Happy Almost-Friday! What fragrance are you wearing?
I'm pretty darned happy in Aftelier Candide.
Reminder: on 8/6 we're celebrating Happiness Happens Month. Wear a happy fragrance, and tell us about something that's made you happy recently.
And for those of you who like to plan ahead, see Scent of the day ~ Friday community projects 2021, where I'll try to always have the next five or six weeks mapped out in advance.
Note: top image is Miss Jekyll Blue [cropped] by Robert Couse-Baker at flickr; some rights reserved.
Hi Robin!! Is Candide Your absolute favorite perfume? Or which fragrance would You consider a favorite of Yours?
No, I wouldn’t say that. But in the top 5 for cheerful đ
happiness this morning smells like 5 sprays of box of eels edt.
I would agree with all of this!
Agree!
YES
*virtually hugs you and takes a DEEP SNIFF*
Oh gosh, yes. My spirit is uplifted!
Iâm so glad I could help!
Ah, a five-eel day!
Today I’m in L’Instant de Guerlain Pour Homme, which is somehow miraculously suspended between light and dark, cool and warm â perfect for a bleak, rainy, temperate summer day. It’s refined without being stuffy, masculine without the grandstanding: it’s actually perfect.
Ha, all of which I would say for Guerlain Vetiver đ
That is actually sort of amazing, that two such vastly different scents could evoke the same response!
My top pick for masculines that make me happy…
I’ll have to give it a sniff! Habit Rouge and Eau Sauvage and the various CB Cummings are my top ‘masculines’.
I’m wearing an old favorite, which seems to be discontinued, 4711 Acqua Colonia Rhubarb & Clary Sage. It always makes me happy wearing it.
House twins!
This morning I tried the shampoo bar from L’Occitane. I have the gentle one, and I would say my hair felt squeaky clean after shampooing and I needed a small amount of conditioner afterwards. I will take this on our trip. No complaints and to my surprise it lathered well. That was my happy shower moment
Yesterday my little ones has a lemonade fundraiser at their school. Very cute stand and they put a lot of work into making lemon sorbet as well as lemonade. For the sorbet I felt like it was very “Italian style” as the filled lemons with the sorbet and put the little top “hat” on top and froze it that way. So creative.
The lemonade fundraiser sounds fun! I hope all had fun!
Glad to gear the shampoo bar is working! I have always been tempted by those from Lush but a soap just seems a bit drying (I have absolutely no proof. Just a thought. Could be very wrong)
If you want a conditioner bring a out-of-bath hair cream so you get the nourishment and styling in one. Anything to pack less!
I have a Lush shampoo bar that I will use as soap to use it up. Made my hair feel like straw, unfortunately.
Yikes!
I had the same experience as springpansy with the Lush bars. The concept is great but they seem to strip out any of your hair’s natural oils.
Another +1 on the LUSH shampoo bars. For a truly no rinse shampoo, I would use shampoo powder. Iâve never had to use one though other than sampling so I have no recommendation.
When I was a kid, our local fair always sold lemons with peppermint sticks stuck in them. You sucked the lemon juice out thru the peppermint stick. Mmm… my favorite part of the whole fair đ
I remember those!
I used shampoo bars while I was in show business and needed to travel- they are perfect! I would use them all over as they make for gentle body cleaners as well! And agreed with Happy888cat- bring a styling cream and apply while hair is sopping wet, then detangle and style- leave the conditioner at home!
SOTD Gallivant Bukhara, a nice rooty but airy iris, which doesn’t last quite as long as I would like, but I enjoy it while it lasts. The rootyness reminds me of Iris Silver Mist, of which my last decant is totally dried up, but now that I have this, not sure I need more Iris Silver Mist at this point in time….
One of our horses is sick with Potomac Fever, probably acquired when the person we had hired to take care of them while we were on vacation in Wyoming, turned out to be incompetent, failed to feed them on time, and after the ravenous rampaging gelding broke down several fences, failed to fix the fences, so the ponies spent several days with access to low swampy ground.
