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"A man builds a fine house;

and now he has a master, and a task for life:

he is to furnish, watch, show it,

and keep it in repair, the rest of his days.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Enjoy laugh lines and be happy.

Look for wrinkles and despair.”

-Tom

Most people have only commented on how lovely the property is...

…the babbling brook, the wildflowers, the birds, the log cabin, the peacefulness and privacy of sitting in the screened porch…

However, some people seem to be sensitive to different things so in the spirit of honesty, below are some of the ‘wrinkles’ about the cabin.

Here are some things which are beyond our control:

· There is intermittent cell reception at the property

We are usually able to send and receive TXT messages

but we sometimes cannot get cell voicemail or to dial or receive cell calls.

· Rt 91 is 1 mile away and if the wind is just so, one can hear the traffic.

Here are some things which are on my ‘To Do’ list to repair or replace

or to live with and accept:

Main Cabin The property was unoccupied for three years prior to us buying it which resulted in some water marks on the logs. I have since scrubbed them down but some of the water marks remain. The marks are not dirt dirt, but are minerals or discoloration of the log itself. The main log cabin was built around 1967 and the carpet in the living room is original and somewhat worn.
Whirlpool Bathroom One guest rented the cabin to get away from their ongoing home improvement project and was distressed to see that the whirlpool bathroom was undergoing improvement. The walls and ceiling are painted and but the tub skirt is temporary and will eventually be replaced with tongue and groove knotty pine. However, everything is usable and so other more urgent projects have taken priority. UPDATE: A guest stood on the right tub handle and it broke off.  I need to remove the entire handle valves because they were a special order.  Until I do that, the tub is usable but guests must use the temporary handle on the tub to turn the right tub faucet.
Shower Bathroom The shower stall is only 28” x 26” The shower in the bathroom that was added by the previous owners is only 28” wide and 26” deep.  I don’t know why they did not turn the shower sideways and install it completely across the back of that bathroom. The size of it is awkward for larger people. Redoing this bathroom is something on my wish list to do at some time in the future.	The wonderful thing about the shower is that the volume of water is enormous. Since we put in the new well, we doubled the water pressure and now the shower is a geyser which is very satisfying.
The main log cabin was built around 1967 and the kitchen has not yet been remodeled. The cabinets are somewhat worn. Note: On November 4, 2007 the new linoleum was installed in the kitchen and dining area.
The spiral staircase goes from the basement all the way to the attic. The basement is dry but some guests are hyper sensitive to the thought of the basement being open. Note that the wood stove which was in the fireplace has been removed and fireplace doors were added so now it is a regular functioning fireplace. Click here for a photo of the fireplace.
The garage contains maintenance equipment and the left garage bay is available for guest parking only in the winter.  Like any active home, lawn mowers, tools, etc are stored in the garage. I don’t know why this might bother someone but one guest (out of all our guests renting since 1997) felt these normal utilitarian objects should be stored elsewhere.
Some lawn mowers and yard maintenance equipment is stored underneath the screened porch which is generally completely out of sight. I don’t know why this might bother someone but one guest (out of all our guests renting since 1997) felt these normal utilitarian objects should be stored elsewhere.
Mowing: There are about 7 acres of lawn and fields around the house. We mow about 1 acre every 2 or 3 weeks. This includes the sides of the driveway, the walkway around the house, the walkway around the pond, and the backyard picnic and hammock area. ( shown in green ). We mow the entire property 2 or 3 times per year and try to not let it get more than 10” tall.
The Waterfall: During 2007 and 2009, our area of VT experienced somewhat of a drought which left the pond 12-18” lower than normal and which reduced the waterfall to a trickle. During times like those, I would still dunk in our pond but I would also swim at Sweet Pond or in the Connecticut River.

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