The Masters of Rome

I bought “The First Man in Rome” by Colleen McCullough from the Airport somewhere in Europe (I think it might be Schipold) nearly 20 years ago and never touched it until January this year. I broke my wrist in the first week of the year (silly accident) and had my arm in cast for 6 weeks – that was when I started reading this book and man, I wanted to kick myself as I should have read it long, long time ago. One good thing about starting late is that I can read all 7 books continuously without having to wait for the next one and the next one to come out.

The Masters of Rome is the series of historical novels about Rome from 110 BC to 27 BC. They are 7 books altogether written in the span of 17 years telling the stories of not so well –known to very well known characters in Roman history.

I have finished:

The First Man in Rome

The Grass Crown

Fortune’s Favourites

and Caesar’s Women (it took me 7 months to finish these 4 books as I read only at night after my few weeks in cast –I also have to use dictionary from time to time) so there are another 3 to go:

Caesar

The October Horse

and Anthony & Cleopatra (only Anthony & Cleopatra is available in Kindle edition). If they were all available in Kindle Ed, I would have read them faster than this as Kindles come with built-in dictionary and the book could have travelled with me to Thailand inside my kindle.

Colleen McCullough is brilliant – I have learnt so much about Roman history from reading her books. Of course, I googled the characters and events as well to learn more about them.

Thank you, Colleen, for opening another door to knowledge for me.

A Brief Break

I will be away for 3 weeks and I do not know if I will have a chance to blog. However, I will take a lot of pictures and devour a lot of yummy food. Of course I will eat and tell. Watch this space!

In the Spirit of Rugby World Cup 2011

New Zealand is hosting the Rugby World Cup in September and I have to post this picture in the spirit of the games. Bonnie got this stuffed rugby toy when she graduated from puppy school at our local vet’s when she was about 6 months old. This particular piece of toy is a history, of course.

Cafe Culture

Vann is 2 years old. He is Poppy’s big brother. He came to visit me with her sister the other day (no, he did not drive here himself, his mother did). The first thing he did was asking for ‘Fluffy’ – which is frothed milk with a sprinkle of chocolate and fairies.

I remember going out shopping with his mom and Nana Barb when he was younger, we usually dropped into a cafe for a cup of coffee (to keep us going) and Vann would have his little cup of fluffy. Anita has trained him young to get accustomed to the cafe culture. He is now such a chatter box and so cute (when he’s in a good mood) – don’t you think he will be a heartthrob in 15 years time?

Don’t mess with me, I’m having my fluffy!

She Has Gone 4 Years

Beau

December 1993 – September 2007

Beau was our first dog together. She was a Thai street dog that we rescued. Not long after we moved to Thailand we found her mother and the whole litter under the woodpile on the roadside near where we lived. Sadly when we picked her up not many puppies had survived. She had 10 toes (with dew claws) so we named her Beau which was supposed to be Bo after Bo Derek (remember 10 – the movie?) but we wanted it to be a short form of beauty as well so Beau she was – although it’s a boy’s name. When we moved to New Zealand, she and her siblings moved with us but they had to be in Quarantine in Hawaii for 6 months before joining us here.

She died of renal failure in September 2007 – 3 months short of her 14th Birthday. We had nursed her days and nights for a month with despair and hope and then despair again. She gave us joy she gave us grieve - she gave us lessons of love and loss and when to let go.

When she was a few weeks old.

We still miss you, Beau.

Hitting the Bottle

Pipi is so addicted to hot water bottle this winter. In the evening she will be waiting around in the kitchen for us to fill the bottle and will run to her bed when we put it under the blanket for her. Give her a bottle or 2 in her donut bed and she will lounge and sleep in there forever. She sometimes smells of rubber which is much better than the smell of cat spit no.23 cologne she normally wears.

Hitting the (hot water) bottle...in her bed.

Going....

Gone.