Zips Diner

Fall of 2010
Where: Dayville, CT

 Didn't think I'd be writing about this diner's bathroom. Hadn't planned on it.... BUT, it was worthy of a post.

First a look at the floor said volumes... typical '50s style. Small floor tiles (I take lots of photos of the bathrooms floors in my post, don't I?), and pink. Like the formica doors and walls of the room. And lots of chrome. (Well, duh... isn't it a diner?)

Two complaints about this photo... First, the latch does not make me think "Secure"...Second. Do you see the space between the door and the wall??? It's pretty damn big. Big enough to someone 'out there' to see someone 'in here'! And that's not what I'd prefer in my moment of privacy.

 Good point: The bathroom was pretty clean for what I'd expect in a diner....

Bad point: Oh, ... and this was the part that had me laughing out loud and hoping no one in the diner heard me. The stall was small. How small?, you ask... So small, I couldn't take a whole photo of it! So small, that when you open the door, it hit the front of the toilet!! Yes, the door hits it, so the door won't open all the way. I started to laugh at this point, then got sillier as I tried to wedge myself through the 'abbreviated' opening (and I'm not THAT big a person). Had to lift my leg over the toilet (picture me straddling the seat- butt to the outside), to close the door (behind me). Only then, could I turn around to 'have a seat'- or rather squat. I laughed the whole time I was in there.... only to have to compose myself until I got outside to report my experience with the "John" to my hubby.

Unusual Art Gallery-Wilmington, VT

Coffee shop on Rte 100, just above corner of Rte 9 and Rte 100 in Wilmington, VT

Someone was trying to see how he did with his painting class, but may have been ashamed of his work, so he locked himself in the bathroom and started painting.

... right up above the toilet....

Too bad the towel bar got in the way....

Hey, why did I call it a towel bar? No one ever puts towels on them in the restrooms. I guess they should be called, "Hey, I can't get off the seat" bar, although I'd never yell that in a bathroom. Someone might catch me in a compromising postition.



Hemmings Car Museum- Bennington, VT

I didn't think I'd have anything to write about in this bathroom, but the names on the doors were unique enough that it made the spot in this blog. My name wasn't "Ethel", but I figured I could use it anyway.

It didn't have anything amazing inside other than tin car plaquard's on the wall, though they managed to fit in a baby changer among them.

This happened to be inside the actual gas station (which made you feel as though you fell into the 1950's), whereas Deisel and Ethyl were outside.

They even advertised the annual Garlic Festival (16th year) that was down the road. That will be posted on my other blog.

Of course, you can tell they don't have too many women complain about the 'trash runneth over'...Actually, come to think of it, I didn't complain either, so I guess the guys don't go in too often. They probably figure if the guys bathroom doesn't need it, they don't check to ladies room. (Hey guys.... WE wash our hands!)

Glad they made room around the plaques for the sink and soap dispenser....lol.

This was the potty behind Ethyl's door....at least it was clean (we're talking about the toilet here, kids! Not the wastebasket, you see...).

The only thing that comfused me was this sign on the wall.... I might have to put something "more substantial than toilet paper" in there... LIKE POOP! Now I don't think I can poop.



Port-a-potty special

New Hartford Car Show, New Hartford, CT
Summer of 2010

How many of us have been in a port-a-potty? They all look the same, open the same, smell the same... Have you ever thought, what if I'm trapped in here with... say, ... a bee? While I was in there, I could hear bees....I am DEATHLY afraid of bees. Have been since I was a kid. Now, I think they were outside, but I'm inside this cramped area, and I have my 'alert' on... you know, when you are making sure your pants hem isn't touching the bottom of the floor (for those who's aim isn't what it should be), and your toosh ain't touching what it shouldn't be, and I thank goodness my hubby had my purse (he's secure in his masculinity...lol).

But, this one was different only because it created a monster inside. Me!

 It was really nice, don't get me wrong, but my imagination started. While I could hear the bees, I coudn't SEE them, so I thought I was safe. But as I'm squatting, I started to think what would I do if I DID see one? (My normal reaction to bees is, that I go after them and MAKE SURE I KILL IT DeaD! REALLY dead!)

I knew I would be swinging and swatting like crazy until it was so dead that you wouldn't be able to identify it as a bee! Of course, if I did that, I'm wondering what the people in line outside the door would be thinking was going on in there. I could have even become so panicked that I might even tip over the port-o-potty!! As one thought lead to another, I started to laugh... REALLY laugh, right out loud!!! I came out of the potty laughing so hard, I had tears coming down my face and I got the most strangest looks from those in line, and that kept me laughing all the more! Because nothing happened, except in my mind!

My husband tried to get me to tell him what was soooo funny, but I had to walk away from the potty to be able to talk! It was my most enjoyable and scariest time in a port-a-potty, that I can remember.

Maine Bathroom #1 & #2 (No pun intended)

We took a two week vacation in Maine and I was quite thrilled that the 'bathrooms' were worthy of noting for this piece. This looked like a two-seater...no moons in the doors, but it wasn't big enough for a shed, so I'm going with this thought. Maybe 'his' and 'hers'?

We did a lot of trail walking, hiking, etc, but on this trip it was only to see a lighthouse at Fort Point, near the Penobscot River. I saw the sign only after I caught a glimpse of this 'box' in the woods off the trail.  

Venturing a little closer I realized it didn't look too half-bad! And the closer I got, the more I had to 'go'!

I peaked in and saw it was rustic, but it had lots of toilet paper (at least it wasn't a leaf!). Still,.... it WAS in the middle of the woods,.... in Maine,.....and I have this thing about snakes. You know, those things that might like damp areas (okay, I THINK they would be choosy, but you never know), so I had to look. It's a little too dark to see much of anything....

