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Mark Cote, a regular contributor to this website, recently shared the following essay which he wrote 23 years ago when he served as the Chair of the city of Lowell’s Hunger/Homeless Commission. The essay originally appeared in the Lowell Sun on December 21, 2000, under the title, “Real tragedy of…
Read More »The bitter cold we endured this weekend brought to mind other weather extremes. For me, the Blizzard of ’78, which struck on February 5, 1978, has always been tops in that category. I lived through it as a 19-year-old student at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island. As bad as…
Read More »My Granny’s Life in Television By Malcolm Sharps Looking back on his childhood in the 50s and later, Malcolm Sharps remembers the defeats and triumph in his uneasy relationship with his grandmother. My grandmother was one of those women that the term ‘old lady’ already comfortably fitted long before her…
Read More »Boarding School Blues: Chapter 51 By Louise Peloquin Ch. 51: We all fall down The next couple of days slipped by without any holiday fuss. Papa’s convalescence deterred most family members from dropping by at Christmas, despite the invitation to sample home-made egg nog. Ready for holiday-treat-craving tummies, gallons of…
Read More »When Lowell received its town charter in 1826, the “domestic” water needs of most people – water for drinking, cooking, and washing – were met by wells that were scattered throughout the area. Also, anyone living near a river, a stream, or even a canal, could and did draw water…
Read More »Dry January By David Daniel A few sips into the second martini Alan wonders if this has been a good idea. “We don’t have enough money saved,” his wife says out of the blue, but not a total surprise. It has become a theme lately. “We’re losers.” “Come on, we’re…
Read More »Dancing at Holy Ghost Park By Susan April Can’t dance. Never could. First school dance, September, 1969, I tried. Thank God, the lights in the gym were dim. Every boy who asked me ended up shuffling over to a different dance partner, leaving me alone. What was wrong? Were my…
Read More »Each month I write an article for the Merrimack Valley Housing Report which is a monthly e-publication from the UMass Lowell Institute of Housing Sustainability. This month I reviewed Greater Lowell real estate trends in 2022. Because the topic may be of interest to readers of this site, I’ve reproduced…
Read More »Living Madly: Great Brook By Emilie-Noelle Provost The first time I visited Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle was nearly twenty years ago. We had recently returned from a vacation at Acadia National Park in Maine. While we were there, we hiked almost every day. We mostly stuck to…
Read More »Boarding School Blues: Chapter 50 By Louise Peloquin Ch. 50: “Naughty or nice” Papa left the kitchen to supervise the tree decorating while the ladies did the dishes. Working in sync, Maman scrubbed and rinsed while Blanche wiped with their favorite cotton towels, made in Lowell. In no time, the…
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