Thanks to citronella oil, I have fallen even more in love with Hasani. After a year and a half in lockdown together, I thought I knew him inside out. I was wrong. I recently learned that he loves the scent of citronella oil as much as I do.
It all started with Alba getting a cold a few months ago. To ease her congestion, I pulled out my diffuser and some eucalyptus oil that I had remaining from my brief attempt at pre-natal yoga. After a few days, Alba was well again, but Hasani and I kept putting on the diffuser every evening.
The scent of eucalyptus oil reminded us of a vacation we had in Dapa when we lived in Colombia. The guesthouse we stayed in offered coffee massages. I love massages so we signed up for one. To begin, we had to sit in a steam room for about 20 minutes and the masseuse kept bringing in more and more fresh branches of eucalyptus. Then, when we went in the room for the massage, she had even more eucalyptus in there as well. There was never any hint of coffee, and the lady chatted more than she massaged. It was a fun but bogus experience. Ever since, whenever Hasani and I smell eucalyptus oil we laugh at this memory.
As we turned on the diffuser every evening, Hasani and I were transported back to that vacation in Colombia. However, one night the eucalyptus oil ran out. Being the sensible parents that we are, we re-ordered a new bottle for next day delivery. After all, Alba could get sick again and we should have some in case. The next night, I opened the new bottle and put my usual 10 drops into the diffuser, turned it on full blast and went to shower.
When I stepped out of the shower a few minutes later, I was hit with the overpowering scent of citronella oil. I hurried into the bedroom and gasped for breath. The scent was dizzying. I grabbed the bottle from my nightstand and read “Eucalyptus Citriodora”. I sighed. When I had made the order, I had only seen the eucalyptus part. Outwardly disgusted I complained to Hasani who shook his head sympathetically at my frustration. But that night I went to bed feeling a bit cosier. Mosquitos love me so my childhood smelled of citronella oil as it is the most effective repellent there is.
The next evening, Hasani asked me if I was putting on the diffuser. I responded that I could put it on with another essential oil I had received as a gift. He hesitantly admitted that he had “low key” enjoyed the citronella scent the night before. My spirits soared. My heart warmed. We are kindred spirits after all! “Me too!” I responded. He said it reminded him of down de islands and Tobago. I said it reminded me of Tobago too and my childhood. We both agreed though, that 10 drops were too much for citronella oil, so that night I put only five drops into the diffuser. Later, as Hasani read Alba her bedtime stories, I sat in bed reminiscing slathering citronella oil on my legs as a child while mum, dad, and my brothers complained about the pungent smell. It is a miracle that I married a man who loves the scent too.
This week we started using the fan to sleep as the warm weather is finally here. Last night I woke up at around 1am. I lay awake breathing in the wafts of citronella, listening to the whirring of the fan, and feeling the gentle breeze on my arm every time it rotated in my direction. It would have been perfect, were it not for Hasani’s snores. But after a good kick, he soon stopped, and I drifted back to sleep feeling cosy and happy.
