The End of an Era

Each Monday evening Austin and I get his dinner out of the way early so that we are cleaned up and out on the porch by 5.45pm. We know mum won’t be far off. So too the garbage truck and the lanky, long-haired rubbish man who always waves and says hello.

A few weeks ago I explained to him that this was the highlight of our Mondays. His response: “It’s my highlight too.”

Yesterday had brought some wind and rain but there was nothing that would stop the Clark boys being out there to see our mate and his big white truck.

One last time.

Having just secured two new freelance projects, my December and January are going to be full-on. The larger of the two, working on Sydney’s biggest and most significant infrastructure project, will push through to at least the end of March.

It will be fantastic; an opportunity too good to miss. It will also tip me over 50 hours a week, every week during this time. Most of it at the client’s office.

And that means major changes on the home front.

Kate and I have done our research and found a daycare centre well-connected with home and both of our workplaces. Pending an inspection later today, Austin will start there next Monday.

There’s a lot to soak up before then, but come the hour he’ll be great and we’ll be fine. These things I know.

Of course, no stay-at-home dad means no blog, so there's another chapter that has to end. As a creative outlet it has been fantastic. Not bad, either, as a chronicle of my time at home with the boy.

One ardent follower challenged me over the weekend (and a beer) about the irregularity of the posts and my recent leaning towards leveraging American news. I suggested that perhaps I should publish a Charles Foster Kane style Declaration of Principles.

I don’t think he got the cinematic reference, but he did get the point. Not that one exists any longer.

What there will be, though - and this should make him happy - is one post for every day that’s left. The weekend included.

And then that’s all he wrote