[at-l] What's a Privy?

[Rogene R. Beers]

Tamara,
> I was catching up on e-mails. What is a Privy?

It is a hole in the ground with some sort of pot over it.
Can be with or without a complete surrounding building
as in some are half walls around a seat.  Many say do not pee in them as
they are a special composting privey that works best on number two with a
few leaves added each time you use. . You must pee in the woods to keep most
of the composting ones working properly.  I think there's a few that allow
pee in thar?.

I've use real outhouses with rattle snakes and spiders in thar back in the
great Missouri state.  My Grandpa lived with one for years in Texas..  Fancy
priveys that are sealed properly with screens still  get flies in thar but
not snakes. Usually??
 One reason for the moon on the traditional outhouse door to peak in
before using to scare the
critters out.  The other is to see who might be a coming so you can holler
at them to take their turn and get a bit of moon light at night in thar.

Some places in Europe in the buildings back in 1967 had holes in the floor
that you squatted over then placed a wooden grate over the hole to take a
shower. They were connected to sewer drainage pipes.  They still smelled
pretty bad.  We stayed in Italy in a hotel convent sort of thing that had
these for customers use.

Wanta know about the Eiffel Tower restrooms? TOO?

Rogene
Oh my I can't believe I'm that old to know all this
stuff first hand.
Not so sure about Venice as I was there a short time but I suspect the water
level floors have a hole in them directly to the water.