Thursday, April 22, 2010

Do You Have a "Pot" in Your House?

An outhouse exteriorImage via Wikipedia
This morning Luke was trying to get into the bathroom to wash his hands but just as he opened the door Gracie yelled ,"I'm in here!"  Seeing that Gracie wasn't actually "on" the toilet, Luke roared, "But you're not even ON THE POT".  I had to chuckle when it suddenly occurred to me that referring to the toilet as "the pot" was a reference which had been passed down through several generations and across many states. 
My mother grew up with no indoor plumbing so to avoid going to the outhouse in the middle of the night, they literally used a metal stock pot!  Then they would replace the lid and some unfortunate soul would have to haul it to the outhouse for emptying the next morning.  I actually remember using "the pot" while visiting the home of my great-grandmother in West Virginia during the 70's and 80's!

I guess it will forever be a reminder of my humble roots.  Do you have a "pot" in your house?

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 25, 2010 at 9:00 PM

    Yes, I grew up with the "pot".

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 4, 2010 at 10:44 PM

    Yes, Danna, I remember the "chamber pot".
    I am older than you and when growing up on the farm North of Alvo, we had a pot to use during the night and it was my job to empty it in the morning. We did not have indoor plumbing until my Dad quit farming and we moved to town, then we also got electricity. That was in l945 or 46, I was a freshman in high school.
    Now the farm house is gone, and there are several new homes where our house and barns were. Some of the trees are still there.

    Aunt Ruby

    ReplyDelete

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