We went out to dinner the other night to a barbecue place with some of Phil's coworkers. After the food was gone, the hand wipes came out. I noticed a few of Phil's buddies giving him sideways glances and looking meaningfully at each other, but didn't think much of it until Phil opened up his first wipe.
Of course he used the wipe to clean his fingers, but then the man I know and love came shining through. The lemon-scented wipe went up his nose. (And I mean that literally: he shoved the wipe up his nostrils.) Judging by the reactions of our dinner companions, I gathered that somehow this behavior was supposed to be a shock to me. It wasn't.
Yes, I have known for years of Phil's addiction to lemon-scented hand wipes. Each time those wipes appear at a restaurant, I know what's going to happen next. He's going to put each one up to his nose and breath deeply for several minutes, after which he'll express his wish that he could eat them.
I suppose I'm an enabler because I, too, admit to loving that smell. When I was a lot younger than I am now, I had a lemon-scented chapstick that smelled (and tasted) just like those hand wipes. I rationed that stick out for years because I loved it so much. I've never found another one.
So this gets me thinking and wondering what smells do I love? Here's my off-the-top-of-my-head list:
1. Wet concrete, especially in the summer. It makes me think of running through sprinklers with my friends when I was little.
2. Sawdust. The smell of woodshops is comforting. Dad was a woodshop teacher for years and taught my brothers and my husband those skills as well.
3. Homemade bread. Mom used to make bread and rolls a lot while I was growing up. One of our favorite treats was hot bread, fresh from the oven, slathered in butter.
4. The smell of fall means it's time for school. I loved school! (See, Leah? I told you I was a weird kid.)
5. Cinnamon & sugar. Mmmmmmmm. 'Nuff said.
6. The smell of my babies in the morning, but only if they don't have stinky diapers. That whole wet diaper, morning breath thing, combined with the fuzzy hair and sweet smiles, just gets to me.
7. That cold smell just after a good snowfall. Crisp, clean, and no caffeine.
8. Rain. I love the smell of a pending rainstorm and the smell after it rains.
9. Books. Libraries smell sooooo good! I love to read, so it's a natural connection.
10. Hmmmm. Thinking...ah! Got it. The smell of leather. I don't really have any associations with it, but I love it.
So how about you, dear readers? What are your favorite smells?
21 comments:
Thank you for another satisfying post for your fans. I'm right there with you--combining #1 and #8 because I love the smell of rain on the pavement. The two things that actually go up my nose are lavender and lemon thyme. I will rub stalks of either into my fingertips and up my nose and walk around with them (both my fingers and the stalks) up my nose for hours--or at least until the funny stares from the neighbors start to get to me.
semi-stinky baby feet. But only until the age of about 3. After that it's just reesty.
And I, too, love to read, but somehow the smell of a library gives me ulcers and panic attacks. Too many late nights starting a research paper the night before it was due wrecked that smell altogether. I'd rather just borrow books from my friends.
My #1 nostalgic smell is the smell of lodgepole pines (yes, they have to be lodgepole) because of my summers as a kid in Island Park, Idaho. Nutrimulch must use lodgepole pine for their mulch, because I'm like a drug addict when I open a bag of that stuff. Sniiiiiiiiif! Oh, yeah. I inhaled!
great blog, by the way.
In addition to many, (but not all) things that have been listed, I love the smell of Kalua Pork. I love to eat it with my fingers so the smell stays on my fingers for hours afterwards.
I also love the smell of afgans that have just come out of a cedar chest.
Thanks for all the comments. Compulsive: I read your comment to Phil, and he laughed out loud. I'm still giggling over the image of you with fingers and herbs stuck up your nose.
Lorien: I never liked the smell of BYU library for that same reason, but I like the smell of the Provo & Orem Public libraries. I don't connect them with stress. Maybe you should see if they make paper out of lodgepole pines--or maybe some body spray?
Lyle: I LOVE the smell of cedar! But I include that with the smell of woodshops and sawdust. There's nothing like putting your nose up to a freshly cut piece of cedar...mmmmmmmm! What is Kalua pork?
Julie-
Kalua pork is roasted pork-Hawaiian style.
They have a good Kalua Pork down at Tiki's Island Grill (over by Sure Appliance and Cougar Video). I love that place, so any time you want to check it out give me a holler!
