Absence makes the heart grow fonder!

We are always busy here but the last couple of weeks have just been an explosion of activity! Maybe it's because the weather is nicer and so now there are jobs being done in the garden which are taking up time that you don't do in the darker months?

Whatever it is we seem to be non stop from dawn to dusk!

Callum's making an amazing recovery, he's doing more each day and has gone back to his gardening and is planning to work one morning with Malc this next coming week. 

I have managed to sort out a couple of pictures, unfortunately most of them are on his phone and that went through Grandmas washing machine the day after we got back. (Long story!)

Cals spine was at an 80 degree angle and was twisting into an "S" shape. Here's the before xray.

You can see the "S" shape

Two 15 inch rods and 16 pins later and it's now down to a 20 degree angle.

The surgeons said that they usually improve the straightness of the spine by about 50 % but they actually managed to improve Cals by 75 %, so they did really well.

He also grew 2 inches overnight as a result of his spine being straighter and when I took this picture it was the first one of him standing up after the op and I couldn't get over just how much taller he was!
He went in at 5ft 9 inches and came out at 5ft 11 inches

As I said he's doing really well and he's even been out walking the dogs with us.

He's not climbing trees like his brother just yet but I'm sure it won't be long!

Another reason we've been busy is because we've had two birthdays this week.

The first one was Clark's who was twelve, which I keep forgetting as he seems so much older. He's such a mature lad.

He didn't want me to make his cake and instead chose a shop bought one. What a traitor?
It was filled with little smarties. Me being me though has worked out how I could make one of these myself!

The next one was Ed's, my stepdad. I made his cake.

 Malc and I went out for a meal with my Mum, Ed and two of my Mums lovely friends and had such a lovely relaxing time.

As I said we've been quite busy so not a lot of knitting has been done, however I have managed to finish this hoodie modeled by Soloman for my friends sons birthday.

Don't even mention the eclipse here in Dorset, we all got really excited and watched Stargazing religiously on the buildup to the event.
The only eclipse here was the Sun and Moon being eclipsed by the clouds!!