Sunday, January 25, 2015

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time Again for Another Nostalgic Sunday!
 
 
In my attempt to get back into blogging on a somewhat regular basis, I thought the best place to start would be with a "Nostalgic Sunday" post. Those of you who have been around for a few years will remember I used to post these just about every Sunday. Then it got less and less...and I'm sad to say the last two were November 2014, and August 2014. Well, that just won't do! I think I can manage at least once a month.
 
 
I'm nostalgic today for several reasons:
 
  • I'm in the beginning stages of writing a piece for the 2015 St. Louis production of Listen to your Mother.  < Check out the site for complete information on how to submit a story or buy tickets to the show.
  •  I've been seeing and hearing prop (propeller) planes again all over the skies.
  •  I've been going through lots of old B&W photos, along with my mental images for my sequel I'm also working on. *note about that farther below*
  •  I'm feeling the most nostalgic because of an aroma! Isn't it both amazing, and yet so simple, that certain odors trigger powerful memories? Many times it's because of a certain food, or perfume, or even logs burning in the fireplace. I think this particular one might be a bit unusual. (Please leave a comment and let me know what you think of it!) This aroma is that of dryer sheets or fabric softener!
        
Many times when I'm outside with my beloved dog, Vern, we meander all around the sidewalks and grassy areas in our condo complex. (It seems that 90% of the residents here also own a dog or two, so there are plenty of odors for Vern to sniff!)
 
 
It doesn't matter whether it's a weekday or weekend, or daytime or evening. Whiffs of various laundry fragrances permeate the air and I'm immediately taken back...like a hopscotch game, back and forth between my childhood, my teenage years, and especially my very young married life.

The short version of "my very young married life" is this:
  1. Lived in Germany for a year with first husband and baby son, Scotty.
  2. Rented apartment in tiny town.
  3. Became best friends with another army wife, Debbie.
  4. We sometimes did our laundry together.
  5. Once in a while splurged and bought a German brand detergent because it smelled heavenly and the PX only sold Tide.
  6. We'd gather our deutsche marks, walk across the street and down the block, while taking turns pushing Scotty's stroller.

I wonder how many women find joy in such simple things? I believe there are "loads" of us! J


One more thing...The note above about working on my sequel...

A long time ago I didn't like using the word "work" when mentioning my writing. I thought I should refer to it as "writing" my memoir, or contest submission, or essay.

But after writing, rewriting, editing, rewriting again, deleting entire paragraphs, printing pages to read and edit again with a red pencil, wadding up paper after paper of crap I'd written... I became a believer! It is WORK!
 
