Onwards!

Happy entry into 2023.

So. Spent the last week of 2022 fighting a chest infection. Finally gave up on Thursday and spoke with GP. Appointment to be seen in-person next morning. Antibiotics, instructions to do X and Y and call back if necessary; told an appointment would be made for chest x-ray and I’d get a letter.

Went to farm shop on way home and got chocolate. For whatever reason, my body and being required chocolate. Then went to bed for most of Friday, something I haven’t done in years (emerged to edit one small note and do some emails I couldn’t be bothered to do on iPad) and half of Saturday. Started re-reading Sebastian Faulks Charlotte Gray about love, honour and WW2. In-between stared at ceiling and exhorted immune system to buck up.

Woke up on Sunday morning (ie, today, new!!! year day) feeling like myself rather than a muelling, exhausted thing. Hurrah.

So, feeling as bright eyed and bushy tailed as one can feel while still coughing a bit and on heavy duty antibiotics. Feeling quite cheery and hopeful for the way forward.

What to say about 2022? Either a lot or nothing and I am choosing to say close to nothing.

I am sad to see Vivienne Westwood and Pele gone. Both people who did good and exuded joy.

I can’t smell that well right now, so no fragrance to report. I haven’t lost my sense of smell, it’s just gotten, well, really muted.

I don’t do resolutions.

I have plans for smelling though and look forward to reporting back.

I’m going to try to do Yoga-nary this month (a half hour of yoga practice in some form every day) even if initially it just means stretches and breathing until I’m back up to strength.

I am hoping to start to spend more time in Europe from 2024 (have an EU citizenship so this is do-able) and thus will need to start to think this through more concretely.

And there are other things but we’ll leave them.

May it be a good 2023 and be what you need it to be. If you feel like it, tell us a plan for the year. And if you wore perfume, please let us know which one(s) (so I can enjoy vicariously).

pic is Pexels

  • rosarita says:

    Best wishes for the new year, Posse! Cinnamon, I hope you continue to feel better. Yesterday I wore a new bottle of my old love, Inner Sanctum from Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, I took advantage of her holiday sale. The bottle I just finished was from 2007, it’s lovely that it doesn’t appear to be reformulated at all over the years.

    • SpringPansy says:

      Very nice. I love some of those older DSH fragrances. They remind me of when I was first exploring down the rabbit hold – Inner Sanctum, Cathedral, Twelfth Night, Cafe Noir, Jitterbug, Winter White…

  • SpringPansy says:

    Hope you are completely recovered very soon, Cinnamon. I almost always get some yoga in each day and feel best when I do at least 45 minutes, though that does not always happen. Love the idea of Yoganary! Today I did 30 minutes and am off for a morning walk because it’s not raining.

    After waiting ages and watching for a reasonably priced bottle of Annick Goutal Myrrhe Ardente to reappear, I have given up and purchased the AG Myrrhe Ardente perfumed body cream. It has a lovely texture and fragrance and I’m enjoying it even if it’s not quite as nuanced fragrance-wise.

  • Musette says:

    Happy New Year! Happy Yoganary! I definitely recommend the Yoganary and am SO glad that I’m back (sorta) to normal so I can resume.

    Boo on the loss of Vivienne Westwood and Pele.

    xoxoxo

  • March says:

    I had to write my first check yesterday (rent) and managed to put “2023” so — off to a good start. It was a very quiet weekend, I’m not a party person, especially with COVID, flu and RSV banging around. Don’t really do resolutions. I hope your lurgy leaves soon! ALSO I read a fascinating article about pay-as-you-go electric meters in the UK. I had no idea! (Also they sound terrible.)

    • cinnamon says:

      I use cheques really infrequently now (almost everything is direct debit) but when I do I always have to check year like three times. Sigh. I got the lurgy from my son, who was working out of the house. His case was mild and didn’t affect his chest. I wish people were still using masks here. It’s probably around 2% at this point. Electric meters … yes on pay as you go. Mostly for people renting on lower incomes. Not good as makes things more difficult in all kinds of ways.

  • Dina C. says:

    So sorry you have been ill this weekend, Cinnamon! What a bummer. Glad to hear the drugs are working. In January I always do a whole house organization, declutter & clean up before Chinese New Year. Today I’m undecorating all the Christmas stuff. In the last few days I’ve worn Gucci No 3 parfum (gorgeous), Dior Feve Delicieuse (more gourmand than I usually wear, but beautiful), and today a sample I was given: Good Chemistry Queen Bee (fruity floral that I’m not liking). Happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year to all the Posse People!

