It’s been a weird fortnight; time poor, I think it’s called. There’s been paid employment commitments, of-the-essence chores, a road-trip for a friend, bumped-by-bugs catch-ups, with a dollop of star-schmoozing thrown in for good measure. That one first.

Armageddon, a quick google tells me, is a New Zealand owned and operated pop culture convention. It’s a pretty big deal round these-here parts, has been going for 25 years – it even jumped the ditch and ran in Australia for a while – and, once it was announced Catherine Tate was going to be there, Farm Girl and The Engineer wasted no time in securing tickets. Dr Who is a pretty big deal in our house and Donna Noble, Catherine Tate’s character, is a firm Homestead favourite. There are Farm Girl days in which the balance may only be restored by her sitting quietly down with the Homestead pup snuggled at her side and the double-bill The Stolen Earth/Journeys End on the TV. The ending still, after a great many viewings, rips at my heartstrings but it works for her. So, with hope in their hearts and The Farmer in tow, the two of them set off to catch a glimpse of a Homestead idol.

While they were rubbing shoulders with the stars in town, The Bean Counter and I kicked along the vegetable garden make-over. Using The Princess’s wonderful garden gizmo, we’re working on providing future crops with a growing medium they can’t turn their fussy little noses up at. It’s a tad time critical with the future garlic harvest at the ready but we still have to add the well-baked Homestead compost pile to the mix and churn a couple more rounds with the rotary hoe before it’s ready for occupants.

I didn’t have the heart to haul out the ramshackle sprouts or spindly row of carrots; an empty vegetable garden scares me

The Engineer and The Bean Counter both had work commitments that took them off-Homestead; The Bean Counter to a stretch of crazy work hours (in the name of rebranding) made easier by him camping out at the Urban Homestead and The Engineer to high-brow meetings in the nations capital, Wellington. My meetings, less high-brow but just as important if you value social connection, ended up being postponed as autumn bugs felled a good proportion of the Christchurch population. They even visited the Homestead knocking back first The Farmer and then, just in time for her birthday, The Princess. Thankfully all are now lurgy free; cake has been cut, the song sung, gifts given and I am, once again, all socially caught up.

In lieu of birthday party/social catch up evidence I offer a portrait; I call it Autumnal Ute

Then it was the turn of those who, earlier on, kept the home fires burning to spend time away. The Farmer received the sad news of a friend’s death, the memorial service being held 300 odd kilometres away in Blenheim. Farm Girl, Colin.thelab and I decided ride along with him; its a long way to go with just yourself for company.

The sun rose as we headed into The Hunderlees, set as we skirted Christchurch Airport, and in between The Farmer paid tribute to a friend he’d undertaken more than a few such road trips with. Farm Girl and I filled the time escorting Colin to his first even dog-friendly cafe where I am pleased to report he displayed decorum and good manners that stunned all and more than warranted a pebbly beach walk on the way home.

I like it best when life gently unfolds and flows. Stretches like this last fortnight serve as a reminder that there is wonder in the ordinary. Now, back to the veggie garden.