My poor old mare, she is the sweetest horse ever. She is running a fever of 104! The vet gives her a 90% chance of survival, with intensive doctoring. He gave her IV antibiotics today and will come back and repeat this for two more days.
This full emergency living is getting pretty expensive and tiresome. I am not living right, somehow – I need to figure out how to regain some balance and calm. I had planned on planting the fall garden today, but I am doctoring a sick horse instead….
I know which happy perfume I will wear tomorrow, so that is one little bright point.
Oh gosh, I am so sorry to hear about your mare! I hope she makes a full recovery. đ Sending you gentle healing vibes…
I am so sorry to hear about it. Sending healing vibes and wishing her a speedy recovery! ?
I hope she gets better fast. Hugs!
Oh I hope your horse mends quickly!
So sad! Sounds like she’ll get better with good care. Horses are the most wonderful animals.
Best wishes for a quick and full recovery for your sweet mare.
I hope she has a quick recovery with the antibiotics. Sending you a few hugs.
I also thought Bukhara had ISM vibes. Is a gorgeous scent.
Thanks for all the good thoughts, everyone. Sheba ate some of her pellets at lunch time and a few bites of hay, so that is an improvement from this morning, but she still looks pretty sweaty. Offered her fresh water, which she wasn’t interested in at the moment, but hopefully she will drink soon. My poor sick 800 pound baby!
Aw. I am so sorry meredifay.
So sorry about your mare. 90% survival is pretty good odds!
I hope she has a speedy recovery.
This sounds really scary, I hope everything goes well with your horse and that life settles down for a while.
Sorry to hear about your sweet mare. Sending healing vibes for her, and restful ones for you.
In SL Bas de Soie. Decant thunk! Pretty scent and I enjoyed it while it lasted, but it didn’t move my heart good enough to replace it.
Happy almost Friday! ?
You smell wonderful – Bas de Soie is a real love for me, but it does not make the BUB category. Like you, I will enjoy it while I can, but I think I can trust that there are other equally lovable perfumes coming from various houses.
Thank you, MossyBerry! ?.
If a bottle of Bas de Soie falls in my lap, I would definitely wear it and enjoy it. I like it, but many other scents are on top of my full bottle purchase list. Still a very lovely scent.
I agree, if a bottle of BdS fell in my lap I’d wear and enjoy it, but my decant is enough.
Yay for a decant thunk!
?
When I got up this morning my happiness tuning fork led me to VCA Bois d’Iris. Now I’m listening to a Towhee talking in our yard. Oh, and I won an auction item from a large local estate sale – 2 bottles of vintage Arpege, one full and one empty with a Lanvin box for $40. I’m excited to pick it up and see what’s left of the scent. And of course I don’t really care how it smells, just happy to have a piece of perfume history.
Great find!
Thanks! I’ll report in tomorrow after I pick it up.
Yay, nice day all around!
Birds and perfume are often part of those great all around days đ
Yay for towhee songs and perfumes at estate sales! I’ve had very few utter fails in my *many* vintage purchases.
I feel the same way – even if a fragrance is obviously “off” – I can always smell vestiges of its former beauty.
What fun!
Vintage perfume finds (cheap ones) are such a thrill!
That vintage Arpege sounds wonderful!
Good morning everybody. I hope you all are having a better week than I am. Work things are getting a bit rough and itâs really bringing me down. I feel stressed every single minute and I am even losing some sleep ? Not good.
Okay enough moaning. Letâs get to the good stuff!
I am wearing Knowing. A solid beauty that even when things are iffy it would not fail me. Love it.
Glad the weekend is almost here.
Sending soothing vibes. Hope things get better soon
Thank you ?
I feel you on this… I’ve got a good deal of work stress too. I’ll feel much better when Dec. 10 is here as I’ll be past two important work events and can really rest.
Hang in there!
I hope things start looking up at work for the rest of the week!
Knowing, I suggest, is a work-world comfort scent, like No. 19 is! So many of the EL classics stay with the wearer all day and just get warmer as they dry down.
