Cottage Reflections

03 Designing and Building Quality Custom Onsite Builds & Ready-to Move Homes 204-326-1126 | 877-486-3371 vogtbuilding.com | info@vogtbuilding.com THE TIME IS FINALLY HERE FOR COTTAGE OWNERS TO START PACKING UP AND ESCAPING TO THEIR OWN PRIVATE HIDEAWAYS. But as you prepare to open up your summer cabin for the season, it's worth keeping a few things in mind to make the job easier — and safer. Dave Crabb, past-president of the Manitoba As- sociation of Cottage Owners, offers some tips to consider at the onset of cottage season. "One of the first things to do is a quick walk- around and inspection to look for any little signs of varmints from the winter. If you find them, you need to take some precautions. If you're cleaning up any form of animal droppings from mice or squirrels, you should always use a mask," Crabb says. "You should also get yourself a little squirt bottle with some water in it so that you can wet any fecal products that you're cleaning up. The reason you do that is to stop them from producing dust where you may inhale any disease-type material. Also, make sure you don't vacuum them because then you can really spread the spores." The same guidelines apply when cleaning up boats or ATVs to get them ready for summer fun. "Wearing a mask is a good idea because these little creatures love to find ways into those vehicles," Crabb says. "It's also a good plan to clean out the air filter of an ATV because they sometimes like to nest in there." Another health matter that is often overlooked is the risk of blastomycosis, which is a fungal infection that can affect the lungs and skin. More information about this condition is posted on the Manitoba As- sociation of Cottage Owners website at www.ma- coman.com. "It used to be one of these diseases they thought was only present in the northwest triangle of the Ontario cottage area, but it is elsewhere as well. The important part is that if you're working under a cottage or around rotten wood or in any enclosed areas, you should wear a mask," Crabb says. "Blastomycosis is not super common, but it's also under-diagnosed and it's a progressive illness that can have fatal outcomes. If you have a crawl space that's exposed to the outdoors or bare ground where moulds and different fungus can grow, that is the environment where this nasty little disease can be present." Besides these major health concerns, Crabb also offers some general start-up advice. "You should be making sure cords to pumps are in good condition and safe so nobody gets any shocks. Also, you should come with a few tools in case you need to fix something, unless you have a good supply at the lake. And it's always a good idea to clean your eavestroughs so spring rains don't cause issues," he says. "As well, you should try to keep moisture away from the building with proper drainage so that you don't get moulds growing underneath it." The warmer weather makes it enjoyable to tackle outdoor tasks; however, as the temperature rises, the ticks begin to come out too. "You need to protect yourself because there are lots of deer ticks, and protect your animals that are running around in the bush at the cottage, all ex- cited to be back there," Crabb says. "If you do get bit- ten by a deer tick and notice swelling around it, seek medical attention." Alan Roberts, president of the Whiteshell Cottag- ers Association, suggests keeping tabs on water lev- els in the spring as another added precaution. "Getting high water, particularly along the Win- nipeg River in the springtime, is always an issue that you need to watch. There is a forecast made on a weekly basis once the ice goes out that Manitoba Hydro provides for us," he says. "It gives an idea of what you can expect in the way of fluctuations. Learning about that ahead of time can save a lot of money in damages." For more information, visit the Whiteshell Cottagers Association website at www.whiteshellcottagers.com. A LITTLE PREPARATION CAN SAVE A LOT OF HEADACHES Preparing for cottage season B Y J E N N I F E R M C F E E

• Cover