It’s been one of those weeks so forgive me a messy post.
Started last Sunday, when new DIY guy came by (previous one has disappeared) and didn’t wear a mask. I wore one. I wear them everywhere and with anyone I don’t know and trust. They are no longer required here so I wasn’t sure about asking him. Yes, I know I should up my oomph – I’ve asked every other person who has entered the house and they’ve all agreed (even if the builder’s broke and he had to hold it on). So, not sure what the issue was here.
In any case, he was supposed to come do stuff on Saturday but called Friday to say he’d tested positive for Covid. Sigh. What a complete numpty. Clearly, Saturday activities were cancelled, although he seemed to think maybe it would be ok if he did come. I had already started testing last Tuesday because I trusted him as far as I could throw him. Did it again on Friday, then on Saturday … So far, all tests negative. Fingers remain very crossed.
And the time changed here today – spring forward. So, I’m feeling befuddled.
And I bought a lovely looking dress from Boden. It arrived, tried it on. Absolutely.Not. Back it went.
And the car’s tyre which was patched about a month ago is leaking air again. This time, we’re doing a new wheel (ie, the metal part) and a new tyre. However, wheel is coming from factory in Italy … I keep topping up the air and will see if I can bring the car up to the garage and just leave it with them till the stuff arrives. I can local bus and train places if I need to.
And then there’s inflation. I know you don’t want to read about inflation on a perfume blog, but I was looking at my Diptyque Feu de Bois (small) candle and thought “This needs replacing soon”. So, I thought, I’ll do it now because lord knows how high prices are going to go here. Got one off the Diptyque site and my two free-bees included a sample of Eau Plurielle which I’ll talk about below. Seriously, how long before my skincare rises in price? And any perfume I get gooey over?
My food shops have become significantly more expensive. Petrol has clearly sky-rocketed in price.
Per the Diptyque purchase above, I have this weird thing going where I feel like I should hoard now before prices really do rise considerably. We’re due 8% inflation in a month.
And then today I was walking on a private road in the village with the dog which I’ve done for almost nine years when the new owner of the house at the end of the road pulled up next to me and said “this is a private road”. To which I said “I’ve been walking here for years, along with everyone else”. To which he repeated it’s a private road and in the next week or so it’s going to have a gate. Ok, whatever. You don’t want us plebs near you. Joe the pooch will be disappointed (as I am — we once saw a fawn on the road at dusk — one of those incredibly pleasurable memories you tuck away).
Anyway, Eau Plurielle. Launched 2015 (clearly, I missed this). Fragrantica labels it a woody aromatic.
Per Diptyque site, ivy and roses. It comes in this huge 200ml bottle and costs around £80. It appears to be meant to be used like Jean Nate – wash in it.
It is verrrrry green and as ever green things aren’t hugely good on me. Ironically, because it doesn’t work that well the longevity is great – like eight number of hours later I can still smell it. There is some rose but it’s an innocent one that got rained on. Not my type of rose.
It doesn’t do much on me – ie, develop. Just this slightly juicy green thing with a bit of rose if I really smell hard.
The other sample thrown in was Philosykos ‘cleansing hand and body gel’. That appears to mean it’s sort of a shower gel but more. I adore Philosykos – a warm weather staple. I haven’t used this yet but I did open and smell it and it’s that great milky figgy thing. I think the Philosykos bottle needs to come out of the box.
I supremely hope your week was better than mine. To make up for my grumpiness please tell us something nice that happened and a fragrance you wore that made you very happy.
(And for reasons I don’t understand I set the featured image of the cat at top and it’s showing half of it. Sigh…)
What a bum week you had Cinnamon, except for the excitement of receiving fragrant things.
Why do people have to be assholes? Gate guy sounds like a twat.
Portia xx
Ugh and double ugh- anyone comes into my place wears a mask, period. It’s not like I ask they wear ass-less chaps and a tube top. Just freaking do it.
Hearing you on the tire, as you will read tonight. Bore, bore, bore. I wish I had Christine. Minus the murdering people, mind you. Except she could go do donuts on Mr. Private Road’s front lawn. Hope your pooch crapped on it. I’d like to..
Yes on masks. I’m still a bit flummoxed as to why I didn’t confront him (particularly given he’s the only one I know of who actually caught covid). I clean up after Joe the lab. But I’m expecting people will climb over the gate (if it’s not too high) with their little dogs and leave gifts. Just desserts.
Sorry about your week–I’ve had some of those myself.
I’m not a huge Diptyque fan (oh I love their aesthetic, etc., just the perfumes are not ‘me’). But I do love Tam Dao and their candles.
Boo to the guy who wants to erect a gate. Don’t we have enough issues with divisiveness?
Which perfumes make you gooey, Cinnamon? I was thinking the same thing the other day–maybe I should buy now before prices are even more crazy? Hmmmm.
Indeed, it is divisive and it’s going to be interesting to see what happens. Perfumes and gooey-ness … right now, I’m big on Tauer Sundowner which I’ve got on today. It needs to get a little warmer and then it will definitely be Philosykos.
Sorry about your bad week! If lilacs make you happy – they do me – try Gucci Guilty Pour Femme EDP (not the EDT). It has a lovely lilac note, and I’m enjoying it as our Spring finally arrives in Dallas.
I love the smell of lilacs on the bush — not so much in perfume. But thanks for making me think of them. The one at the neighbour’s should be in bloom in April. Wonderful.
Oh Cinnamon, you have good reason to be grumpy, except for your photo of your cat, who is adorable!
Here are my solutions to the pests plaguing you recently.
