Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Tash and I wish you all a wonderful Christmas, a joyous holiday season, and a happy and healthy new year in 2014! Below is our annual open letter to our family and friends. We especially miss our children and grandchildren who, this year, are all far away from our temporary home in Kentucky.

Dear family and friends,

Greetings from Kentucky! This Christmas marks the 4th different state in which we have celebrated the holidays in four years. In 2010 we were in our beautiful historic home in Oregon City. 2011 brought us to Ithaca, NY, and the campus of Cornell University. Last year we made it back to Meridian, Idaho, to celebrate with Tash's parents: Gene & Celeste Fox.

The end of 2013 finds us in Lexington, far away from where we began our “adventure of a lifetime” in Oregon. We packed up the Conestoga wagon (aka Penske truck) in late June and made our way across the country (by late July) so Tash could begin doctoral studies at the University of Kentucky in the Graduate Center for Gerontology. (You may have heard of UK…they have a little basketball team here.) The first school term is successfully finished, with Tash’s sanity (mostly) still intact. Her winter break will be filled with reading, catching up on Downtown Abbey, and trying to bring order to her messy office.

Adjusting from life in the Northwest has gone fairly smoothly, though Tash still freaks out when there is a tornado warning. Of course, we were able to follow the Red Sox through the World Series, so we felt on solid ground. There’s no beach or Dungeness crab, but the barbecue is really good here so it’s hard to fuss too much! The countryside is absolutely beautiful, with its great expanses of green pastures bounded by mile after mile of freshly painted horse fences.

We can hardly wait until Spring to see what all the fuss over "bluegrass" is about. There are plenty of walking trails so we have no excuse NOT to exercise. Weather permitting, Frank walks/runs 2 miles per day.

But MOST OF ALL, we miss those with whom we share love. Visitors welcome!!"

You Never Know Where Hope Grows

This past Tuesday I was an extra in a third different scene for the upcoming movie, Produce. I am pictured above chatting with cast member, McKaley Miller, after the scene at Mt. Tabor Cemetery in Crestwood, KY. Interestingly, Mt. Tabor is the final resting place of D.W. Griffith, know as the "father of the motion picture."

Scheduled to be released in late 2014, progress can be monitored on the movie's website IamProduce.com.

My earlier blog concerning the movie including a plot synopsis is located here.

Produce, the movie

I have been selected as an extra for the movie Produce. Filming begins today in Anchorage, Kentucky, where I will play the role of a church member at the church in the photo above. There is also an outdoor scene, filmed on a porch, that I will be in. Possibly more later, depending on how I do today.

Story: PRODUCE is a feature-length film about a self destructive former pro ball player who is given a serious lesson in living life with courage when he befriends a grocery store clerk with Downs syndrome.

Producers: Milan Chakraborty (THE LIFEGUARD starring Kristen Bell-Sundance 2013, ALTER EGOS), Jose Pablo Cantillo (WALKING DEAD, CRANK), Simran Singh Co-Producer: Sev Ohanian's most recent movie was the critically acclaimed indie feature FRUITVILLE STATION, which won the grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2013 Sundance film Festival

Co-Executive Producer: Local, Gill Holland is a seasoned feature film producer whose credits include HURRICANE STREETS which won the directors award, Cinematography Award and Audience Award at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival.
Community Support has been overwhelming from such groups as DSIAM (Down syndrome in Arts and Media Organization), the ALBERT PUJOLS Family Foundation, Down syndrome of Louisville, Dreams with Wings, Best Buddies-Kentucky, Angels in Disguise as well as from Mayor Greg Fischer, Louisville Slugger and the Louisville Bats.

Current Cast:

Produce: David Desanctis

CALVIN: Kris Polaha (North Shore)

MILTON: Billy Zabka (Karate Kid)

KATIE: McKaley Miller (Hart of Dixie)

COLT: Michael Grant (The Secret Life of an American Teenager) AMY: Brooke Burns (BAYWATCH, SHALLOW HAL)

FRANKLIN: Alan Powell (THE SONG)

It has been a busy few days. I played in a chess tournament over the weekend in Cincinnati, attended a Veteran's Day poker event in Elizabeth, Indiana, on Monday, and introduced myself to the nice people at the Kentucky Hospital Association yesterday while Tash was attending a conference in Louisville. Not making any money, but at least I am staying active.

I have several blog posts in the queue for the period July-October. I will get caught up ASAP. Kentucky has been quite an adjustment!

More about Anchorage, KY, can be found here and also here.