Scent Diary: 23.12 – 29.12.2019

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies

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Portia

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Hey there APJ Crew,

Kylie has done a new ad for Australia. I don’t know why but every time I watch it I cry like a baby. There’s been some backlash but it shows so much of what I love about this country. Of course we are having problems, what country isn’t? Our government is making some poor decisions, I bet yours is too. We are mining, bulldozing and building over our food belt, killing the reef and country for profit and we’ve never had such a high percentage of homeless. Still, Australia is a terrific place to visit and who doesn’t love Kylie?

Scent Diary: 23.12 – 29.12.2019

Monday 23:

OK, I couldn’t sleep last night. Got up at 3am and had a cuppa, did some computer faffing.

SOTAwakeness: Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations

After Jin went to work at 4.30am I hit the bed and did end up getting a few hours but it was disturbed sleep.

Finally gave in and got out of bed. Feeling frazzled and groggy.

Doing the clothes washing. Dusted the house. Swept the tiles.

SOTDay: Crème de Cuir bdk parfums

More housework.

Post Office, visited Scotty at work, Bunnings Gift card buying.

Final washing out on the line. Vacuuming finished. House clean but not tidy.

SOTAfternoon: Classical by Anat Fritz. Today this wore ultra green on me, dry and dessicatec greenery. Parched. Perfect to counteract the sweltering humidity.

Jumped on the bus and train to town where I met Jin, Kath and Ben. we all went to the fish markets for dinner and prawn shopping by Light Rail. It’s our annual adventure and we went at about 5.30pm tonight. It was nearly empty, we got seats on the waterfronyt and there were no queues for anything. AMAZING! Normally it is a complete shit fight.

Home and the heat is getting to me. I need some quiet time.

Tuesday 24:

BLOODY HELL! I forgot to write my TRIVIA Q&A. Thank everything I only write one set over the Xmas/New Year each week. It was done in under 3 hours and sent to all the crew, just in case.

SOTMorning: Equistrius by Parfum d’Empire

Had to go grab some Xmas bags, last minute bits and collect a Chemist Warehouse order. I braved Westfields in Parramatta on Christmas Eve. My expectation was that it would be a riot and nightmare shopping experience. NOPE! It was nearly empty. I waltzed around and did everything on the list with enough time left over to sit and have a peaceful coffee by myself and congratulate a job well done. He He he.

Home and walked the dogs through the sultry heat.

Now I’m going to laze for a couple of hours.

SOTAfternoon: Midnight Oud by Juliette Has A Gun. Sometimes you have to lean into the heat to make it bearable.

Spent some time getting all my trivia stuff together for tonight.

Cleaned up the dining table.

TinaG came over and we sprayed ourselves with Comme des Garcons Incense. Zagorsk for TinaG and Jaisalmer for me. We had tea, Christmas cake and chats and smelled freaking AH MAY ZING!

BATHTIME! With my Champs Elysees Bath Balls. SO GLAM!!

SOTEvening: Champs Elysees by Guerlain.

We still has 33 people tonight for trivia. It was the last one for the decade, the last one in the Parramatta RSL because we get a brand new club in 2020 and it was Christmas Eve. Perfect to hang out with some of the crew, we had some laughs, hugs and fun. I’m going to miss that venue, it has been home for nearly a decade.

Home to Jin, he has cooked all the pork for tomorrow. I need to get the potato salad done and we’ll be ready.

SOTNight: Sancti by Les Liquides Imaginaires. All the incense.

Made Potato salad and Carrot, Orange & Mint salad for tomorrow. Cut up the Pork for Jin.

Opened some presents.Scotty gave me the most outrageously fabulous porcelain figurine and a bottle of original JAZZ! Amazing.

Watched some GRIMM!

SOTBed: The calming lavender lilt of CHANEL Jersey

Wednesday 25:

Woke up to the sounds of Jin cleaning the kitchen! It’s a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE.

We faffed around the house and opened all the presents from other people.

SOTMorning: Shalimar Ode de la Vanille by Guerlain.

Organised the bag of food and off.

Popped in to see my Mum’s grave. It’s looking good, even in this ghastly drought. We watered her, I had a little chat, burned some incense for her.

Off to Kath’s families place for Xmas lunch.

Home by 3pm.

DEAD! Food coma. Bed.

