Traveling With The Brands

"There's this thing, this phenomenon that happens whenever Jon and I travel together. And I don't know if it's because hotels are trying to save money wherever they can and therefore scrimp on some essentials, like, you know, functioning toilets. But without fail, every time we travel one of us clogs the toilet. And we have to make that humiliating phone call to the front desk." ~Dooce

This is part of a story that came from one of my favorite blogs...Dooce. You can click on the highlighted Dooce to read the rest of the story. I laughed, chuckled, snorted, and had to share this story with my husband because we have a phenomenon in our house...without fail, whenever we travel...a toilet will get CLOGGED!

Let me back up a little and share a glimpse into the Brand household. We have a child in our house that has been nicknamed "TC". "TC" stands for toilet clogger. Now because of "TC" we have had to purchase a toilet that advertised that it can flush 12 golf balls. It is the Cadillac of toilets, it is the throne that men envy. Now, "TC" can still manage to clog this toilet on occasion..YES...she can clog that 12 golf ball flushing toilet! As a result I have also had to invest in the Turbo 2000 toilet plunger so I can unclog the toilet.

When we take off to go on our family vacations "TC" will inevitably plug the toilet at our temporary location. I actually have discussions with "TC" before we leave, it goes something like this....

Me: "TC"...please...please use another bathroom when we are out, like a public restroom, clog that toilet...please do not use the one in our hotel room...I don't want to have to call the front desk for a plunger! PLEASE! ........don't plug up our only toilet.....pleasssseeee!

"TC": Oh mom...I won't plug the toilet.....

Me: Yes..you will...you always clog our toilet and then we are having to figure out how to get it unclogged.

"TC": Oh mom...I won't plug the toilet.....

*and sure as hell within 24 hours at our location she will plug the toilet*

Me: I told you not to plug the toilet!

"TC": Sorry....but I had to go.....

This is our life...this is what you experience when you travel with the us..a clogged toilet.

In fact just this weekend we traveled and "TC" struck again ...we had to get a maintenance guy to unplug the toilet. He started with the wimpy plunger, he left and came back with a stronger plunger, and then he left again and he brought the Turbo 2000 plunger and finally we had toilet victory.

So here is my solution to this dilemma. Since I can not expect our vacation destinations to be equipped with a toilet that flushes 12 golf balls, I think in the future I will be traveling with my Turbo 2000 toilet plunger because that is the only way that toilet will unclog quickly and I won't have to call the front desk for help.

If you see me in an airport with an industrial plunger under my arm...you will understand....that "TC" will strike again!