In Living Color!

What a busy month! We've received a few emails checking in on us since we have not created a new blog entry lately -- so here's the scoop!  We've been busy!

Work on the art studio is progressing very well, sheet rock going up this week, railings will be done, and beautiful "Lehua Doors" will be going up soon too.

Lehua Blossom (Lay HU ah)

OK, you say, what are "Lehua Doors" -- well early this year we were surprised by the COLOR of the ohia blossoms as they were such a deep orange/red and were visible from every window in the house.



Phil is making art out of left over scraps of wood from the building project, and has just finished one of Poliahu -- one of Pele's sisters who is associated with the snow on the volcanoes.

Lunel continues to work in her art journals filled with drawings, illustrations, poems
and quotes. She continues to learn about and work with the effects of on-going PTSD symptoms. Working in a densely packed 4' space for over a year, she's thrilled to know the new art studio will be completed soon.

About the knees, since friends are asking: The plan, for now, is prolotherapy injections that admittedly may or may not work. The MRI images for both knees were graphic and depressingly honest, so surgery may be an eventuality. After the year we have been through, it is understandable that another 6-month "recovery" would not be anyone's first choice.

Designing a new lanai (again) that will be adjacent to the house -- when what we had was so beautiful is a challenge, especially remembering all the amazing art that we had placed so strategically.

Phil is getting bids on installing whole-house solar which will include the latest Tesla storage batteries.

Giant Rhubarb

Younger selves in Santa Cruz CA

Lunel is getting information on replacing the wonderful cedar hot tub that we both will be glad to have again.

And then there's Rhubarb for one of Phil's favorite treats -- grows amazing here at 3500 in Volcano

Both of us have experienced a slowing-down we have to acknowledge and honor. The last year of various kinds of trauma and recovery has taken its toll, and although we are enjoying our new home,  it is still NEW as are all the things we are slowly replacing from wedding rings to underwear, from books to art -- as we also acclimate to new cooler weather, new neighborhood and new colorful opportunities.

This week we also celebrated our 33rd anniversary -- goodness 1986 seems like a LONG time ago -- we were a LOT younger!