Saturday 31 August 2013

Another Bonkers milestone giveaway! - 400 posts & 150 followers

Source: lifewithasideofcoffee.com
Well, it was back to work with a vengeance this week for me - I may appear to be on Facebook all day, but I am just logged in permanently and treat myself now and again to five minute bursts of activity on there, honest...!  So yes, posts may become a bit more sporadic as the autumn kicks in in earnest, though I hope to avoid the yawning hiatuses (hiati? No, that looks like Haiti spelt wrong) of last year, when I was 'with woodworm' (on multiple fronts) and without furniture - for what felt like endless tracts of time.

And it just so happens that this is my 400th post, and that it coincides with the appearance of my 150th follower - thanks, Pop!  Followers are like gold dust on Blogger, because people have to actively choose to follow you, much like prospective organ donors.  Actually, I just checked the statistics, and in 2011 an impressive 30% of Britons had registered for organ donation.  I can only dream of such a high conversion rate of readers to followers, but am delighted that as many as 150 have taken that trouble.  More on taking trouble anon...


Source: taterstalltails.com

400 posts is not an especially high figure in today's blogosphere, with some stalwart bloggers clocking up that number in little more than a year.  However, up until last year I used to go away a lot with work - so I guess that is a plausible tally for the amount of time I have been able to devote to blogging - and I expect it will trundle along in future in similarly ad hoc fashion.

Then back in June, I marked the (completely arbitrary!) occasion of my 3.6 year anniversary with a stock take of where I am up to in my relationship with perfume and some thoughts on blogging itself.  So I thought I would take this opportunity to bat around a few more ideas from the semi-philosophical to the wholly mechanical.

What I blog about, and why

It's a bit late to be puzzling over what Bonkers about Perfume is all about,  you may well say, and I guess I probably set out my stall at the start, when I described my output/-pourings as 'random musings of a born again perfume anorak - an aldeyhdic blend of passion and irreverence'.   That is still a pretty fair descriptor of the staple fare on Bonkers, interspersed of course with travel posts cataloguing curiosities from other cultures and my foreign (mis)adventures.


Unfeasibly long place name in Hungary

In this connection, I also want to quote from a lovely post - that just appeared today  in fact - on novelists Tania Kindersley's and Sarah Vine's blog, Backwards in High Heels. (I am not at all sure about those apostrophes.)  Backwards in High Heels could best be summed up as a journal of whimsical observations from everyday life, and there is much to savour and admire in the duo's eye for detail and humorous take on the curved balls and lemons of outrageous fortune.  

Here, Tania Kindersley hits the nail on the head in her summary of what propels her to write in the public domain:

"It is a marking of the days, a recording of my beloved Small Things, a small existential stamping. Yes, yes; here I was."

I can related to the aspect of 'beloved Small Things' - I suppose I call the odder end of the Small Thing spectrum 'foibles'.  I recently wrote on Natalie's blog that I love winkling out foibles, the foiblier the better in fact.


An existentialist stamp ~ Source: minitrue.it

And blogging is undoubtedly a kind of 'existential stamping' too.  After all, if I just wanted to record my personal thoughts for myself, I'd still use a five year diary, as I did from 1973-1978, keeping it locked and in a drawer.  I even wrote 'Keep Out!' in (my own) blood on the inside cover, which feels a bit Twilight series now. By choosing to blog, I clearly wish to leave some kind of a footprint in cyberspace, however light - and hopefully to entertain a few people along the way.  

Posting frequency

Well, I may have partly answered that one above, and also in my previous milestone post where I explained how my friends are becoming increasingly worried about my Internet dependency, and are encouraging me to get off Facebook and out more (and by implication, blog less).  Tania also touches on this issue of frequency, and voices another of my concerns, that of reader expectations:

"I feel a very faint bat’s squeak of obligation. This is nuts, of course, but sometimes I do not fight my nuttier imperatives...You come here, and give me the gift of your time. I feel that in return, I must give you something, as many days as I can. I sometimes feel bizarrely guilty when I go missing in action, even though there is usually the most excellent excuse of life getting in the way."


Source: zazzle.com


Is Bonkers too British?

