Sunday, May 24, 2015

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - May 24, 2015

Good morning! I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend! Of course, Memorial Day isn't all about beaches and grilling -- please take time to remember the reason behind the holiday to think those who gave their lives in service to our country.

Since it is Sunday, that means it's time for my weekly off television topic reflections on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. I do plan to post some television stuff during the upcoming week even though The Amazing Race and Survivor are over for the season and the summer shows are yet to start. So, please check in for those!

Here are some random ramblings for you:
  • I'm on a staycation. I really, really need it. I actually need more than just a staycation, but that's all I can get. I'm so tired all the time! Plus, I'm really grouchy and I don't like to be that way.
  • On Thursday night I took a taxi home from the train station as I got home much later than I feel comfortable about hanging around on the downtown streets. (My neighborhood is fine; downtown can be scary at late night hours.) I went to the Yellow taxi across the street from the train station. They called an orange cab (Caribe) to take me home. That was weird.
  • Speaking of dangerous, I heard on my scanner last night that three people were shot in town along with many other assaults. It happened at a festival held in a park. I don't go to that sort of thing here.
  • I don't know what the theme is for autumn's Plainfield Library Photo Contest and can't find the information online. Hmm. 
  • Weather permitting, I hope to hit Mindowaskin Park in Westfield one day, perhaps head into the city (NYC) another and maybe even go to a farmer's market. 
  • I might just end up lazing about. Who knows?
Without further ado, here are this week's photographs. Clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger gallery view. I hope everyone has a great week!

Pulling into Plainfield

My train to work arrives at the station. Goody, goody.

The Red Admiral butterfly

He paused on a leaf just long enough for me to snag a quick rather not zoomed in photo.

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A mother, father and adolescent pigeons practically posed for me at the Bridgewater Train station. The adult birds were very curious about the camera, yet watchful over their two offspring. I'm including a flash slideshow here. If you can't get it to come up on your computer or smartphone, the Photobucket link for the pigeon shots can be found right here.

JackiesTVBlog's Pigeons album on Photobucket

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**

A last look at the signing on the bridge

I thought the "Welcome to Plainfield NJ Transit - The Queen City" signing on the bridge over Watching Avenue was perfect.

Goodbye "The Queen City"

Sniffle.

Now it looks like this. Sigh.

They left the Park Avenue bridge in this sort of state -- no signing, no "Welcome," no nothing. All kinds of generic, we're talking. What happened to pride in work, doing something extra, making something look nice?

Parked around the corner

Not only did people who park on my street have to find new parking places (or be towed) during the street repaving, the construction guys themselves were parking all kinds of odd stuff about the area.

Bug on a leaf

I have no idea what kind of bug this is. I do know that it's better that it's on a leaf than anywhere on me!

Hmmm ...

This is the rear entrance to the Islamic Center in Plainfield. Now, I know the religion is behind the men going in the front door, women a separate entrance. It reminds me of some of the schools I attended back in the early 60s with separate entrances for boys and girls. My question is ... why is there an apostrophe in "Sister's" and none in "Brothers"? I know there's more than one sister using that door!

The repaving of East Front Street

Although many city streets come to mind as needing repaving more, it was East Front all shut down and repaved last week. The difference is that East Front is a county road and this was a county project. It's all done now and looks so darn pretty!

Reading real books on the train

Yep, some people (including myself) are still into reading physically real books. 

Oh, to be a fly on the leaf

Wait, no. That's supposed to be "a fly on the wall." Okay, fly. You're in the wrong place. But, no. Don't get on MY wall. I don't allow flies in my apartment. If you come in here, a certain attack cat will do you in!

TGIF Bus

The NJ Transit bus drivers seem to be able to put anything they want in that little corner lighted sign on the lower left of the windshield. Obviously, this was on a Friday. I've seen others as 0007 and 0069.  

Woman on the street

I edited this shot to take it from color to what you see here. I kind of like how it turned out.

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Since I took so many flower shots, again I'm doing a slideshow. You can find the Photobucket gallery of the flower shots at this link if you can't get the flash slideshow to work.

JackiesTVBlog's Spring 2015 album on Photobucket

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I worked late on Thursday evening and was walking by the TD Bank Ball Park as an evening game was ending. By the way, the Somerset Patriots -- the home team -- won the game. By the time I got to the stairway up to the platform at the Bridgewater Train Station, fireworks started. Yikes! While beautiful kind-of sort-of, I was much too close! Embers and bits of stuff were raining down on me. As it was unexpected, all I could do with my camera was leave it in automatic and keep shooting. The brightness of the bursts and the incredible smoke took over many of the shots. But, some turned out decent. If you can't get this flash slideshow to work, the link for the Photobucket gallery of them is right here.

JackiesTVBlog's Fireworks May 21 2015 album on Photobucket

Vincent with eyes wide shut

Vincent will be pleased to have me around most of the week. Since he's so intent on being near me or on me when I'm home, I'm not sure what he does when I'm gone. He probably sleeps a lot. I'd get him a cat friend, but he doesn't get along well with other cats or dogs or mice, etc. Instead, he likes people. Ew! I refuse to get a people for him!

5 comments:

mindy said...

Jackie,
Love your blog...it's become part of my sunday morning ritual. Hope you have a great staycation. And you made me laugh with your announcement that you will "not get a person for Vincent".

Jackie S. said...

Thank you, Mindy!

~~Silk said...

This is probably a bit late, and not the right place for it, but I feel like I owe an apology to Survivor's Rodney. When I saw him on the reunion show, his suit, his hair, I suddenly felt so sorry for him. It was obvious he tried to look sharp, to fit in, but equally obvious he didn't know how, and apparently has and had no one in his life to guide him. I am ashamed of my judgements, and I hope he finds a good woman who sees his potential, to lead him.

RSchnoop said...

Great pictures, as usual, especially the pigeons...
May your staycation be calming and leave you feeling more like facing the world with a smile...

Palmaltas said...

Not all of the pictures could be shown but I did enjoy the ones I could see.