Comments on: Potty talk

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:51:07 +0000

Pete – the bloke in that picture does indeed also have an inside loo.

The first house I rented in my first job did have an inside loo, but it was through one of the two bedrooms, meaning if my housemate was erm, amorous, with her boyfriend and I needed the loo, I had to go across the road to my own boyfriend’s house and ask to use the loo. That house also had a phone wired into the wall, when it was faulty and we had to report it, BT couldn’t believe it, they thought everyone had gone over to wall socket phones. Mind you, boyfriend’s house over the road, rented from the same person, didn’t have a phone at all, and since this was before mobile phones, if anyone wanted him, they would call us.

Our second rented house was very modern but did still have its outside loo as well, and the third had the outside loo still functioning. All this was early 90s by the way, so not that long ago.

By: auntiemwrites

auntiemwrites — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:09:23 +0000

Julie, most restaurants DO have this kind of drain to clean the floor! I can see with my dogs tracking in mud how that would be appealing (I’m a retired nurse, too). We have an outdoor shower which we turn on in the nice weather and everyone who comes to visit loves it. I think the heritage toilet is for men who want to feel close to their roots…I wonder if Colin has ever used one?

By: The gold digger

The gold digger — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:54:42 +0000

Julie, I have seen showers like that abroad (like in Holland and France and Morocco). The entire bathroom is tiled with a drain and it’s a pain in the ass to shower because whoever designed it forgot the part about toilet paper not needing to get wet. But you’re on the right track. Except then you have to wait for the floor to dry after every shower.

By: Julie

Julie — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:30:49 +0000

way late to the party here, but from a different perspective can I add:::

since having kids (20 yrs ago) I fantasized, I mean, heavily, having designing a kitchen with tiles (I know, not so unusual, even back then) that sloped slightly towards a drain (like the kind you see in industrial public bathrooms) in the center of the floor, and a hose somewhere (like off the underside of the kitchen sink maybe?) that you could take out, and spray down the floor. Heck, maybe that’s what they do in public restrooms or industrial kitchens.

But, having 2 german shepherds, and 2 kids back then, I always was thinking the “if only” thoughts on cleaning. Faster, more economical, more often. The nurse in me wanted this so bad.

And then I thought, even better—a BATHROOM that has a drain in it, and the whole damn thing tiled. One hose spray of the whole dang thing, and all the hair down the drain (hairy men here).

If you had an outside toilet, this could very very easily become a design reality. A true “water closet” aka WC. eh? anyone else see the simplistic beauty in this? Or, is it just me?

By: Lindasphere

Lindasphere — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:51:55 +0000

When I was growing up we had an outdoor toilet. It was not flushing one either. It was the can sort and once a week the nightman would pick it up and dump the contents in a truck that parked in the lane behind our house. The toilet always had spiders in it and you always had to check under the wooden seat and rim before sitting down. I was bitten more than once.

No wonder I wet my bed more often than I care to recall. Who would want to walk out in the dark to that place?

This was in 1970 by the way.

By: Violet

Violet — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:37:34 +0000

My first thought was that a facility outside of the home would eliminate the unpleasantness and embarrassment of…um…emanations.

My second thought was that Colin has surprisingly nice teeth for a Brit.

Ultimately, I think I vote thumbs down. Because I don’t want to wake up at 3 a.m. and spend time evaluating the level of need when I hear rain on the roof.

By: Brightside Susan

Brightside Susan — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:08:20 +0000

Since I always need to go at least one in te night – this would be a complete disaster for me. I would have to get dressed put on shoes find flashlight and by then I would have…well, needed an adult diaper. sorry if that is just TMI!!

By: alison

alison — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:23:00 +0000

My stepdad used to visit his elderly mother in Slovenia and offer time after time to pay for indoor plumbing so she wouldn’t have to go and use the outside bathroom at night and in the winter. She always refused. She thought it was totally revolting that someone would want to pee or poop *inside the house*. A different outlook, I guess.

By: Jen's Pete

Jen's Pete — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:01:30 +0000

Since I think I’m the only male who’s commented on this post, I should point out that guys don’t need an actual building to pee in. Every tree’s a bathroom!

By: daysgoby

daysgoby — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:29:51 +0000

While I would love an outdoor shower (for spare, of course, and with high walls) I would NOT like an outdoor potty. Crap no. (hee!)

In the winter, too cold; in the autumn, too breezy; in the summer, too buggy, and in the spring, too wet.