Welcome to the Ponderosa

Please call with questions
Ed cell 952.843.3654
Dee Cell 952.454.1649
or E-mail Ed

To Open the property for use

  1. Unlock entry door with key -- only the deadbolt should be locked
  2. The key for the outbuildings is in the top kitchen cabinet drawer (silverware) at the front of the rightmost compartment -- if you use it please return it there right away
  3. Plug furnace into wall if needed (See details below)
  4. Turn furnace thermostat (in hallway) to desired temperature -- 70 is usually comfortable -- it takes a while for the house to heat up
  5. Activate water heater (See details below)

To Close before leaving the house vacant

  1. Check to be sure all electric wall heaters are off even if you did not use them -- they could have been turned on accidentally or by inquisitive children
    (See details below)
    • Half bath wall heater
    • Master bedroom wall heater
    • Bathroom wall heater
    • Living room wall heater
    • Kitchen wall heater (thermostat on kitchen wall)
  2. Unplug hair dryers, portable heaters, curling irons, and coffeemaker
  3. Check kitchen stove to be sure oven and all burners are off
  4. Turn off all lights inside and out
  5. Leave bedroom and bathroom doors open
  6. Leave cabinet doors open below kitchen sink
  7. Close glass doors on fireplace
  8. Plug furnace back into timer (See details below)
  9. Turn furnace thermostat (in hallway) to lowest setting
  10. De-activate water heater (See details below)
  11. Put the trash in one of the plastic trash cans in the small garage (building nearest the house)
  12. Lock all 3 outbuildings with padlocks -- be sure blue key is in the kitchen silverware drawer
  13. Lock entry door with key and stow key -- only the deadbolt should be locked

Pondy quirks and foibles

  • The yard light turns on at dusk and off at dawn -- or somewhat later
  • Because it uses hot water radiant heat, and because we let it get pretty cold when empty, the house can take up to 24 hours to heat up comfortably.
    So it is a good idea to try to have someone turn on the furnace the day before you arrive.
  • Anything in the refrigerator is fair game -- but be advised it could have been there for a while.
  • The bedroom with red carpet tends to be warmer; the one with gold carpet is cooler; the small downstairs bedroom is warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
  • Food for the birds is in the smaller garage -- feel free to fill the feeders.
  • The washer and dryer work, but the dryer may take longer than expected to get things completely dry.
  • Please talk it over with Ed before using firearms, vehicles, boats, the tractor/loader or major power tools.

The furnace is in the basement below the fireplace.

When the house is not occupied, the black furnace cord is plugged into a timer and the upstairs heat control is set to its lowest mark.
To heat the house for people, the black furnace cord should be plugged directly into the wall.
To leave the house empty, unplug the black furnace cord from the wall and plug it back into the timer.
Never unplug the timer from the orange cord and never unplug the orange cord from the wall.




The water heater is in the basement below the kitchen.

To activate the water heater
  1. Press the On switch at the top of the water heater
  2. Turn the gas lever counter-clockwise until it lines up with the pipe
  3. Turn the temperature knob clockwise until the A lines up with the pointer
To deactivate the water heater
  1. Press the Off switch at the top of the water heater
  2. Turn the gas lever clockwise until it is crossways of the pipe
  3. Turn the temperature knob counter-clockwise as far as it will go


There are 5 Wall-mounted Electric Heaters








Other Miscellaneous Appliances