Prescription for Survival

 Perhaps this says it all:

Six Weeks Post Knee Surgery

42 days later just look at this happy girl in her garden weeding.

"Blue Nitrile Warriors" 

St. Phil was there to "spot" Lunel going down the stairs, and managed to rustle up her garden bench, her walker, a bucket and her favorite tools and a big glass of iced tea for a sunny day.

Although it was due to hit today, once again, the Big Island of Hawaii was spared a direct hit from hurricane Douglas, thanks in part to our two 13,000+ volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.

Spending less than one hour, taking great care producing 1/2 bucket of weeds, she went in to rest, massage and ice the knees and is planning NOT to repeat the task tomorrow -- even though the bed was not completely weeded. (Good grief, is she finally learning something about moderation??)

Last week she received an inquiry from the Hilo Medical Center's Bone and Joint Clinic to provide copies of her "Blue Nitrile Warriors" collage. Phil got them printed on Friday and they'll be in the mail Monday. She dedicated this piece to the staff there who took such excellent care of her during her stay.

Meanwhile, we're remaining vigilant about Covid19 precautionary measures, limiting trips to Hilo and keeping friends and neighbors at appropriate distance. As so many slogans indicate, we may be alone (for now) but we ARE "together" -- just in a very different way.

Take care, be safe!

Hawaii Artists

Native birds we see in the forest:  I'Iwi  ( E - E VE)

One of the many delights about our relocation to the small town of Volcano is that the community is rich with artists of all kinds -- glass, wood, painting, sculpture, writers, performers and numerous native Hawaiian practitioners of botany, art and hula.

Commission piece for a friend

With the construction of our new art studio last year, Phil has continued his exploration of wood art carving and painting and has pieces at Michael Jayme gallery in the charming village to the north, Honaka'a (520-270-7462)

With friends helping with the gardens and housework during Lunel's knee surgery recovery, Phil's happy to be back in the studio. As soon as Lunel can better negotiate two sets of stairs, she's looking forward to being in the studio with Phil.

Here are a few of his newest pieces.

Haysmer Hale Le'a Update

Besides the knees there IS actually other news. The garden Lunel worked on so lovingly in early spring is responding well to our comfortable summer 70-75 degrees. Although we loved our former home in Leilani Estates before the 2018 lava flow, it was too hot much of the days in summer time. So much has changed -- not only our home, the weather, there's Covid19 to contend with. The state of Hawaii now has over 300 cases -- and before you think that is small potatoes, our count is up 50% like many other states.

Lunel in the dog-yard. Dogs from left: Tuxedo Tudor, Uncle Poko, mommy Lani

But now, onto the KNEES!  Today marks one-month anniversary of Lunel's bilateral knee replacements. An interesting point is that although the total knee joint was replaced, she still has her original knee caps! Anyway, stitches are out, bandages are off and today she went down the stairs (with Phil spotting her carefully) to meander out to the close-by dog yard. We have an physical therapy office here in Volcano where she will begin a professionally guided recovery program.

Although we are at home 95% of the time, we are friends with many of our nearby neighbors and enjoy safe conversations along the driveways or from the front porches. We are so happy not only with our sweet "Hale Le'a" -- house of gladness, we are equally happy to have a real neighborhood of friends here in Ohia Estates, as well as old pals from the old neighborhood.

STAY SAFE, 
PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS

ALOHA FROM PHIL AND LUNEL

Onward!

It's been three weeks since Lunel's bilateral knee surgery and she's up and moving. Yesterday was pretty exciting as she make numerous trips around the house using a cane rather than the walker. Physical therapy at home was the right decision, but until she can handle stairs to get out to her garden, she's house-bound.

For a couple weeks Phil was doing double duty and a fine job of it too, but it was taking a toll on his energy. Fortunately we have a friend who does housekeeping who is able to come a couple times a week now so Phil can be in his favorite place -- our delightful art studio.

It has been interesting for Lunel to move at such a slower speed than she is used to, but as always, she puts 100% into any challenge. She's decided to call it "Slot Speed" and even bought a cute sloth puppet on-line much to the curiosity of the corgi dogs!

The state of Hawaii, and in particular the Big Island has been pretty pro-active about control of Covid, but even here we see numbers rising. Residents are most concerned about visiting vacationers who may wrongly think that because of our lower numbers, it is "safe" to be thoughtlessly unsafe.

Love to you all -- take care, be safe!

Bless the Knees

We are both totally distracted by Lunel's bilateral knee replacement. Things are going very well; she is home, up and using a walker with a list of exercises. She's got a ice machine for each knee and feels very encouraged at the progress to this date. 

Thanks for all your emails and calls. We'll get another update soon.

July 2nd update:  up and walking, moderate pain, exercises throughout the day and range of motion increasing. Today we begin serious work on stairs with the help of our neighbor CNA/PT friend who we have nicknamed "The Stair Master."  More work ahead, but very encouraging so far.

Lunel's bilateral knee surgery is the 16th so we are likely to be a bit distracted for a week or two. Having both knees done at once is a big deal, but after the last two years we've been through she does not want to give up more time by having them done individually.

You're welcome to call, leave a message and we'll get back to you. She's confident in her doctor and her physical therapist is two streets away as is our wonderful massage therapist. She's supervised the planting of dozens of shrubs, trees ground covers and plants she'll be able to watch during her recovery and we've got a beautiful summer comin' in. 

