Diary of a Norfolk Broad (Chapter One)

Have you ever got to a point in your life where you realise that something has to change? Usually it's a relationship or career thing, but sometimes there can be other reasons. For instance, when children come along and you discover that weekends have become a whole new experience. My friends without kids have their routine, as I have mine. They lie-in late, get the papers, make fresh coffee, go back to bed, get up (again), go out for lunch, no change that, go out for a long, leisurely lunch (no interruptions you see, from little Molly getting bored, or young Will needing the loo every five minutes), then off to Waitrose (sounds more glam than Sainsbury's), and back home for something delicious a la naughty Nigella and copious amounts of wine, before retiring for a rampant early night. They get to spend so much more time in bed, don't they?
My weekend is not like this. No, firstly the term weekend, as in 'the end of the week', does not apply. It is not the end of the week, merely the continuation of the week, when instead of going out to work, I stay at home to work, in between trying to think up exciting outings for my son that do not involve :
a) 6 million mile long traffic jams
b) crowds of other tired and grumpy parents wearily trying to provide stimulating, fun experiences for their offspring
c) a severe shortage of fast food outlets giving away 'free gifts' - nothing can beat the look of joy on their little faces than the aquisition of a new piece of plastic rubbish whose future is guaranteed a place in the bottom of the toy box within six hours or less

But I digress. Before too long, the cracks begin appearing in this idyllic arrangement, and urban life suddenly fails to hold the appeal it once did. You don't 'Go Out' as a couple (or hardly at all), and phrases like, 'Quality of Life' suddenly slip into conversation, as well as the question of schools for your little one. Let's face it, unless you're living in the right catchment area, you can forget about a decent education in London. Too few schools for too many children. Under-paid and over-worked teachers will not give their 'all' to your child, and as we know, if a child doesn't get a good start, then their future looks less than rosy!
And before you know it you've swapped your flat in East London for a cottage in North Norfolk - in a very small town, not a village, no (too much of a culture shock) and an East End Girl has become a Norfolk Broad.

And all of a sudden, here you are, in a small town surrounded by countryside, and almost spitting distance from the sea and the sandy beaches which have exactly the right kind of sand for superb sand castles, which certainly beats the dog-poo filled sand-pit in the park. Oh, and the friends who still live in London, and do the childless weekend thing - well they come and do the country weekend in your house now!