Son recently moved into a new abode which had been empty for
some time. The aroma of a cold, unoccupied house was apparent as soon as we
stepped inside. That will change of course. It will change as the place becomes
warmed by occupation, as cooking aromas and the vast array of perfumed household
products mingle together to create that unique aroma of someone else’s home.
I remember a school friend whose house smelled to me
of that hard black toffee I always associate with bonfire night. Where that
aroma came from I never discovered.
When Mrs H’s parents passed away we had to sell their house.
While unoccupied it had acquired a fusty, slightly damp aroma which it never had
before. No doubt that was due to the range of plug-in air fresheners we discarded
as soon as the house became our responsibility. We don’t use them and don’t
like the cloying, slightly irritating aroma they generate. Of course we
replaced them when it came to selling the place hem hem.
Which presumably means our house has a distinctive smell too.
It certainly does when I fry fish or when Mrs H cooks her vegetable curry or I
bake a loaf of bread or brew some coffee. To my mind houses should have that
kind of changeable aroma rather than the artificial scents, oils and candles which
are so popular if supermarket shelves are a guide. Which of course they are.
5 comments:
Our house smell is definitely undergoing a change. We acquired a cockerpoo puppy for my daughter just before Christmas, and toilet training is work in progress. I guess we will soon get that pervasive dog smell which only newcomers will be able to detect. Or maybe it will be cancelled out by the smell of the cat.
It is always a fact that as well as the smell of an empty house changing to something fusty, that the fabric of the place deteriorates at an accelerated pace when left empty for any extended period.
A crucial factor is does when inside one wear slippers or footwear or just have socks? And what of the bare feet brigade?
I miss the smell of an old TV or tube wireless warming up, vinyl records and apple logs.
At the moment, it's new daffodils, soon to be extended to primroses, while savouring the last of the freesias!
And JRT is perfectly capable of a SBD when you expect it least...
Sam - in my experience dogs are more smelly than cats but both together might create an entirely new domestic aroma.
Wiggia - yes, it still surprises me how quickly empty houses deteriorate.
Demetrius - depends how the athlete's foot is responding to treatment. That was an experience I won't forget.
Scrobs - ah the SBD - reminds me of our old English sheepdog.
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