Sweet Treats

There are little things that are different now that I have changed my employment. I know it may sound ridiculous, but being able to wear nail varnish and douse myself with perfume at work – there is something charming about it. I also am loving having my long hair down.

Some jobs are so exhausting that you forget you are a woman! That can be said of a lot of the roles within the NHS…as well as other professions. I do sort of like being able to claim back some of my femininity. I had no idea how much it meant to me.

I still miss the team I have been working with for the past two and a half years very much. I do wish they were all working with me.

Mon Parfumerie

It’s a funny old world – and I am convinced it is on it’s way out, to be replaced by something much healthier and brighter.

There’s not a lot I will miss of the commercial world. The only thing that I found alluring was perfumeries. Perhaps perfume is my weakness. Splashing myself with perfume and dressing up to go out is something I love. I am not particularly in to cosmetics, but perfume – yes!

I have never had much spare cash that I could allow myself to spend on perfume…but over the years I have been gifted at times and I have a short list of my favourites:

If I could only choose one perfume to wear for the rest of my life, it would be Sì by Giorgio Armani.

I really love this scent. It is sweet and has my favourite vanilla undercurrents. I love that whenever I wear it people always comment that I smell gorgeous. It is not too heavy. I could wear it during the day time as their is a freshness as well as an intoxicating sweetness.

It was the perfume I was wearing the night I met Goldfinch and it is the one I always splashed myself with when I was on my way to see him.

I remember surprising him once (wasn’t the only time I surprised him!) by turning up at Victoria Coach Station to meet him as soon as his coach arrived. He thought I would be waiting for him to come to my home. I remember walking towards him and throwing my arms around him. He was surprised. He teased me by saying I smelt just like his girlfriend and was just as beautiful.

Aaaah! Sigh. Happy memories.

Another favourite that became a perfume due to very happy memories is Girls Can Do Anything by Zadig and Voltaire.

If you know your perfumes you will know I fell for this one because it is also packs a huge punch of vanilla. I like perfumes that smell like naughty puddings or freshly baked cakes. Every nose is different – I think some prefer a more fruity scent or a floral aroma. But I like perfume which makes me hungry.

I discovered this perfume at Heathrow Airport on the way to Australia last summer. It’s another perfume I would wear during the day time. The balance of fresh and sweet are just right for me.

I also like it because not many of my friends know this perfume. Lots of my friends love Sì by Giorgio Armani as much as I do. But this is a perfume that is not so well known. I like smelling a little bit different than my friends – sometimes it’s good to leave people intrigued.

In the evening, for romantic dinners or big social events, I like to wear a more heavy heady perfume.

Some years ago I was exploring perfumes in John Lewis department store on Oxford Street in London, and a sales assistant  introduced me to Kenzo Flower D’Ilixir. I was smitten!

To me wearing this perfume is like sinking into caramel. There is a very exotic bouquet of flavours wrapped up in my favourite vanilla binding.

It is definitely more of an evening perfume. It would make me dizzy to walk round wearing such a heavy scent during the daytime.

I have not been out for anything special for months so I have not had chance to wear this perfume recently. It is sitting abandoned on my bedside table.

One of the first perfumes I ever fell in love with is Miss Dior (formally Miss Dior Cherie). I think it was in Boots Pharmacy in Manchester City Center, when a sales assistant asked me to try it.

This perfume is a heavy fruity cocktail with a huge allure to it. It is oh so seductive. It was my signature perfume for years, until I started to find it a little too heavy for me.

Now my former favourite is something I wear for evenings out and splash myself with before I slip into bed with my beloved.

Speaking of my beloved. I bought a scent for him.

This time I was in a Debenhams’ store. I tried lots of men’s cologne and was not satisfied with any of them. I kept on giving my verdict to the assistant helping me. I would say, “Oh no, this is way too girly”, “No, no, this one smells like toilet cleaner”, “This one is too sharp” or “This smells exactly like Lynx”.

I kept on describing to the assistant the way I feel a man should smell. He found me this Bvlgari Wood Essence.

It is gorgeous. I love that after I gifted my beloved with it, he would remember to wear it whenever I was visiting.

When I miss him…and I miss him so often…I have a way to trigger a cascade of wonderful memories within my mind. I find a department store and go to the men’s cologne section. I look for the scent that brings back the memory of breathing in his skin.

Perfumes can be very powerful. In many ways they are unique to the nose that detects them and falls under their spell. These are my favourites…and I hope to add more to the collection.

Wonderful Wisteria

Whenever I leave my sweet little abode I am greeted by this view.

It is so so pretty.   As soon as I lock up my front door I turn and there it is, next door’s wisteria.  My heart lifts with the prettiness I encounter.  I think I have the best view of it and am able to enjoy it more than they are!  I can sit in the little courtyard outside my kitchen, reading a book and enjoying the sunshine and every time I look up, there it is.  Such a pretty view.

One of my friends came round and did not share my enthusiasm.  He said wisteria is a hay-fever sufferer’s worst nightmare!  Poor guy.  I don’t send many men away from my flat with their eyes streaming with tears – honestly!  He was almost choking on whatever was aggravating his airways. I keep some anti-histamines in the cupboard now, just in case any of my friends/visitors have an allergic reaction to the beautiful flowers outside my little abode.

I felt very sorry for him that day.  The scent from the wisteria is absolutely divine!  I think that is the aroma that I breathe in every time I come in and out of my flat.

There are also two huge camellia bushes either side of the gate that I come through.  It might be them.  Or perhaps a combination of these intoxicating perfumes.  I have no idea what makes up the delightfully sweet fragrance that blesses me, but it is sheer paradise.  I almost feel proud bringing friends through the exquisite aromas that lead to my front door.

When I walk in and out of my little abode there are beautiful pink petals all over the drive-way – it feels as if I am on my way to make my marriage vows.

I love May.  Summer is ahead.  I love summer.  But in May everything is still fresh and lush.  The colours in May are extraordinary.  So many stunning flowers and the fruit trees all laden with blossom.  The little pocket I live in is blessed with pretty gardens and many many trees.  In fact, I can walk five minutes and then arrive at woodland which leads onto one of London’s larger parks.

I have no idea what I am still doing indoors telling you about this.  It is a lovely sunny day.  I am going to put my walking shoes on and head out to soak it all up.

via Redolent — Word of the Day Challenge