what’s that smell?

this summer has been an epic iron-chef episode of “let’s identify the ingredients of the funky smell in the basement”.  catchy title.

after careful consideration, the recipe had been identified as:

• equal parts old carpet and basement mustiness ala old books.
• sprinkle with a bit of old cat urine, cleaned up, but lingering just a bit.
• mix in gallons of rain for an essence of humidity/wet dog.

yes, we shouted.  that must be it.
let’s replace the carpet, we said.
and we did, with cream colored tile that looks stunning.
let’s air out the basement with fans in the windows, we added.
helped some.
but wait…something is still lingering.  i can smell it near the head of my bed, when trying to sleep.
ugh.
we installed an atomizer with thieves oil, a pumpkin-pie smelling oil that has natural antibiotic properties.

now i have thanksgiving/funk smell.
booooo.

weeks pass.

until today.

what’s the last part of the recipe for the funky basement smell, you ask?

oh yes, the last ingredient discovered today: a mouse, dead FOR MONTHS, embedded in old boxes in the crawl space; its smell permeating through the walls.

yesssss, that’s it.

ick.