We were listening to Wind in the Willows late in afternoon on the ipod and I realised that I never sent home photos of Archie's birthday party. Hugo above was Ratty and Archie was Badger. I was Toad and strangely enough there seem to be no photos.... the power lies with the person behind the lens. 
The boys spent the early part of the afternoon exploring paddocks around the house. At one stage there was a complete absence of sound, I walked to the top of the hill flanking our house and saw them well down the race that cuts through the farm, playing on the clay banks. Archie later explained they were in Egypt and were searching for bones and treasure.They were perhaps slightly beyond the boundaries I feel comfortable with but I do worry that by remaining constantly vigilant over them I will rob them of the freedom we all remember from childhood. But it is so hard..... I have to keep reminding myself that a childcare expert recently came over to New Zealand preaching the virtues of 'benign neglect'. Maybe the status quo is kept by discreetly spying from a good vantage point. Thank goodness for that hill.
