Before I moved to Ashburnham, I lived in Lowell. A lot of people like to say Lowell is a bad place to live, but that wasn’t really my experience. I lived on Farmland Road, and honestly, it was pretty normal.
What I remember most is how much there was to do around my house. I was always outside exploring. If you walked up the street, there was a Hannaford. If you went the other way, there were even more places to discover.
One of my favorite spots was Crown Fried Chicken. My family went there all the time. I loved their chicken, mozzarella sticks, and especially their seasoned fries. Right next door was a gas station, and after a really hot day at school, my dad and I would sometimes stop there to get ice cream. It wasn’t anything big, but those little traditions made regular days feel special.
Across the street, there was a park with old ladders and hard plastic slides that would get super hot in the summer. If you kept walking, you’d find a basketball court and an even bigger soccer field. Every Fourth of July, my family would sit on that field and watch fireworks. I can still picture it. My dad also taught my brother and me how to shoot at the basketball court. Even though we weren’t that good at first, those are memories I’ll always keep. It was also at this bridge we used to go under that felt like something out of a video game. There was a really narrow path, and if you weren’t careful, you could fall into the water below. It was a long drop, which made it kind of scary but also exciting. As a kid, it made me feel brave and adventurous.
My school was close enough to walk to, so my dad and I would walk a lot. We found what we called our “secret spots” along the way. I’m pretty sure if I went back now, I’d still remember exactly where they were. One memory that always makes me laugh is seeing the lunch ladies standing outside smoking in the mornings. At the time, my brother and I thought it was the funniest thing ever.
Not too far from my house was Market Basket. On the same road, there was a Wendy’s, a McDonald’s, and a Burger King. Whenever my dad had a dentist appointment nearby, we’d walk over there afterward. Most of the time, I got junk food, which made those appointments something to look forward to. We also lived pretty close to New Hampshire, so sometimes, we’d drive to the mall in Salem. I have a lot of good memories from those trips too.
Even though I had a lot of fun growing up in Lowell, I feel like Ashburnham is where I belong now. It’s quieter and more peaceful. Lowell was full of adventure and childhood memories, but Ashburnham feels calmer and more like home.