Just feel a need to share--or maybe need a hug

[ljt2r]

When I was growing up my mom's parents lived 45 mins away, so we visited them a lot. They had a room that they did not pay to heat or cool, and my grandma stored a lot of her books in there. It was a wonderland to me--I read a lot of books from those shelves, inc some I was not sposed to when I was much younger (think Lace and other smutty stuff)! The room with the books esp had that dusty old book smell.

While I was sick these last 2 weeks, I just wanted to read something that made me happy, so I was re-reading my Georgette Heyer books. For those who don't know, she wrote 18th and 19th c romances, but she was more akin to Jane Austen than contemporary romance novelists (and she also wrote mysteries). I think she is a fantastic writer. Anyway, I started the 6th book or so--I am a fast reader, esp when home sick and bored--and noticed it was falling apart and was clearly an earlier edition. Last night it occurred to me maybe it was not originally mine. I checked, and there was my grandma's name, in her scrawl. And the book, well, I don't know why it occurred to me to do this but it smelled like her house, like that room. I literally sat and sniffed that book for about 15 minutes straight. Anyone who would have seen me would have thought I was crazy. You know how some smells and tastes just bring you right back to a time/place? This was one of those moments. Made me want to cry and laugh at the same time--sound crazy?

On a weird side note, I dreamt all night about my dog Loki dying. My grandma died last winter shortly after my dog, Loki--and since I have toddlers that means the 2 events will ALWAYS be COMPLETELY linked. We do not discuss one without discussing the other in this house (wonder what Grandma would think if she knew? ). Apparently they are now linked in my brain as well! I have felt melancholy and off all day....

[oct2189]

Oh Laura, how wonderful that you had such a close relationship with your Grandmother - such vivid memories of the look and smell of her. Your image made me weepy for my own Grandmother.
And the birth of you twins shortly after her death is a testimony to the bond of human relationships and the circle of life. This is what it's all about.

[ChristyMarie]

Aw, what a sweet story. It is amazing how one thing can bring all those memories to us in an instant.

Today it was a pencil for me. My Grandmother always used a certain kind of mechanical pencil - I came upon one in my purse today. It had to have come from her as I've never bought them. It made me smile.

[KimE]

What a great story, I never had grandparents and wished I had because of others stories like yours. And no I am sure if someone who saw you smelling the book and you told them the story they would have been touched, not thinking you were weird.

Now when I went to a garage sale a couple of years ago and under a table way in the back there was a bucket full of old Model T tire hub covers and I grabbed them and put my whole face in the bucket and smelled it took me back years to when my dad would work on his model T's. The owner was watching me and laughed when I bought them and told him why I was smelling them...he would not take any money for them and told me the look on my face when I was smelling them was worth a million dollars.
I took them home and have them in my garage now. I still go out there and smell them every once and a while. It take's me to a place nothing else can and is very comforting.


Kim

[LaraW]

My grandma died just over 9 years ago (end of Sept). Anyhow, recently I was looking for something recently, and I found a birthday card she sent me 10 years ago. It was the last one she ever sent, since she died 4 days before my birthday the next year. I got a smile from finding that. It was such a shock (in a good way) to see her handwriting.

[zackaboo]

(Laura)

There is a smell that I associate with my Grandmother who passed away about 4 years ago. I am not sure exactly what it is but I have smelled it when walking through the Macy's at our mall and strangely enough, it is often prevalent in my gym's locker room. It is obviously a personal hygeine or beauty product, but I'll be darned if I can figure out what it is. Regardless, it usually makes me feel good and brings back lots of fond memories. But sometimes it also makes me sad because I miss her so very much.

[ljt2r]

Originally Posted by zackaboo

(Laura)

There is a smell that I associate with my Grandmother who passed away about 4 years ago. I am not sure exactly what it is but I have smelled it when walking through the Macy's at our mall and strangely enough, it is often prevalent in my gym's locker room. It is obviously a personal hygeine or beauty product, but I'll be darned if I can figure out what it is. Regardless, it usually makes me feel good and brings back lots of fond memories. But sometimes it also makes me sad because I miss her so very much.

