Aldebaran Farm

Aldebaran Farm

Information for Guests

Telephone: The house is in a valley and cell-phone reception is spotty at best. Our phone is set up for local calls only; to get farther you’ll need a calling card.

TV: There’s no TV reception in the valley without cable or satellite dish, and we have neither. There’s nothing to watch anyway. We do have a TV set and a DVD/VHS player, so you can bring movies to view.

Country plumbing: We have a brand new septic system. To keep it operating properly, please note that the tissue paper we provide is the only stuff you can put in the toilets. Tampons, napkins, even paper towels can clog the system and cause backups.

Barbecue grill: There are two you can use in the shed just north of the house (in front of you as you go out the side kitchen door). Please keep them clean and put them back when you’re done so they won’t sit out in the rain.

Firewood is in the low stone building behind the house. If you use an abnormal amount —say you have roaring fires all day long for days on end—please leave us an extra $10 or $20 or $30. If you notice that the supply has run low, please call Pam or leave her a note with your final payment.

Children: Aldebaran is a great place for kids, as long as they stay in the main house and front yard. The outbuildings in back are tempting but not safe for little ones and we cannot allow them back there without adult supervision.

Please be aware of the following hazards: the driveway is not traffic-free (see below) and there is a blind spot as it curves around the house; children need to treat it like a street: always listen for cars and look both ways. The stairs in the main house are hard and steep, a possible hazard for toddlers especially at night. The concrete slab outside the back door has a large dropoff on the other side.

Neighbors: There are two dwellings further up our drive and one (the “Lower Barn”) to the south of the main house. All these are occupied by long-term tenants, whom you may see coming and going.

Cleaning up: Please wash and dry your dishes and put them away before leaving. Please strip all the beds you’ve used, put sheets, pillowcases, and bathroom linens in laundry bags, and leave the laundry bags in the kitchen.

Animals: Aldebaran is a country house and we share the valley with many of God’s creatures, some of which choose to visit from time to time. Mice come in at all times of year but seldom downstairs. Depending on the season you may find deceased insects, especially around the windows. Please just clean them up with the hand vacuum you’ll find in the downstairs bathroom. Not to alarm you, but occasionally a bat will find its way into the living area. There are tennis rackets in the front hall for those who are so inclined. For others here is some advice from the Organization for Bat Conservation (www.batconservation.org):

Bats that are often found in people's houses are young bats that have lost their way. They may also be adult bats that accidentally fly through an open window or door. The first step in removing the bat from the home is to stay calm. If the bat is flying around, it is not trying to attack anyone, it is only attempting to find a way out. Turn on some lights in the house so that you can easily see the bat and the bat can see also (bats are not blind). Next, close the doors to adjoining rooms, open the doors and windows in the room the bat is flying around, and if possible, turn on a light outside so the bat can readily see the exit. The bat has very good echolocation (radar), but it is also frightened being in a human's house. More than likely, the bat will just fly right out the open door or window within a few minutes. You may want to be more direct and use a small mesh net or pillow case to gently catch the bat in flight. If the bat lands and does not fly again, there are other ways to remove it. First, put on a pair of thick leather work gloves, and find a small cardboard box or coffee can. Slowly walk up to the bat and put the container over the bat, slip a piece of cardboard or book behind it and take it outside and let it go.

As long as the bat never touches anyone, there is no need to worry about transmitting any diseases or viruses. The Center for Disease Control recommends that anyone that comes in direct, unprotected contact with wild mammals should receive rabies post-exposure treatment from a health-care provider, if the animal is not able to be caught and tested. Rabies post-exposure treatment should also be administered in situations in which there is a reasonable probability that such contact occurred (e.g., a sleeping person awakes to find a bat in the room or an adult witnesses a bat in the room with a previously unattended child, mentally disabled person, or an intoxicated person). . . .

If you think that there is reasonable probability that someone may have come in contact with the bats, safely capture the animal with a butterfly net, box, thick towel, or leather work gloves. Put the bat in a secure container and contact your local animal control, and instruct the officer to have it tested immediately for rabies.

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