Oh, but then again what beautiful and wondrous work it is!

~~~

I'd like to welcome two new followers! And as Sandi, William, and Lisa (from my previous post) were different and unique, so are Melody Jacobs and Dimple Khadi. (I had trouble trying to get Dimple Khadi's blog link to post, so I'll attempt doing that again later.) I hope you'll both stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see!




"The final lesson a writer learns is that everything can nourish the writer. The dictionary, a new word, a voyage, an encounter, a talk on the street, a book, a phrase learned." - Anais Nin


32 comments:

  1. Thank you so much ma'am . You have a wonderful blog
    Good to know you had a nice time When you lived in Germany.
    Enjoy your day ma'am
    www.dimplekhadi.blogspot.com

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    1. Hello Dimple Khadi! Thank YOU so much for stopping again and commenting. I'm glad you like my blog!

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  2. Love you blog
    Yes certain aromas bring things to mind. The smell of apple cider brings back memories of my teenage years. We lived near an apple cider factory.

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    1. Hi Patti! So good to see you here! I love your "aroma" memory, too. It's an unusual one. Do you buy bottles of apple cider to sniff?! :-)

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  3. I think that aromas (good and bad) are one of the BIGGEST memory triggers. Cinnamon is a sentimental favourite for me.
    Of course writing is work. Often very, very badly paid work - but you (and every other writer) are appreciated by my greedy bookaholic self.

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    1. Hi Sue! Cinnamon is a BIG favorite of MINE, too! When I was a little girl....Cinnamon sugar toast, homemade cinnamon rolls.....Mmm! And thank you for your always very much appreciated compliments!

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  4. EC...odors good and bad....the smell of my dad's cherry pipe tobacco....I'm not fond of the smell of roses because they smell like funerals to me. I'm glad you are "back", Becky.

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    1. Hi Claudia! Ooh, my dad occasionally smoked a pipe, too, and I'd forgotten about that. Thank you for the reminder! And I like how you mentioned "bad" odors, too. Yes, unfortunately I have some of those memories, too.

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  5. The smell of fallen leaves always puts me right back on the sidewalk under a sheet as my ghost costume on Halloween.

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    1. Ahh, Autumn, as you know, is my favorite season! Walking through crunchy leaves, the chill in the air, and how about the aroma of burning leaves at the edge of your street and front yard?? Those were the Good Old Days!

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  6. We agree with Elephant's child...they evoke the strongest memories. Have a marvellous Monday.
    Best wishes Molly

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    1. Hello Molly the Wally! Thank you for stopping by! Do you have any particular memories you'd like to share with us? Come on back and tell us, if you want to!

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  7. Scent does indeed bring back the past.

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    1. Hi Delores! I just looked at your blog for a quick minute, and wanted to tell you I LOVE the first sentence under your blog title: "These are the ramblings of the terminally aging." LOVE IT!! :-)

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  8. Hey, Becky! I enjoyed this post very much. Whenever I smell Downy, it reminds me of my Auntie's house because it always smelled so good over there. I agree about writing being work.

    Hugs,

    Kathy M.

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    1. Hi Kathy! I'm glad you enjoyed this post! Thank you. And I love it that Downy reminds you of your "Auntie's" house! :)

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  9. aahh you transported me back to my early days in marriage just by giving your short story about yours. Love that memories can be triggered by some little thing.

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    1. Hi Terri! Thanks so much! I love it that my little story reminded you of your early days of marriage!

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  10. I spent a heart-gladdening day driving up into the mountains yesterday that triggered all kinds of precious memories and feelings for me. Ah the sweetness.

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    1. Hi Julie! How wonderful to see you here! Long time no see....except on Facebook! I know how you love the mountains and I can almost smell the aromas and see the sights.. :)

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  11. This is wonderful, Becky. Thanks for sharing it. I love the new little saying: "I WILL clean my house today. Ooh, look! A book!" I couldn't agree with it more.

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    1. Hello Victoria Maria! Thank you so much! Glad you like the saying about books. Yes, I love that one, and also the goofy one about seeing a chicken! LOL

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  12. Hi Becky! Good to hear from you again. Yes, scent is very powerful. About a year ago I used a new brand of dryer sheets. When I opened the box, I literally had to look around me. The scent was almost exactly the same as the one my mother would use. Needless to say, now it's the only brand of dryer sheets I use.

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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    1. Hey Pat! Aww, you're sweet for saying it's good to hear from me again! I really do want to get back into blogging the way I used to, which means besides writing my own posts, getting around to reading all of my pals' blogs....including yours, of course! I love your story about the dryer sheets

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  13. Hi Becky! The smell of honeysuckle brings back childhood memories of when we lived on N 43rd in ESL. The neighbor's fence was covered in it, very little bees though. But when the wind blew a certain way, the smell would linger, but it was never too heavy. This would have been the early 60's.

    The smell I still can't "stomach" is SOS or as known in civilian life as ground beef with gravy over toast. I was pregnant with my daughter, working as a cook in the mess hall in the Army in Germany, and when it was my turn to be on the morning shift, just smelling this concoction sent me running out the back doors every time, for fresh air. Even now, I can't be in a kitchen where it is being cooked, which is the main reason I never venture to a restaurant for breakfast.

    The smell of freshed baked apple pie is soothing to me, but I don't know why or when that started. My Mom and Grandma baked, maybe that is where?

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    1. Hi Mary! Ahhh, honeysuckle bushes! I loved those and lilac bushes, but I haven't seen any in years!....Which means of course, I haven't had the opportunity to enjoy their glorious aromas. I wonder why they aren't around here? I think my grandma in Iowa had some, too. Another great thing about your memory is how not having a/c in those days played such a huge part in it. I feel the same about smelling barbeques, too! OH, and I DO know what SOS is!! LOL ...The very look of it is what grosses me out, but I can understand being pregnant and feeling sick smelling it!

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  14. Smells are a big trigger for me - of both good and bad things. I can't stand petunias anymore because I was pregnant and had morning sickness when they were in bloom. But Easter Lilies will always take me back 30 years and the memories are precious. Enjoyed this, Becky!

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    1. Hi Debra! Thank you so much for stopping and commenting! Isn't it amazing how being sick (like Mary Pearson, too) can really ruin what might be a pleasant aroma?! I'm glad Easter Lilies are happy memories for you!

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  15. I'm always thrust back into the past by scents. They really affect me.

    I'm enjoying your book!

    =)

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    1. Hi Sue! Thanks for stopping....and I'm so glad you're enjoying my book! :)

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  16. Thanks for taking us down memory lane with you. I enjoyed the trip! :) I too, have various memories based on certain scents. One includes laundry softener that my Grandma used to use. Congrats on the writing project. Wishing you all the best with it!

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    1. Hi Karen! Isn't it funny how laundry detergents/fabric softeners seems to hold such memories for us? I'm really intrigued by that! And thanks for the well wishes on the story I'm writing. I just hope I can get it finished before the deadline! :)

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I'm still getting quite a few spam comments that are Anonymous, so I'm trying "User with Google Accounts." If anyone tries to comment that I know, and it won't let you, send me an email, okay? Thanks so much.