uh, no way.....

[franksolich]

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.

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!

[Dori]

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!!!!!!!!

 

How much water do you get with a bucket of snow?

I've flushed the toilet before using a half bucket of water.

[I_B_Perky]

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

[ScubaGuy]

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.

[franksolich]

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.

[thundley4]

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.

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.

[JohnnyReb]

Diatomacious(sp?) earth = kitty litter...oil drier...antique dynamite.