Someone this week suggested that the blog is a great read whilst sitting on the toilet!!
Being British and us lot being a bit (very) prudish when it comes to discussing our bathroom habits, I wasn’t sure how to take this unsolicited feedback. Was it a compliment? Was it a criticism? Was it someone trying to tell me, in a very roundabout way, that the blog is a pile of poo?
As my geeky little brain turned this over and over in my head, I eventually called on the services of google to try and get to the bottom of the matter.
Bathroom reading is the act of reading text while in a bathroom, usually while sitting on the toilet and defecating. The practice has been common throughout history and remains widespread today with both printed material and smartphones.
History
Bathroom reading has been commonplace throughout history. Before the invention of modern toilet paper, Americans in the colonial period often used newspaper or similar printed material to wipe themselves, because newsprint paper is fairly soft and absorbent. Writing in the 18th century, the English statesman Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield reported that he knew “a gentleman who was so good a manager of his time that he would not even lose that small portion of it which the call of nature obliged him to pass in the necessary-house; but gradually went through all the Latin poets, in those moments.
The advent of the mobile phone is believed to have significantly increased bathroom reading. A 2009 study conducted in Israel found that a majority of adults read from their cell phones on the toilet, and a 2015 study conducted by Verizon found that 90% of cell phone users admitted to reading from their phones while on the toilet.
So there you are – a potted history of toilet time reading. I’m still none the wiser and there is also a whole load of psychobabble about filling one’s mind through the eyes as one empties oneself at the other end… You can google it if you really want to go there!!
But enough of this lavatorial talk, we had work to do in the form of getting to find out why our culvert is constantly overflowing.
We popped off the covers and straight away we could see a massive head of water with nowhere to go.
The iron drain no longer works, and neither does my back after pulling the heavy cover off, because the ground level has worn down below it so much, and the whole culvert is blocked solid with silt. Whenever it rains the water washes over the top and creates a huge pond which then slithers down the path until it eventually soaks away.
We tried in vain to dislodge the blockage, but it was having none of it. We eventually re-battened down the hatches and had a cup of coffee and a coconut macaroon at our new picnic bench.
Whilst we absolutely hate to concede defeat, This is way beyond us and our tools, which are effectively for home gardening. We will bat it up to the Sustrans HQ (the landowners) and see what comes back.
We did try and clear the path of the water so that the pond could drain a little, but it needs something a bit more permanent.
It seems to have emptied a bit.
In other news, we have had five new countries tuning in.
Puerto Rico, Morocco, Togo, Zambia and Oman. Terrific news and hello new people. Thank you for taking our countries-that-have-looked-at-the-blog to 115.
Well that’s about it for this week. And whilst I am left with the mental vision of hundreds of people sitting on the loo, reading my blog, I can at least relax with the knowledge that a couple of beers will soften that image and also take away the screaming pain in my lower back.
Until next time!
Cawston Greenway 
Nice
Thanks 😀
😂😂😂😂Well I enjoy your posts. They are informative and entertaining. Thank you.
Thank you. That feedback is so useful 🙂
I’ve looked everywhere but unable to find the camera in my loo! How else would you know where I read your blog? 🤔🤔🤔
🧐
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If the commenter was American, reading in the bathroom is not uncommon, especially men. They seem to have it confused with a library. 😉 As a non plumber, I can’t help on the drain but if it’s any consolation, I hope you can figure it out. Plumbing is definitely not my forte and deserves compassion. Good luck.
P.S. Love your post and delighted to have found your blog.
Ah, thanks. I try to entertain 😁
That map’s nearly full now 😉
I keep plugging away 😀
Thought you were all looking a bit flushed in the photograph 😉
Haha 😂
Don’t worry, I’m reading this in a waiting room. I read another report that some cell phones have traces of feces on them. Now I know why!! Maggie
Ewww 😮😭
You seem hurt about this new piece of info
Your comment went into my spam for some odd reason!! I am not hurt by it, more amused 😀
😁
Nice 😊
😀
Well…very good
Thanks 🙂
💗
Thanks 🙂
From sitting on the toilet to coconut macaroons. Epic journey!
Ah, thanks. Sometimes I wonder if I am over-egging the pudding somewhat, but my friends tell me that if it makes me happy, then that is all that matters 😀
Very entertaining!
Thank you for stopping by my travel and photography site.
Your site is fantastic and photos are out of this world 😀
Wow, thank you for the wonderful feedback – you’ve made my week! 🙂
And this is why everyone should wipe off their phones with lysol wipe. Need I say more. LOL
OMG!!! Gross 😀
I know Paul, so nasty!
Lol i did laugh. Your blog is great!
Ah thanks. I do try to entertain 😀
Interesting… And a new thing
Nice and agree, bro. Hope we can connect 👌