calgon, take me away!

I'm at work, drinking a tea that takes me back to a million childhood summers. Not because I drank this tea in the summer as a child. I don't even know that, before today, I have ever had this tea. It's called Bushmen's Brew Honeybush (snicker snicker) and it smells just like an alpine meadow, and that is why it is reminiscent.

I spent at least part of the summer every year in an alpine meadow somewhere. Never the same one. A secluded alpine meadow with not another person in sight other than we four. Surrounded by nature. Wildlife was abundant in these meadows. Flies of all kinds buzzing, deer on the edge of the forest, munching, birds twittering, Marmots whistling and the odd bear doing what bears do. There was usually a brook trickling or a stagnant glacial lake somewhere on the edge of said meadow. A breeding ground for swarms of mosquitoes. The air would be heavy with the scent of alpine flowers, low bush, and moss.

That's what this tea smells like and when I drink it, I am instantly transported. I can feel the hot mid July sun on my arms, and the icy breeze (due to the altitude) blowing down my neck. I can feel my ten year old calves burning from the hike I have just taken with my family, and my ears need popping from the uphill drive to the trail head. The ground is crunchy yet cushy with dried moss and flowers. I am eating a sandwich and I feel as though I can fly because I've just taken off my backpack. I can hear trout splashing about in the lake and mosquitoes buzz in my face. I swat. My butt hurts from the rock on which I am perched but I am deeply engrossed in a novel so I don't notice. I am also ignoring my brother. I smell like bug spray and sunscreen.

sigh

It's strange how much a scent can take you back. Way more so than a sound or a sight. It's almost magical. It can induce feelings and emotions, and most of all, nostalgia (was that redundant?). The other day, I was walking across the Georgia Viaduct behind a woman who had recently sprayed herself with Hawaiian Ginger and I was jolted back to the hallways of grade nine. Calgon, take me away!

It's been dead all week at work. I've done a total of six jobs (most of you wouldn't know the difference, but that is not a lot), four of which were yesterday. I have yet to receive one today. We've had warning of a large job coming in, we are just waiting for it to show up. 100 sets of drawings and 80 books (most of you wouldn't know the difference, but that is a lot). I think they want it for Monday. I refuse to come in to the office this weekend. Kate Swaney is going to be here and staying at mine and it's the last time I'll see her for who knows how long. I'm going to miss having her in Canada.

I'm also going to be working on a potential new project with Amber. I am not at liberty to say what it is, but it could be pretty cool if it all goes down.

BRING IT ON WEEKEND.

Bring it on.

Here's a cartoon of a renaissance fair pick up artist from
Toothpaste For Dinner