Scratch and Sniff

I have a very good sense of smell, and I've always been proud of it. The reason I am proud is because of my mother. When I was in 2^nd grade our old cat Sloopy (named after the song, “Hang on Sloopy”) was nearing the end of her life and couldn't hold her bladder. Don't know how my mom figured out I had a good sniffer but she would send me around the house, on my hands and knees sniffing the carpet until Eureka! I'd find the cat pee spot and we'd clean it. We often joke about this in our family and I honestly am not scarred by this um........child abuse?? ;) I am proud of my sniffer. Here is a list of things that evoke a memory when I smell them..... just for fun.

Tone Soap: The smell takes me right to the upstairs bathroom in our house in Willingboro where we grew up.

Finesse Shampoo: The outdoor shower on summer vacation in Long Beach Island. And my sister Brenda's hair.

Nag Champa Incense: Early days of dating Chris. He always smelled like this.

Cabbage Patch Kids: Reminds me most of our lifelong friend Chelsea Rae and her Grannie's house.

Drakkar Noir Cologne: Takes me to working at my dad's restaurant when I was about 14. When Z. Cavaricci pants were cool. One of the employees I had a crush on wore it.

Camp Fire: Reminds me of a Flannel jacket Chris wore when we were dating (red and black plaid). It took on the smell of a bonfire we were at with our youth group.

Gain Laundry detergent: Smells like a boy I went to school with.

Country Apple hand soap from Bath & Bodyworks: Cherry Hill mall, before it got all Hoighty-Toighty.

Johnson's Lavender Baby Shampoo: My boys when they were babies. I still buy it once in a while for nostalgia.

Baby Magic shampoo: When my cousins, Laura, Jason & Katie were babies.

Lilac's: My childhood, house in Willingboro, Springtime, and my teachers. My mom always gave me a bouquet for my teachers. The steams were wrapped in a wet paper towel and then aluminum foil.

Mildew: A family members basement. (no names)

Old Spice: My dad's clean shaven face.

Artificial Strawberry Smell: My sister Brenda's Strawberry Shortcake doll that blew kisses if you squeezed her belly.

Lemons: Romanian Easter Bread. Although it tastes nothing like lemon we grate the lemon rind and add that.

Alcohol on someones breath: Reminds me of working at CVS as a Pharmacy Technician. Apparently a lot of drunk people came in there to get their meds.

Onions: Grandmom Fisher “You don't know what your missing,” she'd say. Ahh, yes I do, onion breath.

Bonnie Bell Lip Smackers(grape): My Aunt Jeri. She had a big tube of this when I was a little girl and I would beg her to let me use it.

Paint: There is a back stair way at our church. Whatever paint was used to paint the steps must be the same paint that was used in my High school. (The steps going down to the locker room to get ready for gym class).

Murphy's Oil Soap: Saturday morning chores.

Gasoline: Being in the car with my mom, usually sandwiched between my two sisters.

Dreft Laundry Soap: Sweet, sweet smell of newborn babies.

“When you first smell a new scent, you link it to an event, a person, a thing or even a moment. Your brain forges a link between the smell and a memory -- associating the smell of chlorine with summers at the pool or lilies with a funeral. When you encounter the smell again, the link is already there, ready to elicit a memory or a mood. Chlorine might call up a specific pool-related memory or simply make you feel content. Lilies might agitate you without your knowing why. This is part of the reason why not everyone likes the same smells.”