Monday, Nov. 8: First “free” day after the end of the Signature Scent Challenge week! Went a little wild with excitement, and put on SL La Myrrhe. Which I love, and which is easily the most expensive thing I own. Luckily, a single spritz lasts a long time for me – about ten hours. After that wore off, I went a little wilder and put on some Maison Francis Kurkdjian Lumiere Noire pour femme (one of your more unwieldy perfume names, I admit – nothing like the simplicity of Coty Emeraude!). Which I also love. Mmm.
Also, Bookworm was teasing me and I threatened her with Dior Poison, a.k.a. the Elixir of Death… I told her that if she ever did anything really mean to me, I was going to take that little bottle of parfum up to her room and drench her sports bras (she runs every day) in it as revenge. So I got Poison on my fingers, too. I was a strange-smelling cloud.
NaNo total word count: 13,420.
Tuesday, Nov. 9: Warmer today, should be back up into the low/mid-60s. The dregs of MFK Lumiere Noire pf were still on my wrists when I got up, and even survived a shower, but it’s too raunchy (for me) to wear to work, so I spritzed something I thought would cover it: Natori EdP. I love the aldehydes and plum in the top, I love the spicy-woody stuff, but there are a few balsamy moments that might possibly kill me if they got any more Opium-esque. As it is, Natori skates juuuust barely on the positive side of “Will I be able to keep my lunch down?” Also, it sticks around all day, so no other sampling.
NaNo total word count: 14,823. Gosh, this is getting harder and harder – I’ve written most of the major scenes, and now am stuck with stitching them together… I have also added a mystery/crime plot twist and am hampered by not knowing what the actual police procedure would be.
Wednesday, Nov. 10: Warm and sunny again. SOTD: Smell Bent One. Which reminds me – my bottle hasn’t shown up yet – I’ll go email them and see what’s happened to it… okay, deal is they didn’t get info from PayPal, and it’s now on its way, along with a few samples as an apology. Apology wasn’t necessary – mistakes happen! – but it was really sweet of Brent Leonesio to offer them. I’ll probably do another Smell Bent roundup with these, but since four out of the five don’t sound very much like “me,” I may do a prize draw for the slightly-used samples. It’s as good a way as any to pass on some scents that someone else might appreciate more than I do.
SB One stuck around most of the day, but before bedtime I spritzed some Alahine. Mmm.
NaNo Total word count: 15,853. Still slogging through.
Thursday, Nov. 11: Another chilly morning and warm afternoon. My fragrance choices are probably skewing more wintery than they would if I were taking more consideration of the weather, but it’s so dry and un-fall-like. I haven’t wanted Magie Noire or Tabac Aurea at all this week, I’m going for the cuddlies. I smelled so wonderful when I got up that I respritzed Alahine this morning. I love Alahine.
NaNo Total word count: 16,777.
Friday, Nov. 12: Weather the same. SOTD: Iris Poudre. Now that I’ve finally given in to my acquisitive impulses and gotten in on a split, I feel free to spritz from the sample.
Went to a conference with Taz’s 4th grade teacher this morning, on account of that Handwriting grade of “inconsistent,” with an “unsatisfactory effort” mark, on his report card, which was otherwise very good. None of my children have excellent handwriting, and I don’t insist on that. I’m going for legible here, and Taz definitely misses the mark. Mr. Souder and I now have a plan for addressing the issue, and Taz will find himself either focusing on doing a good and careful job, or pouting over the consequences, which include multiple rewrites, lower test grades, loss of computer/TV time, extra chores at home, and loss of pickup football games during recess. (The boy is capable of a mammoth pout. He’s also capable of tremendous effort, when he chooses to exert himself.) We’ll see if he decides to fulfill his capabilities.
The CEO took me out to dinner and then to a concert by the university orchestra (Dvorak’s New World Symphony), and I wore more Iris Poudre, which is wonderful stuff and certainly deserves more than the three stars it received in P:TG. I think LT was annoyed that it wasn’t very iris-y – I notice that fragrances with “bait and switch” names tend to get short shrift from him. We all have our little prejudices.
NaNo Total word count: 17,502. Lame.
