Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Flushed but not with success

An image on The Depp Effect made me think of Auntie Vi's lavatory.

She lived in a small cottage - the type known as a Fisherman's cottage although not necessarily because a fisherman ever lived there - with an outside lav. To get to it you had to go from the kitchen round the back of house.

I used to love going to the toilet when I visited her as it was just like the one in the photo, more of a comfy chair and ideal for reading.

Ours was outside the back door too but it was an ordinary toilet so not at all exciting. I don't know if Auntie Vi kept a candle in there: I only ever went in in daylight.

And I don't recall if it had a flush but I think it did.

Auntie Vi's house was on the side of a hill and there were a couple of steps to get to the lavatory; my great-gran on my grandfather's side also lived on a hill but to get to her lavatory you had to go outside down a steep set of steps. It must have been hazardous in the winter. Did she have a wooden toilet too? She might have done. She had an old proper fire range cooker and made the best rice pudding.

4 comments:

James Higham said...

Would you like to live in a place like that?

Dragonstar said...

Great minds think alike Liz - Jay's dog-bowl-holder made me think of my
auntie's two-holer, which I found fascinating! We copied the idea when we moved onto the island!

Leslie: said...

I prefer indoor plumbing, myself. However, I do recall an adventure using the "outhouse" at our cabin at the lake. The first time we went to stay there, my (late) husband waited silently outside and when I exited, he jumped at me screaming! I thought he was a BEAR and I was SO mad!!!

Furtheron said...

That's made me think of my Nan and Auntie's old house - one cold tap in the scullery and an outside loo. But then instantly there is the memory of the taste of my Nan's roast beef - somehow her's had this special taste, unique... no idea what she did but it is there instantly and memories of toasting crumpets on her open fire whilst waiting for Dad to come in from the dockyard. He'd then walk up to the bus station with us put us on the bus home and then cycle home racing the bus... normally he'd beat it - he was a great cyclist when a youngster.... crikey those memories are 40 years or so ago now