I’m sorry for the work stress; just exhausting when it’s constant. Hoping that it gets better.
Knowing is a great forcefield!
I hope things will get better. You smell lovely. I hope the scent will help you to escape reality every now and then?
I wore Knowing a couple of days ago! So well done.
Hope you can find a way to decrease the stress.
Knowing is a powerful advocate to have at work! Hope the rest of the week goes quickly.
Yuck on the work stress. Glad that you have a perfume shield to help deal with it!
Oh, I’m sorry you’re going through such a rough patch — losing sleep due to stress can be such a blight! I hope you can get some restorative peace and calm over the weekend and that things turn around soon.
Knowing is so beautifully done, and under rated. I find it’s always good for stress, and providing comfort. I hope things calm down soon. Losing sleep is no good. đ
Hi all, SOTD is Eau de Camille by Goutal. My bottle is from the 1990’s, one spritz takes me back to happier days and good times, and beach days of my youth.
Have a great day all!
How nice…I would not mind a few beach days from my youth ?ïž??
I wouldn’t mind my beach body from my youth either!! đ
Ha, that too!
I am wearing the very happy Meet Me On The Corner. This is such a lovely summer chypre.
And I bought a used bottle of Dryad, Donatella will forgive me, I hope
**Ears Perk up at Summer Chypre**
Dryad is not counted as perfume, it is art:)
So true!
Love Meet Me On The Corner! It truly is a happy scent. And Dryad! Happiness squared.
Am in Milk of Flowers which I am always happy with. Seemed like a better idea than sampling since I have to hang around the DMV this afternoon and I didn’t want to be stuck wearing something that I don’t love
Best of luck at DMV!
We are camping again in a beautiful campground on the coast of the Olympic Peninsula. Amazingly, I have cell service. I am wearing Essential Faith, the only fragrance I brought. And yes, feeling quite happy to be here.
Sounds lovely! I camped out on the beach there one weekend many years ago — hiked in around headlands at low tide and had the place all to myself all night. It was amazing. Enjoy!
Have a relaxing time! đ
Enjoy your camping! ?
Oh, how absolutely lovely! You are in a special corner of the world- enjoy!
Sounds so lovely and restful. Enjoy!
That sounds wonderful! I discovered Betty Macdonald this summer, she wrote The Egg and I. I watched the movie then found the book, then I read all her books. They make me want to visit the Olympic peninsula. Have a great time! ?
Hmmm. I donât know Betty Macdonald. *Adds to list.* it is gorgeous here, but one thing about Mr SP is that he loves to schedule things. I never just get to rest or read a book. We hiked 7 miles this morning and now driving to another hike.
Enjoy! I hope that any bugs out there leave you very much alone!
So yesterday I was debating between being lazy and doing yard work. But instead, I went shopping at Ikea đ to buy a PERFUME CABINET!! Months ago, I decided it was time to get a perfume cabinet; found what I wanted at Ikea; and it has been out of stock all this time. Then yesterday Ikea sent me an email that it was in stock! So I leaped in my car, flew to Ikea, scurried through the store (did not look left or right, which was hard, I love poking thru Ikea and had not been there since pre-pandemic), hauled the 1000 lb boxes off the rack, piloted my demented cart thru the aisles (it insisted on heading off at 45 degrees from wherever I wanted to go), begged for loading help from the furniture department, origami-d all the seats in my SUV to get the boxes to fit, strapped them in, drove them home, and now there are giant Ikea boxes sitting in my living room.
So once my husband retires (TOMORROW!!) and vacates the ‘second office’ in our house, and I get that room cleared out, then I can assemble my new PERFUME CABINET and stock it up đ
Oh, the yard work still gets to wait. We have high smoke here today; I can’t smell it (yet) (supposed to get worse late morning) but I can see it. So, in the spirit of caution, I will stick to indoor stuff today. Darn it.
SOTD is Vilhelm Basilico & Fellini, and I am pretty darn happy.
How fun and great story đ
And congrats on your husband’s retirement!
Seconding both of floragal’s thoughts!!
