THE COTTAGE, ROOM BY ROOM
If you enter the house by the backdoor, you will leave a small lavatory (lavatory + hand basin) to your right and enter through the scullery (back kitchen or utilities room). The first thing to do is switch off the alarm (Caitriona will give you the code). Mary often leaves it off, on the Saturday when guests are arriving, in order not to “alarm” them.
EIRCOM PHONE WATCH ALARM
It is up to you how you use it. When we are in the house, we just lock the door if we are going out for a few hours during the day. We always lock up very carefully at night. The light flashes constantly outside, above the kitchen door, which is a deterrent more than anything else. We have a monthly subscription to PhoneWatch, so if the alarm does go off, all hell is let loose: neighbours will arrive, followed by the Gardaí.
Like all electronic devices, sometimes it beeps, which means that it needs to be reset, which is quite simple: you simply turn it on and off again (make sure Caitriona gives you the code when you arrive). If the outside doors are left open causing a draught, or if they bang violently, it may go off. No panic, it will stop normally by entering the code. If there is any persistent trouble (a rare occurrence), you can ring Phonewatch on 00 353 (1) 207 6100; someone will tell you what to do it.
1. SCULLERY
Composed of a broom cupboard, storage cupboards for kitchen utensils, a larder, basket shelves for vegetables, a second fridge with a small freezing compartment, a washing machine and a microwave oven.
– WASHING MACHINE (see instructions under separate heading).
– MICROWAVE OVEN (see instructions under separate heading).
– BROOM CUPBOARD: bucket and mop, brush and pan, hoover. Please check the dust bag of the hoover and change it if it is full – the bags are on the shelf in the lavatory.
– PRESSES: cooking utensils, mixing bowl, dishes for microwave oven.
– STORAGE baskets between fridge and washing machine for vegetables and fresh food.
– LARDER for cheese and fresh food.
– FRIDGE with small freezing compartment.
2. KITCHEN
The kitchen is the hub of the house, leading back out to the scullery, and front to the garden by way of the veranda/porch, and on either side to the separate dining room and sitting- room. The open stairs lead up to the two upstairs bedrooms and shared bathroom. It is a general living area that can be used, not only as a place to cook, but also as a place to take meals. The fridge and dishwasher and the cast iron all electric Godin cooker are built into the attractive painted kitchen units.
The long pine refectory table is divided into a work surface (polished granite) in front of the cooker and an eating space in front of the free standing cast iron stove, which burns wood and turf (available from convenience stores and filling stations); the fire will cheer miserable days and give efficient heat on a chilly evening. There is also a storage heater for cold spells.
I) Cupboard space:
Cooking utensils are stored in the decorative Welsh dresser; the presses over the fridge contain jugs, mugs and bowls etc. for snacks; you will find an array of coffee and tea pots in the other two, which are cleared for your general food storage. Visitors tend (like I do myself) to leave basic commodities such as tea, coffee, salt, pepper, sugar etc.
So if use up what is there, please replace when they run out (this goes for kitchen and loo paper, washing tabs, soap powder and detergents etc). The four drawers are allocated in the following way: top drawer: kitchen and general cutlery, second drawer, cooking utensils, electric beater and mixer, third drawer: tea towels. fourth drawer: miscellaneous : hand towels candles, bulbs, string etc.
II) Electric cooker : main switch on wall : down on, switch off when not in use (see instructions under separate heading).
III) Dish washer : check the wall switch, down: on (see instructions under separate heading).
IV) Small electrical appliances
a) Toaster (on work top),
b) Electric kettle (on work top),
c) Filter coffee maker (on work top: filters in first left top cupboard),
d) Citrus fruit squeezer (in bottom press of Welsh dresser),
e) Electric beater (in second drawer of kitchen unit),
f) Liquidizer (in second drawer of kitchen unit),
g) Kenwood mixer (in bottom press of Welsh dresser),
h) Iron : kept in upstairs bathroom hot press (the ironing board is propped up between the press and the linen chest of drawers.
V) Welsh dresser: the plates and dishes on the dresser are for decoration only: please do not use! General cooking utensil are stored in the bottom press. The left drawer contains napkins and tablecloths, the right an extra set of cutlery.
VI) Free standing stove: for fuel (wood, turf); large quantities can be ordered from Thomas Elliot – Tel. 074 973 5225 of Creevin, who delivers, otherwise, in the various filling stations and convenience stores have wood and turf briquettes. The door is difficult to open when the stove is hot; leave the 'stopper' at top pulled out as it is for auto-cleaning.
VII) Storage heater : for cold spells only please ; switch down = on. ; output and input can be regulated.
