After 30 some years of functioning quite well our septic system decided it was time to give up the ghost as it were. Around the 1st of the month (Aug 2013) we lost our use of the toilet, shower, and sinks. Fortunately we had the RV and I set it up as a temporary restroom facility, of course this didn’t include showers and my neighbor was kind enough to let me use his until I could plumb a temporary gray water system in. Anywho, all in all it meant a new septic system from lines, to tank to leach field. So what should I find in doing some reading, this nice post on Poop Decks, it fit my state of mind for the last two weeks…..
Some words cry out for special consideration. For example, many readers of the great Patrick O’Brian’s historical sea-novels, especially those raised far from from the sea, occasionally wonder how the poop deck on boats got that name. One of librarianship’s greatest gifts is finding out such information reliably, both in the sense of ease in doing it and in reliable veracity. Turning to a reputable source, like the American Heritage Dictionary, we learn that, like many English terms, “poop” has a variety of possible definitions. It is “the superstructure at the stern of a ship,” a “cause to become tired,” “inside information,” and “a “very disagreeable person.”
OneLook.com looks up words in 1,062 dictionaries simultaneously, including the American Heritage and Etymonline.com, an online etymology dictionary of word origins. It says the nautical sort of “poop” comes from the 14th century Middle French word “poupe,” which derives from the Latin “puppis,” both of which mean “ship’s stern.”
“Poop” has one other meaning that’s of a digestive nature which Etymonline.com notes is “probably of imitative origin.”
Well the lines are in, the tank is set and plumbed and the leach field is about 1/2 done and hopefully will be finished by Wed evening if not before. So I can at least Poop in my own bathroom.
At least the cost wasn’t as bad as it could of been. I decided to do it myself and take on the part of General Contractor hiring out subs as I needed them. Have a couple of friends who sure helped in this from delivering the septic rock to digging out the lines and holes for the tank and leach field.
Thanks all. As of today (Tuesday) and after about 40 hours we now have access to all our in-door plumbing, well almost all. Told Trish no cloth washing until I finish up the leach field. The new tank is 1000 gallons and will hold for showering, toilet flushing and dish washing until the leach is finished.
So here’s to appreciating indoor plumbing, for those who take their running water and systems for granted, just turn off the water for a day, you’ll learn to appreciate the comforts of the flush.
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