So Bennie’s got through his second week of high school.

This has initiated major and not unwelcome changes in our home.

And a growing sense of independence for both son and father.

He’s handling the public transport and all that goes with it with aplomb.

He has his own phone, albeit a basic prepaid model.

And I’m happy for him to beat me home or be there, as was the case this week, while I am out and about on CTS-related business.

With the following ground rules – do your homework, read, chillax, no open flames and no TV until dad gets home.

It’s all going really well … except for the daily start routine.

Our longstanding 7am alarm has given way, for transport reasons, to 6am.

And it’s doing my head in.

By noon, it already seems a very long day indeed! By late afternoon, I’m cactus. I hit the hay the same time as he.

Before we know it, I’ll have him cooking our meals on a regular basis.

At the parent/staff gathering at his new school this week, one of the teachers spoke briefly about the looming challenge of puberty – his not, mine.

The gist of it was empowerment and involvement.

Truth is, I already rely on him very much for support and counsel … so I think we’re going to be fine.

There have been recent occasions on which I wished I had followed his wise advice to the letter.

I’ve mentioned the idea of me starting a sort-of father-of-a-teenage son blog.

He most adamantly thinks this is not a good idea.

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One of the rarely mentioned downsides of us all – very much including myself these days – being connected, what with mobile devices and even our Foxtel remote control and so on: It’s impossible not to know, at any given time, exactly what time it IS.

So the days of “lost track of time” have entered the realms of nostalgia.

How sad!

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Consider The Sauce Feast No.5 will hopefully be unveiled in the coming week.

And there’ll be changes to the routine.

Bigger, better … but equally delicious and enjoyable.

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As a result of my “gotta get out a bit” story, a longtime journo pal convinced me – via Facebook messages – to sign up with RSVP.

I had and have massive misgivings about this

But I did it anyway.

It feels truly weird and uncomfortable.

More than 20 souls have checked out my profile and pics, though I remain mostly clueless as to who or how they may be on account of the site requires me to pay for most such information.

And I am, so far, resisting that.

But yesterday someone who has the right attitude and the right kind of interests expressed definite interest in meeting me.

Oddly, the face and the smile are kind-of familiar.

I think she may live local – as in REALLY local.

Oh my!

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This weekend?

A Footscray frolic, the Yarraville Festival and sleep.

Lots of sleep.

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Some time in the next week or so pleasure bombs will arrive.

Namely, what will no doubt be a stupendously mindblowing and lavish box set of 1951-1983 gospel from the Nashboro label and long overdue reacquaintance with Freddie King, Little Milton, Junior Parker and Jimmy Reed.

Oh boy!