I am mindful that quite a number of my recent posts have been British in their focus - the review of Iris Prima, the upcoming Penhaligon's release, the ones of Bex Londoner SE1 and of Time to Draw The Raffle Numbers from Sarah McCartney's quirky perfume house, 4160 Tuesdays.  Not to mention my review of the decanting supplies situation over here or my account of a visit to a perfumery in Sidmouth, Devon, though that did - most unexpectedly! - unleash memories of happy childhood holidays for one US-based reader, Blacknall Allen of aperfumeblog.  

Now according to my Google stats, only about 30% of my readers hail from the UK. Some 50% are from the USA, with the balance made up from a whole clatter of countries, notably Germany, Russia and France.  So put like that, I don't appear to be making much effort to gear my content to my audience... ;-( Though you could argue that the population of the USA is 5 times that of the UK, whereas my US readers are not even double my British ones, so I do in fact have a British bias after all!  And the bottom line is that I am British, so it is natural that I would wish to cover local perfume houses and stores, just as some of my favourite US bloggers feature a number of indie perfumers, notably a bunch based on the Pacific West Coast.  All of which is just to say to overseas readers everywhere that I really do appreciate your interest, and sincerely hope you aren't too deflected by the British bias.  


St Chad's, Stafford ~ Source: geograph.co.uk

The infernal faff of Blogger comments

This section is dedicated to Birgit of Olfactoria's Travels, whom I am delighted to have introduced to that most useful of words, 'faff', the other day. Earlier in this post I alluded to the fact that a modicum of effort is involved in following a Blogspot blog, however, this pales into insignificance compared to the annoying protocol associated with the Blogger comments system.  Readers have reported all manner of obstacles to me down the years: there's the need (sometimes, but apparently not always) to have a Google account - though hopefully there are other options on Bonkers - please do say if not.  Then there is possible incompatibility between the commenting software and certain electronic devices - iPads have been cited as a prime example.  Adding insult to injury there's that infamous phenomenon known as 'Blogger ate my comment', where one's carefully typed thoughts suddenly vanish in a puff of blank box.  And lastly but not leastly, there is the everpresent spectre of the gobbledygook par excellence that is the captcha.  Very occasionally it tosses up fortuitously apt and amusing offerings that perfectly match the blog post on which the reader is attempting to comment, but mostly it just hunkers down there like a sullen gatekeeper, spewing out its indecipherable nonsense - and yes, both letters AND numbers have the capacity to fox even those with pin-sharp vision and an enduring love of puzzles.


Source: singularityhub.com

To all those readers who have been baffled or frustrated by captchas on Bonkers, may I extend a blanket apology, and take this opportunity to thank those who have persevered and managed to comment regardless.  I will say that latterly the captchas have seemed to regain a bit of clarity, so if you are minded to comment in principle, it is worth quickly looking to see how unfathomable the captcha is on any given day, for you may just strike lucky.  I would not, on the other hand, expect anyone to be arsed to make repeated attempts to second guess the more arcane formations Blogger has been known to generate.

Which leads me neatly to my last point, which is to mention a small giveaway, to mark the above milestones and also perhaps the fact that I recently passed the 500,000 page view mark.  So I figured that as the summer is all but over (in this neck of the woods, anyway), I would try to stall its passing just a little bit longer by offering a 5ml decant (or thereabouts) of any of the following summer-appropriate fragrances from my collection:


L'Artisan Séville à L'Aube 
Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Lys Soleia
Tom Ford Black Orchid Voile de Fleur
Penhaligon's Orange Blossom Cologne
Penhaligon's Castile 
Annick Goutal Le Chèvrefeuille
Olfactive Studio Lumière Blanche

OR

A decant of La Perla edp in case my recent review has piqued anyone's curiosity!

OR

If you don't like the sound of any of those, let me know, and I am sure that in the event of your winning the draw I could probably sort you out with something that hit the spot instead. 

The giveaway is open to anyone anywhere (as ever, we fly in the face of postal regulations!)  Just leave a comment indicating your preferred fragrance by close of play on Friday 6th September.  And please feel free to have a good old moan about captchas or to flag up any wishes about content you'd like to see on Bonkers in future.  There is of course a very real risk that I'll just keep writing about wispy gauzy fragrances and Strange Things on Poles, but it is always worth a shot.

NB You don't have to become a follower to qualify! ;-)




And finally, I have to confess that following the redecoration of the spare bedroom, my twin perfume fridges have been decommissioned and relegated to the garage...  As I type, my perfume collection diaspora is regrouping in plastic containers in the dark (and relatively cool) cupboard under the stairs.  Their next move is not yet certain, but I will continue to publicly document their continued displacement round the house.  

