Sunday, February 07, 2010

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - 02/07/10

Another week gone by as we get closer to the new seasons of two of our blog mainstay television shows. That's right -- Survivor begins on Thursday followed by The Amazing Race season premiere next Sunday. But right now it's time to take a look back at this past week in words and photographs I've taken.

I guess this week's big news story was the huge snowstorm which blanketed most of the Mid-Atlantic. Well, most of. It wasn't bad right here in Plainfield where I live. Oh, cold, windy, some snow. But I think we got maybe three inches if that much.

However, I didn't know we'd get so little Saturday morning when I got up to go to work. I looked out the window and saw heavy snow falling. I listened to the National Weather Service on my scanner and we were still under a winter storm warning and snow was expected throughout the day. Me and my knee didn't want to deal with it. So I called work and took a paid personal day. Then it stopped snowing. Oops. Oh, well. After Saturday, I was to be on my staycation for a week. I just started a bit early.

On the writing front, it seems there will be a few changes down the road for my TV Squad blogging. Right now, it looks for the better. But we'll see. I'll be blogging both Survivor and The Amazing Race episodes there as I have been for the past few years.

On the personal front, karma got me for calling out of work. My neighbors had perhaps 100 kids screaming, yelling, thumping, running up and down the hallways all day and into the night. Okay, it was probably about ten or fifteen kids. But I couldn't help but wonder if ANY adults were over there supervising them. I'd hate to see what that apartment looks like. Sigh. I can only hope they move once their lease is up. If new neighbors move in below them, I'm sure the complaints will come rolling in. I've found there's no use in complaining to the landlord. Nothing is ever done about it. I'm better off calling the police. Sigh.

Onto another tangent -- it's SuperBowl Sunday. Um. Okay. I'm not a football fan. I received the first two new episodes of Southland (due to air in March on TNT) and will be watching them. What snow we have is going to be blowing all around ... and I'll be inside baking brownies and drinking hot chocolate. Yay, staycation!

Well, it's time for the photos I've taken this week. If you click on an image, it will open larger in a new window.


Squirrels' nest

The squirrels' nest outside my window is hanging in there. I haven't seen any baby squirrels or much activity right around the nest. Some squirrels were running around getting material for another nest in a tree further away the other day. This was taken Saturday morning out of my window as I contemplated calling out of work.


The Dead Zone

Yep, that's what the little sign in the window says. What makes it even better is that beyond that window is an annex of the Plainfield Police Department -- it's the offices of the narcotics cops. They don't bring prisoners there, but that's their headquarters. Odd, as the building is very iffy with many of the top floor windows broken out and in ill repair. But I guess it gives them room to do their stuff. Right now the drain pipe by their door is responsible for icing the entire sidewalk. I saw one cop almost fall coming out. If they ever run out, they're all going to go down.


It's KALE!

I found a neglected kale patch near the Plainfield City Hall on Watchung Avenue. Yay. (Not yay that it's neglected, mind you.)

Closer Kale

Yep. I miss my little kale patch closer to home.


Happy Holidays!

Does Plainfield City Hall not realize that the holidays are over and perhaps it's time to take down the adorned wreaths? I mean, it's only February. I made this photo black and white leaving only the wreaths in color.


Urban contrast

Almost like stepping blocks, we have the brick Salvation Army building, one of the city's historic homes (probably cut into apartments), and a larger apartment building (yeah, owned by my landlord). Taken from a Watchung Avenue viewpoint in Plainfield.


Bad, bad siding. Bad.

There's a preponderance of bad siding and bad addition jobs on what probably were really cool older homes throughout the city of Plainfield. Cheap jobs, I guess. But I don't like it. I recall my parents going through all kinds of red tape and having to keep the historical aspects of our battered Victorian home from my childhood. This should be a crime!


E&A Restaurant Supply entrance

I so love the graphics they've added to the building! East Fifth and Cleveland Avenue in Plainfield, the Cleveland Avenue side.


"Architectiral?"

Oh. My. Gosh. If you are in the sign-painting business, you need to check your spelling. And, if you're buying a sign, you do not accept one with misspellings! I blurred the phone and web URL to protect the foolish. By the way, it's architectural. Yes, that's right.


Into the light

The NJ Transit train overpass on Park Avenue in Plainfield.


Pants on the ground

"Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground." - General Larry Platt, the best part of this season's American Idol so far. When I saw these two walk by me with their pants on the ground, I had to shoot them. Now, these are grown men, probably late-twenties, early thirties. But their crotches do NOT start at their knees. I'm sure they don't. General left out big jackets (and shirts), but that's all a part of the look, too. How do BIG guys like these two find such BIGGER clothes to wear? Lookin' like fools, for sure. I edited this to keep the fools in color, the background black and white and "posterized."


Fading away signs

No Parking and Entrance are slowly deteriorating at the closed Crown Cadillac car dealership in Plainfield.


No Caddy for you!

Nope, not from the closed Crown Cadillac, anyway. The afternoon sun was a bit harsh, but not as harsh as the economy.


Abandoned Glory

Peeking inside the window of the old Crown Cadillac building, I saw this trophy sitting on a bucket, a remnant of glory days gone by.


