It has been a very good summer.  On my television show, I have been blessed with a bevy of guests who  are all interested in what is happening to Lowell.  The City Councilors, the candidates for State Representative, the business persons, have all been very interested in Lowell and  bringing out the best of the city.  I must admit that I have a problem with the City Manager because some of his appointments seem driven by political whim, and not what is best for the city, but he has done an excellent job of ridding the city of people who cannot manage their departments.  It is good to see allegedly difficult managers beng dismissed by the city and the Manager has the support of nearly all of the City Council.

     Back to it being a  very good summer, I have gotten some camping, some fishing, and some house painting done.  It has been very fulfilling.  I like the time camping because I enjoy staying at the Shawme/Crowell State Forest on Cape Cod which allows me the  time to fish, my first passion.  Good advice from friends and my brother, Charlie, have kept the boat floating.  I could not have afforded to get the boat fixed and I appreciate their help.  I had my good friend, Patrick Murphy, firm up the house by bringing his masonry talents to it.  I forgot to get a permit which means I have to pay double on the fee.  Nothing is free.

      I have not been swimming, but I spent three days with my son, Jeremy, at his place in Maine.  It was fun.  I got to play with my grandaughter, who swims like a fish.  Jeremy is lost without water to swim in, and he continues throughout the year.  My son, Adam, and I went tenting.  He was extremely pleased that I packed an extra cot because he did not want to sleep on the gravel on the campsite.  My son, Rory, mowed my lawns this summer.  That was a huge help.  And my daughter, Chloe, intends to apply to law schools when she finishes her two courses she needs to graduate.

     I once ran for City  Council, only to be compelled to quit due to a stroke and blood disorders on the brain.   I put together what Kendall Wallace’s Lowell “Sun” called a “whacky” idea, that being to make the downtown streets two way.  I was pleased when the City Manager and the City Council made the streets two-way.  It slows down the flow coming through the downtown, and makes us more like Newburyport.  Now if we just get the businesses to invest in the downtown, we will be in good shape.  I believe the two-way traffic pattern will result in people stopping  and shopping.  The people coming over the Cox Bridge can go down Father Morrisette Boulevard and exit the city that way.  To me it’s a win/win situation.  Especially for the businesses.

     I took a trip to Nantucket and went to the Whaling Museum, which had a small whale skeleton in it.  I have been really spoiled by the museums in Lowell, and the Whaling Museum compares unfavorably, in my opinion.  I took the afternoon ship back to the Cape and had a wonderful time, but I did not swim, which probably affected my view of Nantucket.  Now I have to get to the Berkshires and Martha’s Vineyard.  That is for next year.

     So, those are my travels.  I learned to cast a fly rod last year but have not caught anything on the hand-made fly.  So, I will keep trying.  Fishing is kind of like golf.  You play, and you do not beat your best score, but it is extremely fun.

     Well, that is pretty much my summer’s activities.  I have to say to that my niece Ashley became a Mom again, and my grandniece is very cute, and very small.  I also became a great-uncle on the Peters side, as my nephew Andrew Nunes, and his wife had a little girl.  Oh, Ashley’s daughter was also a little girl.  Have a good end of the summer, I intend to.