That pretty much nails it. Thanks everyone for the thoughts.

I think the worst thing is that I woke up wanting my dog to cry on about it and he was not there either...

[vbak]

[[[Laura]]] there are smells/aromas that I associate with my mom. As weird as it may sound, it is Cinnabar, stuffed cabbages, and saur kraut soup! Sometimes I make cabbages just to have that aroma in the house[she lived with us], and it's not Christmas Eve until I smell the sauer kraut soup simmering away. Music can also bring up long ago aromas and memories. I cry and sob when I hear Oh Holy Night[Just thinking about it makes me teary], and I can smell the sausages and kraut cooking to eat after midnight on Christmas Eve. Hold those memories close .

Vicky

[JackieO]

Originally Posted by zackaboo

(Laura)

There is a smell that I associate with my Grandmother who passed away about 4 years ago. I am not sure exactly what it is but I have smelled it ... often prevalent in my gym's locker room. It is obviously a personal hygeine or beauty product, but I'll be darned if I can figure out what it is.

This is kind of freaky.

Both my grandmothers died before I was born, but I had a great aunt and uncle who were Swedish immigrants and she was a phenomonal cook (she came to the US at age 18 and worked in a Chicago diner for YEARS) and gardener. I remember having Sunday dinner at her house often as a little kid, and the food she made left her home with a pleasant lingering aroma of bay leaves, cardamom and I can't for the life of me figure out what the other scent is. But when I enter the locker room area of our newly remodeled racquet club (it's not just the women's locker room -- it's the door between the workout area and the locker/spa area), I am immediately hit with a fragrance that says "Aunt Betty." Maybe clubs are using some cleaning product that labeled "Thanksgiving" or something???

[TKay]

((((Laura))))

Your experience really moved me. I totally understand.

[cherylopal]

((((Laura)))))
Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful and moving story. You are so lucky to have such warm memories.

[newtricks]

Laura, your story makes perfect sense. Sometimes when I'm at the drugstore I see the powder that my grandmother used to wear (the really old fashioned loose face powder in the gold flowered box) and I think I should buy it so I can smell it again. She has been gone for 25 years but I know it would take me right back.

We lost our hamster Teddy a year ago and then in December my mil died. And yes, in my house like yours, the two events are linked. "I miss Nana. And Teddy". She had a great "kid" sense of humor so she would find that very funny.

KimE, I loved your tire hub cover story too.

[krhm]

I know exactly what you mean, Laura. I think it's our brains' way of helping us cope and grieve, especially if you had your twins so soon after these events. You're probably just now in a place where you can handle all of the emotions.

It happened to me in a public restaurant with friends I didn't know very well, just a combination of food smells and a song that randomly played.

[LakeMartinGal]

Originally Posted by krhm

I know exactly what you mean, Laura. I think it's our brains' way of helping us cope and grieve, especially if you had your twins so soon after these events. You're probably just now in a place where you can handle all of the emotions.

It happened to me in a public restaurant with friends I didn't know very well, just a combination of food smells and a song that randomly played.

I totally agree! For me, it's the smell of gasoline. It reminds me of our place in Canada, and going there with my girlfriend as a kid. ((((Laura))))

[TieKitty]

Unfortunately, I was never really close to my grandparents since I was an Air Force brat and moved around so much. I'm often sorry I didn't have the benefit of the closeness of family like my DH has. I envy that.

All of these are wonderful stories. Thank you for sharing them.

[ljt2r]

I feel bad correcting anyone in a thread where everyone is being so supportive, but I can see I better before my life story gets re-written incorrectly! I do not have twins, my kids were 2 and 3 when my grandma and dog died last winter.

