Vanilla

My dad loved vanilla and lemon. Not together. But he always had those hard lemon drop candies in the house and he always burned vanilla candles at Christmas. When my brother and I were kids we'd all go to the local drug store to get fountain drinks from the local soda fountain. I'd get either a green river or a cherry Coke. My brother always got a chocolate Coke, and my dad got either a lemon Coke or a vanilla Coke.

(For the record, the local soda fountain still exists with the original bar, stool, and soda fountain. Last time I was there [five years ago], I got a cherry Coke with my food and ordered a chocolate Coke to go.)

Anyway... Vanilla and vanilla candles. Dad loved the smell. Vanilla-scented stuff takes me back to my dad's house when it was still a bachelor pad (i.e., still furnished with run-down furniture and card tables). My brother and I would put up the Christmas tree, Dad burned multiple vanilla candles in every room of the house. It was Christmas.

So, earlier this week I went to the dentist for a cleaning and check up. At the end, my hygienist (who is awesome) went through the drawer of stuff asking me what I wanted: Toothpaste? Floss? (Yes) Toothbrush? (No) And then she asked, "Do you want some chapstick?"

Yes!

I'm kind of addicted to any form of lip balm. I am constantly applying it, and I'm miserable when I run out, and I had just run out. So, my hygienist gave me some with my dentist's name, number, etc. on it.

I kept forgetting to pick up more at the store so, you know, awesome.

And then I put it on and all of a sudden I was ten years old, back in my dad's bachelor pad house, putting up Christmas decorations. My new dentist lip balm is vanilla flavored/scented.

I'm kind of loving it.