Dear Readers:
I would like to easily explain my absence by claiming some major catastrophe prevented my blogging, but it did not. Instead, it was more the case of many smaller important issues that needed addressing (work, family, health, computer) which conspired to keep me away from here.
But that is not entirely true either.
Truly, it as all of these things, but it was also the disillusionment of watching the Peabody blogs, and the political climate in general, descend into baseless accusations and childish name calling.
Unless you have tried your hand at starting and operating a blog, you really don't understand that it takes quite a lot of time. And during the past 4 months I have had many important demands on my time. Especially considering these troubling economic times - a devotion to work related matters was essential.
I am certainly NOT complaining... but it was both frustrating and sad to see well reasoned discussions being overtaken by bluster, blather and bad manners. It simply became to easy to put off a post for a day... then a week... then a month.
I had hoped some of the other posters here might fill in some slack, but only Needham Corner rose to the occasion. My thanks go to NC.
So why am I back? Well I have been reading the other blogs and was at least satisfied that there was somewhere to carry on the Peabody discussions. But then they both stopped posting as well.
I had decided to begin some limited posts on May 1st... and then both the Twisted Tanner and Peabody Elections also posted right around that time.
The conspiracy minded (and you know you're out there) might conclude that we are all in this together... or we are all the same person... but we certainly are NOT.
I will continue reading the Salem News, the Item and the Peabody Weekly News and trying to offer both opinions and a place to discuss the important articles of the week.
I do not promise to post more than about twice a week, but I will try to increase this if something important needs to be said.
I said that this would be a LAME explanation for my absence, and it is. But it is honest and I felt I owed it to you.
Bottom line is I felt like I was accomplishing little to nothing here… and all the time and effort required to continue this blog became too burdensome as I felt I was not making a difference. And I want to make a difference.
Peabody is a pretty good place.
Peabody can be a better place.
And I would like to help make it better.
That's why I'm back.
FLOODING! 
and is holding up the discussions and actions needed to remake Downtown Peabody into a place we can all be (more?) proud to have as our own!
I can't really think of a good reason to delay this project from being undertaken. This is not a brand new area where work was never done before - so one would expect few, if any, surprises to be uncovered. In fact, this area has been worked on repeatedly for the past 20+ years all in an attempt to try and find CHEAP solutions to the flooding problem. 
This is NOT a cheap solution, but instead is probably the best chance we have (in the current economic/political environment) to get a project of this magnitude underway here in Peabody.
