Tales from the Humboldt Hills

I’ve heard city people snickering about the old redneck saying that “when it’s raining you can’t fix the roof and when it ain’t raining you don’t need to.” Well, up here in these Humboldt hills that isn’t just a humorous story. If you’re a busy country person without anybody to please but yourself, you might go for the easy solution.

According to my neighbor, one morning he was staring gingerly at the ice encrusted toilet seat on the wooden box he called an outhouse and he came up with a bright idea. After finishing his morning business hurriedly and from an awkward squatting position, he unhitched the still frozen seat, brought it into the house and hung it behind the wood stove.

There it dangles, a somewhat odd wreath, waiting for cold mornings, when he just takes it down, scampers out to the toilet, and reattaches the now toasty bun warmer.

Now this doesn’t strike me as particularly sanitary but there is a strange appeal to its simplicity.

Photo credit John’s Military History

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16 Comments
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Anita Marie
Guest
16 years ago

I love keeping it simple, simple and practical.
Oh and weird.
I like that too.
amm

Anita Marie
Guest
16 years ago

I love keeping it simple, simple and practical.
Oh and weird.
I like that too.
amm

Heather
Guest
16 years ago

Not too unsanitary – there are (plug your ears if you want to remain in denial) more germs and nasty things on your kitchen counter than on a toilet seat. Women everywhere, take a seat! 😉

Heather
Guest
16 years ago

Not too unsanitary – there are (plug your ears if you want to remain in denial) more germs and nasty things on your kitchen counter than on a toilet seat. Women everywhere, take a seat! 😉

Aunt Jackie
Guest
Aunt Jackie
16 years ago

Whatever works!

Aunt Jackie
Guest
Aunt Jackie
16 years ago

Whatever works!

Staff
Member
16 years ago

Mmm Heather does that mean next time I drop my toothbrush in the toilet, I should just go ahead and brush? Yeech!!!

Anita, his way is simple and practical and, there is no getting around it, it is also a tiny bit weird.

Heather
Guest
16 years ago

Toilet seat and toilet bowl – 2 different things. If it lands on the seat, go ahead. If it lands in the bowl, I’d just flush. 🙂 However, according to a study (as seen on Oprah) the toilet bowl water can be cleaner (okay, clean is relative – let’s say less-contaminated), even, than ice out of a soda fountain machine – tho, I think that owners of fountains everywhere have taken note, and made sure their ice and ice containers are less susceptible to contamination these days.

Heather
Guest
16 years ago

Toilet seat and toilet bowl – 2 different things. If it lands on the seat, go ahead. If it lands in the bowl, I’d just flush. 🙂 However, according to a study (as seen on Oprah) the toilet bowl water can be cleaner (okay, clean is relative – let’s say less-contaminated), even, than ice out of a soda fountain machine – tho, I think that owners of fountains everywhere have taken note, and made sure their ice and ice containers are less susceptible to contamination these days.

Staff
Member
16 years ago

Okay, I’m completely convinced that everything is contaminated….Yeesh!

Chris
Guest
16 years ago

I can relate to the hermit-mentality that tends to erode/break-down our socially-determined constraints. After my mother left my father, I saw his views on what’s socially acceptable start to (sometimes alarmingly) shift. Hard to criticize him for it though…when you’re on your own for most of your day, social conventions really can get in the way. When it comes to sanitary issues though….

Damn ice machines!

Chris
Guest
16 years ago

I can relate to the hermit-mentality that tends to erode/break-down our socially-determined constraints. After my mother left my father, I saw his views on what’s socially acceptable start to (sometimes alarmingly) shift. Hard to criticize him for it though…when you’re on your own for most of your day, social conventions really can get in the way. When it comes to sanitary issues though….

Damn ice machines!

Staff
Member
16 years ago

Out here in the hills, social conventions don’t tend to be people’s highest priorities anyway. Then people can go a week or two at a time without seeing anyone else… Well, it makes for some interesting stories. We keep each other laughing out here.