Thursday, January 8, 2015

Three adults, one unworkable bathroom. Both toilet and sink are clogged. Some weird substance (maybe the plastic beads from the lining of a diaper?) keep bubbling up to the top. I have no idea what it is, but I do have a call in to the plumber. I tried the plunger to no avail. This is worse than a usual clog. It will be interesting to learn what happened and what rogue piece of whatever is doing the damage.

Fortunately, Valentino has the great outdoors as his toilet. Unfortunately, it’s currently 9 degrees outside (warming right up there). Heaven knows what the wind chill is. But he is learning to do his business in a hurry.

Later—

Mom is awake now and wearing a new pair of Depends. She explained how she washed her dirty diaper in the bathroom sink, where the absorption beads clogged up the sink. She flung the remaining beads into the toilet and the tub and hung up what remained of the soiled diaper on the shower rack. Rob and I tried to explain how the diaper should be disposed of. It was a trial and ended up being a battle. The woman doesn’t listen, never listened. Some things never change. Rob finally brought up the Depends box and had her read where it said to dispose of the Depends in a waste can. Undaunted and determined, she explained how she cleaned everything so carefully. Actually, she left sanitizing the shower, the bathroom floor, the sink, the toilet to me. Mom is now explaining to Rob once again how she cleaned everything and did a good job.

We shall leave unclogging the sink to the plumber! I am not feeling charitable at this moment. Not one bit.

Later—

I asked mom tonight what she would do if she soiled her diaper. She said she always washes them. So I put a sign above the washbasin in the bathroom. It’s a bit like living in a restaurant, where employees are urged to wash their hands before serving.

DO NOT WASH DIAPERS
THROW THEM AWAY!

Anna, my Amish friend from market, laughed when I told her the story. She apologized and said she didn’t mean to make light of my situation, but sometimes you just have to laugh at the idiocy of life. Well spoken, Anna. Well spoken. Someday I surely will laugh.