Back in the dark ages, when I was getting ready to take that leap into paid employment, I did the responsible senior student thing and spent a few school lunchtimes listening to the guidance counsellor outlining what prospective employers couldn’t ignore in a CV. Apparently, in the early 1980’s, all that was required to make yours absolutely unmissable in that teetering pile of painstakingly formatted (tab-space-date-tab-tab) sheets was the phrase, “I relish change and thrive on challenges.”

Spoiler alert: not so much.

Now, forty-something years later, I am utterly astounded that a: that was the phrase promoted as the employment equivalent of Open Sesame, and b: I actually followed instruction and painstakingly bashed it, via the ancient Imperial typewriter, into my what was then called my Resume; if there was but one person more terrified of change or challenges or basically real-world-life in any of its guises than seventeen year old me they kept it well hidden. It’s an absolute fact: we humans, barring a weird few outliers, are hotwired to be absolutely terrified of change. Stick to what you know and all that.

As I gained years and experience (interestingly, the thing that actually got me the job from handful of work interviews I managed to snare was that fact that I had my Queen’s Guide Award) I learnt how to keep calm, approach things logically and channel the fear. Actually that’s not strictly true, but I’ve put a lot of work into looking like I have. Also, when the going gets tough, I still know all the words to that Muppet classic, Things are Always Changing. Guaranteed to bolster everytime, in my humble experience.

We’ve got a bit of a scary time approaching. We’ve opted for a couple of big changes in the next few weeks that we’re really excited about but our collective tummies are also in knots over the veritable avalanche-prone mountain of what-ifs. Stay tuned.

As if preparing us, this week has been dominated by one big change: the death of the one remaining Homestead founding flock member, the much loved sheepy-supermum, Eleanor. It’s circle of life, we know, but we will miss her very much. So much so that I was prompted to work out just how much DNA she has still running around in the back paddock. Of the current flock, 37% started with her.

Silly what makes you feel better.

Of course, there’s been good things happen this week, too. Trees bursting into flower,

the first silverbeet/chard harvest, Farm Girl passing her mocks, oh! and just this morning when I was checking the gas bottle levels there was a scuffle-fluffle in the recently flowering kowhai

followed by the whomp-whomp-whomp of heavy wings working overtime. I’m nearly 100% sure, lets call it 96.5, I caught sight of a white bib as it took off.

A kereru!

Now there’s a change for good.