I have been out of hospital for a few weeks now, trying to manage on this peg leg with its excruciatingly tight tendons and muscles and to get on with daily life; walking the block on my cracklesticks pretending it isn’t as painful as it actually is and deeply missing being able to ride my bike. It’s a good job I do like being at home, even if the solitude gets to me sometimes and beers cannot avoid being cracked open on the balcony to at least escape into a reverie. I have done lots of work on my Japan book, which is starting to shape up into something even if there is still a very long way to go.
Because of the allergic rash I developed back in the deepest swelters of August – it was still boiling even yesterday even if it has (sadly) started to cool off into temperatures that normal people would prefer – I haven’t been able to wear deodorant, at least not in the left pit. I tried it once or twice, but it stang sharply and the spots rushed back in a jiffy, which means that I am left with a tang of B.O in that area that probably isn’t suitable for polite society :the right one I am using a natural ‘Salt Of The Earth’ stick a friend of mine gave me, which I can also use in small amounts on the left as well as long as I use an anti-histamine before going out -to physio (oh yes, this is the thing; contradictory advice from different doctors and rehabilitation therapists – walk, don’t walk, rest, be active; one of them rattles my patellas about like glass marbles in a bag – others would never touch it – it’s all so confusing).
That said, from the outside, at least cosmetically, on a good day it all looks perfectly fine and my friends have been astounded by my progress – I probably should not have gone to karaoke on Saturday night though, nor danced – what the hell was I thinking? – the joint is more like a basted Sunday roast now than a leg, and I ice it as I write this.
But back to armpits. I don’t intrinsically hate the smell, I must say – it is manly, full bodied, not sour or ill smelling, and I discovered that wearing an ‘old’ perfume from 2018, Keahia by Sarah Ireland, compliments it quite perfectly. You will probably be surprised to see me writing positively about wood scents as I do usually hate them – especially synthetic ambers, obviously, but Keahia is a cleverly blended melange of musky vetiver, cedar – though it smells like sandalwood – and a rounding of oud, but in the warm, animal way, not the cheap nastiness that calls itself that and streaks through virtually every contemporary perfume now. There is a floral cushioning of iris and osmanthus as well, but essentially Keahia is an extremely robust, yet gentle offering that has suited this rather feral smelling era of my life down to the ground. With good incense burning in the house, I admit to finding it all rather intoxicating.
After a hospital check up one day (‘You are are doing great! Look at how the scar is healing! Look at your flexibility and leg straightening capacity!) – “Thanks’, he says, as he crunches his malignant oak tree out the door and back to the station – I decided to have a quick sniff at some perfumes to launch myself back into society a bit and to have something to write about except the horrors of stiffening orthopaedica. Some terribly dull new Tom Fords, or new for me – Rose Exposed, Oud Voyager, which were fine in the top but whose bases were banal beyond measure (give me Keahia any day!) : the eyebrowless peroxided assistant at Nose Shop with a million piercings led me to Underground Vibes – ‘try this, this is interesting’ – and watched me simultaneously eye widen and take a couple of steps back.
Ah, I see. This is a full on marijuana perfume, with a touch of synthetically created B.O in the mix, just like the rank goaty smells that would naturally be emanating from some underground joint in Berlin. Clever, Mr Antoine Lie : dirtier than what I normally associate with that perfumer, and quite convincing. Though I would rather die than wear this personally, having a visceral dislike of that herb on every level – you sometimes even smell it rebelliously sneaking out of some invisible space in Japan despite its extreme illegality and I wonder why anyone would even bother risking it- in other countries it is far more ubiquitous I know but the scent goes straight to the pit of my stomach and makes me feel sick at quite a strong, needling level. Still, it works- I can imagine the tiniest soupcons of this perfume on a fashionable young individual striking an intriguing aura in the air around them – even if I find the name – so lame, so literal! – to be unbearably gauche. ‘Underground Vibes’? I much prefer the smell of my one man dungeon at home .
Oh Neil, I do sympathise …. pain is the destroyer. I am glad that you are improving although it sure as hell must seem sometimes to you like you’re not, and it’s reassuring that you are still interested in perfume, even though your appreciation is a bit perverted right now! Sending good wishes.
Yes I can see how this post might come across a little kinky! Just trying to make the best of a bad situation – and that Keahia really IS excellent – I don’t know how I neglected it for so long.