Now this doesn't mean I am growing disenchanted with my stash, just that the fridges would be an eyesore now in that room.  Moreover, I have taken to sleeping there at weekends - for a change of scenery really - and can no longer tolerate the intermittent whirr in the night, even with ear plugs in.  Maybe I am becoming more detached from my collection, who knows?  Hmm, maybe my obsession with paint is gaining the upper hand after all....;-)



51 comments:

Anonymous said...

First, Congratulations on your 400th post and 500,000 page views!
While I have sadly negligent at commenting for a number of months now, I been reading (with interest/pleasure) every post of yours and so contributing to page views. I don't have a Google account so can't add to your followers credential, but I will go subscribe by email.

I'm fascinated by the feeling of bloggers that they owe their readers some kind of schedule commitment. Sure I'd be delighted to read more of your perspective on the world, but it's not like I've paid for a subscription. Personally ad hoc-ery suits my life perspective (if not my blog reading addiction).
And as for the concept that readers are owed regularity in return for the gift of their time, I'd rather have the occasional entertaining post than the feeling of rote reviews.

Re captcha - better each commenter take a couple of extra seconds than the blogger take ages clearing spam
Besides, once you realize that it's better to hit refresh and get a new captcha than to re-try the original one it's essentially "problem solved".

Too British? No, unique perspective.

I'm sure I could run on with pent up comments but I'll end by saying do as you enjoy and the readers will follow.

-- the ever didactic Lindaloo

Liz K said...

I agree that you shouldn't feel obligated to write to a schedule. I like reading your thoughtful posts very much and enjoy that your posts are British. Congratulations on your 400th post.

Undina said...

Vanessa, congratulations on both milestones!

I have nothing against proving I'm not a robot. And I always copy my comment to the clipboard before publishing so I don't loose those any more.

What actually bothers me is the absense of nesting. I remember that you tried it at some point and reverted back but I don't remember what was the reason. I see nested comments working fine on other Blogger's blogs.

As to the posts frequency, let me put it this way: if all of the bloggers whose blogs I love to read (please notice - love, not just read) would have posted daily I wouldn't have published any posts at all for the lack of time.

Oh,and since you asked: you need just one apostrophe - after the second name.

P.S. My capcha today is "aposaga." I'm sure "apo" is short for an "apostrophe" ;)

LaDomna said...

Congratulations on this auspicious occasion! I really have very little to add to what obove personages have said! ;)

I don't mind captcha either. I dod turn it off on my blog, but no one spams my pathetic little blog, oft forgotten. Personally I am rather entertained by trying to decode the captcha numbers and words. It feels like a victory every time I get it right! ;D

I wouln't say that you blog is too british at all. Yay for going local I say! There are a lot of perfume blogs that I find too american so I'm just glad for some other perspectives! I have yet to find ANY Finnish perfume blogs AT ALL! :¨(

And I am so drooling at the list of decants you have on offer for a lucky reader! Summer scents aren't really my thing, but there are still scents on that list that I would love to sample! But I can't decide what I would go for... Seville a l'aube is so lauded but Lumiere Blanche is perhaps more my thing... but it has sandalwood and I'm not very fond of sandalwood... And La Perla might also interest me... Gah, too many choices!

patriciacha said...

Congrats on your accomplishments! I love the variety on your blog, somthing for everyone. I never get bored. Thanks!

Annamaria said...

Congratulations on your milestones. I for one, don't mind hearing about wispy gauzy fragrances!

Vanessa said...

Hi Lindaloo!

So nice to hear from you, and to learn that you are still following Bonkers (in the broad sense of the term! ;-) ) - having readers is the most important thing, as opposed to people who land here by accident, which my search term history suggests is still rather a lot.

Re ad hoc-ery vs schedule commitment (liking the coinage of ad hoc-ery!), I don't think I agree with Tania 100%. Yes, I worry that readers expect a greater frequency of posts, but perhaps bizarrely, this is not because I think they are champing at the bit to read them - for goodness knows there are many other blogs they could be enjoying during my hiaituses - but rather that overly long gaps between posts would be seen as slacking on my part ie as a matter of general principle. I don't know if that makes any sense, but it is definitely more about a perceived lack of discipline and application on my part, not the notion that readers would actively miss me while I am 'missing in action'. ;-)

Re captchas - d'you know, I have tried it a few times without, and I was deluged with spam - it was quite alarming. A few slip through most days even so, even with hyperlinks on the comments I mean, but without captchas it is unworkable.

