b.o. humbug

it is almost Christmas...and since the greasy smell of latkes are long gone for me, I am remembering Christmas smells of my childhood...those holiday smells for Jewish kids on Christmas...depending on the weather...buttery popcorn at the movies...or a crisp waft of fresh snow, ice-skating outdoors...then my poor nose defrosting over the steam of hot chocolate...mmm...a plastic container of egg drop soup...back to reality...these past days...it's been a somewhat unpleasant potpourri...the aroma of December rain underfoot...or what was supposed to be a fresh pine arrangement over my hairdresser's chair...she said it was causing her nausea...she found it kind of putrid...asked what I thought...I inhaled and agreed, "nella, that's 70's subway"...today, at physical therapy (another story) as I moved to use some arm bands I came within a few arms lengths of a fellow patient...he was around my age and was usually there on the same days...loved to show his muscles in tanks no matter the weather...I counted as I stretched...one...two...ew...what the hell was that?...three...four...holy shit...he wreaked...it was the longest count to thirty of my life...but then I can always thank my memory...still relatively intact...and I closed my eyes...I floated back to wonderful smells of Christmas at neighbors and friend's homes...trees...candles...a plate of cookies still warm placed in my lap...for all my Christian friends...wishing you the most blessed day...and may all your memories be sweet and heaven scent...