Jim Peters shares his thoughts on life and Lowell in this blog post. Welcome back, Jim:

I apologize for the month of Sundays it has been since I have written in this blog. Summer has taken over and tomorrow morning at 9AM, I am attending a Mass for my late father followed by a treat at my house and then an afternoon of boating and swimming at my younger brother, Andy’s, cabin. I would be remiss if I did not mention my other brother, Charlie, who has been very helpful in some house projects this spring and summer. And there are my five sisters and my older brother, Tom, who has been very busy at his job. So, I have been busy.

A few months ago, I had a heart pacemaker put in. It was not painful, and it has helped, my wife says, so I am awaiting more information from my doctors. They have been great, as has the Rosary Group at St. Margaret’s Parish. They have been praying for me for months and I am in remission. My cardiac nurse told me that there is a one in five million chance of “spontaneous remission” like mine. I just attribute it to those women and men praying for me.

Charlie has gotten my boat working well. That is such a thrill, let me tell you. He replaced the starter, which allowed the boat to run. So yesterday, Charlie and one other friend went with me to New Hampshire in the boat. We docked on fumes. That river is so beautiful, and is the best-kept secret in Massachusetts. I just finished a book on the Lowell Motor Boat Club, which I have to run off tonight. It is a cute little book, not a great tome.

Something needs to be said about the seven deaths in the great fire. I do not know what to say. I do not believe that I knew any of the victims personally and it is such a tragedy. I literally do not know what to say. I hope that, somehow, the family survivors can cope with their loss. I have no words that are sufficient to cover that kind of event. I can say that we, my wife, myself, and our children, had a fire one year ago, but that does not help. I can just pray for those people who did not make it, and for their surviving family members. May God bless you and help you during this difficult time.

My mind is meandering. I question whether the Lowell “Sun” needs to be so negative in all of its headlines. There are some that are OK, but there are many that just reek of negativity. “Man found stabbed on Lowell road, later dies,” was one headline. The man was not stabbed in Lowell, apparently, but his body was left in town. We do not need to absorb Lawrence’s homicides in our daily news. “The stabbing may not have taken place there, however. The man was stabbed somewhere in the Lawrence area…” It reminds me of something Kevin Murphy told me once about all of the negative news being the result of Lowell having the court system. If the court system was in Chelmsford, it seems, so there would many of the headlines be. I hope that I did not misquote Mr. Murphy who is doing a great job as City Manager thusfar.

I have a television show, also called “Peters’ Principles,” and it has been interesting to get interesting guests on the show. It is not negative. It is a positive look at events in Lowell. One half of it is devoted to a political figure while one half of it is devoted to a local Lowell business owner. We have also covered the Quilt Museum, during which I was allowed to handle a quilt dating back to the 1890’s. Who knew quilts could have a history? I also had a member of the National Park Service, who described what the park would be handling this summer. They look forward to the Folk Festival. They are full of events and I intend to bring my grand-daughter to see them.

Well, those are today’s meanderings of this mind. I hope that I did not offend anyone.