In many ways, our lives are pretty perfect. We have our health (after a fair amount of out and in patient surgery), we are gainfully employed, have a happy marriage. Really, what more could two people want? Ah yes, toilets that flush! For most of my life I lived in blissful ignorance about the mechanics of toilets. You do your business, press the handle, and whoosh! you’re done. Having traveled some, I was also aware that we in the USA have pretty great toilets. Or so I thought. I have come to learn that when it comes to toilets, the true masters are the Japanese. I know this because we are down to one toilet (in our three toilet house) that actually flushes like normal. We have one that flushes okay…and then just keeps running and running and running. And then we have the toilet that just can’t seem to get up the gumption to really do the job. It sort of flushes, then stops. Then it will work normally once or twice and you get hopeful…then it goes back to sorta kinda. *sigh* So we have been researching toilets. Chuck, being the kind of guy he is, hit Consumer Reports and learned that the highest rated toilets are made by a company called Toto (I always wondered what happened to that little dog after “The Wizard of Oz.” We’re really NOT in Kansas anymore, I guess). These folks have clearly spent some time thinking about toilets. Like they say:

“Let’s be honest. What good is a great looking toilet if it doesn’t perform well? Yes, a toilet should be beautifully styled. But more importantly, it should perform its basic functions flawlessly. You should have a sense of confidence in your toilet, knowing it will function with one flush. It’s what your satisfaction will depend on.”

I for one certainly do want to have a sense of confidence in my toilet (I am especially concerned that no snakes or alligators live in my toilets, but that’s a separate issue). So we were researching the Toto toi-tois, and ran across this great video that discusses the primo features of the “G-Max” flushing system (links to video are towards the bottom of the page – no pun intended). And then there’s the SanaGloss video, which tells you, in gruesome detail, all about the bacteria that can grow in your toilets if you don’t watch out. By far the most awesome feature of the Toto toilet is its ability to pee back at you!! Not to speak of that amazing looking Star Trek-like control panel you get with it – it even has a remote control – well, maybe we won’t get into that feature. It raises some troubling issues). Anyhow, what more need be said? We’re heading off to a showroom this weekend to check them out in person, but we’re pretty sold already (Chuck is opposed to the bit about the toilet peeing back at him, though the remote control did make him stop and think. He is awfully fond of remote controls after all). Now we just need to negotiate the thorny issue of round vs. elongated seats. That’s a whole other blog entry…