It’s a marvellous day in England. I’m drinking Kenya Blue Mountain coffee — hand-roasted in Dorset. The weather is grey and breezy, but I have a pot of jambalaya simmering in the kitchen.
A Marvellous Day in England
It’s a marvellous day in England. I’m drinking Kenya Blue Mountain coffee — hand-roasted in Dorset. The weather is grey and breezy, but I have a pot of jambalaya simmering in the kitchen.
Boadicea's Chariot 
I come from the land of Jambalaya—that’s a Louisiana dish and I’m sitting here in New Orleans drinking, quite coincidentally, Kenya Blue Mountain coffee, although I think it’s roasted here in Orleans Parish rather than Dorset…. the weather is slightly hazy blue skies…. and I am wondering if you are contemplating the positive aspects of globalism…. or what exactly you’re thinking… We obviously both have EXCELLENT taste in both coffee and food… So does this mean Alle Menschen Werden Bruder? Or what exactly does it mean?
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN, MAN?
For me it means, in truth, precious little. I’ve always liked Jambalaya. I’ve only now got ’round to cooking it again. It’s been a while, and it’s not always easy with the lack of proper ingredients. I settled for a smoked Spanish chorizo with spicy paprika. People are going to do what they’re going to do. There’s no point in demanding too many specific answers. The difference is that these days people have less excuse to be navel-gazers.
CD, yes, Monday was special. Just east of your chosen county the sun shone in a clear blue firmament. I exchanged classical memories at my local Latin group – which you might interpret as navel-gazing, I suppose.
Lord Nelson was prone to naval gazing, I understand. 😎
Christopher, if ever you get the chance, do visit the village of Chideock , near Bridport. I knew it well, in my late teens and early 20s. There is a manor house with a beautiful garden that operates under the National Open Garden Scheme. If you can bring yourself to do so, visit the Romanesque Catholic Church that it attached to the house. The place has an interesting history.
Incidentally, there is nothing wrong with a bit of omphaloskepsis. It was clearly all the rage, back in the day.
Those satyres, eh! By all accounts it wasn’t the ὀμφᾰλός they focussed on!
Janus: Having your loves, interests and passions is hardly a sign of navel gazing, my good man — and Backside! It is when people can’t look past parochial prejudices and have no real independent interests. I am reminded of Hunland where my love of East Asia made me be considered a deviant of sorts — as if having an American father wasn’t bad enough.
Sipu: Thanks for the advice! I will bring that up Saturday at a group meeting. I have a lot of ties to the local Catholic community and many would find this interesting. Dorset, especially western Dorset, has a long tradition of Puritanism and a very active crypto-Catholic minority.