Piddle-Paddle

I was sitting here thinking “what am I going to write about”, when a conversation with my co-worker inspired me: peeing.

You see, the garage apartment we live in is about 45 paces from the cabin where we have running water (read: bathroom). Our apartment is also only 500SF, so the bed is an elevated loft; accessible only by a completely perpendicular ladder.

I have done what I can to train my body, and it has done the same in return. I try not to drink anything after 5pm, if possible – 6pm at the very latest, unless some dire hydration or indulgence is necessary.

Tonight’s forecast calls for rain moving into snow, and I already slump in anticipation of the midnight venture: over Chad, down the ladder, into my robe/scarf and outdoor shoes, outside – where a motion-detecting light will brutally spot me as I make my way into more illumination (thank goodness actually, or I’d surely break an ankle), into the cabin bathroom that is not warmed until I activate a space heater, onto the shocking rim of that ceramic throne… and so on, and so forth.

There have been a couple of instances where my unwillingness to fully awaken, rather than the temperature itsself, caused me to invent other means of relief…

You see, we have cats.

NO, I didn’t invade their boxes – but because of them, we do have litter on hand. Absorbent, earth-friendly pine litter.

I have lobbied for an actual device for such occassions – and vow that we will ultimately employ the Incinolet – but “he who can pee at the edge of the fence” has been deaf to my pleas, and it is apparent that I must either trek or tune in to my feline ways.

What’s more, on the topic: I have become increasingly sensitive to the amount of water I find myself flushing away. Perhaps it’s a result of knowing there’s a 21st century method of dealing with the waste (if you don’t already know about it, please Google Incinolet). Heck, there are LOTS of other ways! We even have a septic system on our property, but my “beef” is that the water use in unneccessary alltogether.

Here are some related statistics I came across today, in yes! magazine (another “to know”, if you don’t already):

Global average gallons of water used each year to produce goods and services, per capita: 328,366

Annual per capita water use in the US: 655,939

Annual per captia water use in China: 185,449

Number of people worldwide who do not have access to fresh water: 1.2 billion

Number of children who die each year for lack of access to clean water and adequate saniatation: almost 2 million

I’m not saying we need to feel bad about our current usages – I’m just saying we need to fully recognize them; not assume they’re our God-given right, or accept them as the highest standard.

The same co-worker told me once about her grandmother (or was it great-grandmother?), who only benefitted from indoor running water in her very late years. She objected, even as her family insisted and installed faucetry to the kitchen; but drew the line when they tried to create a bathroom. "Why would I want that stuff in my house," she exclaimed. Having lived without it for a time, I must admit I have an appreciation for such separation; an have even considered a "water-wing", in the renovation of our home. Centralizing usage can certainly cut down on installation costs, and Granny had a point.

It's almost 6:45pm, and my reused water bottle sits uncapped, to my left.

Damn. I must have been drinking it...