As I get older, my eyesight has gotten worse, my hearing is on the blink, but my sense of smell seems to be as good as ever.
Sometimes, that’s a good thing. Sometimes, not so much.
Here are some of the scents (along with with a little nonsense) that get my attention:
Coffee — I love the smell of brewing coffee in the morning, but I hate the taste of it. I know, I’m weird. I meet with guys for breakfast every week and I’m the only one who doesn’t drink the stuff. I get my fountain coke for my caffeine after I leave
Newly-mown grass — The wetter the better. That sweet smell reminds me of baseball, golf courses and a well-tended yard. Just don’t track it in if your spouse is like mine.
Landfills — Roll up the windows if the wind is blowing your way. Geez, I feel sorry for anybody who has to live near one of those man-made mesas of methane.
Tomato plants — Not the tomatoes themselves but the leaves and stalks. Who would have guessed I would rather put my nose to them than to a rose?
Skunk — Get me a gas mask. Is there a more pungent smell around? And yet skunks are so cute — unless they have been turned into roadkill for foolishly following the raccoon across the highway. And the smell seems to linger. Anybody ever been sprayed by one?
Asphalt (or blacktop) — Ah, yes, the smell of summer when the road work is in full force. Can’t say I like it. Can’t say I dislike it, either. I do like the finished product, though, when you don’t have to worry about potholes — for a while anyway.
Popcorn — I once tried to make a bowl for myself late at night when the kids were in bed. They were around the table before the last kernel had popped. A closed door isn’t going to stop that enticing aroma.
Toe jam — That dirt that gets between your toes and underneath your nails has a unique odor, more pungent that any other body parts that collect dirt. Feel free to take my word for it.
Dog ears — I know I am a sicko but one of my many quirks is to pull back the ear of a dog and give it a whiff. It was especially satisfying with our Bassett hound Ernie who sported 14-inch ears. I miss that dog.
Ethanol — I sort of miss that smell from the old ethanol plant that used to waft over South Bend, especially at night when they seemed to crank up the operation. It smelled like yeast at best and a cattle drive across the plains at worst.
Old Spice — It’s my deodorant of choice, probably because my dad used it. I can hold a stick of it under my nose in the early morning and it works as good as smelling salts. I also used to be a sweat machine. I wore it on my first date with my wife. Must have worked.
Burning leaves — I know, a no-no. It’s bad for the air and for the lungs. But gosh, I love it so — even though my leaves are blown to oblivion by our neighborhood’s yard service.
Do you have a smell or aroma or stench that stimulates or stymies your nose? Share with me. I guess I’m just nosey about those kinds of things.
Contact Bill at [email protected]