    • cinnamon says:

      The meds seem to be having an effect. Thank you for the perfume list 🙂 That sample name is great. Too bad it doesn’t smell as exciting.

  • matty1649 says:

    I don’t make resolutions. I’m on a limited budget so have to be careful what I spend my money on………..My car died last week so it will have to go to the garage when they open. Expense I could do without !!!

    • March says:

      Car repair — least rewarding expense ever lol. I had to replace brakes this fall. Important? Yes. Satisfying? No.

    • cinnamon says:

      how frustrating on car. here’s hoping whatever ails it turns out to be not that costly.

    • rosarita says:

      Sorry about your car! Car expenses = dental expenses imho, both too expensive and painful.

  • Tom says:

    I hope you’re feeling better soon! I’m still getting used to the idea that it’s actually 2023. I wasn’t used to it even being 2011..

    • cinnamon says:

      Tx. Fingers very crossed the meds give the evil the heave ho. 2011 … Time gets so weird as we age.

  • alityke says:

    A happy, health, peaceful & joyous 2023 to you & all the Posse readers.
    I’m glad to see the back of 2022 yet look to 2023 with trepidation. Nuff said!

    My fragrance plans for this year is inspired by Portia’s Thunk It project, Old Herbacious’ Advent lucky dip & Nose Prose’s record keeping.
    After clearing out my “dump it” room, I decided to use a beautiful malachite printed box as a lucky dip container & filled it with labelled samples of all descriptions & decants with little remaining. I’ve created a spreadsheet with room for info & quick comments. The idea is to pick a sample to wear each day with the idea being to try to think the whole sample in a generous wearing. I started today & have already discovered that thunking in a day is easier said than done. So unthunked vials will go back into the box.
    Today I pulled out HdP 1876 Mata Hari. The perfect scent for a modern day spy, absolutely generic fruity floralish, minimally spiced feminine wood. The Parma violet dregs are hanging in there 10 hrs in but meh. Back in the box it’s gone. I couldn’t be bothered to top up. Not the start I wanted but it’s the one I got

    • cinnamon says:

      It’s going to be fun following the Thunk Project. I simply don’t own enough stuff any more to participate though.

  • Portia says:

    Poor you Cinnamon, get well ASAP.
    Glad you’re on the mend.

    I wore shitloads of Mitsouko NYE and ended NYD thunking my STC decant of Tonka 25. It’s nice but not enough on me for a true love.
    Portia xx

    • cinnamon says:

      Tx, Portia. ‘Shitloads of Mitsouko’ made me laugh. I’m going to vicariously enjoy all your thunks.

  • Tara C says:

    Wishing us all a healthy and happy 2023! I’m moving in to my new flat next Saturday and hoping it becomes a comfortable cozy home for many years to come. My resolution is to stop frittering my money away on perfumes and other things I don’t need. Contentment with what I already have is my motto for 2023.

    • Filomena says:

      I’m on the same page!

    • cinnamon says:

      Best wishes on move. I’m with you on enjoying what I have already though it’s a hard one every time I see or read about another gorgeous fragrance.

  • Kathleen Smith says:

    Happy New Year to all, and best wishes for health and happiness. I hope you are on the mend Cinnamon. I don’t do resolutions either. At the end of each year, I ask myself two questions: What do I want to create in this New Year? And, perhaps even more importantly, What do I want to let go of? I’m a work in progress! For New Year’s Eve I wore Guerlain Rose Cherie, and for New Year’s Day No 5, a comfort and uplifting scent for me.

  • Queen-Cupcake says:

    Happy New Year, Cinnamon! Sorry you are having the chest thing but glad you found treatment–best wishes for continued improvement.
    All of December was pretty quiet for me but I did get to play an orchestra concert, so all in all it was a better ending to a drag of a year.
    I wore vintage Tocade yesterday, thinking I was possibly making a mistake but no! It was lovely.
    I’m wearing Blue Lotus oil to bed, lately. It calms me, and more importantly, calms my anxiety-riddled husband. It’s a gorgeous floral scented one from India. I’ve got some from Sri Lanka, and some from Thailand as well. As far as I can tell, they are all genuine but they do differ a bit in fragrance and “vibration.”
    Feel better soon!
    (Yeah, resolutions? nope.)

    • cinnamon says:

      Blue Lotus oil … will look up. I think anything that calms our anxieties is very welcome these days. What’s the vintage Tocade like?