Yay! But I hear youâŠI find poking through IKEA very fun. Would be hard to just blast through.
So many happy things!
That is a fun day! And congratulations to your hubby.
It’s meant to be the PERFUME CABINET of your dreams. đ
In ALL CAPS đ
Congratulations on your cabinet, sounds wonderfulâ€ïž
Congrats. It sounds like you are building a perfume room ?
Congratulations on the cabinet and your husband’s retirement!
Woohoo!
That all sounds amazing and I love the description. I could picture you with the unwieldy cart in your excited frenzy. And I would love to know more about the PERFUME CABINET (it who must always be capitalized). I fantasize about one day having the room to have my collection in one place rather than here, there and everywhere on pieces of “furniture” that I literally found on street corners in my neighborhood.
Love this! Congrats on the cabinet and the retirement.
How awesome! Spousal retirement and a PERFUME CABINET!
Oo, do tell us which Ikea cabinet will have the honor of serving as your PERFUME CABINET! I could stand to free up the two shelves of the hall closet (aka “The closet where mama decides what to smell like today”).
Hurray!! Which IKEA cabinet did you get? I love their stuff.
Caron Piu Bellodgia is my SOTD and it is taking me back to some very happy memories of being in the Caron Boutique in Paris. This was the first souvenir I bought on that trip.
You smell wonderful. đ Piu Bellodgia and Bellodgia are my favorites from Caron.
Such a beautiful scent.
I know Bellodgia – how different does Piu Bellodgia smell?
YUM!
I’m wearing a generous application of Maya Njie Les Fleurs. This was an emotionally draining week and I needed something to lift my spirits! I love this fragrance — I’m not typically a fig-lover, but the fig note is subtle, for anyone who’s curious about that!
Hope your week is all upwards from here – never heard of your SotD nor the brand! Also, fig is a note I have never explored so I am all at sea but glad you found a mood-lifter. đ
Methinks you should get a sample set ?. MuseExperiences in Harlem unless they are out of stock.
I agree that her whole collection is worth exploring, and Muse has excellent customer service!
Thank you…I’ve just had some one-on-one chats that made me feel better about some misunderstandings. đ
As for the overarching stress about the pandemic, etc. … well, good luck to all of us!!
SOTD: Oeillet Bengale
Grabbing drinks with a friend later today and I just love saying that! If I never do another Zoom happy hour again in my lifetime I would be absolutely fine with that.
We used to have Zoom Happy Hour early in the pandemic and I did not even attend any one of them.
Amen to that, floragal.
At the end of the road on Vancouver Island today. The main attraction in town seems to be a giant wooden carrot, as commemoration of a late ’70s campaign to get the government to finally extend the highway up here (which worked…after a century of trying). đ It’s pouring rain, so the backpacking overnight I planned is off the table…just not that much of a backpacking masochist, plus I forgot to buy gaiters. (The one day of our trip when it rains…go figure.)
SOTD will likely be LADDM, which makes me feel happy and warm.
laddm is very happy-makng! đ
1. You smell wonderful.
2. I would drive or hike out of my way, and in the rain, to see a giant wooden carrot from the 1970’s.
3. A quick internet search shows pictures of the carrot, but is not forthcoming about why it was a symbol of the highway.
4. Now I will finish chortling over your post, which should get you many CP point for making someone happy.
đ According to the sign accompanying it, it was “a symbol of government road building promises, dangled in front of north Island settlers since 1897.”
Ha! Leave it to me to miss the reference! I love it!
LAdDM is a great pick for rainy weather, especially if it is cold rain.
Iâm very happy in Dryad today, and planning on doing not much of anything after overdoing it a bit yesterday. That seems to be my M.O. lately â one day of too much, followed by one day of R&R.
Think of it as Interval Training, then youâre good to go!
???!
Happy to have my car back up and running; not so happy to have had a random dude try to guess my age this morning and suggest a number 20 years higher than my actual age. Really??
Wearing Sous le Vent to try and reclaim some age-appropriate mojo.
rude! đ That guy needs a scolding.