Coffe and News Papers

More bad spelling on Park Avenue in Plainfield. Oy. How do you spell coffee wrong? And, of course, newspapers is a single word. Gotta give 'em credit ... they spelled ATM right.


Uh-oh

Now the birds are rolling in dirt to camouflage themselves in their bid to overthrow mankind.


Who you gonna call?

No one, because the phone has gone missing! I swear more public phones don't have phones than ones that do. With the exception of the clearly vandalized ones (which have broken phones), it seems the phone companies are removing the phones as the wires are capped off. But they leave the shell. What's up with that?


Isn't he too cute for words?

Vincent enjoys a cat nap. So do I.

How was your week?

13 comments:

Delee said...

I had 14 inches in central PA and we were to get 3-6. Guess your snow was dumped here.

I agree about spelling on signs. I do get a kick out of them though. I have seen mussels spelled muscles on Chinese menus and shiver at that meal. Especially in newspaper an incorrect spelling should never make the presses.

Hopefully the weather will be calm for your staycation and you are able to capture some great pics for blog ne_t week. I would guess you had a birthday party going on with the noisy horde in your corridor.

Vincent looks super comfortable and content. What a sweetie!!!

Margo said...

Here's to a week of fabu TV Survivor and TAR atarting up again - yea! Oh yea and the Olympics. ehhh

Margo

joy n said...

My favorite picture of Vincent so far. Looks like he's having a very sweet dream.

You'd think that a customer might give these businesses a heads up on that spelling.

Hope you don't have to deal with the kid noise all week long spoiling your downtime.

Can't wait for Survivor's two hour premiere. And Superbowl means nada to me, too, tho the hubby will watch in between naps.

Love the photos. Old buildings always fascinate me. That trophy probably brought a smile to someones face at one time. Now it's sitting there forgotten.

Sally said...

What a great photo of Vincent! I really look forward to seeing him each week.

I chuckled at the wreaths still displayed on your City Hall. I still have a large snowflake hanging by my front entrance that lights up each night. I keep telling myself there's no need to take it down, as we have a lot of snow left on the ground, with more to come.

I'll be watching the Super Bowl, as much for the commercials as for the football, nachos and tacos in hand. I've already got the pregame show on.

Enjoy your staycation! I look forward to hearing more about the good changes coming for you at TV Squad.

Becky said...

Joy, a customer telling them would make no difference. We went out to eat the other night and specials were listed on a board. I asked the waitress what "te" was and she told me ice tea. It was listed not once, but three times as "te". I told her it was spelled tea. She told me they had abbreviated it. I looked at my husband and we both laughed.

Vincent looks adorable! What a cute kitty.

Sorry your day off was spoiled by uncontrolled kids. We went to San Antonio to see our grandson play basket ball in the league finals (they won the championship BTW). A group of boys were on the seats behind us. One got up and started horseplaying with another behind me. The kid actually sit down on my shoulders so he could kick the other one. I turned around and gave them a "would you like me to knock the spit out of you" and the group jumped up and left the stands.

One thing I noticed driving into SA was a billboard sign "Merry Christmas San Antonio". That made me laugh.

Jackie, are the birds taking a vacation from taking over the world. I always like you captions on the pictures. Enjoy your stacation.

Sydney said...

THank you for posting the squirrel nest. Would love more if you end up seeing any babies peek their heads out in the next 4-10 weeks or if you can manage to snap the other nest you see them building. It might be too far though.

I always was bummed when I lived in NY how much snow everyone around us got, but inches rarely piled up where I was. Glad you're on vacation though. yay.

Laurie said...

I loved the Super Bowl game and am so happy the Saints won!!

That picture of Vincent may well be on my wall at work tomorrow. It's so perfect as a vision of relaxation.

Great week coming up! Whoo hooo!!

monty924 said...

I have my Vincent fix for the week, and I'm looking forward to chatting with all of come Thursday night. :)

Jackie, you have an absolute doll of a cat. I wish my lil' girl would provide me with half the opportunities that you've captured on film. My kitty is also camera shy like your Scherzo(sp?) was. But I still adore her. Hugs!

Monty

Jennasmom said...

Great pix as always, Jackie!

LOVE that photo of Vincent! And the "Pants on the Ground!" Hope someday they see what fools they do look like. That's got to be uncomfortable, too. But they'll probably be like some of the old hippies around here -- stuck in a time warp. It's one thing to look weird as a teenager, but come on guys -- grow up!

Can't wait for Survivor to start! See you all there!

Sydney said...

Forgot to say -- LOVED seeing the Kale again, lol, and the picture of Vincent sleeping with his little paws curled up is adorable!!

Dusty said...

Hi! I haven't read if there is going to be a pool for TAR? If so, could you please add me to it?

Thanks,

Dusty

meb said...

Oh Jackie... Vincent IS too cute for words.

Huge snow storm is right... 24 inches in so many areas, including my home state Delaware. Wow, glad I'm not there.

Great pix all, but the Pants on the Ground was perfect!

Sorry about the noisy neighbors.

Looking forward to AR and Survivor.

Anonymous said...

I totally support that! Continue that way!