Does anyone defecate in Downton Abbey?

I discovered Downton Abbey late, probably two years into the series. I covered both seasons within 3 weeks, binge watching as streaming and DVDs of television series now allows.

I just caught up on all but the final episode of the third season. I'll be watching that sometime this week before season 4 starts on January 5th, 2014...

But something just occurred to me.

Does anyone shit in Downton Abbey? Or even take a piss or wee?

The reason I ask is thus:

We've seen them in bed, at the dinner table (with a revolving door of guests), hunting, gaming (cricket), cooking, fighting, and even kissing & alluding to sex.

But I've not so much as seen a TOILET on this series.

And by toilet for that period, it could've very well been an outhouse.

Here's the other odd thing:

They seem intent on being true to the time period - with clothing & topical war commentary, and women gaining a higher status and louder voice...

So what about the toilets? What about urination and pooping and even the occasional wine-encouraged puking?

Where were the chamber pots or toilets or outhouses?

The series, though controversial and suggestive at times, is still quite prim and proper, so I understand why they wouldn't want to show - either visually or audibly - someone taking a dump or even pissing away! But I don't recall ever seeing or hearing anything about the less fun liquids & semi-solids coming out of the clan at Downton's nether-regions.

Please weigh-in below in the comments.

Maybe they have shown pissing and defecating, I've blocked it because they're all so prim and proper (even the house-staff with their uniforms and protocol) that maybe it would just be unseemly for any member of Downton to relieve themselves. Or maybe there's been a commode or toilet or outhouse in the background and I've forgotten that it was ever in-frame.

If you leave a comment, please share the season and episode so we all can find it!

Drenched in Music & Tears

Today I picked up my guitar after quite a long hiatus.

That's not entirely true.

I've been playing a little here and there these last few weeks.

But prior to a few weeks ago, it had been months... probably 6 months since I played.

One of my longer breaks from playing. My life has been in transition for a while now, and sometimes music gets put on the back burner.

When I was in my early twenties, playing 2-3 nights per week at open mics or gigs, I would've thought you were a crazy liar if you'd told me that in the future I'd go on 6-month music breaks.

My playing back then, while rooted in a love I still have for creating phonic art, carried an air of addiction.

Now I have other creative outlets and I don't crave playing or writing music like I used to.

So, I ended up with six months under my belt without picking up my guitar or tickling my ivories.

Not the first and probably not the last music hiatus I'll take.

Fortunately, I'm a bit like a child who grew up speaking a second language. Even if they don't speak it for a while, as soon as they're confronted with the foreign language again, something in their subconscious sparks and they understand and can speak it again, however rusty that foreign language may feel.

But today, I was looking through my songs that I keep lead sheets for, and about 4 songs in, I played "Come Back" aka "Drenched in Music" and I literally got choked up two-thirds of the way in.

Seriously?

I'm making myself cry with my own goddamn song? It's not like the lyrics are a surprise!?!

Why?

I'm asking myself. Why this song?

It's the song. Not my first song written, certainly not my last, but it's a love song about my first love. My very first love.

Here's a little video of "Come Back" or "Drenched in Music". (Vote in comments on which title you prefer.) The song has changed some since this video was recorded, but the essence remains the same.

When, who, and/or what was your first love?

CREDITS:

KATIE STRAND
Writer of the song
Girl in the video

ALLAN PALMER
Cinematographer
Director

MARCUS LOVEMORE
Fluffer