Hey Peg's Legs...felt the need to give you all a real update on everything that has been going on in Chun-land! Had to take Cola to the vet today...she's been a little lethargic the past couple days, but it turns out she's OK, that she might just have a little kitty cold. While she was there, she got de-wormed and checked over. She also got a test for feline leukemia and (hallelujah!) it came back negative!
She is still losing her hair, but it is growing back in some places. I have been giving her baths once in a while (yes, baths - and guess what - she likes it! Such a weird cat) and it seems to help...It doesn't seem to be a flea allergy since she's been on flea meds and is pretty flea-free. The vet suggested that it might be a nervous disorder since she tends to "over-groom" herself, so she prescribed her some "kitty happy pills" as she called them.
Other than having worms, losing her hair, having a cold, and a nervous disorder, she's doing really great :) No, seriously, she is actually a great cat and the kids have really been enjoying her company. Often I'll wake up in the morning and see both kids, Maka, and the cat all in bed with us...we start out with everyone in their own beds, but they sneak in in the middle of the night...and Indy confessed that when she sneaks into our bed, she always makes sure to carry Cola in with her so that Cola isn't lonely in the kids bed alone. How nice.
The kids are doing great. Sawyer is growing up and talking more and clearer everyday. He loves to pretend...he likes to play "tiger", "lion", and "shark"...basically anything that would like to attack a big sister. Indy has loved her first year of Junior Kindergarten at Hanahauoli. The school year is almost to a close and she has learned so much while having so much fun! She is now reading on her own!
We don't have summer school planned for her, so not sure how we're going to handle that. I told her that she can come and work at the gallery and she was very excited about that! Her first summer job! We are also planning to go to Colorado for a little family reunion...we plan to see all of Peggy's family and the best part - Leslie and Stuart will be meeting us there so that they can meet all the family! So fun! We can't wait to see how little Hanalei has grown! She will be almost 1 when we see her!
Elroy is doing good. He is currently in DC for the ALSA Advocacy Day. His new apartment is working out perfectly. He can literally see his sister's front yard from his doorway. His apartment is roomy and he's been doing a great job getting it set up and organized. I was touched to go over and see his fridge covered with carefully selected photos of all of our family, Peggy, and the caregivers. And of course, I couldn't help but check the inside of the fridge while I was there and it was not disgusting at all! No rotting Costco food swimming in meat juice with discount Chinatown vegetables...I'm so proud.
Eric is doing great. He had a tree job today and also made a stop to pick up more of our old junk from the Segler's house. He's begun to doing a little kayaking coaching on the side once a week. When not working on trees or editing videos, he's been helping us at the gallery, getting our storage unit organized, etc. He's also been working (with help from Jason) on the plans for the deck at our house...he hopes to start building soon! He's also, as I mentioned, been working on getting the rest of the stuff out of the Alika house...Jason and Jen have been quite busy working on the house! I haven't been there since Easter, but I hear that they are working hard on it, fixing it up and making it their own...
My parents are doing great. We had a nice Mother's Day brunch at their house on Sunday. My dad made Eggs Benedict...he made me a special vegetarian version with portabello mushroom and spinach - YUM! He totally spoils me - and I love it! My mom is getting ready to retire at the end of this month! She has been helping me tremendously with business planning...now that we are settled in the new gallery, it is time to start building the business and planning for SUCCESS and PROSPERITY! I am so grateful for her expert advice and loving support.
Speaking of business planning, please let us know if you have an ideas for the gallery/art business...we are looking for ways to boost sales and share Peggy's art and inspiration with the world! We are also looking at bringing in some accessories/jewelry vendors...if you have any ideas on local, Made in Hawaii, jewelry makers, please let us know...we're looking for something that would fit in well with Peggy's art & style...something Peggy would love...
One more project we're working on...we're putting together a collection of photos of Peggy's art in people's home...if you have a Peggy Chun piece hanging in your home, please take a photo of it and email it to me. Maybe include a little story about it and what it means to you. We want to put all the photos together in a binder/book for people to look at in our gallery, so they can see how the art looks once it is hung in a home.
As for me, I've been enjoying working here at the gallery...I feel hopeful and excited about the business. I think about Peggy often and think about what would make her proud and excited. I often ask myself what I think she would do...sometimes that means I do the opposite (ha!) but most often it helps me lighten up, loosen up, and be a little more adventurous and spontaneous than usual.
I've also been busy helping the local ALS community. I have a real passion for helping those that are going thru what we are now on the other side of. As you know I have been helping Vi set up her STC group and I've been offering consult to a few other people as well. Vi's first Share the Care meeting is this coming Sunday at 1pm. Please join us if you can! Everyone would love to hear from all of you...people that have been through it all...
Sheila Warnock, author of Share the Care, has asked me to be their Share the Care Volunteer Outreach Director for Hawaii...I am so honored and hope to be able to bring Sheila to Hawaii to lead a training workshop/lecture for healthcare professionals/clergy/caregivers. I'll keep you posted!
I am also going to speaking at MDA's ALS Seminar this coming Saturday at Queen's Medical Center. I will be speaking about caregiving, Share the Care, and different care models. I LOVE talking about Share the Care! I could talk about it all day! You all know what I mean - we know it works! And it is not just that STC helped Peggy...it gave me, Eric, and Elroy such quality of life...it also gave us YOU! The Peg's Legs! A whole new family that I would have never had...what a gift...what an experience...I just want to share that joy, that opportunity, with everyone.
OK, that about covers it...I should also add that Karen and Kelly are doing great! They are my loyal, hardworking gallery girls...I'm so proud of them and so grateful for all that they do. I feel so blessed to have such great friends/employees. Pepper is our little gallery mascot...she brings in lots of customers with her big smile and charming ways. And she currently has a BIG crush on Sawyer! We're hoping that they get married someday so that Kelly and I can be sisters!
Speaking of gallery girls...did you know that both Rhea and Ania are preggers?!!! Yay! Rhea and KC are having a BOY - due in August...and Ania is due in October...they don't know yet if its a boy or girl. We'll definitely be planning a shower sometime at the end of the summer...so we'll keep you posted. We're so happy for them! More playmates for Indy, Sawyer, Jade, Cian, and Pepper!
OK, Legs...how's that for a blog post? We miss you all! Please come and visit us at the gallery...call us...email us...whatever...anytime you need a Peg's Legs/Peggy Chun fix, we're here for you! And we're thinking about a Peg's Legs Reunion in November - what do you all think? Anyone want to be on a party committee? Anyone have venue suggestions?
OK, last thing...some photos for you guys. The first is of the kids with Eric and Elroy from last First Friday. They had horse-drawn carriage rides, so this is a photo of them in the carriage. The next photo is from Mother's Day. After brunch at my mom's we went to the zoo to check out the new meerkats. The kids borrowed hats from my mom and dad, so here they are showing them off. The next is Sawyer hamming it up in the car! The last one is of Indy with her new stuffed meerkat from the zoo gift shop - she named her Buttercup. Notice her missing tooth! Have a great day everyone!!!
