MMMMMMMmm, coffee.

Is there truly anything more delicious than coffee? Not right now, there isn't. I'd seriously consider swimming in good coffee, with about 3/4 shot of almond syrup and way too much half-and-half. Which is what I'm drinking right this minute. With a vanilla sandwich cookie. Since I'm not on a cruise in the Caribbean, this is definitely the second-best way to spend a Tuesday morning.

Now, really, REALLY good coffee should just be consumed naked. You know, flavor-shot- and cream-free. For example, last year during the holiday season, my sweet friend Christel (the CoffeeGoddess) sent me some coffee that she, herownself, had roasted. It arrived at my door as whole beans, in the same coffee bag as some delightful roasted sliced almonds, and, aside from pretty much salivating in a puddle, there was little other appropriate reaction for me to have. Each time I made a pot of that almondy-goodness, I toasted Christel, and drank it naked (the coffee!) Only very good coffee can be savored without the add-ins. And Christel-mas Coffee needed nothing. It smelled, and tasted, like heaven.

Which brings me to my point.

What is your favorite smell?

Obviously, the top of my list is coffee. But there's a few reasons why: it reminds me of Christel, it reminds me of Allie, it reminds me of sitting at the table with Dad and Mom on Saturday mornings while Dad did the crossword puzzle and he or Mom made pancakes, it reminds me of a sweet moment with my friend R, who picked up my after-dinner coffee and smelled it and smiled, it reminds me of my friend F, who is a great coffee-drink maker.

Next after that is probably garlic. Ohmydamn. For those of you playing at home, I have mentioned that I have an unnatural love of garlic bread. I wanna rub it on myself. Well, almost. I'd much rather eat it. A LOT of it. Which is why I don't make it at home -- I'd eat the whole thing. And even I know that's not a real healthy idea. And on pizza? Don't get me started. Mmmmm, meatball pizza!

Somewhere after that is a good smelling man. I've recently spent some time with a man who smells so delicious, I'd follow him down a hallway at work just so I could keep smelling him. He has a variety of colognes, too, so I can only assume he understands that smelling yummy is a good way to get gorgeous women to follow you down a hallway. Public or otherwise.

Since it's fall, I'm pretty much bound to mention that I love-love-love the smells of a hayride. In college I went to the best church, EVER, and we had a hayride every fall that included, well, hay. And a big campfire, and guitar playing, and singing, and hot cider, and donuts, and getting lost on county roads in West Lafayette, Indiana. It also involved the occasional smooch of someone else's fiance. Hey, it was just the once. I get homesick for college every single fall.

Now, I'm sure the second I post this I'll think of six more things I love the smell of, but for now, let's hear yours!