The big question for me now is; do I get the right knee done as well? I have a year off work specifically for the three surgeries; I have had the metal bolt extraction on both legs; the left knee replacement, and then right one is scheduled for November 27th. It is really hard to know whether this last operation has actually been successful or not; they tell me it has, and that this is all just part of the process….so part of me wants to go ahead and just do the other one as my skeleton now feels off balance with this big heavy cobalt chrome monster motorbike part shoved in the knee area. Maybe I should just get the other one as well because when it is working properly it DOES feel a lot stronger……..
Anyway I shall be writing some more perfume posts of course. What are you wearing these days? And with B.O or no? The choices we must face!
Sounds like a little beer and dancing is the best medicine!
I have sensitive armpits too, those “natural, clean, healthy” set my pits aflame. I don’t perspire much (being a lady and all) but when humidity and heat are excessive I’ve found good old cheap & cheerful Yardley English Rose roll on deodorant to do the job! It’s the old fashioned aluminum salts type of antiperspirant/deodorant. Comes in Olde English Lavender, London Rose, Musk, and some other men’s fragrances too – the scents are quite faint though so you can pair them with other perfumes easily.
I hate the smell of cannabis too. Remember when Nasomatto’s Black Afghano was popular? Bleccch. Seedy, weedy, musty, fusty, skunky, funky ughhhh. Stale urine and decades old BO.
Keahia sounds lovely with a bit of masculine musk. All those gorgeous animalic woods with vetiver create an earthy depth that’s both raw and elegant.
Yea – I mean it might lack that ‘final factor’ that makes it a Proper Perfume – but I reckon you might enjoy it on yourself or your other half – quite sexy
As for the Yardley roll ons – J’adore and wish I had an unlimited supply – I liked the rose one so much I wrote about it on here
Derp! So you did. I must have missed your post on Yardley deodorants. They’re quite serviceable.
If you like the Yardley English Rose deodorant you would probably love Yardley English Rose perfume- it’s a spicier rose with geranium, a balanced dose of patchouli and velvety musk very refreshing, clean, – could veer too much like granny’s bath salts for some? I love it on hot days, certainly won’t offend anyone. ( It’s also the only modern Yardley perfume I’d recommend)
I am starting to sound like a Yardley ad 😂
Good
Oh afflicted one, I do sympathize!! Had the same armpit trouble myself. Nothing prevailed for quite a long time. Each morning I inspected the blighted area anxiously. Two episodes of antibiotics held me in thrall. Finally the dark colour vanished gradually and now my armpit is back to its usual naked chickenskin hue.
I use Salt of the earth now for several years and my braccheal(? Just invented the word) crotches and I are doing very well except on moments of extreme heat. Then I put on the widest possible clothing or none at all and try to move as little as I can.
Was in stitches over The Vibes. Definitely a No Go for me gor the same reason.
Enough already in the air of Amsterdam !
And New York City! Paired with the scent of piss.
Hard to take – I REALLY hate M at the gut level – imagine wearing it as a perfume ?!!
And yet I do think this is cleverly done and worth smelling
So sorry to read about the pain….if any consolation at all, my mother had both knees done and although the recovery was long, those operations did take a lot of pain away eventually; I hope for the same for you. I’d think you probably have a good sense yourself of how far to push the motion at the moment; a little is surely good, though. Your descriptions of both the knees and the perfumes are just so funny (Sunday roast, malignant oak…but poor you). I’m living in Rogue Vetiver these early autumn days in the UK, based on one of your recommendations…it is so very Weil de Weil without the associated sadness, and so comforting. And funnily enough, in a bottle very similar to Keahia, which you’ve made me want to try (cedar, sandalwood, yes- hopefully nothing too strident in there).
It might be a bit too robust and manly – very warm – and watch that oud – but a good modern bolsterer
Thanks for the leg encouragement
Sorry to hear you have been in pain and still having skin allergy issues. That coupled with conflicting advice on what to do or not to do!
I just smelled TF Rose Exposed for the first time yesterday, and thought it wasn’t bad – it does smell like shiny leather and fresh rose, like it’s supposed to. But I also happened to be wearing Tuscan Leather already and have other leather perfumes and rose perfumes I like better. Oud Wood was surprisingly mild and soapy, with barely a hint of oud! Not sure I got the right impression.
I agree – they are just fine. I would be happy if someone gifted me a bottle – but the overall finish should be more RAVISHING at that price