I bet you’re all thinking, what big day, is the lockdown going to be lifted, is the world going to end, will they have a cure for Covid. Well it’s none of those although it would be nice if it was all over. Not the world ending.

The big day is my birthday and yes it’s a big one. The big 60 only a month away now. How the hell I have got this far nobody knows but I have. I still have my own teeth my own hair although not a lot at the moment as I decided to get the clippers out and cut it all off in this hot weather. It will grow again. It was Nikki that actually cut it all off, I think she felt obliged to because I said if she didn’t want to do it I would. The last time that happened I ended up looking like someone with alapeacha. I also don’t take any medication, again perhaps I should but then life would not be the same. I would have been working on my birthday thinking what a day to have a big birthday but then it is just another day. This one will be remembered for other reasons.

Life on the campsite is the same although it’s empty and we are not working I still seem to be doing stuff everyday. How would I have managed to do all these jobs if we were working I ask myself. My bird feeder outside the camper window is supplying the birds with some extra food. They can come and go to the feeder as they wish, no queuing or rations.

In the compound I have now built a small patio from some old slabs that were hanging about. Not the best of patios but I did the best with what I had. We had to try it out with a BBQ and some beer and wine when I had finished. It works really well.

The flowers on the campsite are looking good and more are appearing each day. One of my favourites is this Tulip it looks like it’s on fire. Others I don’t know the names of, some are weeds but they are all nice.

Today we booked up some sites for the winter. It will be another winter in the U.K. We need to make sure Mi Mi is all well and because we are furloughed our wages are short for three months and could be even longer depending what’s going to happen with this damn virus. We may even not be able to move around the U.K. only time will tell.

Me and Nikki went for a short walk the other day and on our way back stood and watched some lambs playing and dancing around. They really make me laugh just leaping about and all the time mums got her eye on them

So that’s us up to date. The last photo is another favourite of mine. A seeded dandelion head. I remember as a kid (last week) you had to blow them and make a wish. Stay safe out there and go on blow and make a wish. Just don’t spit all over your computer.

Sometimes when I am out and about on my bike, looking at the mountain views, the big lake I cycle around, lack of traffic on the small roads, blue skies and sunshine (and they said it always rains in Wales!) added to that all the road signs are in two languages and then if you hear the locals speaking they talk in another language. It is just like being in Spain.

The weather has been fantastic the last couple of weeks, add to that the fact we are not working all adds up to being pretty damn good. The BBQ has been out on more than one occasion with a nice cold beer and glass of wine just to wash the food down. The camper is all washed and polished and nowhere to go. I did start it up the other day and let it get up to temperature, I even caught Nikki in the driving seat looking in the mirrors etc. Dream on girl, it ain’t going to happen.

All the trees are greening up, it’s almost like it happens overnight, flowers are springing up all over the site. My Snowdon garden is really coming into life. The birds are nesting and the dawn chorus at about 5am is fantastic. You will have to believe me on that one unless you’re an early bird like me. Some of the flowers on site below.

Went out on the bike the other day, a different way to which I normally go but still with some very nice views across to the mountains. The picture with the pipe in goes for a couple of miles at least and comes from the big lake I cycle round to a small power plant and the water is used for cooling.

Today me and Nikki went for a walk up to the dam. She had not been up there before so I persuaded her to come with me this time. It’s a five mile walk but she did well and really enjoyed it. On the way through the woods I am always looking for photo opportunities and really like the one below. Taken under the trees looking up, makes a great shot I think.

My list of jobs is not getting much shorter because I keep finding other jobs to do which are not on the list but it keeps me busy. Sometimes I just have a nothing day and even two sometimes because I didn’t finish my nothing day on the first one. So that’s up to date. I hope you are all well and keeping safe and not getting too bored.

This weekend the campsite would have been fully booked. The arrival of motor homes and caravans trickling through the gates, all the different peaple from all over the uk. The laughter from most and sour faces from others, yes we get them all. You would think that as they’re coming away on holiday they would be happy, the smell of BBQ’s firing up and the ching of beer and wine glasses calling of cheers. We always join in on that one. Just to be sociable you understand.

But all that is not happening this year at Easter, instead we are looking after an empty site and it all feels really strange to be honest. Yes it’s nice having the time off because we like our free time but we actually like working in this job also. Apart from the sour faces. They can self isolate every year.

We went shopping the other day. Nikki normally goes on her own but I said I would drive her there and wait in the car. It’s a ten mile drive each way to Porthmadog and it feels like your in a war zone almost. The streets are empty of peaple, the shops all closed up and you don’t see many peaple walking the streets. Some you do see have masks on and there not burglars. Well they might be but I should imagine all the real burglars are pretty fed up because everyone is at home now so they can’t go breaking into empty houses. Just proves there is good and bad in all things. We parked up at Tesco and Nikki joined the queue which looked like it was a mile long but it actually moved along quickly. The queue looked long because of keeping your distance rules. I sat in the car listening to the radio and peaple watching. Saw some peaple arrive look at the queue and get back in their car and go, obviously not needing anything desperately. I saw a lady, before getting out the car, put her gloves on, mask and hood up. It’s a strange world at the moment.

Luckily we are in a wonderful spot and are able to get out for exercise. Apart from having the whole campsite to wander around we are in the edge of a little village with plenty of footpaths, woods, and a huge big lake to walk or bike around. My Snowdonia garden is looking good. This flower below is on its own but looks so nice. It’s called a snakes head fritillary.

Another part of the site is a dog walk. It has a bench seat in for the dog owners to rest their legs while the dogs tire themselves out. I often walk round the site and often just sit on this bench to chill out. It’s so peaceful with just the birdsong and sheep in the nearby fields making a noise. A nice noise. I watch as birds gather nesting material and fly off to build their nests thinking they are hidden but I know where they are. It’s surprising how much you see when you just sit somewhere really quiet and watch and listen.

Another part of the site I found this tree fungi, ugly to some but at the same time beautiful just hanging on the side of the tree looking like it was built there from wood and now the paint is starting to peel off and crack in the sun.

I went for a walk the other morning from the site, through the fields and then up through the wood towards the lake and the dam. The short stretch of single lane road I saw one car. The rest of the time I was out which was about two hours and I walked five and a half miles I didn’t see a single person. Come to think about it I didn’t see a married person either. The sun was shining, only a small breeze, the birds were singing. I had a big grin on my face. (Not a sour face). Life’s good. I saw this big bull in a nearby field. He looked happy, but then in the next field were five cows with newborn calves. That’s why he looked happy.

As you come out the top of the wood and head down the overgrown track you see the lake spread out in front of you. The view is so nice. I think you will agree. We do feel very lucky even if we can’t get out to other places at the moment.

So that’s us up to date. Stay safe everybody and hopefully soon we will be back to normal. My last picture today is a weed, the good old dandelion. But to me it looks like the sun. We all need some sunshine in our lives so I am sending you all some sunshine. It even goes out to the sour faces in hope they might cheer up.