English: Liquid hand soap in a pump dispenser, next to a larger refill-sized bottle of the same soap. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Six weeks today the party will be in full swing. That means the to-do list is long and pressing. One small detail is hand soap for the three bathrooms. Should be a simple thing to accomplish, shouldn’t it. Nope, can’t say that it is.

Despite the fact we are scattered around the globe, we are a family of allergies. Those no perfume rules were made for us. Do you know how hard it is to find scent free hand soap? Vegetables, flowers, combinations, even glacier scents were offered.

Lavender is my personal scentsativity. Picture postcards of a field of lavender in Provence are enough to make my throat swell shut. So I am supportive of the nieces and nephews who ask that we be a scent-free event.

The appreciation of scent is a cultural thing. Argentine men smell pretty, on purpose. The scents of the Middle East are heady and sensual. If Canada had a signature scent, it would be a combination of pine, ocean breeze and maple. I would be reaching for the antihistamine in seconds.

Scents are one more reason you should not leave home without a personal care kit that includes OTC allergy medicine.