The Patient Heron House Rules

Please print and distribute to all guests in your group, or email this page.

This brief guide is offered in the hope of making your stay more convenient, safe, and restful.  You can help us preserve our peaceful haven by encouraging everyone to observe the house rules.

• The travertine floor is more enjoyable if the “No shoes” policy is maintained.  Sand and small shells can scratch the travertine.  The floors are very easy to keep clean every several days using the Swiffer disposable cloths system in the kitchen pantry. There is another Swiffer in the master bath for use in the upstairs baths. Use only plain water or “Stone cleaner” in the spray bottle to spot clean the travertine. Other cleaners will damage it. There is a Dust Buster in the laundry room for quick pickups.  The dining table chairs and other side chairs have “no scratch” slider feet. If these come off, the floor may be damaged. Replace them from the supply over the broom closet.  Keeping the floor around the table clean and occasionally wiping off the slider feet will help the chairs “glide.”

• Fresh water is a precious commodity as the house is served by a well.  There is a whole–house water softener system.  Bags of salt are provided near the unit located in the garage, and guests should monitor it, adding as needed.  Reverse-osmosis drinking water is dispensed from the small spigot in the kitchen. The hot water is a circulating system to provide quick hot water.

• On barrier islands such as Siesta Key, weather is dynamic, and you have a front row seat at The Patient Heron!  If you leave the house, even briefly, close all the doors and windows.  Keep the garage doors closed when not entering or exiting the garage.  The sliding glass doors are very heavy.  Both the glass and screen doors need some care in opening and closing.  The house has hurricane shutters that are only to be used in the event of a hurricane.  Please be sure the doors and windows are closed and locked when a storm blows up.

• Indoor furniture is not to be moved, excepting the side chairs. Bringing rental furniture (except cribs) into the house is prohibited.

• The house and grounds are a non-smoking environment.  Smoking anywhere on the property is prohibited.  Discharging fireworks, sparklers, or firearms, is prohibited. 

• The Patient Heron has a septic system, not sewer.  The system serves well if we don’t give it “indigestion” by flushing inorganic items other than toilet paper, or by pouring grease into the sinks.  Hygiene products such as wipes and tampons labeled “flushable” are not “digestible” by septic tanks.  DON’T FLUSH THEM; dispose of them in the wastebasket.  Do not use chlorine bleach in the laundry or elsewhere in the house.

• The gas grill on the lower patio is the only grill permitted. Do not use charcoal grills.  Cooking on the lanais is prohibited.  There is a patio light just to the left inside the door to the garage. Please use the outside stairs to bring cooked food upstairs.  There is a light on the outside stairs that is switched with a timer found in the hallway off the lanai.

• If you use the self-clean function of the oven, please remove the racks first.  The extreme heat ruins their finish.

• When using the kayak, lift it to the dock or seawall (no dragging, please), then use a carpet scrap draped over the dock or seawall to protect the kayak during launch and recovery.  Rinse the kayak with fresh water after use.  The code to the lock is 777, and the paddles & life vest are in the garage.

• The auto gate code and the people gate code changes from month to month.  Inquire at the Fisherman’s Haven office. The bikes are for your use.  PLEASE SUPPLY YOUR OWN HELMETS.

• Each bed has a total of three sets of sheets, which are found on the bed and/or in the linen or bedroom closet serving that bed.  Please help us keep our linens fresh and inviting by treating stains as they occur, then washing in cool water and keeping them out of the dryer until the stain is gone.

• Pillows covered with shams are placed on beds so that guests may read or watch TV in comfort.  Should they need washing, use cool water and dry them on the wooden rack.

• Each bathroom has at least three sets of towels for two people.  Since the upstairs guest bath may be serving extra guests, we’ve moved some bath towels from the downstairs hall bath to that closet.  A few colorful beach towels, as well as odd towels for outdoors, are in the downstairs hall bath.

• Blankets are found in the appropriate closets.  Pillows are either natural feather or synthetic.  Swap pillows from bed to bed to find your preference.

• Cool weather guests may prefer the down or “down alternative” comforters provided in your closets.   As with the pillows, swap comforters if you have a preference.  Be sure the cover is on the comforter.  It’s best to fold and put aside your bedspread when using the comforter.

• Our unbreakable large insulated and small single-wall Tervis tumblers are manufactured in nearby Osprey, and carry a life-time warrantee. If one is damaged or leaking, please do not discard it.  Put it on a high shelf in the kitchen.  We will get a replacement.

• Please treat stains as they occur on carpet, rugs or upholstery.  You’ll find a “Capture Spot and Stain Remover” in the kitchen pantry.  Follow the instructions on the container.

• The gas fireplace is controlled by a timer switch on the right side of the mantel.  The timer is a safety feature to keep from over-heating the room.  Try 30 minutes, and then adjust more or less. Always use the ceiling fans when the fireplace is on.  An unpleasant odor indicates an empty LP gas tank, located outdoors on the north side of the house.  Switch to the alternate tank, which is found in the garage.

• Store beach and fishing gear in the garage using one of the garage “people” doors. Do NOT carry beach or fishing gear through the house!

• Garbage pickup day is Wednesday around 7AM.  With the lid securely closed, put the garbage containers at curbside the night before.  Newspapers go in one bin, and cans and bottles in the other bin.  Cardboard boxes will be taken if they are collapsed and nested.  No plastic bags are taken for recycling.

• The windows and sliding glass doors darken to protect the interior from UV rays.  An added benefit is the privacy the darkened glass gives during daytime to the interior of the house.  We open all the shades during the day and close only the side shades at night. However, we’ve found the sun’s rays are strong enough to fade fabrics in our upstairs rooms, even with the UV protection!  During absences, please keep the shades down.  During the day when enjoying the view, please flip the bed spreads back so the sun shines on their linings.

• Life at the beach is beautiful for people, but very hard on systems and equipment.  If you have a problem with these, please report the problem by calling John Hartrampf at 770-490-0927.  We will do our best to take care of the problem as quickly as possible.

• Warning:  Death or injury may occur from sitting on, climbing on, or lean over the deck railings!