topic Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted in Community Chat

Taking Simple Things For Granted

Plaid Pants2 — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 23:54:52 GMT

Today I notified my landlord that my toilet was broken. The overflow valve wasn't working, and so the water was constantly running.

Not only that, but the shut off valve under the toilet wasn't working either, so that I couldn't turn off the water that way.

A plumber came out and fixed everything, and I now have a fully functional working toilet.

While I was waiting for the plumber to show up, I got to thinking about how we take something so basic for granted.

I mean, think about it, 150 years ago, we were using outhouses, and that was normal.

In Shakespeare's time, they only bathed once or twice a year.

Gross to us today, normal to them.

I can live without electricity and the internet, but I would hate to not have a working toilet.

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

Peaches McPhee — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:01:55 GMT

I'll try not to be very graphic.

About 10 years ago, our septic leach field failed. They could not fix it in the dark, but promised to come back the next day. This was winter, so dark was about 6:30 pm. We could not use any of our toilets, or at least we could not flush.

We had to use the closest public bathroom, which was only about a 2 minute drive away at a grocery store, but still. All evening, night and first thing in the morning. I allowed myself one "go" in the AM, because, well, you know.

I'll never take toilets for granted again.

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

bowlicious — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:04:08 GMT

I always think of how spoiled we are when I take a nice warm shower. Can't imagine life without one.

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

on the bay — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:04:27 GMT

So true. And once you have something, like a dryer or washer, tv, computer, car, you hate to give it up.

On the other hand, with an outhouse, you don't have to worry about it breaking down. Or without a car, you don't have to worry about repairs. Same with a house.

WEll, I could go on and on but fortunately for you all , I won't

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

Imadickens — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:05:57 GMT

You are so right! We are whiners when we don't get it all but we fail to be thankful when we do! I often thank God that, just by luck of birth, I live in this wonderful country!

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

athenian — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:07:34 GMT

When my dad was in grade school (today would have been his 100th birthday). His class had a new young teacher from the East. She asked the class how often they bathed, and everyone chorused "once a week on Saturday night." She was horrified and told them that they should bathe twice a week.

How times have changed.

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

YorkieonmyPillow — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:13:01 GMT

@Plaid Pants2 I'd rather have the internet than a working toilet!

@Peaches McPhee At a house we used to rent, we had a septic tank and the landlord was too cheap to buy a new well pump - so no running water - no working toilet.

We had to use garbage bags in trash cans......

@on the bay LOL!

You can do composting toilets. No water involved.

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

Gram W — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:15:20 GMT

Earlier this summer my hot water tank went. No hot water for 5 days. It was in the 90s so the cold showers were not as bad as they might have been. I ran from the shower to the electric blanket to get warm. Thank goodness I had a shower and not just a tub. Years ago I did have a similar toilet tank problem. To make the water shut off I lifted the bulb in the tank and put the handle of a long brush under it so the tank would not call for more water. Shocked the plumber that I would think to do that. We ladies can be inventive. Where there is a will we will find a solution if only temporary.

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

NAES1 — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:20:04 GMT

Hello @Plaid Pants,

".... wonderful to see a positive attitude and share just ' a little ' of being plain _ grateful _".

I have said numerous times, possibly more than posters ever wanted to hear, but I have said > I never lose that ability to `never take anything ` for granted. Many TIMES!

I have heard my father, since I was very young always being so thankful for a cold drink of clean water. He was Without Doubt ahead of me in many different typical things.

I thought that your post was well understood my me, if not - anyone else.

I have a great empathy for many people from countless countries, even this one, that have very little.

Once again, I never take anything for granted. We are so very pampered in many ways: An excellent thought provoking message.

NAES

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

Mz iMac — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:23:50 GMT

"I mean, think about it, 150 years ago, we were using outhouses, and that was normal."

Thanks to an old Masterpiece Theater mini series called I, Claudius, I found out that.....

The ancient Romans (nobility's) had inside toilets & a septic system. These toilets were made from a long slab of stone w/holes in them. Mulitple people could use them all at the same time w/nothing separating the each hole. Don't know what they used for toilet paper though.

My parents grew up w/an outhouse. Their toilet paper was the pages from the thick Sears & Robuck Catalog.

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

Pook — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:26:26 GMT

In the early '60's we lived in the country with a septic tank and pipes got crushed by a truck running over them through our land and it took a week to fix it. We used garbage bags also and put them in the commode then tied them up and buried them in a wooded area on our property. Can you imagine what the neighbors thought seeing us burying these garbage bags?

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

blackhole99 — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:29:08 GMT

My son calls the things we take for granted in this country, first world problems. I certainly agree with him and want to install a composting toilet in our basement, when I told him about it he wasn't crazy about the idea. LOL

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

MacDUFF — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:40:23 GMT

@Pook wrote:
...Can you imagine what the neighbors thought seeing us burying these garbage bags?

@Pook

That struck me funny!

"We had a call from a concerned neighbor about garbage bags being buried in your backyard...would you care to explain that?"

