Monday, April 19, 2010

Privies, Punning, PPO, and Procrastination and A Poem

Hey, Y'all,
It seems like I could think of a lot of subjects beginning with "P" and had a difficult time making up my mind, so here goes:

Privies- For those of you who may not know what a privy is, in the language of a southerner, it is a toilet, most usually an outhouse. A conversation with Gramps went something like this:

ME: "I think I'll write about privies tomorrow."
HIM: "Did you all have one when you were growing up?"

"Well, yeah, several."
"All at one time?"

"No, honey. At different times when we lived in the country. At Possum Valley, and at New Market"
"Did they have a half moon on the door?"

"Nope."
"Did they have a latch on the inside?"

"Of course. We had to be able to fasten it to keep other family members out."
"Well, was it a one-holer or a two-holer?"

"The one here in New Market was a two-holer."
"Did two of you ever use it at the same time?"

"Well, two girls, Margaret and I, could use it at the same time, or two of the males in the family, but no otherwise."
"What did you use for toilet paper?"

"The Sears and Roebuck Catalog or newspapers or magazines, of course."
"Did anyone ever come and tip it over?"

"No, now let's go to sleep. I'm tired and I need my beauty sleep." Ha.

So the conversation went on a few more minutes and we settled down to sleep, finally.

Anyhow, a little more about privies. As I said, I've had some experiences with them. When we lived in Possum Valley, and I had begun school, I needed to go to the privy and was of course, only six years old. I could hear a dog barking outside, and as most children would be, I was really scared to go outside by myself, so I hesitated in asking to go, and consequently wet on myself. Someone pointed to the floor where the puddle was and so I was embarrassed and had to have my drawers dried near the stove that heated the room. I think maybe the teacher had extras that she kept for us in case of "accidents".

At New Market, when we moved here, I was once again introduced to the use of the privy. The outhouse got this name because long ago it wasn't called a toilet in polite society, but spoken of as a private place, hence a privy. Anyhow, it was across the road and down the wooded hill from our house. It was often populated by spiders and other critters. When we had to go in the dark down to it, Daddy would light the lantern, so we could carry it with us. I usually got my sister, Margaret Elizabeth, to go with me. In the summertime that is. In the winter, we used a 'chamber pot' or 'slop jar', and of course, had a lid to go on top of it. We kept it under the bed, and only used it in dire necessity. It was my chore to carry it down the hill each morning to empty it. UGH! I'm glad those days are over.

One time, on my way down the hill to use the outhouse, there was a snake on the path, lying there sunning itself, I suppose. Well, I screamed bloody murder, and of course someone came running, and I shouted, "There's a snake! There's a snake!" Whoever it was that came, probably my dad or Margaret, saw it and said, "Oh, that's only a black snake. I thought you were dying or something!" I said, "Well, I could have been if it had bitten me!"

Of course, you know that black snakes won't hurt you. In fact, they keep mice and rats out of the barn. They are friends to the farmer, but I didn't give a hoot what they did to help us, I just knew I didn't want one around me.

PUNNING - Well, folks I am one of the world's worst people for puns. Both my sons-in-law and I love to out pun each other. My daughters love to groan when we all get together and begin trying to outdo each other. I've heard that puns are the lowest form of humor, and if so, I know a lot of people who don't really care that they are.

PROCRASTINATION - Yeah, I am among those people who put off doing things, even things that I enjoy doing. I have to be in the right "mood", and have everything "just so" before I begin a project. For instance, before I begin a quilt of any size, I gotta be in the right frame of mind to do the beginning of it. Some art projects I have planned in my mind, are still on the back burner, but I will eventually 'get a round tuit', so to speak. Folding laundry, dishes in the sink, all that kind of stuff does eventually get done. My mom would have just called it 'Ruby Irene being lazy'. Ha.

PPO - That is one of my beliefs - Persistence Pays Off. I am a firm believer that keeping on pays off in the finality of things. In many ways of my life, I have found it to be true. If you want something to happen, ya gotta believe it will. Pray for it, keep at it, and believe it's gonna happen and keep on believing. My mama said that hard work never hurt anybody. She had a saying: "Things that you do, do with your might; things done by halves are never done right." That's it.

Well, folks, I never did find out what made all that noise the other morning at 4 a.m. I figure I must have just dreamed it, and it was so loud in my dream that it just woke me up. Do ya reckon? I reckon so. We spent a quiet day yesterday and didn't go anywhere or do anything spectacular (not that we ever do, ha). I was in here at my computer last night, and Gramps was in the living room watching television at about 10:30, when all of a sudden, I hear another huge noise. This time it was Gramps hitting the floor with his body. He had turned off the light near his chair and tried to leave the room with no lights on. Duh!

In the first place he doesn't see too well, and in the second place he is never real steady on his feet so he uses a cane to walk with. I jumped up, and ran in to see what had happened. I turned on the light and there he was sitting on his backsides looking up at me. I knew immediately what he had done. Yeah, he was okay and I helped him get up (which is not easy), and he came on in and went to bed. He will probably be a little sore today.

