Just a quick update: I'm home at last!
I'm afraid that there were complications with my surgery, &, as a result, I was rather poorly, & I had to go back to theatre for an emergency, second surgery last Friday evening.
Fortunately, things are much improved & I was discharged on Monday evening. I'm very tired & can't do much, but I'm just so, so relieved to be at home with my two boys again! ♥

I've had the most fabulous, magical weekend!
On Saturday we went to see Fantastic Beasts - which was awesome! - & then on Sunday, we went to the HP Studio Tour for Hogwarts in the Snow!!
It was amazing - a day of fun, laughter, Nifflers, me definitely not buying any more cuddly creatures (peer pressure!), snowy gorgeousness, & getting to spend time with the best friends in the world! ♥

I don't have a pic of us all wearing our robes yet, but here are a couple of me proving that I definitely did not buy any kind of cuddly to go with my Fang & Hedwig! Nope, absolutely not!
Oh, how did Buckbeak get there? *g*

( Finding a fantastic beast... )

A while back, I made lantean_drift a set of Hogwarts' robes as a Christmas present.
Well, during this year, I've also been making robes for other friends as their birthdays have come around, & on Sunday we're all going to the Harry Potter Studio Tour again - but this time, wearing our robes! \o/



There are 8 sets of robes & we have all 4 houses represented:
Hufflepuff: Me
Gryffindor: lantean_drift, xanthe, KB, S
Slytherin: flyingnorth, battyoldflapper
Ravenclaw: carnelianred

They're fully-lined & I've made wand pockets inside so that we'll all have a place to keep our wands as we're walking around. *g*

It's going to be 'Hogwarts in the Snow' when we go - I can't wait! \o/
*Snoopy dances*

We had a glorious day at Ynyslas beach last Saturday.
An autumn walk by the sea with my two boys is my absolute heaven. ♥
I'm so very, very lucky.

I've been diagnosed with thyroid cancer & it's also spread to the lymph nodes in the right side of my neck.
Although uncommon, it is treatable & hopefully survivable.

( details )

Obviously, it's cancer & a nasty op, but I just feel so incredibly lucky that it's not something worse & that there is treatment.
xxx

Last weekend, it was the annual Dogs' Party for the Lab rescue who brought us our beautiful Bud.  It's such a lovely, happy-making event with so many beautiful dogs who now have their forever homes.
Here's the boy taking part in the fancy dress. The theme was 'the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations' & so Bud went as 'Union Bud'!  He won 5th prize & had a lot of fun! \o/

I'd seen some really cute fabric a while back that I loved but couldn't think of a project to use it for.
Fast forward a couple of months & I was looking at the fabric again in the online shop (okay, I'd been stalking it!) & I saw that they'd only got a few metres left! Noooo!  I knew that I had to buy it right then!  I have a monthly sewing mag called 'Sew' & it always comes with a free pattern & that month it was a really nice little summer dress.  So, I got the fabric & made myself a dress!

(Excuse the creases - I'd worn it before I remembered to take a pic!)



( and that wasn't the end of the story! )

Definitely happy-making!

I had the best time at my annual writing weekend!
It was lovely to catch up with friends (some of whom I only see once a year) & to chat & laugh.  There was a *lot* of laughing!

I had the most amazing time in London with xanthe last weekend.
Along with our lovely friend, flyingnorth, & Xanthe's folks, we went to see 'Harry Potter & The Cursed Child'!!!!
Oh my goodness - it was absolutely amazing. I won't spoil anything - #keepthesecrets - but it was a most creative, enthralling, gripping story which is such a wonderful addition to the HP canon. I really am beyond words - it was just so, so fantastic.

( Not really a spoiler, but just in case... )

The specialist has been in touch & it's not cancer!
Unfortunately, Bud does have severe IBD/Chronn's disease (there's extensive scarring in his stomach & small intestine). The usual treatment would be steroids, but he was put on steroids at the beginning & they didn't help. So, the plan now is to keep him on his special diet & to try him on some different medication. We need to try & improve the diarrhoea & help him regain some weight. He's got to go back to the hospital in two weeks.
So, we're not out of the woods by any measure, but at least I feel like he's got more of a fighting chance with this.
Thanks again for your support, everyone!
Buddy sends big kisses!
*hugs*