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

inallsincerity — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 02:54:35 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
"I mean, think about it, 150 years ago, we were using outhouses, and that was normal."

Thanks to an old Masterpiece Theater mini series called I, Claudius, I found out that.....

The ancient Romans (nobility's) had inside toilets & a septic system. These toilets were made from a long slab of stone w/holes in them. Mulitple people could use them all at the same time w/nothing separating the each hole. Don't know what they used for toilet paper though.

My parents grew up w/an outhouse. Their toilet paper was the pages from the thick Sears & Robuck Catalog.

sponge on a stick, and i dont know why i know that

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

qualitygal — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 09:14:57 GMT

I love t.v.

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

AngelPuppy1 — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 09:44:13 GMT

@Plaid Pants2 wrote:
Today I notified my landlord that my toilet was broken. The overflow valve wasn't working, and so the water was constantly running.

Not only that, but the shut off valve under the toilet wasn't working either, so that I couldn't turn off the water that way.

A plumber came out and fixed everything, and I now have a fully functional working toilet.

While I was waiting for the plumber to show up, I got to thinking about how we take something so basic for granted.

I mean, think about it, 150 years ago, we were using outhouses, and that was normal.

In Shakespeare's time, they only bathed once or twice a year.

Gross to us today, normal to them.

I can live without electricity and the internet, but I would hate to not have a working toilet.

@Plaid Pants2

A lot of things in the world today I could care less about. So much technology - electronic gadgets - for instance --- and many people act like they can't survive without them -- but as things change --- I truly am happy to have a functioning bathroom and I do NOT take it for granted! I don't take it for granted because I grew up not having one. My first memories were of living in a house with no bathroom at all. We didn't know any better. The outhouse was at the end of the yard. At night if we had to go, we used a chamber pot. We had cold water only in the kitchen so water had to be boiled for doing dishes, cleaning, etc. For taking a bath, there was a big galvanized tub and water had to be heated and it had to be filled with buckets. Quite a chore.

No automatic washers and dryers. A ringer washer and clothes hung on a line. No permanent press. Ironing, ironing and more ironing! Laundry was quite a chore.

I have to say, I do appreciate things in today's world. And I don't feel I am spoiled.

And really, there is nothing like a nice warm shower in the morning!!! Life is good!!!

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

newziesuzie — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 11:21:02 GMT

@MacDUFF wrote:
@Pook wrote:
...Can you imagine what the neighbors thought seeing us burying these garbage bags?

@Pook

That struck me funny!

"We had a call from a concerned neighbor about garbage bags being buried in your backyard...would you care to explain that?"

@MacDUFF

@Pook

That gave me a laugh too!

😄

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

candys mine — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 11:22:33 GMT

Part of the trouble now is that people have grown up with all the appliances at hand and Do Not Know How to get along without them. Can you do long division in your head? Do you know you can make a dinner WITHOUT a food processor? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my appliances and hot water in a jiffy is heavenly but if you have never been without these things you don't know, what you don't know. I love reading about history but I wouldn't want to live there. I have the utmost respect for the poineers who moved west before the railroad, before the telegraph, Day, after day, after day, after day of unending QUIET. You couldn't turn on the radio or the computer or skype your friends and family or shop for anything you needed. You were ISOLATED. Would have driven me Insane for sure. I admit though, I am still a pencil pusher when it comes to anything I want to save. It's private, it's tangible, and paper dosen't " crash".

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

qualitygal — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 11:24:14 GMT

I do need to say: when we were in ND 2nd time around, pipes froze from town. NO WATER. Well, we had to melt snow. Also, same time, no power. Had to use the oven for heat, Candles for light at night. Somehow we did it. Had to melt snow to flush the toilet too. We only had one door to the outside and it froze shut one time, had to get out of that one!!! I always feared fire in the house. But my son had these huge TONKA trucks. I always told him, if we couldn't get to him, use one of those to break the window, go out on the roof and shimmy down the drain pipe to the ground. He was little then. Anyway, there's a lot we don't take for granted I hope. I still do backup things as a result of living there.

Re: Taking Simple Things For Granted

febe1 — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 11:45:29 GMT

What truly amazes me is the Internet. I remember we bought the very first computer Radio Shack ever made, the TRS 80. It was huuuuge, and the selling point to me was how I could put all my recipes on the computer.

Then, even in l989 I was working with a computer in the office and an older woman was over me. I would turn the computer on when I arrived in the morning, and she immediately turned it off and told me there was no "need" for a computer in the office. I was given something to type once when she was gone and used the computer; she returned and told me if anything ever needed to be done with a computer, she would do it. I told my friend we didn't need a computer; we just needed a picture of one.

To bring the world so close together, so quickly, is the greatest and fastest thing of my lifetime.

I remember my grandmother asking me what an ATM was in the middle of the mall. And I can remember with her wringer washing machine. Our grandmothers worked like we never have had to work.. And she was skinny! Obesity didn't seem a problem during their time.