Thanks for all your good thoughts and well-wishes!

Memorial Day 2020 - 100,000

While it is part of our American tradition to observe Memorial Day in remembrance of all those who have lost their lives on behalf of others through wars, this year  is both quantitatively and qualitatively different. 

Tempered without obvious political and social commentary, we hope the art speaks for itself. 

Lunel did the collage and Phil wrote the poem honoring all those who have slipped through our hands in decades past and particularly so this last year in the global pandemic.

Memorial Day 2020

These hands are like those left on cave walls
Nameless reminders that they once walked
The same paths we now travel --
A place where memories are stored.

And It Came To Pass....

This phrase is a well-known one from the bible -- in fact, counting the various translations, it appears over 600 times. It's generally applicable in most situations. When we first arrived in Hawaii in 2012, we found a local translation nailed to a mango tree on the drive down to the ocean; it said simply -- "it's only a matter of time."

And so it is -- Lunel has reached the decision to proceed with bi-lateral knee replacement. It was this time last year she met with two orthopedic surgeons whose opinions both resulted in the same diagnosis. There will be continued pain, inflammation and swelling due to bone-on-bone condition in both knees. But it was only a year-and-a-half since the traumas of 2018, and she was not prepared to make the decision at that time. Since January of this year the situation has deteriorated further.

Surgery is set for June 16th here in Hilo, so between now and then, she is directing a massive up-tic in the landscaping projects. Since we have cleared back so much undergrowth, there are now numerous blank canvas areas. Fortunately, we have a weekly young friend who devotes four hours every Wednesday to bring Lunel's vision to life. The photo below are rough -- but she hopes to have lots of plants, and shrubs in the ground so she can simply enjoy her recuperation watching them grow.

Of course Phil and the three corgyn will be on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th helping her achieve a "home run" recovery!

Remembering With Gratitude

May 2, 2018 is a day we'll long remember. The day Lunel ended up in an unexplained coma and was rushed to the emergency room. During the next 36 hours, lava began to flow in our subdivision, Civil Defense was going door to door with emergency evacuation orders, and Phil was watching his world dissolve around him.

Yes, Ganesh is seated on a large chunk of pahoehoe lava

In that same period, a fire broke out in the forest near our home and it was burned to the ground. Shortly thereafter lava broke out at Fissure 8 and initially began to flow to the east, away from our house. The rest is history as lava built up and eventually covered not only our home but 700 others on it's speedy way to the ocean.
May also happens to be our anniversary month when we celebrate our meeting on May 18, 1986...and our wedding three years later on May 25, 1989. AND, it is TUDOR'S third birthday.

To commemorate this auspicious month, Lunel decorated a cement statue of Ganesh, the Hindu elephant god most widely known for his ability to overcome obstacles. The most immediate connection to that philosophical principle would be a 200 foot high mountain of lava that covered our home, but there is another, less widely known concept that Lunel adopted for herself many years ago.

Elephants are assumed to be terrified of mice. Ganesh, however, decided to overcome his fear -- by  'making friends' with his fear, adopting the mouse as his side kick. In many images of Ganesh you will find him accompanied by his mouse/friend/teacher. Lunel had an image of Ganesh-with-mouse tattooed on her arm for her 70th birthday.

May 2018 brought a package of unbelievable fear, loss, anger and depression for both of us and a two-year journey of ups and downs. We chose to adopt the philosophy that would allow us to look at those emotions squarely and recognize the profound teachings they might offer. We were graced with an outpouring of gifts, support and aloha during that time. Today, on this significant anniversary, we pause to give thanks for each and every blessing.

Aloha and Mahalo

Stay-At-Home ART!

Since a picture is worth 1000 words, here's what Phil has been doing these past few weeks. The galleries where he has his art are closed, so he's building up a inventory of new pieces. A couple are also shown on previous blogs. Each image is carved out of either Monkey Pod or Koa wood, and then hand painted.

Six-Man Traditional Paddling Canoe

Hawaiian Black Witch Moth

Inspired by a 1900 sepia photograph

Spring is here, so Leo Lunel is continuing to develop landscaping plans, buying plants and directing our charming young yard man Marcus where to dig holes since her knees simply won't allow her to do some of her regular work. She is following up with her orthopedic surgeon to move ahead with bilateral knee replacement as soon as hospitals are accepting elective surgeries.

She continues to work on collage projects.

COVID19 ART

Isolation, grief, prayer, death, protection

The King is Dead

As the Covid19 pandemic has expanded so too has the anxiety, fear, isolation and helplessness for many people. For Lunel it has again triggered some PTSD symptoms, but she has returned to ART in response, developing a series of COVID19 ART!! Below are samples of the series to date, done in her unique style. Some are very detailed, so "click" on any for better look-see.

NY City - Then and Now

State of the Planet

Dealing?? So Not!

We've been listening to great music in our studio (where there is no phone). Here are just a couple that we feel have good lyrics in response to COVID.  Links to each if you'd like to listen, but do check out the lyrics.

"Stranded" by Van Morrison

"Make It Rain" by Ed Sheeran

Keep Your Distance!

Blue Nitrile Warriors