Scents

Somehow we must have worked our way down to the bottom of the towel rotation in our back bathroom. Tonight after I took out a towel I could tell from the slightly crunchy texture that this was one I had dried on the line in warmer weather, mmm. When I stood there wrapped in the clean, crunchy towel I smelled a very distinct smell I had not smelled for almost 20 years (wow). The bathroom in my grandparents house on Glen Hall Road. It was if a time portal opened and I was 10 years old again and standing in the front bathroom after a bath. There was even a tinge of post swimming pool chlorine. I will admit to being a person for whom scent plays a major part in my experiences and memories, but this was such a strong and fast association it took me by surprise. It brought back so many wonderful memories and good feelings, but it was also a little sad. The family no longer owns that house which my grandfather built and my grandmother now lives in a nursing home, my grandfather passed away when I was 8. Every summer my grandparents and later just my grandmother hosted all five of the grandchildren for a week to swim and play. A feat I have much more respect for now that I have children of my own. Smelling that bathroom reminded me of sleeping in the middle room with my cousin Claire on hot summer nights with the sound of the box fan lulling us to sleep. I am sad my children will never get to see that house. And I am really wish my grandfather could have met my children, his great-grandchildren. My grandmother gets a huge kick out of seeing the kids and Otto knows her as the singer of funny songs, which I think is a good way to remember her. Our children are very lucky, they have more grandparents then we know what to do with, SEVEN grandparents and just as many great-grandparents so it is not as if they are lacking grandparents, but I would have loved to share some of the places I spent my childhood with them. It makes me think, what smells with bring back memories for them 20, 30, 40 years from now and what will it make them remember?