Well, he got some droll remarks that hopefully put him in his place!
Glad your car is back; hopefully you can still get some of the week’s business done. What an oddly clueless thing for that person to do. He sounds a bit cracked.
I’m going to assume he was a bit off-kilter and that I don’t need Botox…
Oh FFS ??ââïž! I know it doesnât apply to you but there are times Iâm shocked when an article mentions 57 years old so and so and the accompanying picture looks like someone in their mid 70s.
My daughter ( who has autism) is obsessed with birth dates and age. She often will try and guess total stranger’s age. Most of the time she is close, but not always. Maybe this guy has similar issues? It’s still inappropriate, and I work tirelessly to try and stop this behavior.
Also yay for having your car back!
That’s really interesting! It’s good to be reminded of this element of the diversity among us all. I also had the vague feeling he was trying to pick me up, and was hoping I was close to his age…
Lol! I had thought that was a possibility also!
You are not as old as he thinks you are, but he is definitely as dumb as we think he is.
Glad that you have your car back. Can you luxuriate in a bath or long shower tonight to wash away the week and get a fresh start tomorrow?
It was a long shower on account of all the poison oak I brought home on my legs — don’t want to sit and stew in that! And now I’m luxuriating in some fumĂ© blanc and liberal applications of After Party, a sample of which arrived in today’s mail.
Seriously, what was wrong with that person? ? RUDE!
On the plus side, glad that you got your car back.
A brigade of actual 60+ year-olds reunited me with my car, bless them! I was practicing my ukulele yesterday evening and looked up and there was my car, magically back in my driveway, and then I had to call the (suddenly oddly attractive) town mechanic to thank him for driving it over.
Competence can make someone better looking, LOL!
And kindness, too!
For sure! ?
I must be in a fruity mood, which is very rare. Wearing 4711 White Peach and Coriander.
Need to move a really ugly old, small bookshelf into my closet. I think it will work for storing boxed perfumes. Why do we keep the bookshelf, you ask? Because it was my husbandâs when he was a kid. His mom did that faux antiquing thing with it, but the primary value is a very old GB Packers bumper sticker stuck on the side. I have permission to repaint, as long as the bumper sticker is preserved.
You smell great! Some of the 4711 flankers really make me smile. đ I love the Lavender & Thyme version.
LOL. Reminds me of a yellow kidâs chair where my nephew stuck a âMystery Spotâ sticker. He outgrew it many many years ago but it has a spot wherever heâs moved.
That’s adorable! I live in a rental house that was very tastefully renovated right before I moved in, but when I started moving things into my closet I discovered a huge Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles poster glued to the back of one closet door. This is in the master bedroom, mind you…
???
SotD = Apres L’ondee EdT
I think of it as a spring perfume though it works really well in summer, smells like an iris-y cologne. I adore it.
I’m tired today but have that unsettled feeling which tells me it would be better to get moving rather than faff about. “Do something already!” shouts my silly brain. đ
Well, I walked with my friend’s Australian cattle dog this morning. We had an hour long ramble through the neighborhood. She is a sweet dog who makes everyone happy wherever she goes. She is mine for the next week or so, and I am smitten.
Good for you for getting out and walking. Sometimes it’s hard to get moving even when you know it will help.
for sure it’s often what I don’t want to do that I most need in any given moment. đ
Oh, that’s awesome. My dog has been gone for 20 years this year and I still miss walking him, I’d like to borrow a dog to walk. Maybe my favorite granddog, next time we visit.
yes! it’s excellent to borrow a dog, spoil them rotten with treats and long walks, then give them back. đ Your granddog is the perfect candidate.
You smell wonderful! I adore Apres l’OndĂ©e too and think it’s great in all weathers.
thank you, Isabella. It’s a treat every time I wear it. đ I hope Guerlain will bring back the edt someday.
