Back to the Strawberry Farm

When I took the Little Misses to Rectory Farm on Friday I'd completely forgotten we'd arranged to meet Mrs L, Miss M and Mr T there today!!
It didn't matter! I love it there and you can't pick enough soft fruit and broad beans!!
When we got there we sat down for a  few cups of tea - surreptitiously from my flask as there was a new sign asking people not to bring their own picnics - while the children played on the bouncy slide and castle.
Eventually impatient Miss E could wait no longer and we set off to get another few punnets of raspberries and broad beans. 
Lunch was a tasty BLT and more tea. The Little Misses had sausages I'd brought with me. Unfortunately less surreptitiously this time as the man from the cafe came over to tell us off for eating our own food. 
Despite having three plates of sandwiches (£7.50 each!!!) from the cafe in on the table in front of us. And having bought the children an ice cream each. 
I explained that my daughter has Coeliac disease and asked whether they had gluten free bread so I could buy her a sandwich. 
No. 
What gluten free options do you have?
Er. Um. I think there might be a cake.
So my seven year old can just have cake for her lunch??
Er. Um. Yes.
Hmmm, I don't think so!!
Luckily Miss L wasn't there. I hate it when she will obviously feel singled out and different.
But never mind!!
As Miss M, Mrs L and I were still eating Mr T and Miss L went to play on the hay bales and Miss E asked could she go and pick more raspberries.
So off she went!!
After about twenty minutes I suddenly realised it had been a while since Miss E had set off and I had probably go and check she was OK.
As I walked the few hundred yards up to the raspberries I started to have those horrible thoughts about not being able to find her and the mind numbing thoughts that leads to. 
I like to give her freedom when I can - it's so different for them than it was for me when I was little - but sometimes I worry that I'm a bit too lax. As I got closer to the raspberries I saw a suspicious white van the fruit farm van driving off with Miss E in it driving from one field to another and it was all I could do not to start sprinting and screaming her name. Ridiculous now as I write it but so horrible at the time!!!!
When I eventually reached the bloody raspberries - which are about eight miles from the picnic tables - Miss E came sauntering up one of the rows, beaming - and looking uncannily like Uncle D! - and showing me her fourth full punnet!
I said that I'd been worried as she'd been gone for so long and obviously looked very relieved to see her as she gave me a big hug and said "It's OK Mummy, I'm here. Sorry I gave you a fright"
She's ace!!
All irrational fears gone I left her there picking some more and headed back to the others before the heavens opened!!
She caught me up and then it was time to head home. With £20 worth of raspberries and a few broad beans!!
Apart from one punnet of raspberries it was into the freezer with all of it as soon as we got home. I even shelled the broadbeans. Go me!!!!