Z is back among the Nor folk

Wink and I didn’t want to part company.  We’ve had a lovely two weeks together and really enjoyed each other’s company.  I’m hoping to go back to see her again soon – not that I’ve said this to Russell yet.  I had a very warm welcome, rapturous greetings from Ben who is finally, two and a half hours later, lying quietly on the sofa having climbed all over me and cuddled me wonderfully.  Russell didn’t do that, but he had roses and lilies for me, and a bottle of unexpectedly good champagne – Taitinger, no less.  He didn’t get that from the local supermarket (we do have a very good wine shop in Yagnub too).

On the way home, I dropped in on Mig and we went to the pub for lunch.  It was so lovely to see her again and we caught up with all her news.  Apologies from her for her blogging break, she’s really busy and just doesn’t have the time and space she needs at present, but hopes to be back before long.  And she has a new camera and, if the weather remains springlike, will be out and about using it.

I’m having a lovely time reading about the exploits of Winnie Ille Pu, Porcellus, Ior, Christophorus Robinus et al.  My two older children went to a school where they were taught Latin and this was a book that was used as a learning aid.  I loved it thirty years ago and never thought to purloin a copy from the school then, but have bought it from Amazon (I know, sorry) at last.  I did steal another Latin primer from my own school, but my justification was and is that the school was going to close down a year later and it would have been thrown away.  It had a picture of a Roman helmet on the front which had been doctored to show the face of a long-nosed man with the caption Tor Mentor.  Ah, nostalgia…

10 comments on “Z is back among the Nor folk

  1. Pontillius

    When I was a legionnaire in the re-enactment group, the Ermine Street Brigade, and marched around in my Lorica Segmentata, the young yobs in the watching crowds used to yell “Romanes eunt domus” at us and laugh thinking it funny just to impress their girl friends wives etc. Obviously they had watched “The Life of Brian” too many times.
    Romani ite domum!, Vale!

    Reply
  2. chairwoman ros

    I would love to buy Christophorus Robinus for Katy, who was a Latin star at school, but Amazon rejected me booo. Can you let me have the title please?

    Reply
  3. Z Post author

    What always strikes me is how many people who studied Latin still love it, decades later.

    Of course, Ros – it’s Winnie Ille Pu, translated by Brian Staples. I paid 59p plus p&p, £3.39 in total for a used hardback in excellent condition. The House at Pooh Corner (Domus Anguli Puensis) is also available, but rather more expensive, as was the new copy of Winnie Ille Pu at nearly 40 quid. Lots of books have been translated into Latin, from Harry Potter up and down.

    Reply
  4. Sir Bruin

    I was only offered French and German at school. I would have quite liked to study Latin. Having the attention span of a concussed newt these days, I suspect that it will not be on my list of things to do now. Nil illigitimus carborundum.

    Reply
  5. Z Post author

    My school didn’t do German, it was French and Latin only, and I had to go to another school to do them at A level. Still, all my A levels have proved singularly useless in later life. Occupet extremum scabies!

    Reply
  6. Liz

    A few years ago, my Mum expressed an interest in Latin so I bought her a book about Latin poetry for her birthday. She loved it.

    French was the only foreign language available for study at my secondary school and even that was only available to pupils in the top stream.

    Reply
  7. Z Post author

    How much of what we learn in school is specifically useful? Though I loved my A levels, so they were worth the time spent on them.

    Whatever people say, a lot of education is far better now than it used to be.

    Reply

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