Your didacticism is always welcome here!

Vanessa said...

Hi Liz K,

Thanks for stopping by to give your take on these points! I am starting to feel a weight lifting about the whole schedule business. I have all sorts of topics in mind to write about - it is just about finding the time, as I say. Also, my posts don't come together immediately - first I get the idea, then they sort of ferment in my head for a few days - sometimes longer - and occasionally I jot down the odd idea or theme along the way. So actually, given this process of 'gestation', if that is not too grand a term!, I am not sure I could write all that more frequently anyway.

Vanessa said...

Hi Undina,

Thanks very much, also for your various tips and thoughts. First off - I have now switched to embedded comments and it seems to be working - hooray! After all, it is a long time since I last tried, so Blogger seems to have improved its act since then - that was a good idea of yours.

I am very glad to learn that my cycle of posting enables you to write your blog, which *I love to read*! That sounds like a symbiotic relationship to me. ;-) Funnily enough, while writing this post, I dived out to catch up on another blog, and spent the best part of an hour there. And there are many others that I am conscious I rarely get to. And doubtless more again whose existence I have yet to discover! On the reading - as on the blogging - front, I do feel from time to time that I am guilty of a big fat fail. ;-) So yes, I guess there is a balance to be struck between reading and writing, and I am starting to see my own irregular schedule in a more positive light.

I did wonder about only one apostrophe being needed - that was my first instinct in fact, then I changed it back thinking I should be consistent and give both names one, though it was more awkward to read. I love your captcha today! On cue....;-) Oh, and I do do that thing of always copying my comment before hitting publish, both on my own and other Blogger blogs. That is a great tip in fact, and I one I would commend to people, to save frazzled nerves when Blogger does its comment eating thing again, as inevitably it will...

Vanessa said...

Hi Nadja,

Thanks a lot! I am happy you find the decoding of the captchas entertaining. I do actually play a little game when I am trying to figure them out, namely that I ask myself how high are the chances that I have got it right - I have a sort of bet with myself each time, and then see if my confidence was justified or woefully misplaced after I hit 'publish'. And just occasionally, I am right when I don't think I am going to be! So I wonder if captchas are getting a little bit 'intelligent' and if a 'p' looks like a 'b' - as was the case the other day - whether the system will in fact let both through. On balance that seems unlikely though. ;-)

Now don't do yourself down - your blog is neither small nor pathetic, and is also local and delightfully eclectic. For anyone unfamiliar with Nadja's blog (La Domna), she offers 'Indie perfume reviews, alternative style, gothic, steampunk, victorian style, dark and haunting art, outfits...' I know of other Swedish perfume blogs, it's true, but I can't think of any Finnish ones either - not that I could read them if they were in Finnish. I only know the word for 'dining room' in Finnish. Oh, and for 'sea buckthorn juice', though I think I have forgotten that now.

Don't worry about your indecisiveness as regards the perfumes in the draw. In the event of your winning, I am sure I could tailor-make a mixture if that would be your preference. My humungous shipment of plastic vials has arrived!

Vanessa said...

Thanks, patriciacha! I am glad there is enough variety on Bonkers in your view, and I will do my best to keep that up in future.

You are in the draw - as is everyone indeed, unless they tell me otherwise. ;-)

Vanessa said...

Thanks, Annamaria! There will be more reviews coming along in the 'Careful Whispers' series, so stand by for those - it is good to meet a fellow wispy gauzy fan. ;-)

Olfactoria's Travels said...

Dear V,

Congratulations on your two milestones!

I read each and every one of your posts, and I enjoy all of them. The topic is (almost) irrelevant, I love the way you write which reflects the way you see the world and that particular perspective is what I cherish.

I'm no friend of Blogger and its quirks, but what can you do...
One thing: could you put a Follow By Email widget on your blog? I'd love that option!

P.S.: the literal existentialist stamp is excellent! Love it!!!

Nancy H. said...

Congratulations on your 400th post! Please keep the British bias. When I read your blog, I feel like I have a friend in England. Thank you for all the work you put into your blog.

P.S. I think your beautiful new house needs a beautiful new kitten.

Unknown said...

Congrats on your milestone lovely. I hate captcha - I think it slows down the commenting process no-end.

