Resilience

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ..."

[Saint Paul: 2 Corinthians; 4: 8-12]

[St Paul]

Returning Home

'As for your home-coming, I myself was never in any doubt: I knew in my heart that you would get back ... And now, to convince you, let me show you the Ithacan scene. ...'

As she [Athene] spoke the goddess dispersed the mist, and the countryside stood plain to view. And now joy came at last to the gallant long suffering Odysseus. So happy did the sight of his own land make him that he kissed the generous soil, then with uplifted hands invoked the Nymphs:

'And I had thought, you Nymphs of the Springs, you Daughters of Zeus, that I should never set my eyes on you again! Accept my greetings and my loving prayers. Gifts too will follow as in days gone by, if through the kindness of this warrior Child of Zeus I am allowed to live and see my son grow up.'

'Be bold,' said Athene of the flashing eyes, 'and dismiss all such doubts from your heart. ...'

[Homer, The Odyssey, XIII. 352-360]

The Emperor's New Clothes

Last month saw the dramatic launch of John Galliano's 2010 fashion collection in an abandoned swimming pool at Paris fashion week.*

One of the key themes of Galliano's new and dramatic collections was his highly stylised portrayal of the French Napoleonic period. Stunning interpretations of early Napoleonic chic, were characterised by finely tailed jackets, Bonapartine hats and sumptuous sashes. All sported by ghost-like, laurel wearing models; dramatically referencing the early image of the diminutive Emperor.

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The notorious Roman Emperor Caligula, also nurtured a distinctive flair for fashion.

On this point, Suetonius - that most wicked of imperial biographers - noted:

"His apparel not only did not conform to any national or civil fashion: it was not even peculiar to the male sex, or appropriate to mere mortals. He often went abroad clad in a short coat of stout cloth, richly embroidered in many colours, and studded with gems, in a tunic with long sleeves, and wearing bracelets. Sometimes he was seen all in silks and habited like a woman; at other times in the crepidae or buskins; sometimes in the sort of shoes worn by the light armed soldiers, or in the sock used by women and commonly with a golden beard fixed to his chin, holding in his hand a thunderbolt, a trident or a caduceus, marks of distinction belonging to the gods only. Sometime he even appeared in the costume of Venus. He constantly wore the triumphal ornaments, even before his expedition, and sometimes the breastplate of Alexander the Great, taken out of his coffin"

[Suetonius, Life of Caligula, 52]

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I think we can rest assured that no one would have laughed at Caligula's garb - at least not to his face.

*(Must suppress obvious quotes from the spoof movie, Zoolander)

In Search of Scottish Cowboys

[Chaotic scenes from East Lothian, Scotland]

OK, so don't all stampede at once, but the advert below is a genuine posting that I found on the Edinburgh Gumtree network this week.

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Date posted: Wednesday 8th July Ad viewed: 52 times
Location: East Coast

Hi,

United Casting are currently looking for people to be extras in a film shooting on the east coast of Scotland.

We are looking for men and women who have access to cowboy outfits and/or line dancing outfits for a western scene.

If you are interested and you own the necessary costume please contact Murray at info@unitedcasting.co.uk ASAP

Please attach name, contact number and a photo if possible

Thanks,

Murray

United Casting
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Its just this kind of random post that makes Gumtree great - if only for the entertainment!

Sheesh, if my good chaps were not in at the dry cleaners just now - there would be no stopping me! lol.

Pliny In Canberra

Being no stranger to the world of politics and civic debate, Pliny - with me in tow - was recently fascinated to visit the national Australian parliament in Canberra.

Unfortunately, everyone seemed to be on holiday when we called.

This was perhaps just as well; some of Pliny's rhetorical formal speeches don't half ramble on.

In Search of Scottish Oatcakes

Even the most casual traveller to Australia, could not fail to notice the liberal application of Scottish place names that punctuate the maps of this vast country. Towns, cities, rivers, roads and forests all echo familiar and emotive Scottish names. Names that were brought by early Scots explorers and pioneers; set down in romantic homage to the old country that many must have known they would never see again.

Campbelltown, MacDonald, Scone, Aberdeen, Hamilton, Lithgow, Invergowrie, Glencoe, Apin, Lorn, Melrose, Dysart, Bannockburn, Argyle, Dundas, Esk and Stirling, are just a few of the many names that remind one of home.

So with such a deep Scots connection, you might think it would be easy to get hold of that most fundamental of Scottish savoury cuisine, the humble Oat Cake?

And yet, its really not that easy, let me tell you!

[The Elusive Scottish Oatcake]

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I have now searched for oatcakes in three Ausie states and with very mixed success. Most of the big supermarkets do not have them and only the occasional health food, or import store, even knows about them.

I have spent much time explaining what oatcakes are to bemused and uncomprehending store assistants. I quickly learned that the term 'cake' confused them immensely and invariably directed me down the 'sweets and deserts' aisle of any store. The realisation that it was most effective to describe my desire as, "a sort of savory oat biscuit", helped somewhat, but did not improve my ultimate success.

I do not believe that Queensland knows the simple pleasure of the oatcake at all. Similarly Victoria is not overly familiar, though I did find them in one city centre store. New South Wales was perhaps the most 'oat friendly' state, but only in Sydney and they were not easy to find. Yet they could be found - usually occupying some obscure corner of the special import sections - surrounded by fancy European pastas.

When I did find them, my happiness was unbounded. However, they were expensive and I was forced by their very scarcity to buy in what may have appeared as suspicious bulk.

[Ahh, the promised land at last!]

Ok, so searching for oatcakes may have become something of a sad obsession, but as everyone knows, a good Scotsman needs his oatcakes at least two or three times a week to maintain a happy disposition. What else can one do?