Thanks again everyone though. I had a good cry before bed about my dog and grandma both, laid with my head on top of one my other dogs for a while--who was totally unmoved to find me there, one of the many reasons I miss Loki-- and am feeling better this morning. Probably helps that the sun came out too.

[zoey55]

Thanks for sharing your story. My Mom passed away 3 yrs ago and although I have plenty of memories and pictures, I find there is NOTHING that puts me back in the moment more than an associated SMELL. She used to wear Memoire Cherie cologne (no longer made). Probably 15 yrs ago I bought her a candle with that scent that she never used/lit. It was definitely something I wanted to keep from her personal items. Whenever I 'need a hug from Mom', I go over to the candle and open the lid and take a big sniff.

In fact, this past yr for Mother's Day I was able to find a double set of the candles on eBay. I have 2 older sisters and bought them the candles so that they could get their 'hugs' whenever they want them too!

[oct2189]

OOPS! Sorry Laura, I think I started the "twins" story
When my grandmother died, the only thing I wanted was a porcelain bird that she kept in a windowbox in her home. I used to love looking at it with her, and we'd make up stories about where the bird had flown.
Yesterday I spent some extra time looking at that bird and thinking of my grandmother, happy and sad at the same time. Thanks for the reminder.

[mbrogier]

(((hugs)))

Last time my mom visited, she brought me two bags full of scarves and pins that my grandmother had and loved. The scarves still smelled like the bureau she kept them in-- a weird combination of oldness, Charlie, cosmetics, and grandmother.

I put all the mementos into Ziploc bags so they wouldn't lose that wonderful smell.

I also came across a box of Charlie last Christmas at Walgreens that had two bottles. I gave one to my mom and the other to my aunt so they could remember grandmother's smell. I'm allergic to most perfume, so I didn't get any for myself.

Laura, your story makes perfect sense. Sometimes when I'm at the drugstore I see the powder that my grandmother used to wear (the really old fashioned loose face powder in the gold flowered box) and I think I should buy it so I can smell it again. She has been gone for 25 years but I know it would take me right back.

I bought a tin of that recently because it reminded me of my granny. It's also really nice powder. I love having it in my bathroom. Granny always smelled like that powder and Oil of Olay.

I wish I could get some Laura Ashley No. 1 perfume. I wore it in high school, and it was discontinued. I wore it on my wedding day and would like more as a surprise to Rob. I just can't afford $200 for a bottle of 10 year old perfume! Some retailers still have it, but since it's rare, they charge a fortune for it. --I could even be allergic, so it's not worth all that money.

I now get my perfumes from CB I hate perfume because he makes the fragrances himself and will work with you if you have allergies. He has one scent that smells just like tomato vines in the hot sun. It's amazing! Dh doesn't like it much. I need to get CB to design a perfume for me--I think I'll do that as a Christmas present from Rob to me this year.

[pointerhaven]

In late summer in Richmond the air has a smell of Tobacco Curring. We are the home of Phillip Morris Tobacco. That smell reminds me of my childhood of sitting in the Pack house, all warm and cosy with the curred tobacco and mom dad and aunts and uncles sorting and stacking our tobacco to take to market.

Now tastes, I have a grape vine with those big yellow seeded grapes, every year when they rippen. I remember my Grandfather's visit to NC and our farm. He was raised in the city so our place was magical to him. We took some old sheets and went down to the Grape vines that covered an old tree. spread them out, us kids climbed up and jumped on the limbs so that all the ripe grapes dropped off into the sheets. We spent hours sitting under those grape vines eating. I cannot eat or see one of these grapes without thinking of Granddaddy and the jelly my mom made with those grapes...

Laura, those smell are connected not only to our minds, but to our hearts as well. And as with you. My FIL died and two weeks later I lost my cat of 18 years. So that anniversery is very sad for me. I loved my FIL dearly but I had to be the strong one for DH. But when Zack passed, it was ok for me to cry and greive for both of them without hurting DH.

Hugs, Wanda