Sunday, May 16, 2010

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - 5/16/10

It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off TV topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. Tonight is the big Survivor finale. I was hoping to have a chance to cover the festivities in NYC for AOL, but someone a lot higher on the AOL TV ladder than I am is attending. That's okay. We'll have fun here on the blog as the show airs East Coast time and I'll be writing a big review of it for AOL's TV Squad.

It's been another hectic work week, yet quiet on the home front. The receiver appointed by the bank who took over my apartment building cashed my rent check. They want a copy of my lease. Hmm ... I never signed anything with the landlord, not that landlord anyway. I signed a lease with the original landlord when I first moved in nine years ago and it's just renewed yearly since then. Sigh. I hate hassles. I just want a roof over my head and no ongoing issues. Plus, I want that elevator fixed!

I'm thinking of going to the big Greek fair over in nearby Piscataway later today. The weather here is gorgeous and the owners of the Plainfield Donut Shop work the event. Or, maybe I'll just take a walk with my camera down some streets less traveled (by me) in the neighborhood.

I really have to call my orthopedic surgeon for my yearly follow-up on the knee replacement. Friday marked two years since the surgery. Yes, it's been that long! The knee itself is doing well. I can still hear its clunk-clunk if I walk in a quiet place and feel the inner workings shifting as I get comfortable in bed. From my recent trip, I know that extensive airline security will follow me all my days as I set off alarms. Yet, the pain is absolutely gone. It was the best decision I've made for myself in my life. Now I just have to get the other one done. (So, yeah, Laurie ... it could be an activity or hobby!)

My photography this week has been a bit mundane. I seem to have been running late most of the time or had my hands full of packages. But, here goes ... (clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window).



The Plainfield Shore

No, we're not a shore town. What I mean is they're shoring the remaining party wall of the not-so-recent North Avenue demolition of an historical building. It still looks like something has been ripped out by an evil force. Even when they finish, it's going to be ugly. Short of putting a new layer of wall atop the existing walls, it's not ever going to be aesthetically pleasing. Sigh.


Plainfield Auto Body shutting down?

One day as I was walking by, they were taking the barbed wire off the top of the fence. Then the cars (which have been there forever) were cleared out and the lot swept. A small group gathers in the far side of the lot daily and music blares ... but it's empty and no real work seems to be going on. East Fourth Street, Plainfield.


Flowery bush


Rain on the azalea

Their time is almost past in Bridgewater.


Laborers

Men gather by the Plainfield train station on their way to work.


Dude! Where's my engine?

I hope he paid the meter! Outside of the Underground Custom car place. Now, if someone parked this car on the street in a residential area, it would immediately get ticketed and probably towed. Why is it acceptable on East Fourth Street when the car garage places do it? (No, it's not an abandoned stolen stripped car ... it's obviously one they're working on and needed it out of the bay.)


Reinforcing the nest

Nesting material in his mouth (as a cover, I'm sure), this bird watches the humans go by. Remember, the birds will take over the world. Maybe they'll do a better job with it than we have.


Poison ivy update

The poison ivy is growing like crazy at the Bridgewater Train Station. The little berries have turned into itsy blossom-like stuff. On this leaf, you can see the poison of the poison ivy in the rip. The black substance is the urushiol reacting to oxygen. It's the urushiol which makes you all itchy!


Okay ...

I noticed this free weekly paper in the boxes at the Bridgewater Train Station. I'll occasionally pick up the Spanish ones to see how much I can understand. But this is a totally lost cause for me!


Pretty as a picture

The clouds were beautiful Saturday morning by the Plainfield Train Station. Huh. The apartment on the top floor to the left of the building on the left is for rent. Um, no. Not for me!


What if the hokey-pokey is what it's all about?



Nifty keen orange and black bug

Don't ask me what it is. I don't know.


Blossoming stuff abounds


Let there be light


Early morning New Jersey cowboy

See? We have the cowboy hat thing going on here. But, take a horse down East Front Street and you get police attention.


I'm a sucker for wanting to shoot flowers when I see them.


Vincent

I like when he sits in the window in front of that curtain for the lighting to take photos. But if I put him there, he doesn't want to be there.

How was your week?

4 comments:

joy n said...

Isn't it wonderful seeing all the flowers and greenery again? Hearing the birds chirp through the open windows and smelling all that fresh air? My husband just mowed our lawn which is what started all the hooha around here last fall. He's back at work and doing very well.

Your pics are uplifting, as always. Vincent looks like he's enjoying the spring in the air too. He looks happy and healthy.

I'm so looking forward to the Survivor finale tonight.

It's a beautiful day here too!

Sally said...

Urushiol, huh? So that's why poison ivy makes people itch. Once again your blog is educational as well as enjoyable.

Sounds like a lot of the country is having good weather today. It's nice here in Wisconsin too--with none of the heavy rain, tornado warnings, frost advisories or strong winds that we've had the last two weeks.

That curtain does make a lovely backdrop for photos of Vincent, with the natural lighting, many shades of white and different textures.

monty924 said...

Another awesome week with photos, Jackie. It always makes my Sunday to read your week in review.

Looking forward to this finale of Survivor tonight. See you there, Monty. :)

Laurie said...

So it is a hobby after all!! Next Sunday will you report that you have made the appointment for your check up? You probably want to do that so you don't get nagged to death by well-intentioned friends!