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- Is this the vacation house for me?
- May I bring my pet or pets?
- May I rent the house for two nights only?
- Is swimming permitted in the lake?
- Is the house toddler-safe?
- Is there a computer, and, hey—what about Internet connectivity?
- Do you have a dishwasher?
- Do you have air conditioning?
- Do you have pay-per-view as a part of your television plan?
- Where are the good hiking trails?
- Is smoking permitted?
- May I bring my boat?
- Is this the vacation house for me?
- If you are comfortable only in gated communities with ultra-modern conveniences and appliances, our answer would be an emphatic “no.” This house is owned by a family that thinks that older is generally better; that, if your house looks just like your neighbor’s, you must be lacking in imagination; that dishwashers are just another thing that can break; that anything larger than a twenty-inch television is a fine waste of space; and that people should be jailed for public cell phone use. We prefer the old Highlands charm to the new, ultra-chic image that is being popularized by those who feel compelled to change Highlands into their own modern utopia. If you would rather power shop perfectly coiffed than take a long walk in the woods, this is probably not the house for you.
- May I bring my pet or pets?
- Maybe. If your pet is a dog and is on a flea-prevention
program, either standard or organic, and is not a yappy little
thing or a chronic barker, we will strongly consider it. We
allow dogs, although no more than two, on a case-by-case basis
according to breed and temperament. An additional fee is required.
(See our rates page for more information.) - May I rent the house for two nights only?
- No. No. For the thousandth time, no. This is a house; it is not a hotel.
- Is swimming permitted in the lake?
- No. Lake Sequoyah and Big Creek, alongside of which Ebby’s House sits, is a state reservoir and supplies water for the entire town of Highlands. You may boat, fish, or ice skate, but you may not swim. There is a swimming area at Cliffside Lake Recreation Park, as there are at many places within a five- to ten-minute drive along the Cullusaja Gorge. (Among these places is “Bust-Your-Butt Falls,” where one can pull off and swim.) If you have an image of walking out of the door and jumping off of the dock into cool, clear water for a morning swim, you should be looking at homes in the Lake Glenville area rather than at those in Highlands.
- Is the house toddler-safe?
- No. We do, however, have a port-a-crib, sassy seat, stroller, baby backpack, and baby gate for guest use. But you must bring your own safety plugs and cabinet latches and protect your children from waterfront hazzards.
- Is there a computer, and, hey—what about Internet connectivity?
- We haven’t a computer, but should you bring your own, we have BellSouth HighSpeed DSL.
- Do you have a dishwasher?
- No. But let us show you this incredible sponge!
- Do you have air conditioning?
- Although central air is something we cannot imagine ever having, we have, in the summer of 2007, installed a window-held air conditioning unit in the upstairs at the head of the staircase. Until the summer of 2006, no people in Highlands other than shopkeepers needed AC because the town rarely experienced a day of temperatures above 80°F during the summer. Yet with recent worldwide changes in climate, Highlands, too, must abide. The addition of the window unit has been found effective at reducing the recent summer stuffiness on the second floor. There are enough fans for every room in the house, should those be found preferable.
- Do you have pay-per-view as a part of your television plan?
- No, silly! You are supposed to be coming to the mountains primarily to enjoy the great outdoors, right?
- Where are the good hiking trails?
- We have an entire shelf in the downstairs full of information regarding local trails and other attractions both near and far.
- Is smoking permitted?
- We prefer that our guests smoke outside as a courtesy to one another. Though you and your party may have no issue with the aftereffects of tobacco smoke, and though we are in relative proximity to tobacco country, those who rent the house after you may appreciate your consideration. The majority of our guests, for the record, are not smokers.
- May I bring my boat?
- There is really no need to do anything of the sort, for the house has its own complement of kayaks and canoes, and the use of motorcraft on town waters is generally frowned upon.