“Adulting with dogs”!
lol, exactly đ
SotD, for CP points, RL Safari. It ties in to another happy moment when on Tuesday Mr. Mossy and I went to Lowes for various things. I sometimes rescue plants from the $1 table and there I found a choice of several “Prince Tut” dwarf papyrus that were still quite spiffy looking. With little trimming of broken stalks and repotting I can enjoy thoughts of the story of the finding of Baby Moses and of “Fowling in the Marshes from the tomb of Nabamun.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/galleries/egyptian-life-and-death#&gid=1&pid=1
lovely! I like to rescue the sad plants at my garden center too.
My mother has always grown papyrus in her garden. She likes tall ones for a privacy screen and short ones for their cheerful upright growing habit. đ
I did not know they grew at all in my area; I associated them with gardens I’ve visited in Florida. Next year, I think I will look for ways to include them as annuals.
I do the same. I used to pull old orchids out of the garbage dumpster at work years ago. After Easter or Mother’s day passed and the blooms dropped, no one wanted them ~ I gave them a happy home. đ
I’d rather see papyrus in people’s yards than the huge ornamental grasses. Papyrus doesn’t bother my allergies (that I know of).
Great plant rescue! My latest was that I spotted a glamorous purple ruffled day lily on the bargain table at HD, with no tag or name. Bought it for $5 and looked it up online. Itâs identical to a hybrid that sells for $35 at specialty nurseries. So I went back, and found two more, which had bloomed and revealed themselves since my first visit! Theyâre so pretty. I posted a photo on Instagram.
Finished the last of my Aqua Universalis travel sprays today. I have been on a âsimpleâ scent kick, and this layered beautifully with the window cleaning products. Took four and half hours and ruined my hands but the house looks nice now.
A clean house is VERY happiness making- and you can always fix your hands! đ
Began the day in Promenade des Anglais, which wears like a light cologne on me. Then, inspired by Robin, did a frag touch up with Aftelier’s Wild Roses. I have the extrait, which I decant into a sprayer in small doses, so a little goes a long way. Every time I wear this one, I smell new facets. Today I smell fennel/licorice–which suits me just fine.
Hey cousin!
Hope there was not too much banging today.
Hello all!
Happy Thursday!
1) In Cap Neroli- it’s just such a wonderful clean summer scent and is very uplifting!
2) Had coffee early this morning in my kitchen and felt so happy and proud that I got all the projects accomplished over the past year. I need to get my decor up, but every thing looks so cozy, tidy and nice….
3) Just in time for me to find a listing on FB marketplace: a house a couple of blocks away from me is for sale: taken down to the studs, then rewired, partially re-plumbed and furnace fittings roughed in. The remodel must be completed.
I walked down after coffee this morning to case the joint, and the pictures DID match what was on FB (from outside looking in). I have questions about the foundation ( I found some pictures using the Way Back machine) and possible seepage into the basement. The basement appears clean. I did not see any rodent/animal incursions.
I then grabbed a couple of retired neighbors and had THEM case the joint. They pointed out possible questions of venting, roofing and they also had questions regarding the foundation.
Spoke to my mortgage broker’s office, who will research possible loan options. I did the math and if I was working with a focus team of two more people, I think I could get the remodel done in about 4 months, then sell on. The materials needed & labor would be about $35K (gulp). But after closing costs/commision and taxes I could possibly make a profit of up to 50K.
Like Hollywood actors who starve themselves and shave their heads for roles: is this worth the happiness killing stress for $50K?
This should go on your matrix of what else you can do with your time. Itâs all speculative, of course.
OMG- great idea and I am doing that right now!
My totally unscientific personal feeling: if you want to flip houses for a living, or even as a regular sideline, could be a great opportunity! But I think you learn and get better, and doing it just once does not seem worth the aggravation and the number of things that could go wrong. You might possibly make 50k but you might possibly lose 20k…
Late to this-
Agreed to this! There are certain things I would do different just having done my home this past year, so getting better and rolling over that knowledge is good. And agreed with financial risk- pros who do this lose money. The person who is selling this place will NOT be making any money by my calculations.
Wearing Fleur de Patchouli layered with Fleur d’Oranger from the Zara Emotions line…and I smell amazing! heaheeh I really do…it’s a great combination… đ
Isn’t that line terrific? And the fun with layering is *YUM*!