My husband after he grills something. Maybe, I'm just too food oriented but barbecue scent is manly and smokin hot.
My husband gets irritated with me sniffing at him and always threatens to shower immediately after completing his grilling duties.
elasticwaistbandlady: Hee hee! I love it! I do the same thing to my husband when he comes home after working in my dad's woodshop. Sawdust and sweat...very hot!
Something about this is just disturbing. Perhaps it's because I know that Nutrimulch is about half turkey poop, or perhaps it's that delightful image of Unkel Fil running around with a moist towelette hanging from either nostril...I'm sure it can't be the enticing aroma of feet or sweaty men [shudder].
I must admit, however, that I still love the smell of lilac and warm cookies--smells that remind me of my grandma.
I love the smell of fall and the crisp, chill air that burns your lungs when you inhale deeply.
Because I'm a man, I must list a few that didn't make Pottymouth's list:
1. The electrical smell from new power tools.
2. New extension cords.
3. Bandaids.
4. My own farts (that's for Phil)...but less and less as I get older. :-)
5. Fresh paint.
6. Cut grass.
7. Axle grease.
8. Campfires.
9. New cars.
Lorien- If your referring to the library smell of the old, old Provo library that used to be on the corner of Center and 2nd (?) East... that wasn't the best smelling library. Creepy is another word for that place, but I digress.
I once worked with a kid that claimed to like the smell of manure. He said it's one of those smells that grow on you. I've been around a long time and still hasn't grown on me.
Lessel--If turkey poop it is, then HOOK ME UP! I practically burried my face in that nutrimulch when we planted our new tree. But there was another mulch I used several years ago and my mom, dad and I all stood bolt upright from the smell when we opened the bag. It was glorious. We looked on the label, and sure enough...Island Park. Wish I could remember the brand.
I love bandaid smell, too. Real bandaids. The kind with the little red rippy-pull-string.
And lyle, I have to agree with your friend. In the old neighborhood, sometimes on a summer evening when the breeze was just right, it brought in just a bit of manure smell. Manure and hay. I miss it. Maybe that's why I like driving through rural Utah towns.
by the way, julie, I finished the book. Yes, February's. One day.
Way to go Lo--I love those read-a-good-book-in-one-day kind of days. And thanks for the warning...I'll be sure not to pick it up until I have a day I can read it--it sounds like it's too good to put down.
Also, I grew up on a farm, so I'm right with you there on the manure smell, but only when it's tempered by the smell of fresh hay.
I definitly love the smell of rain, especially when it's a little chilly outside, but also lilacs. Just across the street from us by the school is a whole row of huge Lilac bushes (trees?) I can smell them as soon as I step outside. It's a shame they're only in bloom like that for a month or so.
I've been wanting to comment for awhile, but couldn't find the paper I'd written my "user name & password" on...and like I could just remember it!
ANYWAY...
I love the way it smells just before it storms...or for that matter just after! It's so clean and crisp smelling.
The smell of a little baby's head. I don't know if it's more of the little baby smell or the Johnsons & Johnson's lotion that I love, but the smell is...heavenly.
I LOVE the smell of pine trees. Brings back memories of camping with my family as a young girl. I still HATE camping, but love the smell of pine.
Has anyone ever smelled Elsha (sp??)...that men's cologne? Oh my goodness, it smells good enough to eat! It's hard to find, but worth it. Want to smell it? Next time you see Kim, just ask him if you can take a sniff of his neck!! He'll love that!
Lastly I have to agree with the library smell. Maybe it's the idea of all the books there and how much fun it would be to be stuck there just reading...no worries...no bothers...
It's amazing the feelings that smells can bring out.
Gain fabric softener. And tires - new tires. I love the smell of the tire section as I'm walking out of Costco.
~j: Cold Gain or warm Gain? I love the smell of laundry in someone else's dryer when I'm walking past their house and it's venting outside. So I guess I like my fabric softener hot, but I like my rubber cold. Burning rubber is a horrible smell!
carrot jello: I'm with you. I LOVE the smell of wood. I usually get my fix over at my dad's woodshop--no need for Home Depot. Mmmmmmm.
Cold rubber? :-)
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