3. DINING-ROOM
This attractive and luminous room looking out on to the garden is where all the meals are taken; it is furnished with a large oak press for storing crockery and cutlery and glasses, a large oak oval gate-leg table with six chairs, small commode with maps and brochures and a bookcase stocked with books of general interest.
4. VERANDA-PORCH
This is the main entrance to the house and is to all intents and purposes an extra living space (3 by 2 meters), it catches the sun is an agreeable place to sit on summer evenings. We often lunch there. The fuse box is on the wall over the door. If the lights go out suddenly you can usually fix it ; you need a stool to reach it. It the problem persists, phone John Arnold, the electrician on:
00 353 (74) 973 6215 or 00 353 (87) 293 3889.
5. SITTING-ROOM
This cosy room has two comfortable sofas, a sideboard with table linen and glasses, a bookshelf stocked with books in several language: French, Italian, German and a large square low table. It is ideal place for a quiet afternoon or evening reading beside a cheerful wood or turf fire. The fireplace is typical of the Victorian period, designed to reflect the heat back into the room, rather than escaping up the chimney.
6. DOWNSTAIRS BEDROOM
This large double bedroom has an “ensuite” shower room; the furniture (period) consists of a double bed (140 cms), dressing-table with six roomy drawers, a large wardrobe, a large Victorian desk, a small table with two upholstered chairs.
Leading off the sitting room, it is set apart from the rest of the house, so affords considerable privacy. It is, in this way, ideal for guests, or adults in a house full of children. Leading off the bedroom is a small fully equipped shower-room.
I) Shower Room
The instant electric shower works independently of the household hot water. There is a fan heater, if you need to take the chill off the room. Remember to turn is off when you have finished.
7. STUDY and TELEVISION ROOM
This recent extension serves as a study and houses the television integrated into bookshelves. There are two ”chaise-longues“ for relaxing in front of the television or with a book. They can be converted into beds for occasional visitors.
Unfortunately, there is nothing worth seeing on the television,apart from the news and the weather forecast. However, the bookshelves are stocked with DVDs and books in French and in English.
a) television (see separate heading for instructions)
b) DVD (AKAI) for source, press 6 ; scroll to 2. SCART 1. The power button of the Phillips is on the left ; always keep the remote control on the top beside the Techomate box.
c) The DVD/CD reader (AKAI) is used for the CDs. It is enough to swich it on ; it works with the NEUTRAC sound centre.
(d) Wall Radiator : « high tech » Oliger enamel (see brochure ) Normally the main thermostat dial is pre-set between 3 & 5 : this should not be touched. The dial P should be used for start and stop functions and selection of the contact temperature : clockwise to maximum = 90°C, anti-clockwise to limit ⇨ off. Recommended position : middle. The timer can be used to lower ambient temperature by 3°50 (see instructions)
UPSTAIRS
BATHROOM
The water is heated by oil ; the electric emersion heater in the bathroom should only be used in emergencies ; the switch should be permanently off. There is an electric simplex fan-heater on the wall which can be used to take the chill off the room on cold summer mornings. Don’t forget to switch it off when you have finished.
The linen (spare towels and sheets) is stored in two chests of drawers.
9. MAIN BEDROOM
Comprises a built in wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a comfortable armchair and a fire place in working order. Everybody’s favourite bedroom, perhaps because of the sea view from the king size bed. There is a high tech French radiator to take the chill off the room. There are several positions, but only two that interest you : economy and confort; leave on ECONOMY unless you are occupying the room, then put on CONFORT: temperature gauge (set between 6 & 7); this corresponds to 20°C ; so do not touch the setting.
10. SMALL BEDROOM
The furniture in this pretty room consist of two single beds, a built in wardrobe and a nineteenth thirties dressing-table. The heater works on the same principle as the one in the study: normally the main thermostat dial is pre-set between 3 & 5 : this should not be touched. The dial P should be used for start and stop functions and selection of the contact temperature : clockwise to maximum = 90°C, anti-clockwise to limit ⇨ off.
Recommended position : middle. The timer can be used to lower ambient temperature by 3°50 (see instructions)
GENERALITIES
The central heating is swiched off from May to September. If the weather has turned too wet and cold, you can arrange with Caitriona to have the heating switched on for an hour in the early morning. The water is oil heated. As explained above, the shower in the down-stairs bedroom is independent.
If the summer is wet and cold, you can turn on the storage heater in the kitchen, there are radiators in all the rooms except the sitting-room which has an excellent fire place ; wood, turf, kindling and firelighters are available at gas stations and most convenience stores.