If I won the giveaway I'd like to discuss with you which you would think would best suit my personality and tastes - your the expert not me =)

xXx

Follow me too? Oh So Gawjess

Vanessa said...

Dear B,

Hey, what can I say? I don't think anyone has ever said in so many words that they 'cherished my perspective', so I shall cherish your comment.:-)

This platform is an awkward beast at the best of times and I have every sympathy for your Blogger bother...

Glad you like the existentialist stamp - I went hunting for it, confident there had to be one somewhere, and Denmark came up trumps!

It isn't very prominent, but there is a 'Follow by Email' widget in the sidebar, just above the Blog Archives and under the Bloglovin' button. Do report back if it doesn't in fact work - nothing would surprise me on here, hehe.

Vanessa said...

Hi Nancy H,

Aw, thanks - and you *do* have a friend in England - we just haven't met yet - though if my memory serves me we came quite close one time! Fingers crossed it works out some day to catch you in person when you are over in Europe.

Oh, and I would sooooo love a beautiful new kitten, I can't tell you how much. Watching Tamsin's grow before my eyes on Facbook just makes me yearn all the more for one. I am waiting to see how my lifestyle pans out, and the degree of social and business travel that I will typically be doing. Right now a cat would be a tie, but I will have one again some day. Unthinkable not to...

Vanessa said...

Hi tomatefarcie,

I used to watch Popeye as a kid, but somehow I missed that great catchphrase ;-) - and nowadays of course that would most probably be a yam drizzled in Olive Oyl and roasted in the oven...

I appreciate your dropping in and you are firmly in the draw!

Vanessa said...

Hey Oh So Gawjess,

What a great name you have, and thanks for the good wishes. Captcha is a pain, no question, and I can understand people's frustration with it.

If you win the giveaway we will have that conversation, no problem!

And meanwhile - in the words of one of my favourite Genesis tracks - I will look into following you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9zj11gf9Qk

Anonymous said...

Nadja,
For a Finnish blog (in English) you might want to check out Nukapi's Volatile Fiction:
http://volatilefiction.wordpress.com/

She describes herself as "a nerdy Finnish perfumery student in England".

-- Lindaloo

LaDomna said...

Vanessa: Yeah, I have similar experiences almost every day now. But I seem to always guess those captchas right, even when I don't think I'm right, even when I (just for the hell of it) try to guess wrong... I think captchas are definitely smarter than me!

Oh don't get me wrong, I like my little corner of the blogosphere bit it just gets so woefully ignored for months at a time... I have so many ideas that never come to fruition for one reason or another... Thank you for saying such nice things about my blog anyway! :)

Oh, and sea buckthorn juice should be tyrnimehu or tyrnijuoma, tai jotain semmosta (or something like that). My finnish is a bit rusty (read: non existent, seven years in Sweden does that to a poor finnish swede whose finnish was bad to begin with) so I would love to find a perfume blog in Finnish...

Lindaloo: Thanks for the tip! It's good to know that there are Finnish people out there who have an interest in perfume. I feel kind of lonely...

LaDomna said...

Oh, and thank you for following my blog Vanessa! <3

leathermountain said...

Yes, you piqued my curiosity with your La Perla review. I am attempting to swap for it as we speak, but so far there has been no response. I dig your blog.

Kafka said...

Congratulations on your milestones, my dear!! As for the topics of your blog, for me, the appeal is the beauty and wit of your writing. With regard to the giveaway, if I won, I'd be grateful for a sample of whatever fragrance you have hated the absolute most. LOL! ;) Perhaps Attila the Hun's attar, Amouage's Tribute, could go to a suitable home?

With love,
Your Evil Scent Nemesis *grin*

Lavanya said...

Congratulations dear Vanessa!! I am glad I discovered your blog and even though I check often, I will make that extra effort to officially 'follow' you blog..:) Though I love that you mention that we don't have to follow to be entered in the draw.
I have to echo Kafka and say how much I enjoy your witty and easy writing. If I'd known you were so funny - I'd have started reading you earlier..:D.
As for the draw, if I won, I might be tempted by the L'Artisan since my decant is almost over (Though the last time I wore it, something in the notes bothered me- so I may to rethink my choice). My husband asked me today if I could wear 'subtle' scents for atleast two days (haha) so I may have to dip into your archives for ideas for subtle scents..:D

Vanessa said...

