The Conservative Cave
Current Events => The DUmpster => Topic started by: franksolich on February 15, 2014, 07:25:16 PM
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http://www.democraticunderground.com/11283050
Oh my.
But no thanks.
IrishAyes (4,501 posts) Tue Feb 11, 2014, 06:56 PM
We're almost frozen solid here. City water main's frozen in the ground on many streets.
I was suspicious when I kept the house fairly warm last night, left a heater on low by the critical indoor pipes, and even left the faucets on thin stream instead of drip. But this morning, still no water.
So I gathered up as many empty containers as possible and drew water at the church on the corner. If they want me for Sunday, they'll have to let me take a Navy shower in the basement on Saturday!
But here's my semi-emergency tip for when/if you find yourself with a toilet that won't draw water into the tank: Keep one of those portable john/jane jugs or some similar diy rig handy, then think spare toilet seat, big empty holiday popcorn tin lined with several sturdy plastic bags and a layer of newspapers, then the magic ingredient - kitty litter!!!!!!!! You figure out the rest. (I don't have a proper compost toilet.)
Between the odor-absorbing newspaper, baking soda, and kitty litter, it really doesn't smell. At least if you leave the temporary lid down. Care and a good sense of balance are highly recommended during use, however.
enough (7,474 posts) Tue Feb 11, 2014, 07:22 PM
1. Where are you, IrishAyes?
IrishAyes (4,501 posts) Tue Feb 11, 2014, 07:43 PM
2. Central MidWest where the gardening zone's same as southern Maine.
Cheap enough for me to live here. Tiny little town in a remote corner - nearest WalMart is 60 miles away. The absolute necessities are available locally, and the rest I can order online. I couldn't live here w/o the internet. Blood red area and most are xenophobic as geese. But after 8 years I'm proud to say I have 3 or 4 actual friends, and many of the others have been pacified or worn down into cordiality if nothing more. Been ages since anyone threw a beer bottle at me from a passing vehicle when I was walking or biking. A lot of people would think that maintaining near-invisibility would be the easier route for an invading liberal, but I've always believed that bullies respond better to a sharp jab back. The local 'Patriot' terrorists haven't congregated in front of my house, hooting and hollering and waving their guns, since I went out in the yard with a camera and waved hi. "Smile for the birdy, boys!" Etc. You can't back down or they'll run right over you.
Yeah, yeah.
Sure, sure.
:yawn:
dixiegrrrrl (34,872 posts) Tue Feb 11, 2014, 07:44 PM
3. Smart idea..kitty litter.
One of those " but of course..head smack" ideas.
Kitty litter good for lots of things, including de-icing steps.
NEOhiodemocrat (819 posts) Wed Feb 12, 2014, 11:37 AM
4. How does kitty litter de-ice steps?
Our steps are old limestone blocks and unfortunately are like a skating rink. Do you mix something with the kitty litter? I go out with a little hammer and spacula and chip the ice off. My husband puts salt on it but nothing seems to last for long. Of course it was -8 here last night so guess ice is expected. Only problem I can foresee would be the cats trying to use the new "kitty litter area".
dixiegrrrrl (34,872 posts) Wed Feb 12, 2014, 11:58 AM
5. Well, technically, it coats the steps
to lessen skidding on the ice.
I was thinking of the "old" litter, I used to keep a big bag of it in the trunk of my car for winter use.
Not sure how the new absorbable stuff would work.
Eleanors38 (6,803 posts) Thu Feb 13, 2014, 09:28 AM
6. When a motor lets go at the drag strip, the spilled oil
is absorbed by kitty litter -- far better than sawdust. It can get your car out of an iced-over right-of-way.
dixiegrrrrl (34,872 posts) Thu Feb 13, 2014, 10:30 AM
7. PLUS....in my VW Beetle
I kept 2 of those BIG bags in the trunk, which was in the front of the car, in snow driving.
both for traction if needed, and for ballast!
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then think spare toilet seat, big empty holiday popcorn tin lined with several sturdy plastic bags and a layer of newspapers, then the magic ingredient - kitty litter!!!!!!!!
:panic:
How much water do you get with a bucket of snow?
I've flushed the toilet before using a half bucket of water.
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IrishAyes (4,501 posts) Tue Feb 11, 2014, 06:56 PM
We're almost frozen solid here. City water main's frozen in the ground on many streets.
I was suspicious when I kept the house fairly warm last night, left a heater on low by the critical indoor pipes, and even left the faucets on thin stream instead of drip. But this morning, still no water.
So I gathered up as many empty containers as possible and drew water at the church on the corner. If they want me for Sunday, they'll have to let me take a Navy shower in the basement on Saturday!
But here's my semi-emergency tip for when/if you find yourself with a toilet that won't draw water into the tank: Keep one of those portable john/jane jugs or some similar diy rig handy, then think spare toilet seat, big empty holiday popcorn tin lined with several sturdy plastic bags and a layer of newspapers, then the magic ingredient - kitty litter!!!!!!!! You figure out the rest. (I don't have a proper compost toilet.)
Between the odor-absorbing newspaper, baking soda, and kitty litter, it really doesn't smell. At least if you leave the temporary lid down. Care and a good sense of balance are highly recommended during use, however.
Two words dummie... porta-potty.
Porta potty (http://www.wholesalemarine.com/thetford-rv-porta-potti-260b.html?gclid=CMz7l8rCz7wCFZTm7AodEzkAMQ)
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Hold on here. The DUmmie is claiming that the city water mains are frozen?
Unless his water main is 1/2" PVC at 12 inches deep there's no way this happened. More likely he didn't pay the water bill. :bs:
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:panic:
How much water do you get with a bucket of snow?
I've flushed the toilet before using a half bucket of water.
I have no idea what I'd do; I've never in my life confronted a non-working commode.
Just lucky, I guess, or God likes me.
Those "holiday popcorn tins"--I assume she's talking about the 5-gallon ones--seem to of pretty thin metal, and if I were a primitive, given that primitives tend to be, uh, on the heavy side, I'd be really nervous trying it.
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Hold on here. The DUmmie is claiming that the city water mains are frozen?
Unless his water main is 1/2" PVC at 12 inches deep there's no way this happened. More likely he didn't pay the water bill. :bs:
That's what I think too. Having lived in Illinois almost all my life, I've never heard of water mains freezing.
ETA: I guess it does happen, but it gets fixed pretty quickly.
http://www.startribune.com/local/north/245699131.html
So, it still remains that an unpaid bill is the culprit.
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Diatomacious(sp?) earth = kitty litter...oil drier...antique dynamite.