This blog chronicles my life as I try to balance healthy lifestyle habits with my husband's penchant for pizza rolls and my daughter's desire to watch iCarly 8 hours a day. It contains a mostly humorous, kind, and somewhat spiritual look at everyday life and the people who live it.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Smells Like Home

I always find it amazing how powerful a 'scent memory' can be.  Every December I make Chex Mix for my family.  My mother always made it during the holidays and I guess the tradition just stuck.  Everytime I smell that mixture of Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, butter, and garlic it transports me back 30 years to childhood and smelling that same smell.





It happened last night when I opened a tube of AIM toothpaste.  My mom was a Crest-woman and only very, very occasionally did she buy anything else.  My brothers and I were always clamoring for her to buy AIM because we thought it tasted soooooo good.  Trying to bring a little more enthusiasm to my daughter's lackluster brushing I bought some AIM toothpaste, convinced I had hit upon the magic solution.  She didn't like the taste (!) but last night I used some, just feeling nostalgic.  The moment I took the cap off the tube I smelled that AIM toothpaste smell.  I could almost feel the scratchy lace of my old flannel nightgowns; almost hear my brothers arguing in the background; almost see my old brown and yellow bathroom of childhood.

I use vinegar a lot for cleaning (more on that next Tuesday!) and everytime I open the bottle I think of dying Easter eggs.   I had graham crackers and milk almost every day for after school snack for 12 years, so the smell of graham crackers makes me feel a little uptight - like maybe I have homework still to do...

And finally Bubble Gum Lip Smackers Gloss.  Junior High my friends, Junior High.

What scent memories do you have?

4 comments:

karen@fitnessjourney said...

Yes! I know what you mean. The other day I was in church and I could smell someone's perfume that brought back memories of childhood. It must have been the scent my grandma wore.

Also, the smell of laundry detergent always reminds me of my mom. She used to do all of the laundry on Friday nights when we were kids. I distinctly remember sitting on the floor in the living room eating popcorn and playing board games every time I smell laundry soap.

BTW, in reference to the comment you made on my blog about the women at the gym who make snide little comments about your attendance-what is that all about? Someone needs to get a life, huh?

Beth said...

And how about the smell of church? The incense used in the churches of my childhood is still the same. My grandma wore 'Beautiful' by Estee Lauder, I feel close to her whenever I smell it, even though she's been gone for years.

As for the attendance-keepers - I always wonder why they judge those of us who are actively parenting - I mean they were there once too, right?

Anonymous said...

Gee your hair smells terrific shampoo.....I always felt so cool when we had that.

What was the perfume for teens and youngins that was in a glass bottle and was pink and had a rounded white cap. Love something??????? Can anybody help this brain freeze?

Beth said...

Was it by any chance Love's Baby Soft? Oh my goodness does that bring back memories! My friends and I would splash that about, slick on the lip gloss, spray up the hair (aqua net, of course) and think we were the coolest of cool.

Yikes!