Our ‘bathroom’ was brand new to us as the old one was about to fall down, and my Dad was hired to build us a new “two holer”. This was located several yards east of the house. The path to this ‘outhouse’ (ice cold in the winter and hot as blazes in the summer - yes, hold your nose) was illuminated at night by the moon (we had to use flashlights - watch your step and take your own means of hygiene with you - often a Sears-Roebuck Catalog or something similar) and in the daytime as you sat there, you could watch spiders busily working on their webs; at night you would wonder where they were and what they were doing. I’ve often wondered how many people suffered spider bites (and wood splinters from the so-called seat) on their buttocks ‘in the good old days’.
In the dead of winter, we might have to brush a little frost or snow from the seat before sitting. But summers were worse. Ventilation was lacking in the outhouse, so the door was often left open when in use. After all…we were almost a mile from any neighbor, and you could hear a car coming up the road in time to push the door shut or take care of the bottom and pull the pants up and greet them if they pulled into the drive.
A bag of lime was usually kept inside the door and when you were finished with business, instead of flushing, you dumped a cup of lime down the hole. Worked like a charm to keep the flies down as well as the smell!
It wasn't always necessary to walk to the outhouse at night. Many, many flowers planted off the porch, were watered at night, ha. And who can forget the pot? Pot back then didn't mean a weed to be smoked. The pot under the bed was for nighttime convenience, be it an old coffee can or a decorated porcelain utensil.
Until next time....
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