Septic System – IMPORTANT! Our home is not hooked to city sewer. It uses an old-fashioned septic system, which means you should not flush anything down a drain or commode that is not completely biodegradable. That applies to just about everything except food, feces, and toilet paper. Please… no baby wipes, diapers, condoms, tampons, or anything that will clog up the system. If the septic alarm happens to go off while you are there (red light on the side of the house), please give us a call and advise us.

Exterior Doors – They are a little unusual! All three exterior doors are designed to take gale force winds, so they function a little different from a normal door. You must lift the handle up to operate the deadbolt or lock it with a key. The left door in the living room is the “anchor” door and should be kept locked (in the up position) at all times. Oh… and hang on tight when you open a door. The beach winds will rip it right out of your hands if you are not careful. Windows – The windows actually function, but unless you enjoy cleaning sand or mosquitoes up, we’d advise you to keep them closed. If you do open them, please don’t forget to lock them back up for security reasons.

Fire Safety – For your safety, fire extinguishers are located below the sink and by the back door. Smoke detectors are located throughout the house. Please do not remove them. Please do not smoke inside the house and if you smoke on the deck, please use the ashtrays provided. Please do not grill food or build fires anywhere under the house or close to it. Never build a fire on the lawn or close to the house.

Stove Top and Oven – Just a warning about the stove top: the control dials under the glass are very sensitive. If you set anything on top of them, they will beep at you. If you plan on feeding a large gathering, you’ll appreciate the nice built-in double ovens.

Propane Grill – there is a nice propane grill provided for your convenience. Please clean it after use and store it properly with the cover on it. If it happens to run out of propane during your stay, you may purchase a refill by trading the bottle in at the Gulf Coast Market (The Big Store).

Ice Maker – In addition to the ice maker in the main refrigerator, there is another icemaker located in the utility room that is perfect for filling up ice chests and large family get-togethers. If you plan on using it, the power switch is in the cabinet located to the left of the unit. Don’t forget to turn it off when you leave.

Hot Water – The hot water is provided by a tankless on-demand system located above the washing machine. It will provide all the hot water you can use. There is no need to adjust the thermostat (it really won’t help). The unit adjusts itself automatically to maintain perfectly hot water as the flow demand increases.

Security Cameras – there are three security cameras located throughout the deck areas for your security. We monitor these occasionally via internet.

Pets – Sorry folks…. We know you love ‘em, but if it has fur, scales, or crawls… please leave ‘em at home.

Garbage Collection – The garbage folks pick up on Tuesday and Friday mornings.

Entertainment – There are plenty of things to do around the house to keep you occupied. The closet below the stairwell contains quite a few outdoor games, the grill, portable beach chairs, and maybe even some spare fishing equipment. There are lounge chairs, swings, hammocks, and other ways to relax located all around the house. There are board games, books, and an X-box 1 located in the entertainment console in the living room. There are quite a few movie channels available on the Dish Network (which works on all six TV’s), plus we keep a wide variety of movies prerecorded for your enjoyment (press INFO on the remote). You are welcome to record your own as well (family friendly of course). Finally, most of the TV’s in the house are “smart TV’s”, so you are welcome to play your own movies and games though your phone, computer, or Ipad.

Fishing – If you are a Texas resident, you probably already know that you are required to have a fishing license to remove basically any living thing from the water (yes, that includes crabs, mussels, etc.). The only exceptions are for those under the age of 17 or while fishing in a state park. Resident salt water licenses are 35.00 and non-residents are a whopping 63 bucks! You can pick one up on-line or at nearly any store on the beach highway. There is some fishing gear in the game closet if you want to try your luck.

Driving on the Beach – Just think of the beach as a “neighborhood street” in Texas. If your golf cart or ATV can legally be driven on your neighborhood street, then you can do it at the beach. Just remember, the same rules apply: You must have a legal driver’s license, proper safety placards, and stay off the highway (except to cross it). All of the other vehicle rules apply as well: no open alcohol containers, wear the seat belts (if they are so equipped), and only operate the vehicle during the daytime hours. Oh… and stay off the dunes. ATV’s and ROV’s may be driven without a license by children under age 14 under direct supervision of a parent or guardian (again, stay off the dunes). All motorized vehicles require a current beach parking permit (you can get one at nearly any store in town).

Finally…. Relax and enjoy yourself. This is the Robison’s vacation home too, so you will likely find spices in the cabinet, and maybe some Blue Bell ice cream in the freezer. There should be plenty of linens, toiletries, and towels to use. Make yourself at home and you are welcome to use anything that you have access to. Just do us a favor and:

1. Clean and/or replace what you use.

2. If you accidentally break something, just let us know.

3. Take any perishable food items with you (anything that will spoil in the next few days). You are welcome to leave condiments (ketchup, mustard, etc) for the next tenant if you wish (except Blue Bell ice cream…. You can always leave Blue Bell)