The Scoop on Poop - #21 
By Susan Bashor-Reese
Since hooking up both backseat kids with headphones, the “mommy chauffeuring” job has gotten surprisingly easier. My seven year old son finally stopped competing for air time with his sister. Me? I get silence! A whole new concept in driving, a new experience. Except... for when my daughter starts singing - all by her lonesome. Now that’s excruciating. Don’t misunderstand, I adore everything about her. But not many of us sound great belting out rock songs without an accompaniment. In spite of the “slightly” off-key tones, I couldn’t help but smile as she sat behind me in the car, headphones on, and completely massacred one of our favorite “Train” songs.
Thank you Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce for cutting our ribbon... the Rangers are quite an experience, our first in fact! We’re so happy to be in our new facility on Futurity Drive. Don’t forget to stop by our showroom for all of your sewer and septic related items including the prettiest little esthetically correct riser systems you’d ever want to see in your yard, vent stack filters (for those unbearable down drafts), effluent filters (everyone needs to be concerned with protection), bacteria, and faux rocks (cover up those well heads, they’re ugly).
Another long year has passed, full of unexpected and poopy surprises, but we survived it. Now, the deep freeze that is Montana in the winter has us busy thawing frozen pipes and resurrecting backed up septic systems. Why don’t we all make a resolution for 2005 not to neglect our personal septic systems? It will be much easier on you, on us and oh yes, on your pocket book, if you schedule your septic pumping maintenance. Certainly you, like other unfortunate victims, can avoid it, you can put it off. But as with any maintenance issue, you’re the one that suffers the consequences in the end. Such consequences are often much more expensive then the price of a little regular maintenance. New drainfields are not usually in the budget!
Here’s a pretty picture! You have your boss over for a nice dinner (trying to impress right?). He goes into the guest bath, you hear the flush, you hear the scream, he emerges - covered with what was not a chocolate dessert! Septic back ups are not something I make up, it’s our reality (isn’t that sad?). It happens, every day in fact. Don’t let it happen to you at the worst moment. Actually, there is no good moment for a back up to occur is there?
Well, Happy New Year, we wish you Happy Flushing. If I could have my way - here’s how my year will proceed...
1. My kids will remember to fasten their seat belt without me having to tell them every time.
2. They will learn to replace the t.p when it runs out (you’d think in our line of work they would get the whole toilet paper routine...)
3. That I learn to quit multi-tasking because writing these articles at 3 in the morning while washing a load of clothes and surfing the net - although fulfilling - in the end takes away from what I need the most, which is sleep. In addition, some people find it annoying to see someone putting on their makeup while driving and talking on the cell.. Both hands do not have to be accomplishing separate tasks at the same time!
4. For our customers, I hope they learn to call us BEFORE they call a plumber! Why pay a plumber to come over and tell you that you need to call Sweet Pea?
5. Finally, that our hard working employees know how much we appreciate them for what they have to face every day, hot or cold, knowing that liquid waste haulers are an under appreciated group overall.
Remember, baby wipes should not be flushed and coffee grounds don’t belong in the septic. Don’t use a garbage disposal if you are on septic, don’t flush tampons. Anything that does not break down should not go down. Tell your neighbors, educate. Throw a block “pumping party”! Now that sounds like some real fun. You’d be surprised what you can learn about your neighbors by looking in their tank...
If you need more information, we’re only a phone call away. Call for your free copy of the Poop on Scoop Booklet. Yes, the whole collection in one booklet for your reading pleasure (or for that extra bit of help you may need in the morning to get going).
And, don’t forget to stop by and learn even more at 9424 Futurity Drive (our newest location in the Missoula Industrial Park) and since 1994 still supporting our Bitterroot communities from 633 Old Corvallis Road. We’re just chock “full of it”. Until next time, happy flushing and remember to make us your first call for all of your poopy needs.
In Missoula - 728-3533
In the Bitterroot - 961-3377