Monday 3 July 2017

The Isabel Trail: a spontaneously circuitous sillage-seeking cycle ride

Source: visitstafford.org
There's no more news to report of the war on Tootsie...well, other than the fact that I have swapped the positions of Truffle's water and food bowls around - so the food bowl is now by the entrance to the dining room, and hence that bit further for an incorrigible cat burglar to venture in pursuit of kibble contraband. Truffle seems mightily perplexed by the switch, and has taken to staking out her water bowl, lounging pointedly just in front of it and shooting me disapproving glances over one shoulder, even as I crouch a few feet away, rattling the contents of her newly relocated food station. Oh, and I also had occasion to chase Tootsie out of the garden and down the service road by the side of my house at 2.20am on Saturday morning, Anti-Cat in hand. He hunkered down under a white van for a while, before sprinting towards a garden wall on his own street and leaping over it to safety, so nary a squirt was fired. If there are any major developments, however, I will be sure to report back!


Source: Stafford Borough Council

Meanwhile, I have decided to get off my backside this summer and do some exercise. No, really. I know I include some variant of the 'exercise more!' imperative in my New Year's post with monotonous regularity - albeit it was couched as generating 'teeming neurons' this year - but you may be sure it is the  same hoary old resolution chestnut that is safe to disregard, just as I do. But a July resolution smacks of something more serious. Various things have conspired to make me feel like shaking a leg a bit more: I had my bike fixed recently, which set me back £75 for a new tyre and two inner tubes, so I feel I should get my money's worth from that repair; also Val the Cookie Queen of APJ has been bigging up the health benefits of squats recently, such that I have even started to do some sets every time I reheat my tea in the microwave (which is quite often!). Then on Sunday I also happened to take some promo photos of ex-Mr Bonkers, posing with a new gig bag he's bought - they are to be included in his application to the manufacturer to be one of their product 'endorsers'. As a thank you he offered to give me back the home gym I had given him some 17 years ago(!), which he has not used in all that time. I had in fact been thinking lately that even though I barely do exercise of any kind myself at the moment - apart from a fairly fitful attendance at a Pilates class - I do even less of anything resembling weight training, so I jumped at his offer.


Source: productreview.com.au


With all these good intentions whirring round in my brain, I leapt out of bed this morning and got dressed to go for a jog. Only to find that the soles of both my trainers were hanging off and will need professional gluing by a cobbler. Okay, it's a bike ride then! Accordingly, I found myself uncharacteristically cycling the length and length (it's not very broad) of the Isabel Trail, a cycle path that weaves its way between the industrial estates of Stafford, from the northern perimeter of the town down to somewhere south of the middle. The path is overhung in places by a canopy of trees, and if it weren't for the intermittent cacophony of industrial noises emanating from factory units left and right, you could easily fancy yourself in the country!


Source: Google Sites

Occasionally I would overtake a jogger, or a walker on the path, including at one point a mature lady dressed in what I took to be the uniform of the Royal Voluntary Service, though I wouldn't swear to that. She wore a bottle green skirt and a button down white blouse, topped off with a lanyard, and seemed set on walking to the very end of the path. As I went up and down the trail, revelling in the faux-rural feel in the midst of an urban area, I passed this lady from both directions, When I came up from behind I could distinctly smell her perfume, though not when I cycled past her going the other way. Intrigued by her pleasantly powdery sillage, I made a point of cycling up and down even more(!) to catch further whiffs of whatever it was she was wearing. Eventually, it struck me that she might be a little alarmed by my repeated overtaking manoeuvres, so I decided to come clean the next time I approached, and ask her straight out what she was wearing.


A little side path I also rode down ~ Source: Jim Fogarty

"Kenzo Flowers!" the lady replied cheerily, to which I replied that I had the Oriental version, and that she smelt lovely in the original. "What a good start to a Monday!" I added, as much to apologise for my weird stalking as to compliment her on her choice of scent. She beamed back at me, and I was glad we had had that little exchange: my curiosity was satisfied and her morale boosted, or so it seemed - in short a win-win, as they say.

Once home, I went straight to the cupboard under the stairs and fished out my vial of Flower by Kenzo (to give it its official name) from a little plastic bag where it has been languishing for all of 8 years at a guess. I sprayed it on, and whilst I still prefer its darker and more edgy Oriental sibling, I can see why Tania Sanchez gave it a generous four stars, and why my go-to review resource of Bois de Jasmin (from whom I have pinched the notes) upped that to five.

Notes: "Wild hawthorn, Bulgarian rose, Parma violet, cassia, hedione, cyclosal, opoponax, white musk, vanilla."





