out the window

One of the things I would consider a deal breaker for any apartment that I wanted to call home would be the lack of a balcony. I have dealt with windowless kitchens and baths, with non eat-in kitchens, with no hallways and small closets, no parking and no A/C. But never no balcony.  Although, this summer we are getting ours re-done, so I have been without one since late April. The first couple of weeks were difficult. I didn't realize how often I would step outside, just to test the weather, or to get a better look at a sunset, or for somewhere to stand while drinking my morning tea. I wouldn't mind so much what size it was - a small patch big enough for a bistro table and chair and I would still be content. In fact, the one I have now is almost too big - very long and narrow. I end up using a portion of it for storage, which is not always pretty. But it is handy for at least important function: drying my laundry. I have a few clothes horses and drying racks that serve to dry pretty much everything I own. Now these are cluttering up my living room and it is a nuisance. Plus I am missing that all important fresh air scent.

It seems to be a universal feeling that nothing can beat the scent of air dried clothes, but the getting of that scent is not so universally accepted. There are whole communities where clothes lines and the drying of clothes naturally are forbidden. Where one can be fined huge amounts of money for being so daring as to show off your freshly laundered linens. It is considered by some to be a blight on the neighbourhood. Personally, I do not mind seeing your washing hanging out on a line strung across your backyard. I find all those big assed recycling and garbage bins we are now forced to buy and use to be far more of an eyesore.

While wandering around Genoa and Palma, one of the common sights that garnered the most comments from us tourists was the laundry hanging out of the windows of the apartments in the narrow streets. I kept rather quiet about it, though I did wonder how often things might fall off the line, which would be a huge nuisance having to climb down all those stairs to the ground to retrieve it.







And they have an advantage of not having to go outside and around the back of the house to hang up their clothes - simply open the window and your line is right there. So far, I have never noticed a distinct smell of fuel on my clothes from the cars below my apartment. Or dirt from the steel mills across the bay. But that was the most common refrain from the other tourists.

Strung across the front of your building was a little eye-catching, and not always the most pleasing of views, but I found it rather quaint. And, in fact, I was rather pleased to see this charming old world custom still being carried out. It was exactly as I would have expected from what I have seen on television and old movies. It is very practical as I imagine there is not much room for a dryer in these apartments located in what is quaintly referred to as the mediaeval quarter. And let's be honest, some of these narrow alleys are also not the prettiest to begin with. And a sign of life is a welcome thing.

smells like

I was all set for my bath the other week when I noticed I had no bar of soap. Can't use shower gel, it's a bath. Need soap bar. No problem, as I knew there were several bars tucked away from a previous bulk buying frenzy of 'buy 2 get the 3rd one free' variety. Couldn't find them. Every time I have a good tidy I seem to lose things, especially those bulk bought items. Keep searching. Can't even find the cream soap I also have tucked away... Bath water is getting cold, so I decide to use those luxury bars that I've got in my socks and underwear drawer as a sort of pomade. Am not sure where it came from, most likely from when I cleared out my mother's apartment last year.

So now, my bathroom is smelling particularly spring like.
And well, lovely, really.
I know, you're probably thinking it smells like your grandmother.

Lily of the Valley. Yardley's.

Something you don't see very often. In fact when I did some research for writing this I couldn't find any in the two Shoppers Drug Marts I checked, which is where I was sure they would have some for the older ladies who cling to their tried and true favoured brands.

I love this smell. I'm using it all the time now. It isn't too cloying or too sweet and fake. It lasts forever. No wonder people think of their grandmothers. Throughout the day, I will move an arm and get an oh so subtle whiff of lily of the valley and sigh, contentedly.

This made me wonder when this particular scent went out of favour. In fact when flower scents went out of fashion. Lavender is still around, though usually mixed with something else. But for the most part the scented soap industry has veered off towards the fruits. And like juice, there is often a combination of fruits of the anti-oxident variety with acai and goji thrown in. Pomegranate, blackberry, mango, passionfruit, lime and ginger are popular. It is like they are trying to make their shower gels and lotions sound healthy. Food that gets absorbed in your skin?

My kitchen always smells of fruit with the dish soap. I must admit though, that I usually just buy whichever colour goes with my decor. So I have grapefruit scents wafting every time I wash a dish. There is key lime waiting in the cupboard. Unless I've lost that one, too.

But my bathroom smells of SPRING.