? 48 With or without a cottage linen supply 48 No washing machine 49 With a washing machine 49 Security - Keys to Your Success 50 Storage 51 Safe storage: Non-shared items 51 Things you may want to store 51 Donations - Cash and in Kind 52 8. LOVE YOUR ENVIRONMENT ... GET CONNECTED 53 Gardening 54 Bird feeders 54 Do It Naturally 54 Garbage 56 Energy 56 Rain barrels 56 Keeping It Chartreuse 57 Contents vii 9. PAPERWORK CAN BE GOOD ... 59 Emergency Numbers 59 First-aid Kit 61 10. WRAPPING IT UP 63 APPENDIX: THE COTTAGE RULES PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT 65 GLOSSARY 75 SAMPLES 1. Sample Agenda 12 2. Estimate of Expenses, Account "B" 20 3. The Ledger for Account "B" 22 4. Yearly Expenses, Account "A" 24 5. Log Book 32 6. Spring Opening Up: To Do List 39 7. Fall Closing Down: To Do List 40 8. Checking Out Checklist 42 9. Basic Pantry Checklist 44 10. Meal-planning Checklist 47 11. Emergency Telephone Numbers 60 12. First-aid Kit Checklist 62