Super chewy and tough as nails | BBC Radio Solent's Alun Newman

During lockdown, we’ve had to find enjoyment in the simple things. Going to the supermarket had the thrill of Disneyland. I found myself getting fitter and consuming vast quantities of seeds and Weetabix.

Unfortunately, as the dust has settled it occurred to me, during my internet shop, that seeds are blimmin’ expensive. You can’t keep chucking sunflower seeds around willy-nilly, that’s a rich man's game.

Until my potential breakthrough. While doing the internet shop, I searched for sunflower seeds and bought the usual £9 a kilo pack.

Next to it was sunflower seeds for birds at £2 a kilo! How different can they be? They’re from the same plant. There’s no ‘Not for human consumption’ warning.

Let me tell you, they are different. Different in colour. Different as if they haven’t been sieved and refined with the same attention to detail.

There’s other stuff from the field thrown in.

They will ruin your breakfast cereal.

They're super chewy and tough as nails. There’s a reason it’s cheaper. Birds are not as wealthy as us. They may be freer, happier and able to fly. However, the payoff is they can’t chew. Only peck.

My advice, unless you have a sharp beak, don’t bother.

Our son’s home alone – what could possibly go wrong?

The oldest of my children, my son, is taller than me, fitter than me, hairier than me, and more intelligent than me.

Although he could never have my depth of experience because of the time spent on planet Earth, he pretty much has everything else in his favour.

This I can accept.

Though if I fully believed that then it would be far easier to go on holiday without him.

This year, no matter what treats I proposed, the idea of having the house to himself was clearly better than any other option.

I can see his point.

I still get excited when I’ve got the house to myself and that might only be for a couple of hours.

We are only going away on holiday for a week and there was a simple way to handle this.

Give him some money for food and then wave goodbye.

He can look after himself. He’s an adult after all.

Oh no, we decide to go for the other option.

Firstly, a request list with food he likes in stab-pack microwave form or easy oven-bake options.

None of it seemed healthy. We bought so much it looked like we were fattening him up, like the ceremonial calf at a wedding.

Secondly, an almost impossible list of things to remember.

Plants to water, dog to neglect (I mean walk, care for and feed) and most importantly of all Bin Day.

The list was so long it looked more convoluted than Indiana Jones trying to work out how to get to the Cup of a Carpenter in The Last Crusade.

We then ran through home security. This is because once, about two years ago, he left the front door unlocked when he went out with a friend.

Since then, there has been an immovable black mark against this topic.

We finish the drill about not being on the computer gaming solidly for the next 168 hours.

He assured us that he’ll be fine as he has some friends coming over.

This does very little to appease any anxiety but we make pleased faces in order to convince him that we really believe in him and trust him.

We consolidate the trust by reminding him that one day in the week, we have a dog walker popping in but we’re not sure when.

This is my wife’s masterstroke, offering a bit of accountability to the situation and trying to make sure that things won’t get out of hand.

We could of course simply let go and fully trust.

However, we’re parents and that’s no easy feat to achieve.

We let a couple of neighbours know that we’re away. Again, additional eyes on the house can’t hurt.

I finish the conversation with a tutorial about the importance of making sure freezer doors are shut.

I’ve no idea why this is now a worry, as he’s been closing doors very well all of his life.

My wife attempts the parental move of asking him to repeat some of what’s just been said but the random words peppered with claims of ‘I know, I know’ reinforce that we need to leave.

It’s a step-change when children exercise their right to freedom.

It’s great to see that level of confidence.

However, I currently have no-one to throw around the swimming pool or try and balance on my shoulders.

I’ve sent several checking-in texts and so far have received the letter ‘k’.

So all is good.

I miss him.