Scents.

I have always heard how certain smells can help you recall memories. I didn't ever DISBELIEVE it, but I just never could remember any smells that help me remember special memories...until yesterday.

My boss was taking toys to the basement at the Carl Perkins Center so we could store them for Christmas time. I had never been down into the basement so I decided to join her. When I hit the floor of the basement, the smell hit me like ton of bricks. I had this sudden feeling of happiness. I felt like I was home. I immediately told my boss how much I loved the smell of our basement and her response was, "Of mildew?" I was when rushed back into reality and had the shocking realization that one of my favorite smells was indeed mildew. Why you ask? Well, I imagine it's because of all the summers spent in Park Rapids, MN. The log cabins are old so I'm sure mildew is one of the smells that I have enjoyed smelling all of these years. I haven't been able to go to MN for a while and it is missed terribly. I have been missing it more this summer because I didn't get to have a summer break.

Andrew had a baby blanket that his aunt made for him. When he was younger, just smelling this particular silk backed blanket would put him to sleep. Every once in a while I would have an article of clothing, or I would pull a quilt out of a closet and that smell would hit him and he would inhale it like he was a druggie.

I had another smell moment today during my lunch break. The weather was hot, but not too hot and I was walking behind a truck that had delivered food to the restaurant. The smell of diesel and the heat brought me back to years and years of band competitions and hanging out beside the bus waiting to go to warm-up. Those were the times that my friends and I would be telling stories, making jokes, and putting on tons and tons of make-up. Who could forget the year of the intense liquid eyeliner?

Those are just two smells that bring back memories so intense, it is almost like being there again.