Lindaloo, Nukapai's blog - but of course! How could I forget a) the blog and b) the fact that she is Finnish. ;-) Doh!! I have known Nukapai/Pia for four years and it was she who organised our Smelly Cakey meet up I reported on here:

http://bonkersaboutperfume.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/smelly-cakey-drinky-things-on-toasty.html

Vanessa said...

Nadja, I fear I have forgotten the Finnish for sea buckthorn juice already, but I still remember 'ravintola'. ;-)

Vanessa said...

Hi leathermountain,

If the swap you are pursuing doesn't come good, do come back to me re La Perla, as I am sure we could figure something out. Meanwhile you are in the draw and thanks for your kind words about Bonkers - it is lovely to have new readers!

Vanessa said...

Hey Evil Scent Nemesis!

Ooh, I never went as far as acquiring any Attila the Attar - I just ran out of the shop where I had been spritzed with it in some distress. It is kind of you to think of taking it off my hands though, if I had had the misfortune to come by a sample. ;-)

However, my collection is so rampantly out of control that in the event of your winning the draw I am sure I could find you a collection of samples that might appeal at the very least, even if there was no one decant that grabbed you - and maybe there would be?

Vanessa said...

Dear Lavanya,

I am very happy you found your way to Bonkers and please feel under no obligation to officially 'follow' me. The marking of these twin milestones is in no way a covert recruiting drive for followers, especially as it is a nuisance enough for people to comment on here! ;-)

If you are lucky in the draw, I am sure we could find you a mix of things - a bit of Seville a L'aube maybe and a bit of something more wispy? One such scent I recently reviewed was Rima XI by Carner Barcelona, though it isn't super easy to come by. I should organise a page on here and collect together all the reviews of subtle fragrances, if I could work out how to do that.

One thing in my archives I would recommend to you, *probably above anything else* - and especially given where you live - is my 'California Dreaming' series of travelogues, which also include perfume reviews along the way. There is a whole slew of them in January 2011, starting here:

http://bonkersaboutperfume.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/california-dreaming-another-bonkers.html

There are others for the Mid-West and various countries in Europe but this one might particularly appeal.

leathermountain said...

PS I like some regional flavor. You just have to call it terroir.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy reading your blog very much. Like some others I do like blogs without the American perspective for a change. Also nice with the good titles to your blog posts and generally your way of writing.

More tips on swapping and posts about perfume shopping throughout Europe would be most welcome. Love the way you write about your business trips with perfume shopping slotted in, even if we don't share the same taste in perfume.

Should I be the lucky winner I think the Seville a l'aube or anything not too soapy with orange blossom or sandalwood would be lovely.

Ingeborg

Vanessa said...

'Terroir' - I like the sound of that! I shall try to work on my 'cheeky bouquet' in future. ;-)

You have also reminded me of a similar - though more worrying - scenario from the time when I worked in a cheese shop as a student. My boss was a bit of a wide boy and when I went to throw out some Gorgonzola that was looking a bit grey round the gills, he said: 'No, you don't - I could sell thon cheese if the maggots were crawling out of it - sure I'd just call it "farmhouse".'

Vanessa said...

Hi Ingeborg,

It's lovely to hear from you, and thanks for your tips. I haven't done much swapping lately, but I will bear in mind that that would be a possible topic of interest.

I also hope to travel more in Europe in future - it has been a pretty lean couple of years on the work front and I haven't been away as much as I used to. So we'll see if things pick up this autumn on that front.

You are in the draw and your preferences are noted! The Castile is orange-y but a bit soapy, however, the Penhalligon's Orange Blossom might well hit the spot as an alternative to Seville a L'aube. Or you could have a bit of both if you won the giveaway. ;-)

LaDomna said...

Not to pop your bubble Vanessa, but in my mind ravintola means restaurant... Dining room would be roukasali or perhaps ruokala. ;)

Vanessa said...

Haha - I saw the word in hotels to designate the room where I would go to eat an evening meal or breakfast. So 'hotel dining room' is what I mean - or 'hotel restaurant' indeed.

Anonymous said...

Liking the 'terroir' designation. And where else would I get the local argot: "a bit of a wide boy"?

-- Lindaloo

Undina said...

Nested replies! Yey!!! :) Now I'll be commenting even more!

Talking about punctuation, have you read Eats, Shoots & Leaves?

Vanessa said...