Have to do a couple fix-it projects this morning, remove tub doors and replace a door lock, but then I think I may go sniffing at Saks. I’m wearing Santal Kardamon today.
Hope you got everything done and then had a nice shopping trip đ
Friday here – now that makes me happy! My skirt is grey with dark red roses, so Paestum Rose from Eau d’Italie seems appropriate.
You smell great.
Great match!
Happy Fri-YAY!
Paestum Rose is such a beauty and your skirt sounds fabulous!
SOTD is CdG Nomad Tea and I am claiming a CP point bc it is fun, happy scent. I get black tea with mint and brown sugar, and a little licorice. It is more rounded than the CdG Peppermint Sherbet, which I don’t really think of as sharp, but it is sharper than this. The sweetness softens the edges on this. Reminds me somewhat of Herba Fresca. I like it.
Tea today is Clipper Ship Nutcracker mixed with Bukhial Assam.
That CdG sounds like it will come in handy for next week’s weather!
Wearing a sample of Annick Goutal eau de Hadrian today. A nice citrus for another 90 degree day.
I took some clothing and books down to a charity resale shop today. It felt good to get the things out of the house and into the hands of someone who can use them.
I always feel good when I do that. It makes the house less full and you are helping someone else. Great job!
yay for you! I love dropping things off at my local women’s league charity shop. Last time I was there to drop off I bought a t-shirt that I love. đ
Song of the Day: https://youtu.be/mfI1S0PKJR8
There’s some Olympic-level cardiovascular endurance in this one…
So, my trip last month was to move my Mom into a skilled nursing facility. I’m glad that my brother had kept me up to date on her situation and condition, or else I probably would have broken down and cried the first time I saw her. Which wouldn’t have done anyone any good. As it was, it took every iota of self control I had not to loose it.
We’re getting used to this version of the new normal, my brother and I. She’s bedridden now. At first I wasn’t sure if my Mom knew who I was anymore. However, on the last two times I visited her before I flew back home, her face lit up when she saw me.
Some days, she doesn’t really eat anything, and keeps asking when she can go home. We’ve kept telling her that for now, she needs to stay where she is at. It’s heartbreaking to see a loved one deteriorate like that. She is under hospice care, and doctors have said that my Mom has maybe 6 months left.
Taking everything one day at a time.
SOTD = Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus. This is a happy-making perfume with surprising longevity on me. It isn’t cloying, either.
Oh Jalapeño, that’s a hard place to be, speaking from experience. Every resident in every nursing home wants to go home. Try not to let it get to you too much, get lots of rest and take care of yourself.
Thank you ringthing. I’ve been doing all right on self care. Every so often, I ask my brother if he is eating OK, and taking time for himself. He needs the reminder sometimes.
I’ve been thinking about you and hoping that you and your brother are holding up OK. I don’t have anything insightful to add, just that this sucks and I’m sorry you are enduring it.
Thanks Vee. It does suck. But my brother and I are adamant that no one sugar coat the situation. It is what it is, and for now, we are hanging in there.
My heart goes out to you jalapeno. It’s nice you and your brother have each other.
Thank you lillyjo. We’ve been holding each other up for a while now. Sometimes things get a little bumpy from the stress. But we always apologize after the bumps.
Hugs and much sympathy – also, my sister and I were the same; I’d guess somehow your Mother knows her children are supporting both her and each other and that brings her joy.
Oh, I’m so sorry that you and your family are going through this. Sending you love, and as others have said, please do all you can to take care of yourself.
Thanks Isabella.
Iâm so sorry to hear this, jalapeño. I sent you an email.
Thank you hajusuuri. Replied to it a little while ago.
So sorry that you and your brother are going through this…it is so hard, but know that you have each other and you are both doing your very best for your mother. That’s all any of us can do. Please take time for yourself, it will make you stronger for whatever lies ahead. Sending you nothing but good thoughts and lots of love.
Thanks jepster.
