Checking In

I just sent off an email to guys in one of two men's groups I'm in. It seems like a good set of words for a current check in:

Life is always such an adventure. On Sunday we head up to Shalom Mountain for "Path of the Mystic" which is one of my favorite retreats- meditative and introspective. It keeps me close to my connection with God. I'm looking forward to it- to the restfulness of it as well as to the time to reflect. At the same time there are a lot of old friends with whom I get to spend some time with as well... and whom I only get to see during the summer Mystic retreat.

The past week has been somewhat challenging as well as reassuring. Last Thursday, after a couple of days of Judy feeling really punk and achey with fever mostly at night, we learned that Judy didn't have some mysterious virus but rather, Lyme Disease. The symptoms had just about reduced her to tears and, in spite of my own efforts to maintain a grounded presence, we were both struggling.

A visit to a doctor (her's was actually away on vacation) nailed it down clearly (clinically) and got her going on a 2 to 4 week dose of amoxicillin. Stronger medicine might be better but would require she stay out of sunlight or get nasty blisters and other awful reactions. In any case, she doesn't like to take antibiotics unless they're absolutely necessary. I agree. In the case of Lyme disease caught early, however, it's the only way to surely handle it and prevent serious chronic symptoms and complications. We've become knowledgeable about Lyme disease very quickly in the last several days. Judy's on the road to recovery- mostly symptom free except for some fatigue. I'm trying to catch up on rest as well.

We had our youngest grandson, Sam, who is 2.5 years old, with us for the weekend while his mom and dad (my daughter Jordana and her husband Mike) took a few days of their own R&R and celebrated a long planned wedding Anniversary vacation in Cape May. The time was delightful and demanding- both extremes... especially since Sam arises around 6:30am every day. By Monday, the day his mom and dad returned, Judy was feeling better and I slept until almost 9am while Judy played with Sam.

My health is remarkably good and I am feeling good. I've kept up with my health plan very rigorously and I think it shows. It'll be at least another month or so until I get my next physical exam and blood work including a PSA... so no official reports at this point. I'll probably blog an entry in August or September when I have anything of a progress report. My exercise is paying off daily. I'm adjusting my exercise following a program called PACE- it stands for Progressively Accelerating Cardiopulmonary Exertion. It actually reduces the time I need to exercise while significantly producing results. Judy and I bought an e-book on it that we'd be happy to share about it if you're interested. Send me an email to kenfrank@att.net

I had a great experience doing a mat trip at the Men's Shalom Retreat in mid-June led by John Bottone & Alistair MacMartin. My core energetics work with Sandie Rumold feels like it's paying dividends in my feeling of well-being. I'm beginning to work on my own with a technique called "The Sedona Method". You can Google it or go to sedona.com if you want to find out more... but it fits well with what I'm up to in my life. It's a way to release feelings- fears, anger, resentment, struggle, stuckness and most anything. I'm excited about the results.

I've finally completed laying out the spring FSM Newsletter and it will be distributed to the entire community shortly after being reviewed for errors and typos. I hope to have it posted soon on the friendsofshalom.org website. This is the first time in over five years that I've been anything like a month and a half late in getting it out. I have very mixed feelings about that... it's good that I'm clear about my personal and health priorities and bad that I had to put professional considerations on a back burner. Still, I'm actually feeling comfortable about it, overall.

After "Path of the Mystic" we'll return for a day or so and then probably head up to Canada for a week where we'll visit with our friends Joy and Lawrence and help with an addition they're building on their cottage there. When I return I will be working on the Friends of Shalom Annual Report getting set for the FSM Annual Meeting on the Labor Day work weekend. Also, Judy and I will be cooking for The Body Sacred early in August and also for the Extended Couples Retreat at Shalom toward the end of August.

I'm looking forward to spending some time around home in mid-August and catching up on a million things and/or spending a few days at the Jersey shore where several friends have homes and we have invitations. My daughter Tina and her husband Matt are moving from California to North Carolina around the end of September. We just might go down for a day or two to help them unpack and get settled in.