Monday, Oct.17: Beautiful weather today. Cleaned out the fridge and packed up a few things for Goodwill; changed sheets on the guest bed. Did some planning for NaNoWriMo, which starts next month. I’ve decided: I’m gonna be a NaNo Rebel this year: I’ll be working on a previously-begun work instead of starting from scratch like you’re s’posed to do. The purists will tell you that the idea is to write a novel in one month – but let’s be honest here, hardly any novel is only 50,000 words long. And even if you get the entire plot into 50K, it’ll be so bare bones as to be hardly worth reading. So nyah nyah and so there: just because I’ve already got 9K done on “Bright as Day,” that doesn’t mean my 50K of work in November won’t count. Phlpphhbbllbh!
The mail brought many goodies: a few samples, including one of SL Vitriol d’Oeillet, from lovely Tammy (thank you, Tammy!), a large sample of DSH Pandora I won in the draw at This Blog Really Stinks (thanks, Jen and Dawn!), a 5ml split of Tableau des Parfums Miriam (thanks, Celina!), an order of empty sample vials I’m splitting with some friends, a 2.5ml spray of SSS Jour Ensoleille, and two samples of raw materials, both lactones, that Laurie Erickson at SSS sent me because I was trying to figure out the celery note in her “classic” scent tester (thanks, Laurie! BTW, it’s definitely not either of these). I put a spritz of Pandora on one arm – lovely, and wow, can that thing ever run with vintage Miss Dior parfum! – and one of Miriam on the other. I love Miriam, but then I thought I probably would. The sandalwood in it is To. Die. For. Review coming this week the week of 10/24.
Tuesday, Oct. 18: Rainy morning, dry afternoon. SOTD: TdP Miriam, which is just as beautiful as it was yesterday. Registered for NaNoWriMo, where it quickly became apparent to me that I am officially a Rebel this year, since instead of starting from scratch, I’ll be writing at least 50K words on “Bright as Day,” which I began working on this past summer. I’ve only got… lessee, about 9400 words written on it, and lots of story left to tell. But for NaNo, you’re supposed to start fresh… so I’m rebelling. I suppose that means I can’t “win.” Grr.
Bookworm tells me that there were spats in the trumpet section at band practice today. Section leader Cooper was out sick, and PETBoy, the other section leader, had gone back to the band room to get something for the director, and two separate arguments broke out among the remaining seven trumpet players. This bodes ill for the upcoming competition. There was also a tiff in the saxophone section, but it seems to have been a misunderstanding/miscommunication, and has cleared up now with no hard feelings.
Wednesday, Oct. 19: Rain just about all day. (Rats – I was going to mow today.)
SOTMorning: SL Vitriol d’Oeillet. It’s perfectly nice, but not exciting, and not much like a fresh carnation either. Not that it ever promised to be a fresh carnation, but I was disappointed that it was so much more pepper-and-woods than flowers. It’s reminiscent of Old Spice, actually, so much so that I thought I was smelling my dad, ca. 1976, while wearing Vd’O. Old Spice doesn’t smell nearly as good as it used to, I notice. But I think I’d rather have Old Spice than Vd’O, at Lutensian prices. SOTAfternoon: Vivienne Westwood Naughty Alice, which is sort of a cross between Annick Goutal La Violette and the (lovely) benzoin-musk base of Mariella Burani. It’s very pretty and not naughty at all. Gaze had a sniff and said, “That’s nice. It’s very floral, isn’ t it?” Yep.
Then I let Gaze smell a bunch of things I’d gotten as samples or minis from Fragrancenet the other day, without telling him what he was smelling, other than that they were all either specifically marketed to men or designated unisex: Blue Sugar (“Ew. That smells sugary.”), Acqua di Parma Profumo (“It’s… fruity. But not dumb. I like it. It reminds me of something, I can’t remember what.”), Comme des Garcons 2 Man (“Ha, ha! It smells like… a store. You know? Like the furniture store where we got our mattresses last year.”), and Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight in Paris (“This is nice. Smells like cologne. And… leather, maybe?”). Gaze has a very good nose! I sent him away with the Midnight in Paris mini after putting a drop on his wrist, him saying that it didn’t smell anything like he would imagine midnight in Paris to smell like.
Thursday, Oct. 20: Um… gosh. What DID I do? I wrote some, I know that. Did some laundry. SOTD: Liz Zorn Historical Chypre. Went to community chorus practice, after missing two weeks in a row (middle school football game last week, kid sick the week before).
Friday, Oct. 21: Nice weather. Dropped the boys off at school, did some banking, went by the Walgreen’s for a pharmacy item. I had hoped to sniff that blackberry-vanilla-leather thing that Kevin reviewed at NST this week, Keith Urban Phoenix. I’m not a huge KU fan, but I’m not opposed to him in principle. Walgreen’s did not have a tester for Phoenix, but they did have a long line of testers available: Beyonce Heat, Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds, Faith Hill, McGraw, Usher Black, and… something else masculine I can’t remember. Tested Faith Hill on one wrist and McGrawon the other: Faith Hill is not-bad in the waft four inches above my hand, but completely hideous close up, a chemical spill of something that pretends to be lily of the valley and magnolia, but isn’t. McGraw is more successful, an old-fashioned fougere with a tiny hint of leather (not enough, IMO), perfectly pleasant but forgettable. Honestly, Old Spice is far more distinctive.
