The Smell Of Laundry

 

Transported Back In Time

As I walk the streets of where I live in Yomitan, there is always a smell of fresh laundry, and every other turn, there is a porch with laundry hanging rain or shine.    What is it about the smell of laundry?  I can catch a whiff of a barbecue, fresh-cut grass, apple pie, my kid's school glue, or fresh laundry, and immediately I am immersed in a whirlwind of memories from my past.  It's like I am transported back in time.  I bet if you closed your eyes right now, took in a deep breath, you could smell your house as a kid.

My grandmother and mom always hung our laundry on the line. It was a mixture of sunshine and a special breeze that made it so "crisp" and fresh.  Something about the movement of laundry and the colors as I walk the streets of Japan that gives me a sense of normalcy and takes me back to my childhood, and brings a smile to my face.

My home has its own laundry smell, and I can identify my friends by the smell of their laundry.  Weird?  Maybe? But it is familiar; I love it when I walk into my friend's house or hug their kids; they have that "familiar" smell/feel.   When you move as much as we do, it's the simple things, and the "Mack" smell of laundry makes wherever we live to feel like home.  When he is an adult, I hope my kid that the smell of laundry triggers some great memories of his childhood and the places we called home.

After today's walk, I sat down to upload my laundry pictures and realized that I have taken pictures of laundry everywhere we have traveled.  Take a look! I am posting one of my favorite places for laundry ......Venice, Italy.  I can smell the air now and hear the clank of cappuccino cups.