Reflection #1 —

First, consider the toilets ?? some you flush manually, but do you push up or down on the handle. Or it may have a big button on the back that you push down — with all your ???might??? using one finger. Or it may be a foot lever (you have to first find by looking around the floor). Other ones flush automatically for you ?? but often at times when you aren??t ready ?? so, you get a big splash (that isn??t so refreshing). If you are finished and ready for it to flush automatically, it is supposed to ???know??? this when you stand. However, sometimes, you have to wave at it or talk to it to make that ???whoosh??? happen. Then, there are times when none of that works, and you look for some other little light or button to make it more pleasant for the next user. Of course, I also love the little sign stapled by one toilet seat in the ladies?? room: ???If you sprinkle when you tinkle, be a sweetie and wipe the seatie.??? Of course, in order to do that, there must be some toilet paper available — one thing I learned early on, but sometimes I have a senior moment and forget, is to check that there IS some paper in the dispenser before getting comfy!

Second, the faucets ?? some have one handle, some have two. But the ones with two handles don??t have any hot water any way, so why bother with the other handle. Others have a big button you press down and out comes the water, but only long enough for you to wet your hands and then it shuts off. So, you try again ?? only a little faster this time trying to get more water before it shuts off. Forget trying to get to the soap dispenser and back during this (mainly because the soap dispenser is across the room any way). There are also the ???latest??? faucets that have a little electronic device that recognizes movement at the faucet if you stand there and wave long enough to get water flowing. There are times when you are standing there waving and getting no water and then a little child walks up and pushes down on the big button and water flows like a river. You stand there amazed at the ???youth of today.???

Third, the soap dispensers ?? again, they are nowhere NEAR the sinks ?? and it??s impossible not to drip excess soap all over the floor ?? sometimes it is a hazzard because of the slippery floor. Of course, this only happens when the soap dispensers are kept full! More often they are empty.

Fourth, the drying procedure ?? again, one must be ready for many options. The oldest one is the continuous cloth towel holder. With better hygiene and more strict health regulations, this is not found often (thank goodness). This traditional drying procedure left a lot to be desired ?? just one peek at the condition of the used towel portion made it much more likely you would either drip dry or wipe your hands on your jeans. So, then the use of the ???blow dryer??? started appearing. These noisy things are a more healthy choice, but they just are not very fast at drying wet hands ?? and what are you supposed to do if you have a wet face ?? stand upside down? So, now most often found are paper towel dispensers. Some are single pull-down sheets (usually the holder is empty and the bound refills are stacked on top of the dispenser). Others have rolls of paper that you get a portion by pushing down on a lever once, or twice, or half a dozen times. If not a lever, maybe it is a knob that you twist or turn one way or the other and then some paper comes out. (Of course, your hands are about dry by now from all the twisting and turning.) Or, you may again have to use your strongest finger to push in a button that engages a wheel that engages the paper. The latest model, however, is again a little electronic motion detector that you wave something at and a light comes on (to let you know it has ???seen??? you) and some paper comes out. If you are good, you can get a second sheet by waiting for the light to go off and wave at it again! (My four-year old grand-daughter taught me this.)

We’ve all read the signs at every eating establishment that ALL EMPLOYEES MUST WASH THEIR HANDS BEFORE RETURNING TO WORK . . . now, we know why they often don??t.