New Beginnings
... and some welcome getaways.
Hi everyone.
It’s been a little while since I’ve checked in with the Daly Grind, but those of you who catch my writing elsewhere, or follow me on social media, likely already know what’s been going on in my life.
My father passed away last month. It came after a rough couple years of declining health, and just a few months short of his 90th birthday. He was a great man and father, and is sorely missed. For anyone interested and learning a little more about him, his obituary is online.
As I’ve touched on in the newsletter, I spent countless hours at my father’s side over the last two years, between frequent hospital, doctor, and clinic visits (sometimes two or three a week), and attending to other care matters. With him now at peace, and I’m certain in a much better place, it’s actually been a bit of an adjustment returning to a simpler, less “on call” daily routine.
It’s given me (and my family) a few weeks to take a step back, take stock of some things, and move forward with some long talked-about changes and aspirations (which I’m hoping will include new writing opportunities). I’m sure I’ll elaborate on this in the not-so-distant future, but for today I just wanted to play a little catch-up with the newsletter (which I plan to get back on a regular schedule).
As for other things…
The Hullabaloo
A couple weeks ago, I returned to the Principles First Summit in Washington DC.
I met some of the organizers at last year's event, and after one of them saw that I was returning this year, she invited me to record my Daly Express podcast on-site. I thought it was a great idea, so I packed my laptop and a fancy new microphone my family gave me for Christmas, and finished the weekend with three new episodes of interviews, speech and panel clips, and some personal thoughts.
The first episode was recorded at the reception the night before. It was held at the Hamilton Live (a very cool concert venue), where it was fun catching up with some old friends and making some new ones.
While I was interviewing an attendee, I happened to notice a familiar-looking fellow, off by himself nursing a drink. I soon realized that it was Daniel Hodges (a scheduled panel guest for the following day). His name may not ring a bell with most of you, but some iconic imagery of him on January 6, 2021, as he painfully fought off a violent mob that was trying to enter the U.S. Capitol, probably will:
I had a great conversation with Officer Hodges, who was one of many law-enforcement heroes that day. I even did a quick interview with him for the podcast. He had some interesting things to say about his life and the country.
The second Daly Express episode from the event covered the first day of the summit, and includes interviews I did with National Review’s Noah Rothman and The Dispatch’s Stephen Hayes; I’m a big fan of both men. The third episode was a review of the final day of the event, which included a bomb threat and another security dust-up that made national news.
Despite the interruptions, I had a blast and hope to return next year.
A Spring Preview
The weather in Northern Colorado was fantastic last weekend, and my wife and I (oh, and Stella too) took advantage of it along the Poudre Canyon.
Of course, no trip up the Poudre is complete unless you stop for a meal at The Mishawaka. Their famous patio bubbles (a pandemic concoction that’s now used for the weather) were still out.
I’m defintely looking forward to some warmer weather.
Random Thought
Obligatory Dog Shot
She’s built… a little different.
Catch Up on the Sean Coleman Thrillers
All of my Sean Coleman Thriller novels can be purchased through Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Books-A-Million, and wherever else books are sold.
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading today’s Daly Grind.
Want to drop me a line? You can email me at johndalybooks@hotmail.com, and also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, and now Bluesky! If you haven’t subscribed to this newsletter yet, please click on the “Subscribe now” button below. Doing so will get these posts emailed directly to you.
Also, if you’re not caught up on my Sean Coleman Thrillers, you can pick the entire series up at a great price on Amazon. And if you’re interested in signed, personalized copies of my books, you can order them directly from my website.
Take care. And I’ll talk to you soon!
I'm sorry about the loss of your father. He indeed led a well-lived life. Grieving the loss of our fathers can take time, but the worth of the relationship grows with time.