In her review, Tania Sanchez mentions how Luca Turin spotted the striking resemblance between Flower by Kenzo and Caron's Royal Bain de Champagne, the bubble bath version of which I was kindly given by my friend Rachael Potts. I can totally see that connection, albeit Flower has more overt notes of rose and violet as far as I can recall, spiked with shafts of jasmine, like the sun dappling the path this morning through the tangle of trees. But that whole tender, expansive, vanilla / opoponax baby powder thing?...both scents have got it going on big style.

What is also interesting about this morning's events, apart from the Caron similarity which had hitherto passed me by, and for which I have the lady in green indirectly to thank, is that I could immediately visualise in which little polythene bag in which box my sample was lurking, even though I hadn't gone near it in years. Which got me wondering if anyone else reckons they have a photographic memory of their collection. I must say I surprised myself that I could drill down to the very plastic bag in question!




So...getting a bit of fresh air and exercise, and bonding with a Kenzo scent whose charms I had largely overlooked, was indeed a great way to kick off the week. I even sat at my desk with my feet on a spiky massage ball for a bit this morning.

Wherever will it all end? Doubled up in bed groaning? Yes, maybe...!




26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not just a new you, but a new face for the blog too!

-- Lindaloo

Vanessa said...

Hi Lindaloo,

Ha! I don't know what came over me with the template...I started messing about in the middle of the night, and was suddenly drawn to this Simple design, as it had a familiar layout, but seemed a lot clearer to read. And as I get older, readability is increasingly key. ;) There was a lovely new template called Soho, with a readymade cat at the top(!), but it didn't have any sidebars, so the shock of the new might have been too great. Maybe I'll migrate gradually to other styles...also on impulse late one night!

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, the eyesight thing ... many, many years ago I produced the Christmas issue of my company's newsletter on what I thought was a lovely seasonal dark red paper in a gothic font and received a complaint from a dearly beloved retired boss that he couldn't read it. Tish, I thought, that's an exaggeration. Now, here I am finding it increasingly hard to see small print, particularly on dark backgrounds, and getting cranky. That's a long-winded way of saying I can see your blog clearly now! I like it.

Oh dear ... Tootsie. You have to admire his persistence.

You probably made that lady's day. I am always thrilled to receive a compliment on my perfume, but I know that there are some people who seem to be discomforted by any comment and others who always say "I don't remember what I put on this morning". Strange, but then I suppose they are not "perfumistas"!

Don't overdo the keeping fit - you don't want to end up stiffer than you started.

Jillie

Vanessa said...

Hi Jillie,

Funnily enough there was a blog template in my series that was dark red, to which I was drawn purely for its rich colour, but I thought that wouldn't be a step up in clarity from my dark grey. So I can understand that your boss might have found it a struggle to read your newsletter.

Re my previous template, I did like the 'King's Speech' travel background that came with that, but they don't seem to offer any peeling plaster-type designs with this one. I guess there is a clue in the name: Simple.

I promise I won't go mad on the exercise front...I feel rather stiff today to be truthful, though tonight is my Pilates class that I sometimes go to. ;)

Vanessa said...

PS Sadly they don't seem to offer any Farrow & Ball colours for the background, but I chanced across this taupe, which I prefer to the apricot and which is a little bit London Stone...;)

Unknown said...

Now you make me feel guilty...I still haven't made it to any Pilates classes since we met. But Kenzo Flowers, you say? I don't think I even sniffed at the sample that's lurking in my stash. Will remedy that pronto.

Tara said...

Hi V,
Yes, nice refreshing new look for the blog and lovely photos.
Kenzo Flower does sound rather gorgeous and I'm even more impressed that Victoria gives it the full 5 stars. If I wasn't trying to cut down, I'd be tempted to make a purchase. Well done for asking the question.
Love the thought of you doing your squats as the microwave counts down. What a great idea!

Vanessa said...

Hi Sabine,

And do you know exactly where in your stash that sample will be...? That would be interesting! Not sure if the Kenzo would be your thing - it is a big sweet powder cloud! - but it was all kinds of nice on this lady, when sniffed at cycling speed, certainly.

I will try to go to the class tonight, though I am easily deflected! Hopefully not with this new mindset on me.

Vanessa said...

Hi Tara,

Glad you like the new look - I have no idea what came over me...a total whim when I should have been cleaning my teeth and getting the heck to bed.

You could sniff Kenzo Flowers when you are next in a store that carries them? Maybe even in Boots? I still prefer the Oriental flanker, which Robin of NST also rates, and would rebuy that if they still make it. Oriental doesn't get so many stars in The Guide, not that I was ever unduly guided by that.

When doing the squats, I can see my reflection dimly in the tinted glass of the oven door, meaning I can check my posture as I go!

Vanessa said...

PS I gave Lila a Travalo of the Oriental one the last time we met - it had escaped her notice up till now and she was also quite taken with it. It has a bit of a Coromandel vibe.

Anonymous said...

