I have been totally driven to explain the early years of the Lowell school system, and I have not taken time to see what is on my mind.  My wife, Vicki, who can do anything, is going to help out Jackie Doherty and be her Campaign Manager.  Jackie has her own agenda, and Vicki will have to push that forward, while giving her best effort to the campaign and making it successful.  I, for one, find it remarkable that the outgoing Deputy Superintendent garnered close to ninety two thousand dollars in unused sick and vacation time.  If a person in business does not use his sick or vacation time, he or she generally loses it.  On it goes.

     When my father was alive he told me that at some point I would have to write, because that is who I am.  In fact, and strangely enough, the day after he died, a pen rolled off of one of my tables and fell on the floor.  I thought that was kind of neat.  The next day, I was up early again and the entire cup of pens fell off of the same table at the same time of the morning.  I looked up and told him “Alright, I will write.”  I have and it is one of the most enjoyable things that I do.  No one but I was awake that morning.  I was ten feet from the pens when they fell.  I am  under the impression that there are things that happen that we cannot readily explain.

     I have been painting my house.  The front porch is done, the trim is almost done, and the back deck needs to be stained.  It is a work in progress.  I finished building the basement bathroom.  We now have one and one-half bathrooms.  We have joined society by eliminating our “functional obsolescence” as they call it in real estate classes.  We raised four children in a one bathroom house.  Their homes have more than one bathroom, they do not want to live through the alternative again.

     My three shows are doing well.  Thanks to John McDonough and George Anthes for making me Co-Host of Citylife.   I am trying to convince the Superintendent to do a show, and we are hopefully in a state of some form of negotiations.  I think he was surprised that we start at six in the morning and go until eight.  If he wants to start at seven and go to eight, I think that would be fine.  “Peters’ Principles” is very busy, it is election season and we do provide some modicum of exposure.  The School Committee race seems to be the most heated this year what with the new high school addition and the ‘Core Curriculum’ taking the place of George Bush’s perogatives.  I did not realize that George Bush received $100,000.00  for an appearance at a Veteran’s Group’s invitation for an appearance.  I hope it is not true, I read that it was this evening.  The source was fairly good.

     My last show is “This Town’s Character.”  Not like a character, but a person who has lived an exemplary life and devoted himself or herself to the betterment of mankind or womankind.  Thusfar we have had Bopha Malone, who was recognized for her work with the CMAA (Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association), David Fanuef, the evening News Manager at WBUR radio, and Gerald Durkin who has helped virtually hundreds get through the doors of the University of Massachusetts/Lowell.  Gerry is the Transfer Admissions Office Manager who has done incredible things with people wishing to attend UMASS/Lowell.  All of my shows are on Channel 8.

     Finally, I am reading Carl Sandburg’s “History of Abraham Lincoln.”  I find it very concentrated with very small print, but also quite readable.  He bemoans the fact that he has to list his sources in the Foreword, at least he lists that as a problem in the Foreword.  But he has a very easy reading style, and I am enjoying the read.

     I must admit that I have a copy of and have to read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Lincoln.”  That is the one the movie was based on.  I have read tons of books on Lincoln, who was my favorite President.  The chances are good that he, too, was a Manic Depressive or Bipolar.  I have yet to read Ms. Kearns Goodwin’s depiction but I look forward to it.

     Well, that completes my Meanderings for tonight.  I invite you to buy my piece on the history of the Lowell Motor Boat Club when it finally comes out as a book.  That will happen when the Commodore, “Butch” Milot says that it will.  It is a pretty small book and hopefully is readable, like Carl Sandburg’s “Abraham Lincoln.”  It is a lot shorter, and has pictures.  Mostly pictures of boats.  The club has been there since the late 1800’s when it was chiefly interested in canoes.  It has had sailboats, canoes, and motorboats.  Its story starts in 1803.