Throughout my childhood summers I spent at least a week or two at various church camps. Later, I worked at a few camps, as both a lifeguard and a counsellor. I think I can safely say I am something of an expert in camp bathrooms.
Camp bathrooms - are well...campy. Bugs, tiny sinks, poorly placed or old useless mirrors, lack of proper outlets, dimly lit, doors that don't lock or "curtains" for doors, or doors that refuse to stay closed unless you elongate yourself to clutch the bottom of door with one had while clutching yourself to the toilet with the other. Or my favorite - no doors.
Camp bathrooms tend to be in bad places - like off in the middle of the woods or a dark rainy jog from the cabin. Or RIGHT OFF the DINING HALL!
One summer, I worked at Camp Soaring Hawk in Purdy Missouri (that's right Purdy). I was using the loo when the male custodian came in to clean. I had to clear my throat and cough to get him out. He felt the need to talk to me through the door and tell me he was sorry and blah blah blah. I just wanted him to leave!
Another time at Kerrville - a famous folk festival in Kerrville, Texas - I opened up a loo only to find a board with six or seven holes running down both sides of a small shed so that the occupants of the various "seats" sat knee to knee AND thigh to thigh as they emptied their various contents.
The first "spot" was occupied by a large scary woman with a cigar and a newspaper. I quickly joined the party, left my deposit, and fled. I found other facilities to use after that!
ANYWAY!! We have four bathrooms in our new house. But the only one that is usable at this point is the basement bathroom. It was quickly assembled by our wise plumber who had a feeling that the other bathrooms would not be ready in time. (We are waiting on tile floors to be finished.) We have no plans to finish our basement bathroom any tme soon - so there are only studs and no walls. Thus we have a usable bathroom with no walls...
Relying on my camp bathroom experience - I built a few flimsy walls.
Hung an inadequate mirror.
Found a shower curtain for a door.
Thank God I went to camp.
Who knew it would prepare me for the future so well!
