Hey.
Remember when we lived at our old house, and we were about to move, and the septic tank went all cuckoo? And we had to spend a whole bunch of money to fix it?
Well.
Look what’s in my backyard right now.
We seem to have some sort of sewer problem. Because for the second time in two months, the rainwater has caused some, um, overflow from the sewer.
Oh, it is a treat!
The good news is that since the lines belong to the city, they’re fixing everything.
The bad news is that given the last year and a half, I think it’s safe to say that we seem to have an above-average number of waste management-type issues.
And I have a feeling that I’m about to read a whole bunch of really lame punchlines as a result.
Let ‘er rip.
You will hear nothing from me. Because even though I don’t believe in luck or karma or any such thing, I have a septic tank in the backyard. It would just be too ironic for me to make any comments, only to find my own septic system had gone awry.
“Let’er rip”?
Yeah .. that’s what did it, all right.
I bet it’s clogged with a big o’sack of money to fund the trips that you are dying to take…..and you better get out there and tell them dudes to just get it out and hand it over….and maybe give them a lil ole tip for getting it out for ya!! ;)
sorry, it was because the thai food i ate with los and heather…. :)
I’m with Staci. We also have a septic system, and I would never joke about the problem you’re having lest it bring upon my own yard an overflow of sewage. And, really, that’s something I can do without.
Good Luck.
No septic tank here.
I think your situation is just crappy. :)
well…look on the bright side…that area in your yard will be plush, green grass…very well fertilized!
Good one, Jennifer!
We had septic issues recently, and had to have the whole tank pumped. Now, every time I get frustrated with my job, I think about the dear man who pumped it. That always makes me feel better, because at least I don’t ALWAYS have to deal with other people’s crap. =D
At least all the foliage is in bloom — so it looks lovely even if …
When we had septic issues, we finally found out what happened. Apparently, we had been using premium toilet paper. Charmin, the super thick stuff, you name it. Turns out that you can’t use that with septic systems.
So now we use the thinner stuff. Oh, and if you use bathroom wipes? Even if they say flushable? Don’t do it.
Well poo, I hope that doesn’t happen to me.
At least with a septic tank if it overflows it just goes in your yard. With sewer when it decides to go all crappy (pun intended) it goes all over the bathrooms. No fun. Have had experience – way too much experience.
We have lived in this house four years and have spent $5000 on plumbing and sewer line repairs. I feel your pain.
Oh my, what a mess!
So sorry, but you know, ask and you shall receive.
Hope everything cleans up quickly.
I got nuthin’! I’ll probably think of something in a couple of weeks and then leave the comment and make entirely no sense at all.
Well, dookie. That stinks. =)
We had an issue a couple years ago. Turns out there’s a limit to the amount of paper products you can shove down a toilet at one sitting.
I have four girls; may God bless our septic system and increase its capacity like the loaves and fishes.
Oh,poo. I had a good one but Butterbean stole it. And now I’m too *drained* to think of another. I’ll probably wake up in the middle of the night with a brilliant pun to throw in here – that’s about how fast my brain works. I’m perpetually *behind* schedule. Sorry.
We live in a neighborhood where it’s required to pump your tank every year. I try to avoid doing it in the Summer at all costs. That poor man needs a shower and some sweet tea after he visits our house.
Well that surely stinks!
I am glad I live in the city and don’t have to worry about things like that!
Hey there – I had a few of my own…waste management…issues today! Come by and read all about it if you’d like. I’d tell you, but frankly, I’m tired of thinking about it!
Wanted you to know that I come by daily to read what’s going on with you. Sure enjoyed your recent question and answer session:)
Come by and pay me a visit some time – I’m doing a little giveaway right now, so stop by if you’d like to enter :)
I feel your pain. Draining the septic system was an annual ritual during our 8 years of home ownership in England too. Take the above advise to heart: NEVER drain during the summer months! From the photo, it looks like tree roots may end up being your problem. They can be very damaging to sewer lines.
Beth
Man. That just stinks, Sophie.
Sorry. :-)
Oh BooMama! We are soul sewer sistas! We came home from vacation two weeks ago to bedroom carpeting that was destroyed by two overflowing toilets and showers!
Last Friday, the toilet started gurgling again! The plan is to have a backhoe tear up our front lawn on Wednesday.
Till then we are nursing our sewer system along so it doesn’t treat us to another “visit”.
http://rainydaydiamonds.blogspot.com
See the pictures yourself!
Hang in there, Soul Sewer Sista!
I had my own “poop” story this morning – though not anything like your problem- I am feeling your pain today! visit my blog for the story — mine was courtesy of my three year old!
It’s good to know we can still count on “BM-the Blawg.”
What have you been feeding Howard?
I’m just completely at home after this post. I’m positively beaming. And giggling inappropriately.
You know what they say….the grass is always greener….
I have just one word for you Sophie. Roughage.
Well “it” really hit the fan, huh?!
Good luck with your situation!
I feel your pain… at our first house, my husband and I had two separate major sewer line repairs, one that required excavation of our basement floor, and one that pretty much destroyed our front yard while we were in the middle of a miscarriage. I was a basketcase! Oh, and the plumber that was working in our basement came upstairs at the end of a workday and washed his hands IN MY KITCHEN SINK!!!! Needless to say, I used a good 3 or 14 gallons of bleach cleaning the sink after that!
You poop in it and you can’t clean it?
nothing you can doo
For some reason I’m feeling the need to watch Mike Rowe’s show on Discovery.
