Don't You Hear It?

A few months ago, I got a new car, which I promptly named 'The Bear.'  That's because it feels big and it growls a little being a diesel and all.  B-man drove it for the first two weeks because I just couldn't adjust. Behind the wheel, I felt like a two-year-old steering Daddy's grown-up car.

Then suddenly, I fall in love with The Bear. We bond. I even buy white sunglasses to match.

But wait, then I hear something like...I don't know, a low buzz. Yeah, that's it, a buzz. Then I realize that my passenger window is open slightly.  I forget about the buzz and reconcile with The Bear.

Until today, when I call B-man right before getting home from work.

Me: Hi - can you meet me outside?

B-man:  How come?

Me:  'Cause I need you to drive the car.

B-man: Uh-huh...the noise again?

Me:  I don't know, I just need someone else to drive the car.

B-man:  Yeah, okay, I'll meet you outside.

We're both in the car.

Me:  When I hit 50 mph, that's when the noise starts.

B-man: Are you hearing it now?

Me: So you don't hear it?

B-man: Uh...no.

Me: Okay, I need to get on the freeway...do you hear it now?

B-man: Nothing but ordinary road noise.

Me:  You need to drive. 

B-man (driving): Do you still hear it?

Me: Well no, not now.

B-man: I think the car's fine.

Me: Pull over so I can get in the back seat.

B-man:  Well?

Me: So nothin,' right?

B-man: I'm going to say nothin.'

I feel so much better knowing that my car is fine.  It's my mind that's gone.

Image from dreamstime.com

Rose de Mai: From Dowdy to Delightful

Every time I wear Fragonard's Rose de Mai, it takes me five minutes to remember why I ever bought it in the first place. Top notes are soapy and dowdy... a little too 'Queen Elizabeth' if you know what I mean.  I bought Rose de Mai in Baltimore a couple of years ago as I was ditching attending a conference.  It seemed perfect then and provided a stark contrast to the salty, nutty smell of the air.  

Here at home, it takes a few minutes to get to the good part.  Luckily, just before the should I/shouldn't I scrub decision must be made, Rose de Mai changes and gets brighter with a little citrus (berries and a touch of lemon), complementary florals (lillies to my nose) and a lot less soap. In fact, the heart notes are downright fresh. The queen is nowhere to be found. 

In the end, Rose de Mai stays true to its muse and is appropriate in all settings.  At the office, its crisp, smart attitude sends a clear message that everything is perfectly pulled together.

Photo from fragrantica.com