Jin and I did our Christmas Present opening. I scored a new Doona Set that you can see below,. It’s really lovely but I would NEVER have picked a white one, even though it’s got that lovely embossed looking jacquard ripple through it. He’s so damn chuffed with himself. Also a Tiffany & Co coffee mug to match my last years one. I’m so freaking spoiled.

SOTBed: Brasil Dream by Estee Lauder

Slept like the dead for 2 hours. Woke up with a toilet tummy.

Jin’s mates Yuliet, Edo and Matt met us at the nearby Korean BarBQ (it’s got nowhere near the selection of our regular one but it’s clean and they’re friendly). Even though Jin and I were still stuffed from lunch we managed a fair showing, the others ate like ravenous hordes.

Afterwards they wanted Ice Cream but only McDonalds was open for it so we all trooped in. I stole a couple of mouthfuls of Jin’s Chocolate Sundae! O M G! So freaking delicious. the perfect end to a day of eating.

We walked home and vegged out on the lounge till bedtime.

SOTBed: Oriental Mint by Phaedon

Thursday 26:

Jin woke me up this morning with the smell of bacon and eggs cooking. Enough to lure the dead from their crypts. It was so delicious.

SOTMorning: Niki de Saint Phalle

Lazy morning.

Alice and Kath came over for lunch. It was fun. We ate a LOT of leftovers! So delicious. Such great girls. we organised next year Christmas in BALI! I’ve never been before. Very exciting.

Then we went to Kath’s Dad’s place for a swim but I’m so angry with her sister and dad that it was horrible and my stomach revolted. Came home and did an EXTRA ENORMOUS POO! Sorry, forgot to take pics.

SOTEvening: Exultat by Maris Candida Gentile. All the incense. YUMMM

Friday 27:

FRIDAY! How is it Friday already.

Today is super chill.

SOTMorning: Born Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker. It’s an easy wear sparkling fruity floral. It came as a gift from Anna Maria. That elevates it and makes me think of her while wearing it.

Did some running around in the sweltering, muggy heat. Post Office drop off and collect packages, returned a faulty fan and bought a new whiz bang one, did some grocery shopping.

Cleaned the house. Shining like a new pin.

SOTAfternoon: Vintage JAZZ by YSL in the original bottle. It smells freaking amazing,. A Christmas gift from the incredibly generous Scotty! He also gave me this outrageous statuette. O M G! Isn’t she everything?

Had Evie, Chris, Lyndal and Graham over for afternoon tea today. We had a very laid back couple of hours full of fun, chatter, stories and food. I did some sandwiches, a cheese platter and some fruit. Evie brought some sweet treats and Jin brought out the wine. It was so fun I forgot to take pics.

After cleaning up Jin tried making a Sweet & Sour Tofu dish. The jury is out.

We hung out together for a while and then he had to go to bed.

late night dog walk in the cool night air was perfect. I forgot to have my phone on me for this mornings dog walk and cleaning so I had to do a couple of thousand steps to hit 5,000. My base line. Happily hot 5, 384! Yay,.

BATHTIME!

SOTBed: Adjatay by The Different Company. I felt exactly like white floral leather and it is a perfect scent for tonight. YUMMY

Saturday 28:

It is SO HOT! I’m melting.

SOTMorning: Love Mimosa by Amouage

Went out to Westfield. Anna Maria had bought me a fabulous Oroton bag for Christmas. Trouble is I knew it would never get used. Traded it for my new Trivia bag. O M G! It’s so freaking lovely! Look at this fabulous colour. Looks terrific with my animals that people have given me over the years. It also goes perfectly with my Love Mimosa bottle!

Had Linda and Ray over for morning tea.

Collapsed.

Did some running around for tomorrow nights BarBQ.

SOTAfternoon: Dangerous Complicity by Etat Libre d’Orange

Off to eat with the crew at Korean BarBQ for Sammy’s birthday. It was excellent fun. My FF Kath took a couple of shots. We had a ball.

SOTHome: Liberté by Cacharel

Home. Watched ATYPICAL on Netflix.

I walked the dogs through the ghastly heat, still at nearly midnight.

BLACKOUT! Bugger. Lasted till 1.30am.

SOTBed: Beyond Paradise Blue by Estee Lauder.

Sunday 29:

MORNING! It’s a grey, sweaty morning in Parramatta. Walking the dogs was a bit hot.

