(no subject)

It's my birthday ::blows noisemaker::

Some nice things for my birthday:

Fox cubs on a webcam

A video from a nearby farm attraction about what they're doing after closing, all their pregnant animals, and at around 19:30 on the video, their new Shire horse foal that was just born on the farm.

And since there is some sad anti-Chinese sentiment around, I would like to share this poem from the Tang Dynasty that I read recently:

Dreaming of Li Bai (2), Du Fu (trans. Peter Harris)

Throughout the day the floating clouds go by
And even now the wanderer has not arrived.
I have dreamed of you three nights in a row;
How kind and caring this shows you to be!
When you take your leave you are always uneasy -
'It is hard coming,' you say bitterly,
'There are wind and waves on the rivers and lakes
And I am afraid the boat may sink.'
Going out the door you scratch your white head
As if you have failed to achieve your life's ambition.
Officials' caps and canopies fill the capital;
This man alone looks worn and out of sorts.
Who will say 'the net is spread wide', when as
things are
He is beset with difficulties as he grows old?
Having a reputation that lasts thousands of years
Is a lonely business if you acquire it after you are dead.


I mostly know Li Bai from Civilisation 6, so I can say that he certainly has a reputation that's lasted hundreds of years. Whether he only acquired if after he was dead though, I can't say.

(no subject)

I texted my manager today, having heard nothing from him, and he didn't reply. I finally called him, very annoyed, at 3pm. I asked what the situation was, and he said he didn't know and we'd have to find out from the news over the weekend, and I said "so as things are, I'm expected to come in?", and he said no. Apparently he thought he'd made that clear when I last spoke to him - he didn't, but I believe he really believed that, so that was why he hadn't contacted me to confirm. I don't know exactly what he thought I was asking him, then - maybe about pay? Or how long we'd be off? I was going to ask about pay, but I was so surprised by the conversation, I forgot to ask. I don't really hold out much hope for it, but I also don't want my company to get some sort of compensation from the government for my wages, and then not give it to me just because I didn't ask. But anyway. I didn't ask. But it is now confirmed that I don't have to go into work, and will be off for at least another two weeks. So, after a few days of confusion and unnecessary worrying, I now have a confirmed timescale at least.

I went out for a walk today, and got snorted on by a horse and nearly run into by a child I don't know. The kid came riding up on a scooter right behind me, and I had to duck down a path to maintain social distance. His parents were very annoyed. I don't think either of those things gave me coronavirus. I still like going outside.

Genuinely wondering when the next time I might have a cheeseburger will be. All I really want is to go to Scarborough and have a knickerbocker glory at the Harbour Bar. Later on. Hopefully.

At least the animals seem to be enjoying it. Although I was thinking, it's spring, and a whole generation of wild animals are going to be born this year with no people around and the streets to themselves. And then suddenly find out the world ain't like that this summer, or next spring. Poor them. I'm hopeful the hedgehogs will have a good year though, with less cars around to run them over. I saw a hedgehog the other week, on the street next to my house, and it literally nearly crawled over my feet to try to get to the main road next to us. A man thankfully had stopped, and took it away with him to put it in the woods by his house. Still don't know what that hedgehog was thinking. Hope it is fine.