Today I'm making pizza and chocolate eclair dessert for our supper with our neighbors. They are bringing the movie, "Up", with them for us to watch tonight instead of playing games afterward. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. I have a dessert to go prepare. I made the pizza sauce yesterday afternoon. More later. Much love to each of you, my friends. Bye for now. I look forward to blog reading tonight before bed. Thanks to you all for the lovely comments and for reading 'my stuff'.

PS. A poem I once wrote:

Shadows

As I gaze around my room
The shadows flow as liquid, soon
To be dispelled by light
When sunshine chases out the night.

But all the shadows are not
Visible to the naked eye;
Instead they fill my heart,
Waiting for me to say good-bye.

Good-bye to what? I dare not say!
Or should I tell? I will today!
Good-bye to gloom, good-bye to doom!
"Come, sweet Jesus! Soon!

Fill this space inside my heart,
Make all the shadows flee;
Cause the sadness to depart,
Till only You are in my heart."

That's it. I wrote it several years ago. Bye again for now.

18 comments:

Jan said...

Well Ruby,
I do remember privvies and being so scared at night if I had to go. I'm glad for indoor plumbing for sure.
Your dessert sounds delicious. Send some my way okay!
Jan

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Hello Ruby, I well remember our privie when I was a child, it was outside the back door, no mod cons,
My children if they saw what we had would laugh I think. I loved your poem, I though it was excellent and was very enjoyable to read.
Until tomorrow.
Take care.
Yvonne.

Lisa said...

Will you be my grandma, please? :O) I enjoyed this post as usual. Pizza and chocolate eclairs sound wonderful. I know you will all have a great time. Wonderful poem, too!

Arlee Bird said...

Pizza on "P" day-- how appropriate!

And that poem is not doggerel at all, it was actually quite good. What one could expect from an English teacher.

I've been meaning to post something about procrastination someday.

Actually I think good puns are a higher form of humor. I like the ones that require some intelligence on behalf of the punster and the hearer.

I'm glad those privy memories were yours and not mine. I never cared much for the ones that are at some parks -- hope yours were better than those.

Wonderfully entertaining post -- as always.

Lee
May 3rd A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Privy! Well, I learned something new today.

Survivormama said...

I love this post, and I have heard the outhouse called a privy before. I figured it had to do with privacy or something, hope Gramps isn't too sore today after falling on his bum...The poem is wonderful Ruby, as usual another wonderful post from you!

Rebecca T. said...

That poem was sweet :)

I love reading your stories. You tell them with such good humor. They are a joy to read.

Have a blessed day :)

Wanda said...

Well Ruby, you gave us a plate full of p's today. Would love to have some of that dessert. I like your PPO. And glad to hear that Gramps didn't hurt himself. Enjoy your day! BTW never heard of an outhouse called a privy.

Marjorie said...

My grandma had to use an outhouse too. She also used catalogs for toilet paper. I found this post most entertaining. Poor Gramps I hope he's not too sore! LOVED the poem.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

What a beautiful poem, Ruby. If Jesus resides in our hearts, can the shadows ever truly win?

Have a healing week with only happy surprises, Roland

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

You picked some really great P words. I am proof that persistence pays off – as I wouldn’t have been published without it. I enjoyed the poem.

Anonymous said...

I finally had some time to come over and read at leisure here, and am so blessed.

Your poem is beautiful.

My toddler has never experienced a proper privy, but she adores porta-johns!

Ella said...

I loved your poem and all the P's.
I can so relate to the Procrastination..i have to be in the mood, I'm suppose to be up in the Frog cleaning, but no, I'm checking
blogs! (Furnished Room Over Garage)
Pizza and eclairs, sound yummy!
Glad Gramps is okay and hope you, two
enjoyed your evening!

Cheri Chesley said...

What a great, creative P post! Don't know why it took me so long to find your blog! I love your posts on mine :) Now I'm following, so I won't lose you again!

Tori Cooper said...

Your posts always make me smile... I learn so much... about privy's and all! ;-) Love it!

Diana Ferguson said...

You are so entertaining!!!

Patricia Stoltey said...

You are amazing -- everything from privies to punning to procrastination to a prayer poem in one post (and there's another "P" word).

Thanks for stopping by my blog, Ruby -- I totally agree with your comment about the pig in a poke -- time to clean house!

Clara....in TN said...

Hi Ruby, I love the quilts. My what a lot of work you have done over the years. I know each recipient is very grateful. I had Ryan here with me from Wednesday until Sunday of last week. I went to Knoxville on Wed. to take Lucas to the Dr. and I brought Ryan home with me. I comtemplated coming by your house on Sunday afternoon as I was coming home. But we went shopping at the Knoxville mall, and I thought it was a little late to come by your place....but one of these days I will be there. I can't wait to meet you. You already feel like and old friend! Your poem was lovely also!