SOTMorning: Divine EdP

The day was spent in a flurry of organisation. Our last dinner party for the year and it was excellent. Jin created a fabulous menu including 3 vegan dishes, spicy pork, BarBQ ribs and sausages on the BarBQ. I did a couple of salads and roasted some veg. It was a fantastic night. So good I didn’t take one photo. GRRR!

At the end we did open my newest purchase. Rose Barbare by Guerlain. WJOA! So good

 

It’s YOUR turn. What’s happening in your world?

Did you do anything Fragrant, Fun, Friends, Family or even had some less than Fabulous news you want to share? Now’s the time, in the comments below.
We love to read what’s happening to YOU.
Portia xx

31 thoughts on “Scent Diary: 23.12 – 29.12.2019”

  1. What an amazing holiday week you had and beautiful presents too, Portia!
    Friday was the best part of my week because the eldest came home and brought Pickles too. Now all four of my babies are here!
    Spent the week wearing past loves…. Shalimar, Emeraude and Wrappings…. And did a HUGE amount of testing.. probably sniffed 100+ samples and decants. Since I was off from work this week it was a good time to reek!!!

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  2. Going to my sister’s house for food later. i think I’ll wear my Champs d’Elysee. It’s not vintage but I still love it. XXXX

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  3. That Kylie ad is lovely! “A quokka is literally what you need”, – dang, how did they know?!

    Fascinating week, as always, Portia! I’ve been working and doing some New Year preparations, nothing too exciting.

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  4. That video is cute! Love your new trivia bag and the gorgeous lady figurine.

    We’ve had a bunch more rain, been feeling cold and damp all week as the houses in California have almost no insulation. I’ve alternated between sampling and wearing my full bottles, a few things I’ve worn are Wazamba, Rose Barbare, Amouage Portrayal, Blue Agave & Cacao, Wish, Nuit de Noel and 1996. I need to find my bottle of Equistrius and bust out my Sancti now that you’ve reminded me of them. So anxious for 2020 to arrive, this has been an anxiety-filled year and I’m hoping I can find more calm and peace going forward.

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  5. Went to a low-key end of the year perfume meet-up. Half a dozen people were there; ; a lot of people had other commitments, and I found it nice to have a smaller group. It was a vaguely oud themed afternoon, with real oud from tiny bottles, and I brought in Yves Rocher Rose & Out to gasps of admiration. Okay, more like “hey that’s not bad” but still.

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    • Ooooo you scored some great gifts! Jin in the kitchen cleaning is a rarity? I have 2 questions. Where does one find Born Lovely and are those Champe Élysées bath balls easy to purchase? I am not really coping with life atm so I am going to sit on the sidelines for a few day

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      • Heya Sally-Anne,
        Yes, really great gifts this year. So happy, they get me.
        Jin is not really a cleaner, no worries I’m pretty good at it. It’s really nice when he tries though.
        Born Lovely is a Chemist Warehouse exclusive I think. Those Champs Elysees Bath Balls were a gift. They look REALLY old. Such extravagance, eh?
        Portia x

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  7. OMG Portia! You are hysterical 🤣😂🤣. You forgot to take a picture of your BIG ENORMOUS POO!! That had me croaking with laughter. Next time you’re at aquarobics, toss a Hershey bar in the pool. Guaranteed you’ll have it all to yourself and swim laps to your heart’s content.
    I was so surprised to read that the shopping mall was not busy on Christmas Eve!?! Are people not buying, or do they shop elsewhere? Your heat wave sounds unbearable. I suppose all your homes have central air conditioning? I was reading about all the wildlife that is currently suffering with the drought conditions you’ve been having. Water is in short supply for them.
    I’m glad to hear you passed the holidays merrily and happily. I had no doubt you would 😏.
    I prepared carefully and copiously for our Christmas Eve meal, only to find myself closeted in the bathroom puking. BEFORE I even got to eat anything. Damn! Just as the gastro bug was started to ease up I got hit with what I suppose is a flu virus. Fever, sore throat, chest on fire, coughing. I bloody well could have skipped the flu shot this year for all the good it did. So I’ve spent the holidays hugging the toilet bowl and alternating between bed and the sofa. Still sick as a dog. Yuck!

