Admittedly, I was a bit nervous about my recent phone conversation with Lowell SUN reporter Joyce Tsai. She or her editor had read my early April blog post about construction activity in my North Tewksbury neighborhood. My views have been sought over the years about politics, local history and my non-profit activities, but road and building construction and real estate trends are not in my portfolio. My old friend and former student Pat McCarthy used to tell me – “Marie – you’re an observer” – so my neighborhood and environs observations were my ticket to the front page story – “Suddenly, it’s about hammers, bulldozers” – in today’s Lowell Sun. Ms Tsai was faithful in recounting my comments which seemed buttressed by Community Development Director Steve Sadwick and Public Works Superintendent Brian Gilbert. Phew! Check out the article (not on-line yet) here in today’s Sun for another look at North Tewksbury and don’t miss the Sunday Snapshot in the Real Estate section – the target town is Tewksbury.

As mentioned in the article, Bill and I are about to celebrate 40 years of living in North Tewksbury come July 30th. Celebrate is the right word. We’ve never regretted that trip up the hill into historic North Tewksbury suggested by friend and RE guru Peter Markham. It was late spring – we had a newborn and a toddler and a need for our own home. We were lured back a few more times by the quaint Royal Barry Wills cape, its lush yard, the quiet neighborhood, its potential – and it was just up the road from my family living just over the line in Lowell where I grew-up. We made the decision and never looked back. While Lowell is in our hearts – Tewksbury welcomes us home.