Rick was doing what Rick does the other night, teasing me.
He was talking about outhouses. How we got on this topic I will never know.
But here we were talking about them.
I made the mistake of telling him a story about when I was with my 1st husband, however at the time he was just my high school sweetheart.
I was 17 and we were in Vermont at his family's summer home on Lake St Catherine.
His grandfather was there telling me how this home was at one time a very rough hunting camp. Showed me the snowshoes and all the other things they used to do up there. It was not the pretty home it is now.
I looked out the window and asked his grandfather what that outbuilding was across the street or across their driveway.
He told me it was an outhouse they used before the house was what it is now with indoor plumbing. I was shocked to think they had to use an outhouse and I asked him, "does it still work?"
Well, let me tell you how much they laughed at me.
My boyfriend said, "yes, the hole is still there but you can't flush anymore"
Oh, that last line made those 2 men laugh like hyenas.
His grandpa would tease me for years after that.
I should have said can you still use it? But I didn't.
But boy oh boy over the years did I get teased about that one.
Then I made the mistake of sharing my blonde moment with Rick.
I may never live this one down.
Oh well, it is pretty funny.
13 comments:
My mother had a story about tipping an outhouse over while the farmer was inside.
When we moved into an old farmhouse in NW Ohio, it also had an outhouse on the grounds, from pre-plumbing days. It was a two-seater, so you could bring a friend, I guess. They must have done a lot of serious bonding, back in the day.
When my parents started building their cottage on a lake in the early '40s and we had an outhouse. It wasn't until the 50's when the cottage people long the lake started getting indoor plumbing. We even had a community hand pump to get water for years. Lots of great stories like yours came from city people visiting our lake.
I have more than one outhouse story.
At age 5 we were camping. My grandparents and great aunt were with us. I was in the outhouse when a herd of cattle was driven through our campground. I was trapped inside the little red outhouse, cattle bumping and making the little building shake.
A few years later, at Owyhee Dam in Oregon, I was peeing when I heard a strange noise. I wasn't sure what it was until my mom used the outhouse. She went in and came out screaming, "There's a rattlesnake down there!!"
You guys are cracking me up with your outhouse stories.
Bluzdude - 2 seats huh? That is horrific. No amount of love for my loved ones wants me to share these moments with them.
Jean, are you saying I'm a city gal? :-) Right you are!!
Ami - critters would be my number 1 fear and snakes....well snakes in the outhouse is worse than on the plane.
It was time for the annual cleaning out of the outhouse and Ole says to Sven, "I heard of a better way," and grabs a couple of sticks of dynamite. He explains that if they light one and throw it in, and wait a few seconds to light the other and throw it in the job will be done much more quickly. Ole lights the first stick and throws it in the hole and a few seconds later Sven lights the other and throws it in the hole, too. They quickly run for cover behind the old oak tree and wait. All of a sudden Lena comes running out of the house hoisting her dress and running for the out house. She goes in and a few seconds later KABOOM, the first stick goes off and the outhouse sails up into the air. A few seconds after that the second stick goes off, KABOOM, and cleans out the hole. A moment later the outhouse lands back over the hole. Lena comes staggering out of the outhouse and exclaims, "It's a good thing I didn't let THAT one go in the kitchen!"
So... it still worked? Sometimes just need to jiggle the flusher?? ;)
Some friends of my parents lived in the boonies outside of town. They were a family of 4 and had two outhouses. I remember the excitement when they got indoor plumbing. We all celebrated in the kitchen as they turned the faucet on and off, but really, we were all thinking about the bathroom!
i just recently met a couple who still use an outhouse at their home in Maine. Seriously, there are some advances in modern living that are worth embracing -- indoor plumbing being high on the list in my opinion.
That is a funny story. I get those blonde moments and I no longer resent people pointing them out as such because, in truth, they are more likely senior moments.
Olga, I am with you that indoor plumbing would be a priority in my book. Since I had this blonde moment at age 17 I am going to guess today they are senior moment and I was just a dingy kid at 17. :-)
That was funny and I can see why they won't let that go. Yep, enjoyed an outhouse for years. Only not fun times was when it was cold or really hot.
My friend had a two seater also which I attributed to a sign of wealth. I was easily impressed.
Patti, I guess I am the only one who never saw outside of a book or movie an outhouse, let alone used one. A two seater was a sign of wealth - ha ha ha I can't imagine what circumstance you would use this with another.
I went with my grandmother to visit her sister when I was in high school. Aunt Elmer lived with only one or two bulbs hanging from the ceiling and had a bathtub and outhouse in the backyard. She lived way back in the country and was very poor and seemed very satisfied with her existence. I don't think I went to the bathroom for 24 hours until we left again. Hahaha. I had forgotten all about that.
I Laughed when I read this post. I remember the first time when I was a small boy viiting my tatone, grandfather in Italian, and I had to go to the bathroom. I asked my mother, Mom, where is the bathroom in the house? She said ask your grandfather where it's at. So of course I ask him and looked at me. took me outside and pointed to this old little building and said that's where the sh**house is at. I was shocked because it stunk to high heaven, a lot of spiders and it had two big holes in the boards. Remember I was small at the time, scared, wanted to get sick but tried to sit over the hole. Oh my God, I almost fell into the hole and yelled for mom. She had to hold me and said, why didn't you use the small hole. That was my introduction to Outhouse. I can laugh now, but at the time.
Have a great day Peg,
Cruisin Paul
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