I’m so sorry that you are going through this. The only thing I can maybe add is to try to do a few ‘normal’ things; go shopping, go for walks, do some baking, visit a friend if you are up for it. When I was at my sister’s house when I was back home, we did some cooking together and also looked at old pictures; it was quite therapeutic for both of us. Plus I know her 2 cats also looked after me very well at the time.
Sending you hugs and good thoughts at this unsettling time.
Thank you Gail. Teflon the Wonder Cat has been very snuggly most mornings since I got back. Sometimes those kitty snuggles make it really hard to get out of bed. ?
I’m trying my best to avoid shopping temptation, which makes my credit card happier… ?
I am so sorry and sad to hear this Jalapeno. Sending hugs and keeping you and your family in my prayers.
Thanks perfumelover67.
One day at a timeâŠthinking of you and sending my best wishes for strength and peace.
Thank you LizzieB. It’s very much appreciated.
It’s good that you share here, Jalapeno.
I’m sorry about your mom.
Sending you a big hug.
Thanks tiffanie. NST has been a lifeline for me.
So hard. But hospice people are wonderful, they will keep her comfortable, and they often know more than doctors about how things will go in the last months.
Thinking of you. That is really tough.
I went through something similar with my mother in 2016. Hugs and courage to you and your brother.
I’m so sorry, Jalapeno. As some of you know if you read my blog, my sisters and I went through a similar experience with our mother some years ago (I wrote about it in a post called “My Mother’s Last Perfume”). I’m glad you and your brother are able to help each other and her through this. As one of my sisters had carried most of the load of managing our mom’s household and care after she had a major stroke (she lived 5 minutes away from her, I live 1000 miles away), I took charge of the eventual move into a skilled nursing facility. The most ironic moment was that after years of moving heaven and earth to keep her at home with 24/7 care, she looked around from her bed in the nursing home and said “I think this room is nicer than the last place, don’t you?” My sister and I almost fainted at the possibility that she had thought she was already in a nursing home for years! Old age — it’s not for sissies.
I wish you all the best as you navigate this stage. Hugs to you!
I had a happy discovery taday, found a bottle of Body Time China Rain liquid powder that I forgot I had. It smells so good and makes a perfect summer sotd.
Yay for finding hidden perfume treasures!
Still not feeling great, but I wore Coco Noir today so I could at least smell great!
Oh no. Feel better ASAP!
Oh oh, itâs been a few days. You do smell good though!
Sorry you don’t feel well!
Feel better soon, Lillyjo! ?
I hope you are feeling better soon lillyjo. You do smell great!
SOTD = Scents of Wood Plum in Cognac
So beautiful, inside and out!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSNnBubj_ZD/?utm_medium=copy_link
In other news, the NJ Dept. of Health person texted me again today. She wanted to make sure I had access to COVID resources since weâre âstarted on the road to recoveryâ. I decided to respond and said yes. I also took the opportunity to ask if she checked the state vaccine rolls before deciding to text people. She said no. I thanked her. A few moments later, she asked if I had the chance to get vaccinated yet. I responded that she should already have access to this info since she works at the NJ Dept. of Health, to which she replied that her clearance did not allow her to access those records which was why she was asking me. Okay ?. I then just told her to speak to her supervisor since she may be at risk of violating HIPAA. Why would I tell a perfect stranger my vaccination status? She has no right to seek out this information. My employer does, but not her. She ended the text session by providing a website address and phone number. I took the high road with her and called her out on her deceptive practices. Unbelievable!
Good for you for calling her out!
I had to smile though at the thought of her thinking ” uh oh, who did I text?” And hopefully realizing she could get in trouble.
That text exchange comes off as somewhat disturbing to me. I hate to say it, but was that person legit? Or a scammer?
Glad you responded and did some followup as well.
And thank you for response yesterday re: LVEBI. I checked my nearby store (not the mall) but they didn’t have it. I’m not comfortable going out yet to the mall due to rising cases even though I’m fully vaxxed. I can get $30 in points back next week so may take a chance on it and get it online.