Baked three pans of brownies for the band bake sale, cut them and bagged them individually. Went over to my late grandmother’s house and moved a perfectly fine, unwanted couch and two chairs to our house, and then spent the afternoon moving furniture around in here. Looks different, but nicer. And now, I see, I really must paint the living/dining/kitchen area. The walls look horrible. SOTD: Jacomo Silences, which was wonderful today, all green and crisp and sweet.
Was supposed to have chaperoned the band at tonight’s football game, but given that there are several kids sick or recovering, and the big competition is tomorrow, the director decided to give them the night off. They had a quick practice, and then skipped off home. Bookworm pulled into the driveway at 5:30, an unheard-of early time for her. She was in bed at 8:30, poor tired baby.
Saturday, Oct. 22: Weather absolutely gorgeous – sunny and breezy, with temperatures in the middle 60s. Spent all day at the marching band festival. SOTD: Parfums de Nicolai Vanille Tonka, an early perfume love of mine that remains my “happy” choice for cooler weather. If you’re not familiar with it, here’s a brief description: tangy lime, carnations, spice, a hint of creamy vanilla, and a dry, smoky, piney frankincense. Wonderful stuff.
The high school cross-country team, which includes Bookworm and three other band kids, ran at the district meet this morning before coming to the band competition. Bookworm did not have a good race, coming in 21st or 22nd (we’re still not sure) despite working hard; The CEO told me she threw up as soon as she crossed the finish line. Her time was 87 seconds faster than the last time she ran on this particular course, but our sports district happens to have the most cut-throat competition in the state for long-distance running, and the pace is very fast.
I’m not sure what’s going on with the band kids – maybe the dissension in the ranks earlier in the week took a toll, or maybe they worked hard all morning and by performance time they’d exhausted all their adrenaline, but the show was… flat. In terms of marching, the technical skills were not bad, and the music sounded fine, but there wasn’t any fire to the performance. It wasn’t exciting. I knew that they wouldn’t be given that all-important “Superior” score, and they weren’t. They received “Excellent.” This is like getting a B grade when you wanted an A. I am unaccountably bummed. Also, I am pretty worried about PETBoy, who seems to be having a rough week. He looks grim, not his usual expression.
Sunday, Oct. 23: Another lovely day weatherwise. PETBoy went with us to church but was remarkably silent. I think he’s going through a period of missing his mother badly. (In case you missed the story, she died very suddenly last spring.)
SOTD: Mary Greenwell Plum. Gosh, I love this. Our church’s worship leader has released a CD, and it’s terrific, so I’ll put in a plug for Cody Davenport. Go buy his worship CD.
Image of perfume collection is from user fpih at Fragrantica.
I love these fragrance diaries of yours! I just went “back in time” (clicked the tag “Scent Diary”) and started reading all of them.
You sound like a wonderful Mom, so involved and attentive, and not just with your own children. I take it CEO is Dad?
And my word, I wish I had your energy!!
~Michelle for Primal Mist perfumes
Thank you, Michelle.
“The CEO” is indeed my husband – it’s sort of a joke, because one day, six or seven years ago, the kids drew parking spaces with chalk on the driveway for us, and I thought it would be funny if I labeled them Chief Executive Officer (him) and Chief Operating Officer (me). I like being a mother, yes!
I wish I had my kids’ energy…
Hi, Mals. Sorry to hear there’s unrest in the band world. Hope things are pretty much smoothed out by now. And I feel badly for poor PETBoy. It’s hard enough to lose a parent anytime, but high school? Yikes, that’s rough. And I speak from experience as my mom died right after I graduated. We weren’t close (my grandparents raised me), but it still takes a toll. I’m sure you’re helping him by supplying him with some of the much-needed mom TLC though. Give him a big hug …
Hi, Ann! The band seems to be over the turmoil now, according to Bookworm. I think the stress of this Big Competition was getting to everyone. (I do think, based on the personalities of the people arguing, that if either one of the section leaders had been at practice at that moment, there wouldn’t have been any argument,. Amy yelled at Anthony for being out of place in the set, Anthony yelled back, Jolly came over from the drumline to yell at Anthony for yelling at Amy, who’s Jolly’s girlfriend. Then Marissa yelled at Amy for daring to yell at Anthony when she, Amy, isn’t even a senior or a section leader, and if anybody should have been yelling at Anthony, it should have been Marissa because she, Marissa, is a senior. Whew. If PETBoy had already gotten back to the field from the band room, it would have been something like, “Hey, B – is this right?” “Lemme check my set list… no, Anthony, you’re about three yards over and two steps too far back. Fix it, okay?” And that would have been the very end of the whole discussion.)
Poor PETBoy is really having a rough time, but Bookworm says he’s in better spirits today. He’s still extremely shy with me, but he will accept hugs. I worry about him especially because he’s one of those people who goes silent when they’re upset, and then tells you, “I’m fine.” He did, finally, talk to Bookworm a little, which made me worry a little less.