Sunday, September 28, 2014

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 28, 2014

Good morning! It's Sunday, time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. This post has no television content, but I guarantee you the next post I make will be about television! Stay tuned.

Now that I said there will be no television content, I'll have to add that I'm glad the season of Big Brother has ended! Ahh ... no more skimping on my sleep to watch silly hamsters. The show has been renewed for two more seasons, though. So, I'll be back at it next summer.

Not much has gone on this week for me. I went back to work after my staycation. While I'm glad that I've had a job (or jobs) all these years through good economies and bad and I've never been unemployed, I'll be happy when the time comes for me to retire. I could find plenty of things I enjoy doing to keep me occupied. It's just that pesky money thing that keeps me going to work.

Perhaps today I'll pretend I'm retired. I'll peruse my Sunday newspaper over coffee and a leisurely breakfast. I'll watch the CBS Sunday Morning news show. I'll later take a leisurely bubble bath while playing jazz, maybe classical, music in the background. I'll bake some blueberry muffins. I'll read. I'll fix a nice little dinner for myself, perhaps accompanied by a Weyerbacher Merry Monks Belgian-style tripel beer (yes, I bought some of that this week). I'll watch some television, play with Vincent.

And then tomorrow, it's back to work.

Sigh.

Onto this week's photos! Clicking on an image will bring up a Photobucket window. There, you can make the image larger twice by clicking on the magnifying icon at the top of the image. To return to the blog, just close that page. With the flowers slideshow, the diagonal arrow on the bottom right of the page will bring you fullscreen.

Pardon me, I have a lot of relaxing to get in today ...

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NJ Transit, the way to go

Or, so say their ad slogans. The trains on my line (Raritan Valley Line) are usually on time. It has to be recorded with the government if they're more than six minutes late. The buses, on the other hand, aren't all that timely. The schedule isn't bad at all. But, the traffic is! I took this shot on a beautiful (obviously) afternoon at the Plainfield Train Station.

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Whatchoo lookin' at?

Nature truly makes better aliens than does Hollywood. This was a huge grasshopper I met the same day I took the photo above. As a matter of fact, he was on the train station platform. After taking some photos of him, I helped him get to the grass. He wasn't too spry. However, I thought the grass was a better place for him.

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Reflection in a puddle

The just post sunrise sun lights up the red brick building reflected in this puddle. I never get tired of taking puddle shots! Bridgewater, NJ

*CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS AND THIS WEEK'S FLOWER SLIDESHOW!**


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The tree at Friends Meeting House

They say that it should be a very colorful foliage season this year. Unlike when I lived north of here, this area doesn't really peak until nearly the end of October. I recall, as a child, Halloween meant barren trees. Around here, not so much. This huge tree at the front of the Friends (Quaker) Meeting House on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield was disappointing last year as it lost most of its leaves before turning to gorgeous reds.

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Yellows in Bridgewater

This week's flower slideshow is rather mum-heavy. Hey, it's that time of the year! Most of the shots were taken in Plainfield with a few in Bridgewater.



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Gah! I forgot what these are!

I know Bernice told me. Ack. A mind is a terrible thing to lose. Plainfield Train Station.

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The sun rises while I'm commuting now

Soon it will be rising when I arrive at my work destination.

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Soon it will be holiday decorations

I've had the pleasure of meeting the woman who keeps this yard in flowers through flower seasons and puts up an abundant Christmas display of lights and ornaments during the winters. She saw me taking photos of her flowers. She beamed when I told her how much I enjoy seeing them daily on my walk to the train. Corner of Richmond and East Front Streets in Plainfield.

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The birds like it

Again, the house with all of the flowers at the corner of Richmond and East Front Streets in Plainfield.

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Food at the door

My across the hall neighbor of about twelve years is recuperating from a surgery. His adult sons have been in and out checking on him. And, someone has been delivering these "tasty" meals to him. Blech. If I were him, I'd make the adult sons get me some real food! These remind me of hospital meals. Blech. Perhaps they're an incentive for him to recover quickly!

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Not overly appetizing

Especially when I have no clue how long it's been sitting in the hallway!

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Plainfield Train Station

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My grasshopper friend once again

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He's watching me!

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Goblins and mums

This house on Berckman Street used to house a family with a bunch of small kids whose parents let them run wild. The kids themselves weren't bad. They could be very sweet. They used to clamor for my attention as I walked by -- the girls would show me how they could cheerlead or talk about how much they liked school; the boys would often do backflips or skateboard tricks to impress me. In small doses, I actually liked the kids. But, with the parental neglect I saw, I really couldn't predict much other than an uncertain future, at least for the boys. They moved to Ohio about two years ago. I hope they're in a better situation.

The house now has a family there with a young girl and an infant. I've only seen them a few times with their mother. Every season they decorate the steps. Once and a while, they have a child's art posted in a front window. The little girl is never outside long enough to become enamored with an older woman passing by. But I feel her chances at a better future are good. The other neighbors I talk to around there have said the entire neighborhood has changed for the better. But, they too were concerned about the little boys who once ruled the 'hood.

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Oh my

This sign is prominently posted at every entrance of the TD Ball Park, home of the Somerset Patriots, adjacent to the Bridgewater Train Station.

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I see you, rabbit!

But it's so dark when I walk to the train station in the mornings that I can't get a decent shot! Richmond Towers, Plainfield.

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Not a good Monday morning for him!

But I got a chuckle out of it. I saw the cop coming up behind him before they turned onto the highway. The very same car stopped has almost hit me more than a few times as I crossed in a crosswalk and he barreled through his "shortcut" to the Bridgewater Train Station. Karma!

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Meeting on a mum

Mums don't attract bees, but the flies sure like them!

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Catnap time!

Vincent has no issues with insomnia. He can sleep anywhere at any time. I swear he doesn't even need a comfy spot!

6 comments:

Palmaltas said...

Since I am retired, I do some of the things you mentioned but not all, of course. I do watch CBS Sunday Morning and I would love the beer! I finally saw the rabbit!

Delee said...

As usual wonderful pictures. The food looks like what Meals on Wheels would deliver.

Bernice said...

Kousa Dogwood!

http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/KousaDogwood.html

Jackie S. said...

That's it, Bernice!

Anonymous said...

Jackie,
I went into NYC on Tuesday (mid-morning) along the NE Corridor Line. There was a long delay due to a "suspicious package" found somewhere along the line. When we stopped in Newark, Security (with dogs) walked the entire train. Was curious, did you hear/see/or was affected by any of it?
Joyzjenn

Jackie S. said...

They probably did delay trains on my line (Raritan Valley) if there was a hold up around Newark. But I take the first train west on Tuesday mornings and, by the time I get out of work heading east, anything mid-morning would have been resolved.