My Mother's "Fragrances"

My brother A spent the past few days with us. It was fun to have him over for a visit. He seemed content to have a low-key agenda (which was nice for this pregnant lady!), so we got to spend some time visiting and playing with Sam at home - although we did go out usually once or twice a day to do something fun. Probably two of the memorable things that we did together were going to the SPY! exhibit at the Pacific Science Center and eating at a brand-new Cafe Rio (the first to open in the Seattle area!).

A and I talked a few times about my mom, which was especially nice given that her birthday and Mother's Day are just about within the same week this year. It's fun to see what my siblings remember and focus on when it comes to memories of my mom. Sometimes they are similar to my own, but sometimes they remember things that I don't remember (or that I didn't specifically experience with my mom for whatever reason).

I actually have been thinking about my mom anyway, because of the Mother's Day advertisements that I've heard on the radio. One ad was promoting a sale for perfume, encouraging people to "buy your mother's favorite fragrance" as a gift this year. This was a bit amusing for me, since my mom didn't wear perfume at all. In fact, artificial fragrances and other strong smells (like fresh newspaper print) gave her a headache. That being said, though, there are specific smells or "fragrances" that I do associate with my mom:

• Lilacs
• Clove
• Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap
• Apple cider vinegar
• White King laundry soap
• Borax laundry soap

There may be more smells that I'm not remembering at present, so I'll update this list later if need be. What certain smells or fragrances (i.e. perfumes) to you associate with your mom?