Hi Undina,

Hurrah, and thanks for suggesting I try this format again. It has improved in several ways since last time - no apparent problems for people commenting (well, as Blogger goes), a nicer font, and more ability to keep replying to the same comment.

And sure I know that book. When it first came out, pretty much everybody I know got it from me at Christmas!

Vanessa said...

I may still have a stockpile of copies, such was the missionary zeal with which I snapped it up! ;-) ;-)

Vanessa said...

Hi Lindaloo,

Haha - I never know what is a peculiarly British term or not till someone tells me so. Do say if you know of a colourful US equivalent!

Odiferess said...

Hi Vanessa, Heart felt congratulations on your half a million hits. That's truly a great achievement. Isn't it lovely to think that your blog has been read in higher figures than many of the books on best seller lists? Magnificent, the internet rules! I've got a little overwhelmed by the multitude of fume blogs but yours and perfume shrine are my top 2 'always read' now. I love the informality and humour of your writing.
I hope Odiferess grows as well as bonkers about perfume in the future.
I want to see your perfume's 'twin-fridge', I imagine it's like scent porn..
x
Sarah

Vanessa said...

Hi Sarah,

Thanks very much for the good wishes and for including me in your regular reads. That means a lot given the immense range of perfume blogs out there now. I must say that I enjoy similar qualities of informality and humour in your own blog - as well as your meticulous research - and I am sure Odiferess will grow apace. It is a good choice of name for one thing - as Cafleurebon was - because it is a made-up word and to all intents and purposes a Googlewhack.

Oh, and at the top of this post you will find a picture of the twin fridges side by side in the old house. They are non-identical twins it must be said - one is Stella Artois, one a Lec from John Lewis (never knowingly branded with a beer logo!) - and now they are both sitting forlornly side by side in the garage. One of them is probably going to go on eBay when I can get round to it.

http://bonkersaboutperfume.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/bonkers-is-two-this-week-and-giving.html

Odiferess said...

Thanks Vanessa, I must say the research gets out of hand a bit. An upcoming post is tackling a huge subject, I'm trying to reduce it to about 1000 words for now but I can feel a book bubbling away..
I followed your link and I now want a perfume fridge, ebay time! I wish I could go back in time to your well stocked fridge and have a good rifle through it..

Lucas said...

Congratulations on the milestone Vanessa!

You go girl!

blackanll allen said...

Well, you know I have no problems whatever with the "britishness" of your posts. Enjoy them very much and as the britishness is natural to them, expect it's part and parcel of my enjoying them! Congrats on your 400th!

Vanessa said...

Hi Odiferess,

On the matter of bubbling books, have you checked out Kafka's blog? Her extensive posts may make you less worried about your own word count. ;-)

Do you have a spot in your house where a bit of whirring would not be an annoyance? If so, one of my fridges is coming on the market - unless you can find a seller more local to you in Ebay. I got one fridge from Brum and one from Halesowen, ie about a half hour drive.

Vanessa said...

Hey, thanks Lucas - your good wishes are much appreciated!

Vanessa said...

Hi blacknall allen,

Thanks for stopping by! I know the Sidmouth Britishness is definitely part and parcel of your enjoying my posts, but thanks for the reassurance on the rest of the indigenous topics... ;-)

Suzanne said...

Congratulations, dearest Vanessa, on both of your milestones. I also feel I should congratulate you on your actual *miles* - and by that I mean the impressive number of road trips you've put in since I started reading your blog. Those trips provided lots of entertainment and made me feel like I was getting to tour around Europe with you.

Regarding your posting schedule, my thoughts are very much in line with what Undina and others have said. I'm grateful that some of my blogging friends are on more of a weekly than daily schedule, since due to the sheer amount of people I like to read, I'm perpetually behind. I've accepted that that's the way it is. And on that note, I'll also say that while I still might be late to your blog at times, I found the "Follow by email" button on your site tonight and signed up. Don't know if that will make me count as an "official" follower, but I hope so!

Vanessa said...

Hi Suzanne,

Thanks for your congratulations, and for being such a dedicated reader. I hadn't thought of the other implication of 'milestone', but it is true that many miles have been covered in the pursuit of my job and fellow fumeheads. ;-)

I am glad you are comfortable with my slower posting schedule and I hope the 'Follow by email' widget works for you. I don't know if that makes you an official follower either, but I am just happy to have you along on any footing!