Nope! I'm not taking the chance. And besides,.... look how healthy and clean the 'soap and sink' area was.... Eauwwww! Could you really put your hand on top of that bottle? The germs are on the top, even though I'd be wiping them with an antibiotic gel. I'll pass. Best left to do it in the woods and hope for not hitting my sneaker with the 'stream'.

Natural Bridge-No Adams, MA

I didn't expect to find this "natural Bridge'- Marble quarry on one of our jaunts. (That's the nice part of taking these 'jaunts'. And I wouldn't have thought anything about using a bathroom in a 'visitor center', no matter how small it was, but the sign above the toilet made me laugh out loud. H

Have they ever WATCHED me use a toilet? Do that know that I HAVE used my foot to flush? Okay, so before I flush, ... no, before I even GO, I have to look for the hidden camera. NOT that I would ever see a camera that is 'hidden'.... well, maybe I would if I was really good! ...and I am...

No camera, ... and no where did I see a sign about not using your knee.

Seeing this sign on the inside of my stall door, made me wonder if I have to take my paper towel that I'm using to dry off my hands (I HOPE they have paper out there), down to the end of the parking lot to throw it away.

(I'm sure it's for other garbage... like my apple core that I'd already thrown into the woods -- it's nature going back to nature, doesn't count).

Farmington River Diner

I should have realized that this would be an interesting place by this sign on the front door (actually, does a swinging screen door count as a front door? I suppose if it's on the front of the building, then , yes.) I think I liked the fact that the diner (and it was NOT in the shape or style building of a 'diner') was casual enough to say '2:00ish". Actually, I LOVED it! And do you not think they could have said Closed Wednesday ...  A little less confusing.

Okay, I really liked the fact that the bathroom had an area map (even if it was cartoon-ish) as it was SO interesting. There is a down side to this, though. I was so caught up in the moment of checking out where we were, and where we were going, that I hoped no one was waiting outside the door to use the john. (oops!, 20 mins later. Dear hubby thought I got flushed down the toilet, I was in there so long).

The most unusual thing was this bookcase.

Now  I might have expected this in another part of this country (the Bible-belt areas), but not in western CT.... I don't think I've ever had a Bible in my bathrooms as reading material...Not as a kid, or at any other time.  I wonder how often they restock?

Maine #3 (de ja vu)

I went to visit the "Old Originator".... the john that started this whole thing. The only problem was, it was too early in the season for the place to be opened, so this is the only photo I was able to get.
I'm sure it's not much cleaner.

Buddy's Dug-out- Cruise night

Date: Aug 6, 2009

Place: Buddy's Dug-Out Cruise night, Norwichtown, CT

My Impression: My husband and I own a couple of antique (older) cars and go to various cruises on ocasion. One of these trips took us to Buddy's Dug-out for a cruise night. Since I always have my camera for cuise nights, I was ready. I needed to use the 'facilities' although I almost DIDN'T take my camera. Boy, I'm glad I did!  I, first of all, couldn't find the lock for the door. Now, YOU KNOW I'm not walking 5 steps away from that door and leaving it unlocked!! Five steps away doesn't let you 'wedge' your foot against the door... I must have spent 3 minutes trying to figure how to lock the door (mind you it felt like an hour), .... then I looked up! duh!! Okay, I locked it.

Now I know this doesn't look too difficult to figure out, but somehow, I kept my left hand on the left part of the roller and I used my right hand to pull the toilet paper down...mainly because the roll kept falling off, (without the left hand as a 'stopper'). Once I got done using it, I figured it out. DUH!...

And BTW, is this sign necessary?? "Water from tap is VERY HOT.." Do you not see the red and blue dot on the end of the faucet handle? If I remember the last time I was in a 'john',-- left, hot.... right, cold. Does the sign mean that if I push it to the right, I still get HOT water? Ever heard about energy efficiency?? Save the hot water bill. Dummies! 

And oh, yeah, I would 'please be careful' if I was running the hot water for a while.... this post should be labeled the "Idiot's Guide to using a John".

Italian Party Potty

July 6, 2009: The occasion of my Uncle Joe's 80th Birthday party at his daughter's house in CT.

My Impression: Since I'd never been to Donna's house, it was interesting to see the outside of the house looking as though it was in the middle of Italy, nestled among other contemporary houses on a cul-de-sac. Once there, I got the tour. She does a business at her house in her finished cellar so that was the first bathroom I got to see and although I didn't have much of an experience with it, I'm posting it.

I think I was surprised to see it was decorated so nicely, being tucked in a corner of the downstairs. The only downfall to it's location is that if you are sitting on this 'john' and leave the door open, you get to see across the room and through a glass slider outside to the inground pool. Hope the pool-boy doesn't show up when you least expect him.

Nice sculptured art on the wall.....

The bathroom I did have an experience with was upstairs on the first floor. As I was entering the bathroom, the smell was heavenly... not sure what it was, but was very comforting. Not too strong. Unfortunately, I wore a pair of nice dress slacks that were NOT easy to get out of and I had this frantic urge to pee. Compounded by the fact that, I realized I could hear water running.... and running.... not the kind from the toilet, but a babbling brook kind. I looked around and didn't see much of anything. But between the running water sounds (both), I was there for longer than expected. Oh well.

Looking up I saw a 'diffused' window. Very classy, but unusual. I thought I was INSIDE the house.... not at the edge of the house. Wait a minute. This window is the one I saw as I entered the foyer! Since the front of the house has plenty of windows similar to the ones in this window frame, the light coming through this window, comes from the foyer.

Upon washing my hands, I realized the babbling brook sound was coming from under the sink! There was a small waterfall under the pedestal sink  (I learned was for the cat's drinking water)! That's one way to get someone to pee, when it just won't happen.