The kind of people who bully their way to becoming chairperson of the neighbourhood watch/jury foreperson/lead flower arranger at their local church etc are terribly insecure. For good reason. No one likes them.
The next time you walk by Gandalf’s house (You shall NOT PASS), smile sweetly and ask him if he too has noticed that the tone of the neighbourhood has been brought down recently. SUCH a shame….only the BEST sorts of people used to reside here, blah blah
On a slightly more productive, but not as enjoyable note, you can check with the council to ask if it is in fact a private road. I’ve heard that some people falsify signs just to have their own way. Even if it is private, ask the council if the homeowner has a legal right to install the gate and keep people out. What are the consequences if somebody opens the gate and continues through? Trespassing charges? Does he intend to call the constabulary when Nan visits her grandchildren next door? I honestly can’t imagine the police taking action if walkers simply mind their own business and stroll with their dogs. The police might however charge Gandalf with causing a public nuisance if he harasses others.
Then be sure to make an anonymous call to the local paper about a juicy story coming up in court.
As for DIY Dick…, the
next time he actually turns up, why don’t you liberally spray a fragrance on yourself, in close proximity to his work bag. You know, one of those obnoxious fragrances which linger forever.
Karma is overly sweet, just like La Vie en Belle.
Have a happy, if slightly vindictive week. X
Not the council’s issue. There are places in this village where the householder(s) own the road and maintain it. That’s the case here. House used to be a working farm. No longer. Will see how things unfold. So far, I don’t think I’ve seen them anywhere in the village proper.
oh, and not my cat — just a cat who looked grumpy and fierce. It is rather lovely.
Sorry for your rotten week! I hope things improve this week and that your covid tests continue to stay negative.
Perfume that made me happy? Big blasts of vintage Coco yesterday. It smells so wonderful.
thank you. Coco is not one of mine but I admire it on others.
I hope you continue to test negative on COVID — I have had workmen here but fortunately they all show up with a mask (I’m wearing one when I greet them, and I have extras I can offer if needed.) They’re not required here either but I figure it shouldn’t shock anyone, our statewide mandate just dropped a few weeks ago. Sorry you’ve had an annoying week!
I did another last night and it was negative. So, ok so far. I don’t know why I didn’t confront him on mask given I’ve asked everyone else to wear one. He is a bit of a ditz and maybe that threw me.
well. you had A Week! That’s for sure. Glad you are testing neg for COVID.
Hang in there, honey!
xoxoxo
Had acupuncture today. So feeling more cheerful.
Oh cinnamon, what a rotten week! I’m so sorry! I hope you continue to test negative. And “Boo!” to the man on the private road. How selfish to not let a dog walker enjoy the road, too. I remember that Plurielle really well. For me it was the one that got away, sort of. I encountered it in a department store, loved it at first sniff, debated and overthought it, left. And next time I was there, they didn’t have it anymore. Ha!
So, is Plurielle no longer at that department store? Can you order Diptyque where you are? I will be curious to see how people react to the gate once it goes up.
I do hope good things also happened in your days and week. I keep a gratitude list every night before I go to bed. It helps me shift my focus. I went to a perfume-making workshop yesterday and made two perfumes. It was a blast. I have to let them cure for six weeks, but they smell divine in the bottle. We got to make labels, too. I called my house Casa di Tabasso. The first fragrance is Fields with neroli, jasmine, tuberose, nag champa, amber, tobacco, and Burmese woods. The second is Lair with tomato leaf, rose, violet, black currant, and leather. Then I took myself out to eat at a Nepalese restaurant and went to the barn to groom two horses before the workshop. A perfect day. Alone but wonderful.
Thank you. Workshop sounds like a lot of fun. I recently learned from my German studies that in German alone is allein, which sounds to me like aligned, which is rather positive.
Some people just need a good old bitch slap! Sadly you came across two within a week! I’m like you about masks. I wear them & expect others to.
The DIY man? More a DIM man.
The new owner of the private road? Watch out, sounds like the horror that is the new money arriviste who arrives & “wants to do something in the Community”. Usually that means stopping the community having access to anything they own but want to take over every committee they can on the Parish Council to promote their own interests. Yep, they really do still exist!
Sigh. Yes. I haven’t run into the private road guy anywhere else but that road. But I think you may be right about own interests. Thing is no one walks all the way down the road to the house — just part way. So, not sure why it has to be such a big thing to block the way off. We did get an awful lot of what were Covid ‘refugees’ leaving London down here. There have been a number of articles about ‘incomers’ complaining about the smell of silage spread on field. Well, this is what the country smells like sometimes. It’s ludicrous.
What a pain that guy is about his private road! Sheesh.
I’m with you on the inflation thing, trying to buy the things I know I want now before they become prohibitively expensive. Sigh.
Petrol is just ridiculous now. Filling my tank (which is a micro car) is up 50%. I don’t have to drive for work and really feel for people who do (except those who drive 4x4s for the look rather than off-road — see, more grumpiness).
I vaguely remember that when Madonna tried to do the gate thing, England had public use laws that prohibited enclosures like this. Perhaps the local council could help?
The road does have a sign saying it’s a private road (we have 3-4 of these in the village where the householders pay upkeep for the road — I’ve walked on these too with the dog — no one has ever complained — I think this guy is just up his own behind). There may well be a right of way somewhere on the property but I’m not sure. The road doesn’t go anywhere except to their house. We shall see how the saga unfolds once the gate is in.
Maybe there needs to be another sign under the private road sign?
WARNING: Asshat in residence.
Yup. I am wondering if once the gate goes up whether there will be some graffiti…