What does Tita "mourn for" as she is preparing the hot chocolate? (What is she remembering/missing?)

Ongoing civil wars western roman empire finally collapsed476 c.e. romulus, the last of theroman  emperors in  the west, was overthrown by the germanic leader odoacer, who became the first barbarian to rule in rome. the order that the  roman empire  had brought towestern  europe for 1000 years was no more.

Smelly rocks sink in water haha!