More Snow Melt

Life without indoor plumbing

30-Day Blogging Challenge September 1 to September 30, 2011 ~ Day 13 Prompt: "How would it affect your life if we suddenly lost all of the services and technologies we rely on everyday? No electricity or gas service? No water or sewer? No telephone? No television? No internet? No radio? No gasoline?"

If I suddenly lost all services and technologies, I think I would miss the running water and sewer the most. My idea of roughing it is using an outdoor toilet. I am not talking about one of those portable toilets you see at fairs and racetracks. I am referring to a real outdoor toilet that is made of wood and is sitting over a deep pit.

If I no longer had sewer service, I would have to dig a pit and then build a wooden outhouse. I would have to get a bag of lime to pour into the toilet pit every four to eight weeks to keep the odor down because I would not want my neighbors complaining about the smell of my outdoor toilet. All right, I may not have to put the entire bag of lime into the pit at once.

If I remember correctly, my Grandfather would pour several large scoops of lime into the outhouse pit about every two months; however, I suspect the amount of lime depends on how often the outhouse is used. In addition, I would have to have bedpans by the beds; this is for going to the toilet at night.

If I have to have an outhouse, I would not use it at night for the simple reason they (outhouses) attract insects and arachnids (spiders). In recent years, I have learned to handle my arachnophobia; I no longer run screaming naked into the street when I see a spider. However, using an outhouse in the middle of a moonless night would encourage that reaction. Because spiders can sense people with arachnophobia and drop on them unexpectedly and on purpose.