Septic thoughts sounds almost like a medical problem. It is not. Once you become an owner of a septic tank you begin to have septic thoughts. Hmmmm, should I flush this?  Then you find out the previous owner of the house smoked cigarettes whilst he sat on the throne and flushed them…eventually clogging the filter long after he was sitting there. Unpleasant at the very least, the noises emanating from the plumbing sound very much like a cat having furballs. One quickly realizes it is time to call a professional.

Then, being an unsuspecting former surburbanite, you are informed ‘only biodegradable things’ must go into the system. That sounds simple enough until you begin to find out the details..eggshells never break down, any sort of bones are verboten..oddly enough, toe nail clippings are biodegradable and can also be composted. Think a garbage grinder is great – it is until you find out if it is used as intended the tank has to be pumped out twice as often. I always thought those compost pails with charcoal filter lids for use by the kitchen sink were kind of nasty and still do..fortunately I have always been a devoted composter and I have started a pile. The lack of deciduous tree leaves is kind of a downer here but my husband tends to produce a lot of wood shavings so I am trying those. No actual compost as of yet but these things take time. So, off to the compost heap.