Doesn't Make Me Happy

Back in 2012, I started the process to use up the cologne I have accumulated over the years. First was the small cologne saturated squares Avon used to give out. Next came the small one inch glass tubes with cologne in them. I'm now up to the small jars of cologne. I lined them all up; there were 10 small bottles; and started with the fragrance at the left end. It was a bottle of 5th Avenue. I have no idea where I got it. I wore that, pretty much exclusively, when I wore cologne. This started in July of 2013 and I just finished it last week. Admittedly, I don't wear cologne every day, but that still is a long time.

In that time the "line" on the dresser had been smushed together so I formed it up again and Clinique's "Happy" came up next.

I had 3 small spray bottle samples of it. I figured I'd just lump all three bottle together and wear this until I was out of it. The sprayer on the first bottle would not work so I dumped it into a give away bag. They can deal with it. I grabbed the next bottle. I didn't like the smell. I thought perhaps it was the fact that I was so used to 5th Avenue that the change was startling. I would give Happy a week to grow on me.

Nope. I couldn't do it. I really didn't like the smell. It's too spicy for me. It did not make me happy. So, I dumped these two bottles in the give away bag and grabbed the next one in line.

I like this one much better. Ironically, checking the Clinique web site, they don't make it anymore. When I mentioned this to a friend, she said there is a lot of money to be made in discontinued fragrances. I should put this on eBay. I admit to thinking about it and, if a reader of this blog makes me a decent offer, I would sell it to you. But I don't have time to do a whole eBay selling research and learn session. So, it's just going to get worn.

I like the bottle design. Some fragrances spent as much to create a work of art for the bottle as they did for the contents. Given the two fragrances at the top, this bottle is very distinctive.

After this is gone, I have some very retro fragrances, Charlie and Jessica McClintock. Charlie has seen a resurgence of interest and you can buy it at CVS. I was rather surprised to see it when I walked through the fragrance aisle on my way to the pharmacy. "Oh wow! I wore that." My grandfather gave me a set one year for my birthday that contained a big and a little bottle. I still have the little bottle.

I got the Jessica McClintock in a bag of freebies from Carson Pirie Scott. I remember it with much fondness. It is a fragrance that I always meant to get a bigger bottle of because I liked it so well, but which I never did. So, I squirreled away the small sample bottle and here it is on top of the dresser. It used to be a very exclusive scent, sold only in "finer department stores". You can get it now at Walgreens. Nothing's rare about these two scents. I don't remember what comes after these two.

It's going to be interesting to see how quickly these are used up. I don't wear cologne on the weekend unless I'm going out. I don't wear cologne during the spring, summer and fall, if I'm out on a job site. I've had enough bees try to find the source of the floral smell that it's not worth it. I wonder if spray bottles are consumed faster than a bottle where you have to apply using your finger. I'll just be going by how long it takes to use them up.

Beverage:  English Breakfast Tea

Deb

Late Spring and Early Summer Reads

My friend, Chris, mentioned in passing that he still had some money left on an Amazon gift card he was given at Christmas. He lives in Canada and his employer gives everyone an Amazon gift card at Christmas. It's usually from Amazon Canada but last year, someone goofed and got them from Amazon US. Well you could order from the US, but the duty taxes to import stuff are pretty steep. So, Chris got me the bathroom set and all the M&Ms back in January. The little bit he had left was mine if I wanted it because he had nothing else to spend it on.

I always wrestle with that kind of offer. I never, ever want to appear greedy. Does accepting something like that make me look greedy? After thinking it over, however, I sent him a list of things which I would like if he really wanted to spend the money. I didn't want to know if he did or if he found something else to do with it. I would be surprised if something came.

Something came.

I have my late spring and early summer reading taken care of. Larson's book is brand new, coming out in March. And I haven't read that Pratchett book. I found out there are 40 books in the Discworld saga. I'm pretty sure I haven't read even half of them. (I still can't find my copies of Going Postal and Hogfather. It's driving me nuts as I want to reread Going Postal.) It's supposed to be a wonderfully warm weekend so I probably won't get to watching the movie, but I'm really excited to watch it.

So, I'm thrilled to be the recipient of Chris' company's error. I need to get the deck stained and sealed and the flowers planted and I'm good for this year's summer relaxing. Ah the simple joy of falling into a book.

Beverage:  English Teatime Tea

Deb

So You Don't Have To

I love cereal for breakfast. It's quick and easy to get a decent meal and get on with the day. But sometimes, I want something else that's quick and easy to make and that's where Toaster Strudels come in.

These have been around for a very long time. It's got to be pushing 25 years because we started buying them when Carole was a kid. There used to be over a dozen flavors but they have scaled that number back to around 6. Every so often, they try a new flavor. Some of them are good and some are of the "what were they thinking" nature. I stumbled upon this new to me flavor recently and thought I'd give it a try.

Snickerdoodle, a flavor that reeks of childhood and cookies and warm aromas in the house. But how does it taste?

I had high hopes for this. It wasn't pumpkin, although I wouldn't be surprised to see a pumpkin flavored strudel in the fall. I hope not. Pumpkin has been done to death. Enough already! These were good. They had a hint of the cookie. The cream was reminiscent of the sugar cookie while the center jelly had the cinnamon-flavor. They were satisfying for a quick breakfast on those mornings when I didn't want cereal. I would accompany them with a glass of orange juice and felt it was a good start to the day. They aren't my favorite. I prefer their berry flavors, but I'd buy these again for a change of pace. Plus, they give "Boxtops for Education" and I save those for my niece's kids' school. That's a win although I don't buy things just because they have box tops.

Bottom line is, if you want something that's quick to make while you are scrounging up your lunch for a work day, these are good. Don't expect them to taste like a warm snickerdoodle fresh from the oven, but the flavor of the cookie is there.

Beverage:  English teatime Tea

Deb

Things I See 2

I was in the city again today for a job.

There is a north breeze, but if you are out of that breeze and in the sunshine, it's warm. I doffed my jacket and ran around in shirt sleeves while I was outside. It was glorious.

I keep hearing Ernie Hudson in "Ghostbusters", at the end, after they have dispatched the Stay-Puf Marshmallow Man, clap his hands together and shout, "I love this town!"

There is public art at the corner where I was working; Taylor Street and Des Plaines Avenue.

There is one on each side of Des Plaines at the intersection.

It's not surprising that Chicago has public art. If you go to the Mayor's Office online, there is a large .pdf book you can print that details most of the public art in the city; who did it, what it represents and a brief history of the piece. In the Bronzeville neighborhood, there are over two dozen benches, each one designed by a different artist. Chicago takes its public art seriously.

But I couldn't, for the life of me, find anything that told me what these installations were. They are red painted steel beams. I would imagine its an homage to Chicago as an industrial powerhouse of the last century. They are nicely maintained and, as you can see, are very striking against a clear Midwestern April morning.

Finally, we're going to plop this into the "Things I See While Working" file.

This is a Sammy Sosa bobblehead doll next to an unopened can of Campbell's Chicken and Stars soup. I haven't a clue about the why. I probably could make up a real whopper of a story. The items look like they were recently placed here. I was standing with a civil engineer, talking about the project to the west of this light pole and he just shrugged. We left them.

Beverage:  Dr Pepper

Deb