Farmhand

When I saw that a Joy Division tribute band was going to play in Neuadd Ogwen, my interest was piqued. Joy Division! I have never been in the position to see the real deal. And tribute bands can be quite good. I don't think I've ever seen one, but when a Linkin Park tribute band played next door before the soundproof doors were installed, I could hear that they were quite convincing. It was well worth the try.

I initially had a companion for this, but they later realised they couldn’t attend. Now what? When I was talking to Jenny, my Welsh tutor, about music, I had an idea. She likes her 70s and 80s classics! Would she be interested? And she was. There was a complication, though; she said that in May, the smallholding she lives on requires all of her time. She can't just go and spend the evening away just like that. She mentioned she might get her grandson to give her a hand during the day, as that would probably result in so much progress she could take the evening off. But then I said I could just show up. I might very well be keener on that sort of chores than her grandson is! 

She thought it was a good idea. And had an additional good idea: she suggested I could bike to where she lives, and then we could do what needs doing, and then she could put my bike into the back of her van, and we could drive back to Bethesda. Excellent idea! And so it happened.

It was a hot day, like the previous time I had biked in that area, but it was ok biking to Llanbedrgoch. It took some 75 minutes. And then I reported for duty! She first offered me a drink, and then we decided on what to do first. And we chose some ivy bashing. Her ivy is also threatening the gutters, and also the solar panels, so it had to be cut back. And we also repotted tomato plants, and gathered firewood, and improved rabbit-proofing a fence (I have a little hope that that will work, but that's a different matter), cut weeds in the field where her alpacas graze (they are picky), and raise some chicken wire so that the plants underneath it had a bit more space to grow. This interspersed with a few more drinks and some toilet visits.

She did wonder if I shouldn't have a day of rest before a race, but I just shrugged. That was just not how it was working out!

We made such good progress we by then had done everything she wanted to do that day, except the things that she wanted to wait with until the weather would turn a bit less dry. Success!

I had had a good time. I know my own garden needs some attention too, but it was nice to help out a friend. I know she is my Welsh tutor, but I think she can be both these things at the same time.

It was also great to see where she lives. It is right up my street! Although her vegetable garden is something I can, for now, only dream of. My limited talent would require me to quit my job in order to achieve what she has there. And I met her husband, and the chickens and the alpacas. I had hoped to meet her pig, but it had got very old and had died in winter! So no pig. The alpacas crack me up. They seem to be very nosy, and if a new person shows up they want to stare at them at any given opportunity. And they also make incredibly cute sounds. 

When we were done she served some kind of pea soup with bread. She encouraged me to have seconds, as she knew I had a race the next day! Apparently, she is familiar with carb loading. And then we were ready to go back to the mainland. Neuadd Ogwen, here we come!

(Most of) the alpacas