Saturday, Nov. 13: More gorgeous short-sleeves weather. SOTD: Tauer Orange Star. I sprayed about half a spritz on my thumb, and am enjoying it more this time than the last two, but closer to my nose, I think, would kill me. Me n’ orange blossom iz Not Frends.
Wrapped up three shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child – we usually do one from each of our kids, and they help shop for and wrap each one. Passing a little bit of love around is a big thrill.
NaNo Total word count: 19,495.
Sunday, Nov. 14: Frost on the windshield this morning again, with Taz running around outside in shorts this afternoon. SOTD: Teo Cabanel Early Roses, from a sample sent to me by Dear Daisy, our Queen Enabler. In the early stages, I was thinking, “Meh, simple rose soliflore,” but the drydown is lovely and woody-fresh in the best possible way. It’s made in the same style as DelRae Coup de Foudre, a simulacrum of a living rose, but sticks around far longer than CdF. Every Teo Cabanel fragrance I’ve tried – well, there are only five – has been well-made of good materials, nothing fakey or cliched, coherent from top to bottom, even if I didn’t fall hard for all of them. Meloe is an un-ditzy, refreshing fruity floral done right. Oha is a beautiful, elegant rose chypre. Julia is a lovely, innocent mixed bouquet. And you already know how much I love Alahine, when I hadn’t expected to enjoy it at all.
NaNo Total word count: 23,602. I am a teeny-tiny bit ahead of the average pace – at the end of the day, on a 1667-words-a-day schedule, I should be at 23,358. My advantage is not enough to be significant, but given my struggles during Week Two, I’m pleased. My story has gotten tighter and more dramatic, less romance-focused, and I’m happy with that.
Image is Romantic Perfume from Ms. Tina at Flickr.
Muse in Wooden Shoes 
Hi Muse – your word counts are impressive! Glad you are out of Signature Scent Challenge – nice to visit but wouldn’t want to live there.
Still loving the Scent Diary because it brings perfume and life together. Well done!
Thanks for the kind words – I’m hopeful I’ll get to 50K.
And yes, I’ve been enjoying the “hm, what do I FEEL like wearing?” freedom.
A little fairy whispered in my ear that my parents have bought Lumiere Noire Pour Femme for me as a Christmas present – wheeee!!! 😀
Congratulations on your split of Iris Poudre! It sounds lovely, and perfect for you obviously.
I think I need to try the new Teo Cabanel. I’m impressed with the ones I’ve tried, even though Alahine doesn’t turn to magic on my skin. But I want a bottle of Oha 🙂
Good luck with your novel!
Marte – wow, a great Christmas present! LN is really beautiful.
Early Roses is very light, but gracious. Like you, I have been impressed with the quality and construction of the Teo Cabanels I’ve tried – they’re all well done.
I’m beginning to rethink my initial reaction to Iris Poudre – that drydown in heavenly. One thing though: I am totally out of the loop when it comes to splits. I’ve been to the wiki ScentSplits, but it never seems like there’s a lot of activity over there. (Actually contacted someone several months ago about a AT Incense Rose decant, and was told they were out. But the info is STILL up.)
So how do I get in on the action? Decants or splits would be a lot easier on the pocketbook right now.
Dionne, I have had relatively good luck at ScentSplits, but it may be partially because I just happened to have wanted items from sellers who are both active and reliable. At least twice, though, I’ve sent messages to sellers about items they’ve listed, and never heard back from them.
I am part of a group that organizes splits. However, I think it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to list contact details here on the blog, since it’s a relatively small group.
Ahh the scent diary has returned! I look forward to these!
I really must get around to trying Alahine. I have read countless reviews attesting to it’s beauty.
Looks like you are really cooking with the NaNoWriMo (did I get that right?). I struggle writing my blog so I couldn’t imagine writing over 23,000 words!
I’ll be posting Scent Diary regularly through November, usually on Sunday evening or Monday morning.
I think Alahine is one of those things like Chergui – either you “get it” and love it, or you’re wondering what all the fuss is about.
NaNo is going okay – I’m on track to finish on Nov. 30, but this time last year, I was at 30K… Grrr.