Cold, Cold, Go Away

I am finally, hopefully, very nearly, almost over a terrible cold that has had me in its sinister grip for over three weeks.  It was a doozie of a cold.  On Monday I finally got my sense of smell and taste back, which prompted some thoughts about how losing your sense of smell has both positive and negative sides.

For example, food doesn't taste good, so it really takes the pleasure out of eating, and therefore you're not inclined to do as much of it.  That can be a big plus for dieters.  In fact, why do they not just come out with a diet pill that inhibits your sense of smell?  Or a pill that makes everything you eat after you take it taste like tin foil, or just really bitter or some other unpleasant sensation.  It can't be that hard to create such a thing. I think it's a winning idea.  Truly.

And there's another thing...this requires a story, so get comfortable.  Last Saturday the whole family was at Costco (yes, that's right.  We took the whole family to Costco on a Saturday.  I told you I'd been sick for three weeks right?  I wasn't in my right mind).  We were in the laundry detergent aisle and I added our usual Kirkland liquid detergent to the basket.  Tyler says, "They have a coupon for the powered detergent also.  I wonder if it's cheaper?  I know we never get it, but I don't know why."  We looked, and of course it was cheaper.  I had a vague notion that we never buy powder because I don't like it, but I couldn't remember what in the world my reason was, so I decided to give it another try.  We took out the liquid and added the powder and we were on our way.  Fast forward two days to Monday when my sense of smell started to return.  I walked downstairs that evening and said to Tyler "Something smells so weird down here."  I couldn't think what it could be.  Well, you guessed it, the first time I walked into the laundry room I figured it out.  That powdered laundry detergent was overpowering me with its "clean fresh scent".  And the box hasn't even been opened.  I shudder to think what will happen when I finally pull that cardboard strip and start using the stuff.  I'll have to put a clothespin on my nose while I load the washing machine...and who knows how I will survive actually having to wear the clothes that have been permeated by that smell.  If only I hadn't been robbed of my sense of smell by my cold I could have avoided weeks of olfactory unpleasantness with this detergent.  Although I am saving 2 cents a load over my non-offending liquid detergent, so there's that.

Lastly, another thing that's kind of a pro and kind of a con.  On Monday I also discovered that my kitchen washcloth was emitting some serious fumes of rottenness.  I'm usually highly sensitive to this and change my kitchen washcloth a lot, but because I couldn't smell anything I forgot all about changing it.  I guess the only pro here is that I was spared smelling it.  The con, of course, is that I was using a foul wash cloth to wipe my counters for a day or two.  But why am I the only one in my house who notices things like the smell of the kitchen washcloth?  You'd think someone would have mentioned it - we all use the kitchen quite frequently.  Oh well.  I am just happy to be very nearly, almost, quite possibly, over my horrible cold.

P.S. I shouldn't be surprised that people leaving comments know the same movies I do...the original Parent Trap, Sleepless In Seattle, and The Family Man.