Hi— So far, all is good. I hope the same for you and all of yours. If I were to get the story up and running again, our beloved emperor Titus would be at the point where he’s in the midst of dealing with the crises and several disasters besetting his people, with compassion, generosity, and aplomb.
Things here have been hectic and strange, as they are everywhere on our planet. I care for a family member who for other health reasons has been in home-isolation since early on, and so I have also been on home isolation, though there is a tiny suspicion that my long, scary illness from January to the beginning of March might not have been the flu(!). I hoping testing will be available at some point for that, since they’re saying there could be useful antibodies from anyone who had a case of this and came out the other side.
Felix doesn’t take well to being cooped up indoors!
Kinda wondered about that illness…if it was (and given the testing we may never know) I’m glad it was just the “low-grade-misery” version and not the “go-to-ICU” type.
Weirdly, my job is such that I’m out and about pretty much all the time. It’s kind of…weird, like a sort of pathogen Russian roulette. Is THIS the person who has it? Are they infectious? Am I going to pick it up? Handwashing and masks and gloves only go so far…
Gives me a sort of insight into what the Antonine Plague must have been like for the Romans…
good to see you are safe, and yeah, you might be right about yon flu. I hope we do get an antibody test sooner than later. lot of us old campaigners around with useful skills, champing at the bit to be of some use again.
meanwhile, your devoted fans are pining for the Fjords of the Tiber and waiting for the Blue Parrots of prosperity to come winging home to the City of Romulus and Remus. Trying to be patient, but it ain’t Easy! DRW
Uhh, could the next SPQR series include a scene wherein Felix buys a beautiful caged bird in the market for Petronia? A rare Norwegian blue parrot? Maybe for next Valentines?
Well you know what they say about Redheaded Roman girls… call them by the wrong name in the heat of passion and they’ll knock your sox off! Didn’t want to take chances!
I just discovered a YouTube channel called “Tasting History” whose shtick is recreating very old recipes. It’s not a whole cooking show in as much as it’s a food based history lesson.
This was the first episode that showed up in my feed, so I had to share it here!
Garum, or fish-pickle sauce!
I’m so jealous of this channel 🙂 I once almost rented an apartment with a kitchen that looked like it had been designed for doing nice, warm, cosy YouTube cooking videos, and I had a whole plan in my head. I think about the apartments (and houses) that got away a lot. 😛
It may not be the Roman new year, but you’ve gotta admit, political developments in the US have a very Roman texture. Oops, I just saw Caligula going by on roller-skates! DRW
Happy Valentine’s Klio. A pound of virtual chocolates in your favorite varieties to you. DRW
Happy Valentine’s to you too. May all your downloads go smoothly and swiftly.
Downloads worked: I’m in.
I am ridiculously excited for you to meet Arthur.
Still makes me go, “Awww”.
Hope you’re well and staying safe indoors.
Strange sensation, being besieged by a virus rather than being the one going over the wall. Felix might have some rather pointed thoughts on that one.
Any luck with the site fix..?
Hi— So far, all is good. I hope the same for you and all of yours. If I were to get the story up and running again, our beloved emperor Titus would be at the point where he’s in the midst of dealing with the crises and several disasters besetting his people, with compassion, generosity, and aplomb.
Things here have been hectic and strange, as they are everywhere on our planet. I care for a family member who for other health reasons has been in home-isolation since early on, and so I have also been on home isolation, though there is a tiny suspicion that my long, scary illness from January to the beginning of March might not have been the flu(!). I hoping testing will be available at some point for that, since they’re saying there could be useful antibodies from anyone who had a case of this and came out the other side.
Felix doesn’t take well to being cooped up indoors!
Take care of yourself! Be safe and be well.
Kinda wondered about that illness…if it was (and given the testing we may never know) I’m glad it was just the “low-grade-misery” version and not the “go-to-ICU” type.
Weirdly, my job is such that I’m out and about pretty much all the time. It’s kind of…weird, like a sort of pathogen Russian roulette. Is THIS the person who has it? Are they infectious? Am I going to pick it up? Handwashing and masks and gloves only go so far…
Gives me a sort of insight into what the Antonine Plague must have been like for the Romans…
good to see you are safe, and yeah, you might be right about yon flu. I hope we do get an antibody test sooner than later. lot of us old campaigners around with useful skills, champing at the bit to be of some use again.
for now, ave, Klio!
Thank you! If my most useful skill is to sit in a chair and donate blood, at least it would be something!
Ave, vale!
Glad you are staying safe. I’m reading the book now (don’t think of the passing years…) and enjoying it a lot. Take care, stay safe.
Thank you for all, and I hope all is well with you too. Years? I can’t even keep track of what day it is, right now!
Speaking of The Plague, thought you might enjoy this:
http://firedirectioncenter.blogspot.com/2020/04/thats-how-sieges-work-phil.html
You may have already seen this, but another fascinating little discovery at Pompeii.
http://pompeiisites.org/en/press-releases/the-luck-and-the-protection-against-the-bad-fate-in-the-jewelery-of-regio-v/
It’s splendid!
Sorry it took me a while to approve your comment. The site has been inundated with spam comments lately. It needs a complete overhaul 🙂
https://www.realmofhistory.com/2019/07/17/oldest-known-christian-autograph/
How’s the site overhaul going? Any hope for new content between now and the end of the Plague Year..?
Even assuming the Plague Year actually ends with 2020… yes 🙂
2020 is The Plague Year.
2021 will be Plague Year 2: Electric Boogaloo.
meanwhile, your devoted fans are pining for the Fjords of the Tiber and waiting for the Blue Parrots of prosperity to come winging home to the City of Romulus and Remus. Trying to be patient, but it ain’t Easy! DRW
Uhh, could the next SPQR series include a scene wherein Felix buys a beautiful caged bird in the market for Petronia? A rare Norwegian blue parrot? Maybe for next Valentines?
Justa of course. sorry about the name confusion. DRW
No worries—she’s both (Petronia Justa :D)
Well you know what they say about Redheaded Roman girls… call them by the wrong name in the heat of passion and they’ll knock your sox off! Didn’t want to take chances!
I continue to click, hoping some day to see Felix actually eat some lunch. Will I prevail, or ultimately be disappointed? Only Klio knows.
Felix might be hangry enough to conspire against an imperial heir at this point.
Yes, we need a good, spirited conspiracy!
Oh Mighty Klio! Check your e mail. I have just sent you a missive concerning Roman ships. You might find it intriguing. DRW
I just discovered a YouTube channel called “Tasting History” whose shtick is recreating very old recipes. It’s not a whole cooking show in as much as it’s a food based history lesson.
This was the first episode that showed up in my feed, so I had to share it here!
Garum, or fish-pickle sauce!
https://youtu.be/5S7Bb0Qg-oE
I’m so jealous of this channel 🙂 I once almost rented an apartment with a kitchen that looked like it had been designed for doing nice, warm, cosy YouTube cooking videos, and I had a whole plan in my head. I think about the apartments (and houses) that got away a lot. 😛
I’m beginning to despair.
What if I give everyone a Saturnalia gift?
That would be nice. Can you get Felix some lunch, too?
Just checking in now that we’re another year older…
Oh, um, it’s not the real Roman new year until the proper original new year celebration in March, you see…
(I really do feel like this story is stuck in my head trying so very very hard to climb out.)
It may not be the Roman new year, but you’ve gotta admit, political developments in the US have a very Roman texture. Oops, I just saw Caligula going by on roller-skates! DRW