Parties, Perfume, Musings and Old Men

Last time I threatened to write about the Baby Shower Garden Party – and it has come and gone, so here’s the review of that:  it was GREAT!  I loved planning it – and making myself crazy worrying about it – and then the magical transition that should always happen, when you stop worrying about What People Will Think about your fabulousness and start looking forward to folks just having a good time.  The garden is not at its best this time of year and the Summer Bomb Cyclone that ripped through Iowa and Illinois did a number on the remaining flowers… but y’know what?  None of that mattered.  It looked lovely, the guest of honor seemed absolutely charmed by the entire thing, all family and friends had a lovely time – and that was the whole point!  These people have gone out of their way to make me feel welcomed and loved here in Hooterville – it was such an honor to return the favor!  Social Distancing wasn’t difficult – 10 people were in my garden, which is pretty big and, as her Mum said, “I didn’t know you had so much patio furniture (I do!)” – and most of the people invited have spent most of the lockdown in relative proximity.  Those few who have not been in constant contact kept themselves well away from Mrs Baby, which was my biggest concern.

I used all the china, silver, linens – all the ladies were delighted – and so was I.  I’mo use all that stuff all the time, now.  Why not, right?  It’s pretty – and I like it!  Food:  people ATE!!!  yay!  they ate a LOT!  (double YAY!)… lookit these cutie cupcakes!

I was a bit unnerved that there were so many left over, thinking perhaps that they were inedible… then I remembered:  that carrot recipe produced 36 cupcakes, the chocolate recipe produced 48!! – and I had 12 little lemon bites!  Ten women can only eat so many cupcakes.  The rest went home with the grandmas, to feed the guys!  Ain’t nobody got time for a bazillion cupcakes, not in this house (Jane got ONE carrot cupcake – she was thrilled!).  They stayed from 4p to NINE!   which was high praise, indeed (people party to a schedule around here – it’s eerie.  4p-6p?  At 6p they are OUT!).    The best part?  Sunday morning,  it was like it never happened!  Linens in the wash, dishes done, decorations down and everything put back… Oh, Happy Day!

So! Today The Girl and I walked down to the post office – on the way down we stopped and said hello to our neighbor, Mr S.  He and his boys are the ones who butcher their deer in the yard with the hook and the 55 gal drum of boiling water over an open flame, right there 30′ from the sidewalk, bless their horts… they are crusty, dusty, gnarly MEN.  Men’s men. Hillbilly Men (his own Loud and Proud definition).  He’s been married to Mrs S for 230 years, and he doesn’t have a flirtatious bone in his body – which makes what happened today all the more miraculous (because it Wasn’t About Me – we chat 2-3 times a week, with no incident).  We were yapping under the maple tree in his front yard – he on one end and I on the other – and suddenly he came around the table to stand  across from me, standing about 4′ away.  We finished talking and I gathered The Girl up to go and he said “I just wanted to tell you that I really like the perfume you’re wearing!  It smells so….. NICE!  I could smell it on the breeze, then it would go away – and come back again.  That’s why I moved to the end of the table, to smell it better!”

Lawd Jayzus!  Really?  That’s like… I dunno…. the Power of Olfaction!  This crusty old man could no more help trying to smell it better than he could stop breathing.  Nothing to do with me – everything to do with Olfaction.

Oh.  Ya wanna know what the perfume was?  Hold onto yer butts!  Coty Sand ‘n Sable.  A vintage edt I got, sans cap, at a rando garage sale a few years back.  Huh.

I wonder what he would’ve thought of…say.. Amouage Epic?  Aromatics Elixir? Opium?  hmmm… you never know… but somehow… I dunno…

What do you think?  Has this ever happened to you?  The last time it happened to me was Amouage Dia – and that was a woman friend asking (ditto Calyx, which was queried in a diner by a woman.)  El O was peeved that I was ‘always getting attention’ – “people are always wanting to talk to you!”.  Oh, michty me!   I should’ve run, screaming….and spritzing! 😉