Deo

Here are the neighborhood pigeons, roosting once again in the walnut tree in our garden. You can see how the autumn colors have deepened since I took a similar photo in September. The Japanese maple is blazing more and more red and the walnut is gradually yellowing.

I made a discovery which, although touching on an unsavory subject, might be useful for you all to know. Remember how I mentioned that I found myself wearing a slightly odiferous sweater the other day? Well, the truth is, both I and the sweater were odiferous, and here's why. Some time ago, I bought two new sticks of deodorant -- Sure, my usual brand, in identical green plastic containers. I used one of the sticks and it was fine. When it ran out, I moved to the other, and I thought, "Hey, this one seems slightly different." I didn't give it much thought until one or two days later -- the day of the sweater.

I discovered that I'd inadvertently bought something called "Sure Whole Body Deo," which is not the same as regular anti-perspirant. In Sure's own words, "Traditional deodorants, especially antiperspirant deodorants, are designed to tackle body odor at its root by blocking sweat glands and reducing skin bacteria. Body sprays, on the other hand, are akin to perfumes, offering a fragrant cover-up for odors with a blend of herbs, oils, and spices."

(This was not a spray, but I assume the product is basically the same however it's delivered.)

So basically I'd bought something that was not my regular deodorant -- that "covers up" odors rather than blocking them. BEWARE the "Whole Body Deo"! That's my useful consumer information for the day.

Dave and I are off to Brighton this evening to see Suzanne Vega in concert. I've seen her live a couple of times, once back in 1990 during her tour for her album "Days of Open Hand," and again in 2007, a show I blogged about. (She also showed up as a surprise guest at a Christmas benefit concert I attended that same year.)

I've been a longtime fan so I'm looking forward to this. I bought the tickets way back in May so thank goodness I didn't forget. We'll stay overnight in Brighton and we've taken tomorrow off work, so we don't need to rush home. I hope we can have a leisurely morning by the sea!