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STOVE TOP is operated by pushing and turning clockwise appropriate knob and lighting with match or lighter. DO NOT leave gas open without any flame. There is no electric start or pilot light-- so remember to ignite it yourself. LP gas can be very explosive if you are careless. If your stove is off and you smell gas, turn off the tank under the house immediately and report your dilemma. The house is usually quite breezy and it may be necessary to shut the kitchen window and several louvers to keep a good flame going.
Food preparation is a job unto itself in the West Indies and planning well in advance is a key to success. If you are not planning on doing the restaurant gig-- you may want some tips on where to get what and when. For example, certain days fresh vegetables are available at different locations. Or fish for that matter. If eating is one of your holiday pleasures, it is well worth your while getting savvy with the savor of the islands.
In town, and when one says town that means Hillsborough... there is a fruit and vegetable market that is open daily. There is also the Marketing Board at the far end of town which carries an assortment of local fruits and vegetables which come up on the boat from Grenada. In Windward, outdoor markets line the village street at various times of day and week. Check by the well next to Malick’s shop.
Also, on request, we do a dinner service down at our deck...enjoy breath taking views, savor gourmet meals, imbibe unbeatable magic elixirs... more on that later....
GARBAGE should be bagged properly and disposed of in the DUSTBIN out on the main road-- from where it is collected semi-annually by the government truck which-- believe it or not -- stood idle one year for several months simply because funds were not available to buy diesel. A bucket is provided for vegetable waste which can be disposed of in COMPOST AREA ,if you will be so kind. Although, there is no official recycling program in Carriacou we try to separate some items: certain bottles need to be returned and others we save for landfill...we will be happy to collect and sort empty bottles for you or just drop them off next to the compost area ; leftover food and animal waste we feed to the crabs down by the sea; soiled pampers get double bagged and disposed of properly. During the dry season we do not incinerate garbage due to the fire hazard--this gets done for us down in Dumfries at the local garbage dump and we pay thru the nose for this service whether we use it or not.
CHILDREN, while not required are very welcome. If you have young children in need of restraint: we have gates for front door, back door and even kitchen. We also have cribs and playpens, bouncing chairs and high chairs. Just ask!!
MOSQUITOES, the national bird of the West Indies, and sand flies-- in spite of the often ferocious trade winds-- can often be a force to be reckoned with. Mosquito coils are effective, though smelly and a fire hazard. PLEASE be extra careful....place them on a non-flammable dish and keep clear from hanging sheets, towels and nets. We recommend using BUG MAT which should be part of your cottage inventory. Otherwise, Avon Skin So Soft is good stuff for the body or citronella oil, which is available locally. At times, particularly in the rainy season, it is recommended to close up around dusk and spray with Baygon. The cottage that is--although a Dutch doctor I know prescribes Baygon as a cheap and effective treatment for crab lice.