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Saturdays Go So Fast....

Blog: Norfolk Single Dad
Posted by: Eddie2sox Saturday 10th March 2007, 9:07pm
Last edited 10/03/2007 9:07pm by Eddie2sox

We're up at 6 but before you know it the twelve hours have whizzed past and it's time for the dreaded drive to mummy's again....

As usual Sam appeared next to me at about 5 this morning, and proceeded to sleep and fidget for an hour until the alarm beeped at 6. We had a good conversation about "dawn chorus" and "dusk chorus" as the birds were a-tweeting, and Sam blamed an iffy smell on Sir Trumpalot.

This morning was really relaxed, we had some brekkie, played some favourite games, watched Mister Men, surfed the Internet looking at Lego (I think Sam has really seen the light on the whole "saving up" thing, and is looking for his next project). Sam was delighted that an email arrived telling him that his Ferrari team lorry had been dispatched from Germany. It's REALLY coming!

We set off to Cromer with a car full of Yellow Pages and bucket/spade/other essentials, such as a bag full of toys and magazines, and Sam's new Spiderman sunglasses (he's been struggling with sunlight through the windscreen for ages and the visor is too small for a 3 year old). Sam ate his picnic dinner on the way, then fell asleep about ten miles from the coast. So, to let him sleep, I drove around for 40 minutes listening to Five Live and admiring the scenery. Got parked, unloaded, and I felt like Edmund Hillary's sherpa, overloaded and with "things" sticking out in all directions - a DEFINITE hazard to fellow pedestrians. Sam bravely offered to carry his sandcastle bucket, cheers mate, don't overdo it. The pics of him wearing a woolly hat and shades (tough!) are somewhat ruined with the addition of the bucket.

First stop was an ice cream shop - the only open one we could find, and equipped with a whippy cone we headed down to the prom to find somewhere to sit while Sam scoffed. The family on the next bench had brought down their chips, and we had lots of laughs as the seagulls kept swooping down and catching thrown chips, and lining themselves up on the sea wall like the start of the London Marathon. Of course, I HAD to help Sam with his ice cream, which daddy wouldn't!? By the way, the chap in the ice cream shop was BRILLIANT with kids, highly recommended (he serves out of a hatch in the wall, quite close to the ramps down to the sea front).

Next stop was a bimble onto the pier, which Sam loves because you can see the sea beneath you through the planks. At the end of Cromer pier is the lifeboat station which Sam had earlier said he'd like to visit again.....when we got there it was locked up! Big disappointment for both of us but Sam took it well and we went to look at the people fishing off the pier. There was also an amateur artist (or he may have been someone famous for all I know) painting the scene, and he didn't mind at all me showing Sam his easel, pallate (spelling?), and his picture which depicted a fisherman who was wearing a luminous yellow coat. Sam seemed intrigued.

Thus to the beach, hoorah! Sam found it hilarious to dig a spadeful of sand and chase me, then chuck it at me (I even let him get me twice), and found a crab stranded on its back. We "dug him up" and put him in Sam's net, then I risked life, limb and dry, sexy trainers to run down the beach when the wave was going OUT, deposit the unlucky crab, then peg it back up the beach ahead of the wave coming IN. I then spotted some seagulls paddling in the shallow waves and made as if to catch one for tea (seagull on toast anyone?). Sam did NOT approve. We had a look round for more crabs in distress, and found plenty hiding half-buried in the sand or half-hiding under pebbles, waiting for the tide to return.

Off the beach and up to the amusements, yay! I gave Sam £2 to spend and we passed a happy half hour playing the 2p "penny falls" kind of machines, a driving game, couple of rides on little machines, and Sam's first experience of "air hockey" (the one where you whack a plastic puck from end to end as it floats on a bed of air). Sam has a small version of this game at home, and he was pretty astounded by the big table! After the game finished, a little old couple gave Sam a toy bus keyring - they'd won two today - because he was such a nice little boy. Bless 'em.

Sam wasn't over-pleased to leave the amusement arcade, but he knew we needed to go to the crab shop, and he was also hungry. The promise of the rest of his picnic proved irresistible. On the way back we spotted the lifeboat bobbing about in the sea - NO WONDER the station had been closed! We popped into the fresh crab shop for two £2.50s (one for daddy, one for nana), then back to the car and loading all the clobber back in again. On the way out of the car park we spotted a play park which we agreed we'd have a play on next time we come.

Tea today was MacDonalds! A real treat, we only go there every other month, last time was seven weeks ago. We had a very happy 45 minutes in there, eating, talking, laughing, colouring (well done MacD's for providing free pictures and crayons). I wanted some more milk in me coffee, and Sam wanted to open them and pour them in......it was his first attempt at opening those little milk packets and he did very well, only spilling a little bit on himself. Then home.....

As soon as we got in we checked Teletext, and You've Been Framed wasn't on! We settled on Meercat Manor instead, but got distracted when Sam made up a pizza delivery service with some lorries and a tractor, then we decided to make an obstacle course for his toy cars. We had a lot of fun with the first three cars to tackle the course, I think this game will be THE one for a few weeks. All too soon it was time to go.....

Altogether yet another brilliant Saturday that came to a sad and abrupt end. Lots of great, happy photos, which will be our memories in years to come. Love you Sam xx

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