Utopia

J

John *.?-!.* cub owner

501 Club
Been seeing an add on TV that starts off showing a guy digging a hole for a pit toilet and the caption says this is there bath room. Following that is a banner for an upcoming "non-reality" show called UTOPIA. I have news for them folks, I lived like that till I was 14, no running water, out house, etc. That is NOT Utopia!!!!
 
:Dito:
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On the other hand I use to tell my military colleagues about my rural upbringing. Most were shocked by my depiction of living conditions. As a kid I didn't know any better or difference because most families in the area were in the same boat.

1950s Rural Electric Coops put in electric lines down the main gravel roads. We lived on a dirt road 1/2 mile from the main electric line. Cost of bringing in electricity the 1/2 mile plus wring the farm house would have probably cost as much as the farm was worth at that time. So no electricity.
 
Those stories remind me of an old boy in our locality, who was living on his own in a thatched cottage out in the country. Now before I go any further this is a true story as I know the old guy very well. Willie was his name, he was a very droll humorous character, and he spent all his money in a local pub, and neglected the thatched roof on his cottage. Anyway it was in the 50's and the Irish Rural Electrification Scheme was in full swing around our area. The whole topic of conversation revolved "Getting in the Light" as it was called. So part of his thatched roof rotted & fell in over his bedroom, leaving him having to shift his bed up into the kitchen cum parlor cum living room. So next night he was in the pub as usual and in general conversation someone ask him "Willie are you getting the light" quick as a flash Willie replied "I might as well, because I got the water in last night" :lol: :lol:
Bernard,
Donegal Cub.
 
Donegal Cub":1xfnovdi said:
........Willie replied "I might as well, because I got the water in last night" :lol: :lol:
Bernard,
Donegal Cub.
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ROTFL

Out houses were normally about 30 yards away. In the summer that was 30 yards too close, and in the winter, 30 yards too far. A real test of courage at 6 or 7 years of age is when you need to sit on the chamber pot and it has ice frozen on it.
 
Hugh old 2 story farm house.

Winter time the whole family slept in the parlor room which was the only room in the house, heated with a large wood burning stove. Kitchen was heated in winter only during meals and some times for a Saturday night bath in a large metal tub.

When the weather warmed up, parents sent me upstairs to sleep on the 2nd floor, alone. Going to the toilet was a problem. Not light and the out house was way behind the house. Open the window and do my business.

Edit: Thanks guys for refreshing my memories. Considering living conditions today, hard to believe how difficult folks had it 60 or more years ago.
 
Yep, been there, done that, except the window thing. Didn't know any different, and don't regret it. But trying to make a living on a 80 acre farm could mean some very hard and lean times.
 
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