I thought something was up with my computer when it all came up in white. I need to get used to it. Not to say I don´t love it, just that I am absolute creature of habit and I need to get over my issues, and thank you for helping me. :) I know where most of my perfume samples are, I don´t have very many.
Keep on biking, squatting and doing light weights. And please mention to Jillie that if you don´t hurt the next day then you are not doing it properly. Hmmmmm. Kenzo? I had a sample but I think I binned it. Tsk. CQ. xxxx

Vanessa said...

Hi Val,

I am sorry to have jolted you out of your familiar chromatic groove. I must say I am sold on the lightness / clarity now, and this of all the styles still retains most of the original layout aspects. It even looks a little bit like a Wordpress theme - 2012, maybe? - which can't be bad.

I think I am more interested in exercise this time round, albeit my SI joint has really started to hurt again, though it was fine when I had my physio assessment last week (typical!). Maybe I did a bit too much at once. Also, I really should have a proper office chair.

I bet you do know where your samples are - in that wardrobe we glanced in briefly and shut again! xxx

Tara said...

Yes, will check it out in Beauty Base!

Who knew microwaves could be so good for your health? :)

Vanessa said...

Haha! Indeed...that is not exactly the received wisdom about them. ;)

Anonymous said...

Dear Val - I just saw what you said!! It reminds me of a saying about gardeners ....... you aren't a real gardener if you don't have backache!
Jillie

Anonymous said...

Just as long as you never go grey background with yellow print! I just stop reading the magazines that do that.

Love that you were able to keep the sidebars. I have always found your blog roll excellent, especially since it updates.

-- Ll

Anonymous said...

Jillie, I usually assume that someone who says they forgot the name doesn't want to tell.
I once worked with a person who came back from a holiday smelling fabulous. It wasn't until I transferred to another city that she told me the name. I happily wore Diorella in rhe new city. ��

-- Lindaloo

Vanessa said...

That chimes with my experience of gardening all right. Sometimes it's all I can do to stand up afterwards. ;)

Vanessa said...

Good grief, what a shocking notion! I also steered well clear of an apricot title, though it was offered to me.

Glad you find the blog roll useful. Some are dormant, but I still keep them for their archive value. And periodically have a little weed.

Undina said...

Since today I decided to read your blog on my phone (instead of sleeping :) ), the first moment I thought I got some strange "reader" version of it and even went back to the search engine to find "the correct" version :) Tomorrow I'll check it out on the regular computer but, in general, I quite like it: it's much more reader-friendly than the old background though I have to admit that I grew fond of the picture on the previous design. Still, it's a positive change - congratulations!

I keep telling myself about exercising but my body just hates any sports activities and retaliates every time I attempt to do anything.

With most of my samples (1,000+) I remember a general location but sometimes it requires some digging since I might remember the previous location - the one before I came up with the "better" (as I thought at the time) place for it.
I think I know where my Kenzo Flower sample is (though I haven't touched it for probably the same time as you yours). I think that I always kind of liked the perfume but not enough to want to wear it.
BTW, you do realize that whatever we have in our respective samples resembles the currently available version probably only remotely? ;)

Vanessa said...

That would never occur to me, someone being possessive of their perfume in that way. But it happens with clothing and possibly even paint colours.

Vanessa said...

Hi Undina,

Thanks for putting blog reading before shut eye, and sorry to give you a start with the new design. I adapted to it much quicker than expected - I am not one for change as a rule - although, like you, I was attached to the travel theme. Maybe I could have had the central bar there as white instead of grey? Might experiment. But this feels fresher somehow, and the print much clearer.

Interesting to get your take on exercise - we are kindred spirits there, only I am trying to fight against nature, which in my case abhors an abdominal crunch.

I would fully expect you to have a good handle on the whereabouts of your samples. ;) I have similarly moved some things to a 'better place', which also had confused me on occasions.

Anonymous said...

Tee hee ....... I couldn't bring myself to fib so I have to tell people if I am asked, but it has been annoying when others have "stolen" my perfume ...
Jillie

Vanessa said...

Ooh, I do understand that one. I have had paint colour schemes in rooms 'nicked' too.

Yuki said...

Love your story about going biking and rediscovering Kenzo Flower :) Good for you, too, for exercising despite the initial setbacks! I've never tried Kenzo Flower (or anything from Kenzo, actually), but now I'm curious. Hope your future exercise endeavors are as pleasantly scented!!

Vanessa said...

Hi Yuki,

Oh, lots to discover in the Kenzo range! I was wearing Eau de Fleur de Magnolia yesterday and had forgotten how nice that was. Not sure if they still make it, mind. Along with Bvlgari, it is one of the mainstream brands I have had most success with.

Yes, I really hope I can keep up this exercise lark! It doesn't come naturally to me, or hasn't up to now.