I just love the way he says Poo.
so sorry to hear about your sewer “issues.” when we were trying to sell our house a year ago our ancient terra cotta line installed by our city in about 1890 collapsed and caused a “bubblin’ crude” of sorts in our basement. unfortunately, our city passed a code that the sewers (because they know they are all ancient and falling apart) are all the homeowners responsibility. we had to pay a plumber to jack hammer up the sidewalk, fix it all and then put new cement back down. in the end it was about $4,000. lucky for us the problem didn’t go out under the road. if it would have, we would have had to pay the city to tear up the road and then repair it. fun, fun, fun. your crappy situation will be in my prayers.
Because the system belongs to the city, I guess it is their “duty” to get it fixed! heehee! :)
(being the mature adults that we are, my husband and I always get the giggles when someone says the word, “duty.” We are a classy folk!)
I can’t help but think of Meet the Parents at this time.
I empathize completely. My sweet husband and I bought our first house last August (3 months into marriage) and since then, we have had to replace the wax ring on our toilet no fewer than a half dozen times, our sewer line backed up into places it should not have been backing up, our crawlspace flooded up into the air vents and nearly into the house. We had to turn off the heat for three days in 40 degree weather to let the water get out of the vents. Then we found mold in the house…then this weekend, the line into the water heater busted open and started flooding. So…these water/sewer/yuck problems. I know what you’re feeling.
Sorry you are having to deal with that crap. That stinks. I wish I could just wipe it out of your memory. I know you hate to whizz money down the drain for stuff like that.
heh heh, best I could do.
I wanted to write something clever, but I’m just too pooped.
Tanks for a great post, though.
Don’t you know it’s poo poo to have doo doo in your yard?
OK, I’m sorry. My nine year old son made me do it.
Hope your problems are cleared up soon, and I agree, your yard looks fabulous.
julie
p.s. I went to the taping of Idol Gives Back last night and it was fantastic. You have to watch on Wednesday. You won’t be sorry.
What would Martha say if she knew you were discussing this with the internet?
What a crappy day.
well, that just stinks. Hope they get it all wiped up soon. :D
What do you call the city sewer system technician who gives you guidance on how to handle this situation?
A too-tor.
This sounds pretty serious. I wouldn’t poo-poo it.
Hope it doesn’t tank your property value.
I didn’t read all the comments before me, so if someone has already said this, ignore me! We seem to have a lot of problems when we use Charmin (or any other super thick “fancy” brand) Stick with the cheap stuff!
I wish I had a rippin good punchline, but I’m just no stinkin good at such things. So I’ll just tell you that I’m sorry that happened to you and hope that there is something you can doo in the future to flush out the problem. I’m sure you’ll be pumped if it doesn’t happen next year.
I feel your pain–really I do. We are in the same situation at the moment. We too are trying to sell our house and our septic tank is having issues. It’s brand new (only 2yrs old) and yet we have ‘leaking’ in the yard on a daily basis. we’ve already fixed a broken pipe that somebody duct taped back together (I kid you not)and then buried under two feet of dirt. But apparently it wasn’t the only broken piece of equipment.
Hmmm… I got nothing. And I’m usually quite quick with the potty humor, if I do say so myself.
Well that is just a load of crap… : )
Sorry you have to deal with it. Your posts always make me smille :)
Rox
I hope the experts are able to “eliminate” the problem and things will be “regular” again in no time. (Heh, heh)
Seriously, I feel for you. I live in fear of these types of issues. I have a friend whose family recently paid thousands of dollars to correct their septic woes. It turned out that the problem was a single baby wipe that had become stuck in some crucial spot. Go figure.
I have almost always co existed with septic tank issues (and drain field) I feel no compulsion to add to your load. Most packages which say “flushable” are printed by liars or people who haven’t a clue about septic systems. Perhaps it is more Christlike to believe the latter. Did you ever read Erma Bombeck’s The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank? If you need an additional humorous approach you might look up Erma’s.
Tell that man to get the crap out of your yard!
Since I have two boys, 8 & 5, the potty humor has to be laughed at in secret!
Well, God is just providing fuel for your blog fodder. Yes ma’am… He is good all the time.
And really, better you than me. I’ll take the “I have nothing to post right now” blues if it means that I can avoid that kind of fun…
At least no one can say y’all are full of crap!
Oh! Been there, done that last month. Only we live in the country & we don’t get any help. Ours was full. Our little critter stood at the door watching them pumped the septic tank. I tried to explain to him that the tank is called a “honey pot”. Yeah. He didn’t believe me. I was informed it was “Gunk Truck” & it wasn’t honey coming out of that hole. It was poo. Ashley’s poo. Kirsten’s poo. Shelby poo. Daddy poo. Mommy poo. I guess Cameron gets his own personal poo hole in the yard because his poo wasn’t mentioned.
No punchlines here. We went through the same thing last weekend, except we’re out in the middle of nowhere, so my husband had to get out the shovel and find the tank and figure out why we had “stuff” overflowing where they shouldn’t. It turns out the kids didn’t know you’re not supposed to flush cloth-type things (it was either a small T-shirt or some socks) down the potty. I wish I were joking.
wish I could think of something witty, but it’s late and my brain’s gone to…..pot.
;-)
More disturbing than the fact Roto Rooter is in your back yard is the fact you are taking pictures of them…LOL
I LOVE it…I would totally be doing the same thing…:)))
Lisa
More disturbing than Roto Rooter being in your back yard is the fact you are taking pictures of them…LOL
I LOVE it…I would totally be doing the same thing…:)))
Lisa
And yeah, there’s that little comment delay thing I always forget about and thereby end up looking like a total doofus..
boy do i know that feeling. our system backed up into the basement last year on new years day leaving a foot of raw sewage behind. then we had to beg plumbers to come and check it out on a holiday.
then after the problems was fixed, my husband, the germ-freak, scurried to clean and disinfect everything
the smell was soo sick i had to take the kids out of the house, lol