Just Like the Good Old Days

We are in the mist of changing some
things in our bathroom. Meaning right
now the only working object is the toilet.
Gone is the tub from the room Sink is
useable but under tools. So that means
some inventive measures for healthy body.

So like the old days, when we can't get
to our daughter's house, it is sink
bathing. No, we don't get in the sink.
But you bath like in the old days in
front of the sink (in the old days it was
the wash bowl). Which is not as
satisfying as a shower, but it beats the
other choice. If you want to call it a
choice. As the surrounding friends
and family may take you down to the
river and throw you in. Or as in our
case, the lake.

I have had to do this in the 1970's. At
that time my deceased husband and
I had bought a 2 and half room cabin.
We built on to it a 28x28 addition
which contained 3 bedrooms, a sewing
room (which actually became "throw it
in there for now room, I don't think the
sewing machine ever made it in there).
And we also put in a bathroom.

We had bought the house in October.
We started the addition in April. The
bathroom which I insisted be the first
room of the 5, finished, even if it was
in the rough.

So for those 6+ months we did the
sink bathing, except the younger ones
got to actually get in the sink. And at
first this was a fun thing. Not..As the
cabin had water UP TO the cabin but
not inside. So my husband's first order
was to put the water inside. But of
course we had to go find a sink to have
it hooked up to. Being the kitchen was
the only water supply. Then we had to
heat the water on the stove and pour it
into the sink. Fun, fun, fun.

The good old outhouse was the bathroom
for those 6+ months. Believe me, you
haven't lived until you have to go to the
outhouse in the middle of the night, in
the middle of the winter, with 4 feet of
snow. (and why is it, the last one forgets
to shut the door, and you have a cold
snow seat to sit on?yes, I wiped it off.
But still cold.) And I don't even want to
tell you what my sons contest was out
back of the outhouse.

So I am geared up for this session. And
I do have friends near by who offered
me their shower and our daughter has
been more than willing for us to use hers.
But the real test is today when the toilet
goes out for 24 hours. We do have a back
up for that. We do have a camp trailer. I
thought about a port-potty, but they wanted
$100 or more for a week. And 24 hours
isn't worth their time or mine.

I wish I could fast forward a week and
half, when it will be done. It started out
going right along, until our carpenter found
wedges for additions to 2x4, different size
white board and a few other things, which
I can only imagine it was part of the old
Kootenai contracting of years gone by.
Kind of like Roslyn,Wa. There was New
Roslyn and Old Roslyn plumbing, and
when you went to the hardware store you
had to tell them which so they knew what
parts you needed. First clue you had of old
Roslyn plumbing, was the cold water
faucet was where the hot was suppose to be.

So it is upward and on ward. And soon the
floor rot will be replaced and things will
start going back together. I think I will let
the carpenter have the first shower. He deserves it.