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  8. What a week you’ve had Portia. Loved the little figurine, looks just like Royal Doulton, very collectible. I had a holiday to Sydney last year and love it when I recognise places in your pics. Those bath pearls look like heaven, only problem for me is that I’ve so little water in my tanks. Already had to truck two loads in. Had a quiet and peaceful Christmas, no work for 2 days, bliss. This has been one of the most hard and difficult years I’ve ever experienced, but I’m still alive and still kicking it. I know this coming year can only get better. I wish that each and every one of you have the new year that you’re hoping for. “Lang May yer lums reek” x

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    • Hey Alexandra,
      She is a bit too kooky for Doulton but she is definitely lovely. I have her in a cupboard with Mums Doulton and Coalport statuettes.
      So hard with water tanks. Poor you. The drought must be crippling.
      Good luck in 2020 and beyond.
      Portia xx

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  9. I had a wonderful family holiday in Arizona at my sister’s winter house. All of us Canadians were quite cold with non-stop rain and unusually cold temps for the desert. Time flew by but many good laughs and good food and wine. I love Arizona landscape and cacti, never tire of the beautiful desert even in the rain. My family doesn’t really exchange gifts. but i was surprised to receive a bottle of Chanel No5 sparkling body gel from my sister, and a spa gift card from husband.
    Happy New Year APJ’ers! Best wishes for the best year yet!

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  11. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. I, too, am looking forward to 2020. A friend suggested that , being, 20/20, it will be a year of clarity and clear-sightedness. I think that sounds fantastic.
    Here in South Australia we have been suffering through the heat, too; it has just broken with a massive drop in temperature, but I don’t know how the accompanying winds will affect the fires. Positively, I hope. Here’s hoping that next year doesn’t have fires like this year. So many people and animals affected, it’s really hard to comprehend how much of the country has been affected.
    I haven’t been wearing perfume in this heat; I have been a bit headachy, too, and I never want to make a bad association with a particular scent when I am feeling like that.
    We had a good Christmas with family, and New Year will be with friends that we haven’t caught up with for a while, so looking forward to it.
    My daughter turned 12 just before Christmas and today we set her up in a different, bigger bedroom, with a new bed, so she is feeling very special at the moment. It’s lovely to see. The cat is convinced that the new bed is for her.
    Wishing everyone the best ever year next year. Love, luck and happiness for all, I hope.

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    • Hey Sue,
      Clarity seems too much to ask for in the current climate. Fingers crossed eh?
      Good luck with the weather down there. We are thinking of you.
      Woo Hoo for little miss 12’s new room and bed. I scored a new and bigger room around then too. Life changing.
      Portia xx

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  12. I loved the Kylie ad, thank you for posting it. She just doesn’t age, not physically, not out of style. Love love love her. And Australia is at the top of my bucket list or as soon as I hit the lotto. I’ve been sick all week with a cursed cold and not doing much with scents since I can’t smell anything, and really not doing much at all but eating, sleeping, and lounging on the sofa in front of the tv. Still have a small stack of Christmas gift samples from a favorite fragrance friend to be sniffed that I look forward to trying. Best Wishes for 2020!

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  13. Happy new year to all APJ ers….
    Here in Australia..well the drought the bushfires totally worried all the time …
    The friendships and mates time spent together makes life better ..
    Born lovely ..SJP….just the name reminded me of you Portia!! Total blind buy..living life on the edge!
    Wishing everyone a clear and wonderful 2020 xxx

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  14. Late, as usual. Wow, your week was hectic. Thanks for the big belly laugh you gave me. Is taking pics of poo a thing?😂 Can’t believe that the shopping centre was virtually empty on Christmas Eve! My tiny little town was jam packed. My week was lovely, just mooched around home with family, and my daughter and Smallies were with us. I’m in Brussels for new year and yesterday we spent the entire day in two Christmas markets. Bought lots of little bits n bobs. And have stocked up on French soap, enough for the whole year. Also bought our bubbles for tonight from a guy who makes his own wine. We were like kids in a candy store, he gave us several wines to taste. All really good, and we bought three different ones. Ok, my friends are calling me to shift myself so must dash. Wishing everyone a good year ahead. It has been challenging for lots of you and hopefully 2020 will be so much better. And this is the last teen of our lIves 😉 And thank you again, Portia, for hosting this lovely place. Love hanging out here.

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