I Had Our Social Status Wrong All This Time

When we moved into our current location, we had grand plans to build a house. Turns out that putting in a septic system (hola, sand mound!), well and driveway cost a leetle bit more than we anticipated. Since we chose not to be up to our eyeballs in debt, we instead purchased a very (very, very, very) used single-wide trailer and put off plans of building for a few years. Long story short, those few years grew into nearly a decade before we proceeded with our grand plan of a "real" house.

In that decade, we had no end of fun making white trailer trash jokes about ourselves. We're not afraid to embrace reality.

After we built, I had strict rules about what Sam (the collector) could and could not leave lying about the property. (Which were promptly disregarded.) I figured since the trailer was gone, our trashy image should be hauled off right along with it. Turns out, that wasn't the case. Being sans trailer, we figure we have simply upgraded to redneck status. I'm just calling it like I see it.

The whole potty training of the smallest son is still not coming along that well, but I'm still not too discouraged. He is, after all, only 6. One can't expect miracles. (Ahem.) The whole "keep clothing on at all costs" scheme has gone right down the tubes since potty training is so much easier when the boy is unhindered.

See how that redneck status fits us well? The boy runs around nekkid all day long. And we allow it. He's very tan and I'm a bit envious.

A few times he's managed to do a Big Push outside and I am not so deluded to think that I'll be able to get him to a toilet in time, so instead I stand over him (or yell across the yard) "you should really poop in the potty." It's effective, let me tell you.

NOT.

After such incidents, we take full advantage of the fact that he's outdoors and we're secluded here (mostly) and I simply hose his nethers out and send him on his way, with yet another admonishment to get to the potty next time he has to go.

We are SO rednecks. It's just who we are.

But then it occurred to me while hosing him down with so-warm water that it must be almost pleasant to have a bidet right there in the great outdoors to follow you around and clean you off at your beck and call. And the word bidet got me thinking about the French, who all but invented the nude beaches. And that's when it hit me. We're not rednecks, we're classy.

Micah, the nudist with a personal outdoor bidet, has singlehandedly elevated our status from American redneck to classy French.

18 comments:

Quarantine Hobby said...

Hahaha. Karen, you crack me up.

That picture is amazing.

the planet of janet said...

excellent.

justmylife said...

I love the way you think!

Unknown said...

It is all in how you look at it!

Stephanie said...

LOL Makes sense to me!

Eternal Sunshine said...

Perception is everything...

My Two Army Brats said...

Makes complete sense to me!

imbeingheldhostage said...

I can't tell you how happy I am to know that I have been rubbing shoulders (virtually) with such a posh family :-)

Flea said...

Bwahaha! So you've basically trained Micah to poop outside and like it. Good for you! Hosing him off with ice water might convince him to go indoors?

HalfAsstic.com said...

I is DYING LAUGHING! I have to go call my mom and tell her to read this! You take the cake, woman!
Love Ya!

Brandie said...

I love this! Especially the redneck parts. Goldie's therapists have had to park at the bottom of the driveway because there were too many tractor blocking the top. My mom used to tell me my kids would go pee on the playground if I kept letting them go in the yard. Another reason we homeschool.

SunflowerStories said...

Oh how I love this post! I wish we had the freedom of country living so that Sean could embrace his nekkie side. I fully allow it indoors while Doug is at work- doesn't bother me a bit. I enforce some form of bottom (undies or pull up) and a usually a tshirt for outdoor play. If we had a privacy fence along the ally side of the house, I'd drop that rule.

And, in spite of clothing, I have still had to hose poop off the bricks by our grill....

Kimberly Wright said...

Great picture. Wonderful story. Classy french eh?

Karen Deborah said...

Talk about looking on the bright side! That is a role model of positive thinking.

Shellie said...

C'est vrai! Micah is high class.

Halala Mama said...

a great perspective :) It makes being hosed off sound great - I'm jealous of Micah!

My name is Sarah said...

This is Joyce, While Sarah is rolling on the floor about the golf balls on the trampoline - she is hysterically laughing by the way - I am absolutely loving this story. I so enjoy reading your outlooks on life. I can see why your boys are always smiling:)

KG said...

*snort*

I'm pretty sure you're officially a redneck when you: 1) have a dog tied to a stick in the yard; 2) have at least one broken down vehicle on cinder blocks; or 3) have named a child after a soap opera character. I say you're not all the way redneck ... yet. *snort*