Sunday, May 15, 2011

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - May 15, 2011

It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. Compared to last week, things have been a bit tame here. We actually had a fantastic weather week, a bit warm for spring, but not hot. No rain for a week? How will we cope?

Oh. We'll cope by having at least some rain for a six day stretch or so. Oh well.

Midweek there was some sort of huge Blogger breakdown. While they managed to restore posts, all of the comments from the Survivor blog party on Wednesday have been cast off the island. I'm not sure if they'll return from Redemption Island or not. But I didn't vote them off! Remember, tonight is the big three-hour finale and reunion! Bring snacks and beverages!

On the home front, I'll have yet another landlord before long. The apartment building is going up on the auction block in a few weeks. On Wednesdays, which are usually my day off, they've been having building inspections for prospective bidders. I didn't hear anyone until this week. I peeked out the peephole. Eh, middle-aged in a suit. Okay. I did hear him ask the super if it's always this quiet here (supposedly 92% occupancy). I felt like telling him, "Yes. Except when the riff-raff children from the front of the building whose parents don't care run screaming through the hallways."

But I kept quiet. I usually let Crazy Joe across the hall scream right back at the kids. Yes, Crazy Joe is what they call him. I'm not sure why. He only seems crazy when he's yelling at kids playing in the hallways. I figure he scares them more than I would because he goes a bit berserk telling them to get out of "in front of my house." He's older and retired so I can usually depend on him to give them what for!

My left knee had its 3rd birthday yesterday. I still think of it as one of the scariest best things I've ever done for myself. I've named it "Smith." Now, the right knee's date is creeping up (June 16). Once that's done, I'll call that one "Nephew." I'm not all that imaginative. Both knees are manufactured by Smith and Nephew. I picked my surgeon and that's the brand he works with. I have no complaints about the first one, so the second one will likely be the exact same.

I got my pre-admission testing date as well as the required knee replacement class. Interesting ... it's the Tuesday after Memorial Day. I'm taking a week's vacation the week before. So it looks like it's extended a bit. Eventually I'll have to go donate blood to be transfused back into myself if needed. I'd rather they take my blood than give me random blood. I am a bit nervous about all of this, but not scared to death like I was the first time. I keep telling myself I'll have the summer off.

That's about it. This week hasn't been a thrill a minute. Onto the photos! Clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window. Then you can hit the back button on your browser to return to the blog.


It must be the early bird

Why? Because it looks like it's had plenty of worms! Chubby little guy, eh? East Front Street, Plainfield.


I want to go!

Promo poster at the Bound Brook Train Station. They never put Broadway/Radio City stuff up at Plainfield even though we're closer to the city. We keep getting Union County College posters. Sigh.


Oh no! How sad! A crashed bird!


Not really ... he's fine.

He was just taking a dust bath at the Plainfield Train Station.


New tree blossoms this week

During the winter these small trees bear red berries which not even birds eat.


Fleeing felons?

Nope, I just happened to scare a couple of rabbits as I climbed the stairs at the Bridgewater Train Station.


"If I turn my back to her, she can't see me."


Stadium lights

The ball park in Bridgewater is all active once again. The green shadowing was the reflection off the scoreboard.


Not cool, buddy.

THIS is why the train windows have head glop and smudges on them. Since I DON'T sleep on the train and I sometimes DO want to take photos out the window, it annoys me. The whole line probably takes an hour from start to finish. People who do this tend to get irked when they miss their stop and blame the conductors. Raritan Valley Line of NJ Transit.


Amongst the tombstones

The Friends Meeting House cemetery sports this beautiful flower. East Third Street, Plainfield.


Coffee klatch sans coffee

Usually railfans gather in that corner at the Bound Brook Train station, but I don't see any tripods or other equipment with this bunch. Railfans love the place as they're sandwiched between NJ Transit commuter trains and freight trains.


I must be a railing fan!

Looking up the railing at the Plainfield Train Station.


El Especialito

North Avenue, Plainfield. Edited for the black and white/color effect. The man had way greasy hair. If he gets on a train, he just better not lean his head on the window!


One of Dave's pigeons

The Indian gentleman, Dave (yeah, I know), who runs The Corner Store on Watchung and East Second puts bread out for his pigeons every day. The Corner Store is an interesting place -- incense burning, some Hindi chanting, some Spanish dialect and lots of lottery players.


A peaceful Plainfield Train Station

It's not always peaceful. I have noticed more NJ Transit cops around, as well as Plainfield officers, since the increased terror worries on trains. I still contend that street drunks, panhandlers and druggies are more likely than terrorists. I know one regular, Omar, seems to worry folks a bit. But Omar does really help people unfamiliar with the ticket machines and such. He probably HOPES someone will give him a tip, but never voices it. Oh. And he's not like Omar in The Wire although he could be a character on that show! He'd be more of a Bubbles.


The babies have arrived

Walking under the railroad overpass in Bridgewater is a trip now -- there have to be fifty (or more) bird nests with baby birds calling for food. The bird parents are constantly swooping around bringing in food.


Wildflowers on a lawn

Berckman Street, Plainfield. They'll last until it's mowed.


Pansies


More pansies


Azalea


Lots o' azaleas


Plainfield Police Gang Unit Gathering

I know I'll never be a client! It's a shame that such a unit is needed in a relatively small town. East Fourth Street by the police station.


Even MORE uncool!

What part of "no feet on seats" is so hard to understand? As a rider I not only don't want to sit where your nasty feet in shoes were, nor your nasty socked feet! Can't folks act like adults and just sit quietly? Why do they have to sprawl out all over the place? Speaking of which ... why can't the buses heading to the city have seats that actually sit upright? They recline too much to begin with -- I don't know why people must lie down for a trip into the city as it's not that far. But even when not reclined, I feel like I'm in a gangsta car or something.

Uh-oh. Spellcheck recognizes "gangsta." That can't be good for vocabulary on the whole, can it?


Hey, Vincent.

Vincent might end up with a bit of culture shock when I have the knee done. I won't be able to carry him around for at least a few weeks. Shhh ... don't tell him. Let him sleep.

How was your week?

4 comments:

RyzandShyn said...

Good Morning!
It was a gorgeous week of weather, wasn't it? We had an entire week of the mandatory NJ ASK testing for grades 3-5, so I was happy to be able to get my class outside to run around and play after lunch. Worked great as a stress-buster for them and for staff.
Nice that you have the week off before Nephew is inserted. You can ready everything, including yourself, although I guess too much time for that may jangle the nerves, eh?
What do you do with Vincent while you're away? I'll bet he'll miss you like crazy.
I saw the Cirque show Love while I was in Vegas a couple of weeks ago. Terrific! I never saw one of their shows before and now I'm a fan.

Jackie S. said...

Vincent will get to stay at Best Friends Pet Motel while I'm gone. He stayed there during my vacation last year and they were fantastic! They sent me daily emails with photos of him and updates. He had his own three-story enclosed in glass kitty condo with play and stretch his legs time daily in their cat section. He apparently was a sweetheart for them, too.

Sally said...

Lovely flower photos this week. Pansies are so cheerful.

I'm glad some areas are getting nice weather! We've had a lot of cold, wet weather throughout April and May so far. I want some balmy spring days that encourage yardwork and gardening.

Best Friends Pet Motel sounds like a great facility. It's nice that they not only take good care of the animals, but also cater to the people who are missing them.

Laurie said...

Thank you for the tree flowers and all the other flowers, too. Love the red-red-robin that goes bob-bob-bobbin' along!