Olfactory

My top ten favourite smells, in no particular order:

~The steel mills in Chicago and Pittsburgh.

~Mothballs - it brings me right back to my Nan's house when I was little. My mother couldn't stand it because my grandparents' home reeked of mothballs and camphor, but for me, it represented comfort.

~Sawdust - the cellar at my Gran's rowhome in Philly was my grandfather's work area and the floor was always covered in sawdust. My Gran was super sweet and loving, but my grandfather was not terribly approachable. On the rare occasions where I got up the nerve, I'd creep down the cellar steps, holding on to the pipe that served as a makeshift railing, and listen to the sound of sawing and hammering. I'd watch from the darkness as he'd stand beneath a bare light bulb and make marks on the wood with a pencil and take measurements. Eventually he'd find me curled up on the corner of the step and shoo me back upstairs.

~A cigarette burning - most of the men in my life were at one time a smoker and growing up in the 70s and 80s, most of the adults I'd hang out with smoked. My father, Grandad, my godmother, several uncles, Aunt Anna, family friends Maureen, John, Mark, Tish and Bob were all smokers; so wherever I was as a child, somebody that I loved had one burning in the ashtray or in their hand. To me it's the aroma of life.

~Patchouli - what can I say, I have hippie friends and they always smell of patchouli. It's fabulous. Whenever I wear my Kiss My Face Peaceful Patchouli someone will stop me and say, "Oooo...you smell really good. Yeah, you smell like a head shop." If I don't smell like a head shop, the other popular compliment is "like my friend's basement", where they all clearly gathered around bean bag chairs, lava lamps and smoked up. Kinda amusing since I'm actually such a square.

~Obsession for Men cologne - it smells like sex in a bottle. Gentlemen, be forewarned, don't wear this in my presence unless you are looking to be ravaged on the spot.

~The pink roses from Mum's garden - she has no recollection as to what rose she planted all those years ago, but it is without question thee most delightful fragrance in existence.

~Old books, preferably old library books

~Laundry dryers in the city - when I lived in Philly with my cousin and my nieces, Nicole and Ashlee, I'd sit out on the front stoop smoking and staring up at the stars with the girls. Donna would be doing laundry and as she'd slide open the basement window, the smell of the dryer going full blast would pump out into the night sky.

~A fireplace - this has the added bonus of one of the best sounds - the crackling and breaking of the kindling. Sooooo good....Every Christmas Eve at my Nan and Grandad's home they'd have a roaring fire going in the sitting room.