Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - March 26, 2017

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, this is my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. If you're here for Survivor -- you can find any Survivor posts I make at this link right here.  Remember-- The Amazing Race season premiere will be THIS Thursday, March 30th! I will be live-blogging the show and there will be blog parties!

Let's see ... what's new this week?

Well, the weather still isn't new -- we're still having winter temperatures for the most part although (thankfully) we've had no more snow. Yesterday was the first day with temperatures above the 40s. Today we're back to high in the 40s. March is often like this. But that doesn't mean I have to like it!

On the apartment front: I think Joe, my neighbor across the hall for fifteen years or so, is moving out. I stopped some kids I saw lugging things out during the week. I've never seen kids visiting him. Joe is one who will come out and yell at kids playing in the corridors! Since these were very young black kids I didn't know and they were taking stuff to the dumpsters, I just asked them if Joe was okay. He's in ill health and I thought he may have passed and relatives were clearing out his place. The oldest boy, about 12 years-old, told me Joe was fine, they're his great-nephews and they were just helping him by bringing stuff to the dumpster. Okay, sounds good. Until today ... when I took a bag of trash to the dumpsters. Uh-oh. I recognize furniture out there and the dumpsters (with the exception of one with closed lids and the recycle one) were over-fllled. That's JOE'S furniture! Yeah, he's alive, I guess. But he's moving, perhaps to an assisted living place, I would think. I wonder what the new neighbor will be like. Sigh. Joe and I always got along well. He has even offered to loan me his car if I ever needed it for something.

In other apartment news, the idiot ... um, guy with the loud thumping stereo upstairs has been quiet all week. Good.

In workplace news, a two-year nightmare has ended. It's like a weight off my shoulders, fresh air ... but I still want to retire as soon as I can. In health news, I really have no new news. I haven't been on my feet as much during the workdays and my leg issues feel a lot better. But I still have to have that vascular surgery done.

Onto the photos from the week. It's a bit gull heavy. We've had bitter cold temperatures and strong winds most of the week. So, I only took photos at certain times and some days I didn't want to kill off the camera's batteries with the cold. Clicking on an image will open it in a larger gallery window.

NJ Transit Plainfield Train Station

The main building off of East 4th Street is (of course) on the Newark/NYC bound Track Two side of the station. With NJ Transit, anything train or bus has better shelter on the side that heads in that direction. They're under the false assumption that people wait only on that side and just head home without having to wait on the other side.

Things are looking up?

Well, at least this ring-billed gull is looking up! Corner of Gavett Place and North Avenue.

Hmm ... another one

Perhaps they're waiting for the Rapture? I don't know.

Oh noes!

Snowstorm white and yellow daffodil victims in Plainfield. How sad is this?!?!

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

Should we dive bomb those humans?

Street thug gulls in Plainfield. If you have food with you, watch it carefully!

Gone too soon

Or, born too soon, I guess. The downed daffodil soldier peeks out through quasi-melted but ice-laden snow on Berckman Street.

Call her Dotty

Maybe the starling is a he.

Oh, NJ Transit ...

Not only did you not clear the accessible walk leading to Track Two and the main building of the Plainfield Train Station, but you plowed a pile of snow totally blocking it! What's up with that?

Ambulance in action

Hmm ... three police cars and two ambulances converged on Danny's Bakery on Watchung and North yesterday as I waited for my train. This Union County ambulance was joined by a JFK one just as my train arrived. I have no clue what it was all about. Certainly not a hostage situation or crime scene as people were coming and going from the bakery.

Too dirty, too much

At this rate, it will be June until the huge piles of snow are gone!

Gull on guard duty

A whole lotta noise goin' on

Gulls are extremely noisy birds. When gulls and crows are nearby, it's certainly not the relaxing twitter of birds! Did you know gulls have jaws which unhinge (like many snakes have) so they can gulp down larger prey? Of course, around here they scavenge from human fast food leftovers more than prey on smaller animals or fish.

A week into spring

With some sunshine, although still very cold temperatures for the most part, and no new snow, things are looking a bit better. But I don't call this the spring I like to see!

Gulls before the snowbanks

Gulls gather in a Bridgewater shopping center parking lot with huge plowed piles of snow in the background.

The sky is a hazy shade of winter

Too bad it's supposed to be spring.

Don't get your feathers all ruffled!

Are these pigeons atop the Chotola Apartments building on North Avenue having a heated discussion? Or, is it just another windy day?

Basking in the sun

Too bad the temperature is just a few degrees above freezing! Corner of Watchung and North Avenues.

Vincent the Cat

Yes, Vincent has black spots on the pads of his feet.