Archive Treasures: A Septic Tank?!!!

A HandmaidDiamond Jubilee, News

Bet you never guessed something like that would be included in our list of “memories”! Since we had a little “septic scare” on Christmas Eve, we thought this would be a great time to share this archive photo.
 
As we’ve explained to numerous plumbers, tradesmen, construction workers, contractors, and benefactors over the years monasteries and plumbing challenges go “hand in hand”. Or maybe “shovel in ground.” Without listing the number of occasions, and each circumstance, regarding this subject [which could be their own little book] the purpose of sharing this particular photo however is to note the faces. And the label.
 

Who but nuns make scrapbook entries of plumbing and septic problems?

What you see is two Handmaids smiling while addressing that particular septic difficulty at our Priory in Spokane WA. Have you ever put a septic tank repair in a scrapbook? Look at the photos of the Sisters. They are SMILING. Have you ever dug up a septic tank by hand? Were you smiling? Or a broken one? An overflowing one? One perhaps buried under inches of expensive concrete? One you needed to find before it could be fixed? They were JOYFUL. Even amid a messy business. That is precisely what our Founder wanted: JOY SEMPER…even when the plumbing is problematic. Deo Gratias!