We did small-town things yesterday, and it was the kind of day that reminds me why I like living in a small town. I grew up in a small town, but I have lived in many different-sized cities over the years. At a population of 6,232, Blaine is significantly larger than my hometown, which has a population of around 1,600. That’s about the same size as Hettinger, ND, was when we lived there, but the population of Hettinger has been shrinking and is now only about 1,000. Blaine put on a pretty good Fourth of July parade yesterday. It had the usual small-town features: antique cars, old tractors, politicians, fire trucks, search and rescue vehicles, the high school band, and floats advertising local businesses. The county Sheriff walked in the parade, while the head of the county council rode in a vehicle with a large sunroof through which he could stand and wave. There was plenty of candy for the kids. Our grandkids had a bag that had more than enough.

The day’s activities included a pancake breakfast, a car show, a street fair, a dunk tank, a beer garden, and several venues featuring live music. We didn’t take in everything, but the crowds were big and the street fair was larger than I remember from previous years.

One of the things that Blaine does that is bigger than some of the other small towns where I have lived is the fireworks show. Since the pandemic, when there was no fireworks show, we’ve made it a point to take in the July 4 fireworks over Boundary Bay. We park on Main Street or at the library and walk down to the park near the harbor and join the crowd. I’m not a night owl, so the 10:30 start time is a stretch for me. Our grandchildren remember the tradition of staying up late, having a few extra snacks, and joining in the oohs and ahs as the colorful blasts reflect off the water of the bay. It is a fun tradition.

For me, it was a stress-free time. Our son did all of the driving and searching for parking. All I had to do was join in for the ride. We stretched out blankets on the grass and played cards with the grandkids until it got too dark to read the cards. It was a fun time to feel like we’re becoming part of our small town and its traditions.

We don’t have too many plans for the summer. Our daughter and her family are coming for a visit in a couple of weeks. After that, we’ve planned a trip down to Oregon and across Idaho to Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota to visit family and friends. We haven’t yet taken the big trips that I thought might be part of our retirement, but a relaxing summer seems like a treat, and we’re doing the things we enjoy.

The summer has allowed me to reflect on my writing and my plans for the next phase of my life. July 16 will be the 18th anniversary of my web journal. I first published my journal as a blog on July 16, 2007, and I’ve posted an essay every day since, with no exceptions, making this the 6,559th essay. One of the reasons I started publishing my journal was to cultivate the discipline of daily writing in order to become a better writer. I believe I have refined my craft over the years. However, there have been times when I have gotten into a kind of rut, simply producing the daily essay without learning very much. I have decided to mix things up a bit over the next few months.

Don’t worry. My journal will still be available on this website at least through August, and possibly longer. However, I plan to parallel it with a new style of writing, which I will publish on Substack. My Substack writings will be featured on a new website, and they will also be distributed via email to subscribers. I started experimenting with my Substack yesterday, and I plan to announce the new site sometime in the next few weeks. On that new platform, I plan to publish essays, poems, and prayers. It won’t be every day. My goal is to post approximately three times a week. Early in the process, I may publish some of the journal entries from this website to my Substack. Eventually, I will stop publishing the journal on this website.

In the meantime, I’ve begun designing a new website. The new website will feature information about me, but it will also serve as a platform to promote some of my published writing. I have a new book coming out early this fall, and I have submitted essays to a couple of anthologies. I plan to use my website to promote book sales, among other tasks.

One of my goals is to decrease my screen time slightly and to gain more independence from the Internet. Publishing a journal entry every day means taking a computer with me wherever I go and finding a way to connect to the Internet each day to publish the journal. In the past, I’ve delayed publication because I've been camping or, for some other reason, have been out of range of an Internet connection. I plan to do more off-grid camping and exploring in places without connectivity. Hopefully, the new system will enable me to do so with more ease.

I knew when I started publishing my journal that it would not last forever. In some ways, I am surprised that I have managed to keep it up for as long as I have. On the other hand, I have been grateful for the discipline of daily writing. I want to continue that practice. While I write all of my essays on a keyboard, I write some of my poems and prayers by hand on plain notebook paper. I may write first drafts of essays and longer documents by hand from time to time.

It feels like I’m starting a new phase of my life. I’ve been slow to adjust to retirement, but the process has been meaningful. Making changes and mixing things up is part of the process.

Thanks to all who have been loyal readers of my journal. I am grateful for your participation in my journey. I’ll ensure you can stay connected as I continue to grow and learn.