Took a 15-minute break from work Tuesday afternoon, around 1:45, to check out the activity around town on one of the "more active" Windjammer Days. I thought there were many people around and, if they weren't participating in the festival's events, they were going from shop to shop. The footbridge parking lot was full and there were only a few spots open in the Howard Street lot. And on-street parking was "catch-as-catch can," with a few spaces open on the north end of town. The Oceanside trolley and school bus shuttle were being used to move people here and there and even the east side businesses looked busy. It was nice to see the our tourist town getting used by tourists.

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Thanks to all who have congratulated me on celebrating my 30 years here at the Register. Read some nice comments from friends on a Facebook post by my co-worker Steve Edwards. But, by the looks of that photo and some urging by my doctor and friends, it's time to tighten my belly. That's the result of having a desk job and not exercising. And I should have ordered a salad instead of that cheeseburger I had for lunch during our staff celebration at Robinson's Wharf.

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The staff has started planning our Summertime 2018 supplement. If you have any ideas for features, let me know via email, kevinburnham@boothayregister.com. We may use them, or we may not, but ideas never go away, so they may be fodder for website and weekly newspaper features.

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Other enjoyable sites seen on Monday and Tuesday of this week: Windjammer Days co-chairman Dianne Gimbel rolling a handcart away from the Whale Park (probably supplying items for the information tent); Kris Ward getting ready to open the information tent for another year (what is this, her 25th?); and a dozen Boothbay Harbor firefighters manning the pancake breakfast. All volunteers -- that's what it takes to run such a huge festival at Windjammer Days. Be sure to thank them all.

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Enjoy your Fourth of July! And speaking of volunteers, thank Joan Rittall for 30-plus years of running the BCA’s holiday event on the Common. She has loosened her grip on running the event and others are now stepping into her shoes.