Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 30, 2015

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photographs I've taken along the way; This post is a year 'round "feature" on the blog. If you're looking for Big Brother posts, they can all be found at this link right here. If you're not interested in this particular post, please feel free to skip on by it. I'll be posting a Big Brother blog party post coinciding with the East Coast airing of the show and, late this evening, another live feeds post. Stay tuned.

Yet another week in the (seemingly never-ending) countdown to Staycation for me. Here's some random notes on the week:

• I woke up very early one morning this past week smelling smoke -- like house-burning smoke -- in my apartment. That was one of the first nights that I had turned off the air conditioning and threw the windows wide open as the heat had lessened.
• It turns out that two homes were destroyed and one damaged in a huge three alarm fire with 80 firefighters responding right on the street in back of my building. The fire was actually across the street from the Mexican Polka live band people. I'm so running on empty these days that I slept through all the hoopla.
• (Side note: The Mexican Polka live band people were at it until nearly midnight last night. Grr.) 
• In the urban jungle news arena: There I was, resting on the ledge by the Plainfield Police Annex waiting for the bus home from the train last night and this creepy drunk non-English speaking dude plopped down practically on top of me. "Ola!" I reacted with exaggerated shoo hand motions and "Go away! Shoo!" I already had plans to knock him to the ground if he didn't go away -- I'm larger and sober, he's drunk. I scared him. He stumbled away. A cop who had been sitting at the traffic light watching called out to me, "Nicely played!"
• I find it very depressing that I'm old enough to join the Plainfield Senior Center which I don't have time in my life to join because I'm not old enough (or financially set) to retire.
• Not that I'd really want to join. I'd probably rather do something like join a whitewater rafting club than do many of the activities they have going on for seniors.
• In more urban jungle news: One early evening on the 59 bus, a guy tried to board with one of those personal shopping carts well overloaded with scrap metal (he probably stole). The bus driver wouldn't let him board and started screaming, "No! No! NO!" -- thus scaring an innocent dude who was paying his fare. I was looking at the scrap metal pieces haphazardly piled atop the cart and thinking it would be dangerous. I was glad the bus driver told him no and drove off forcing the guy to get his foot out of the bus door.
• We're expected another heat wave this week.
• Wah.

That's about it. Onto this week's photos! Clicking on an image will open it in a larger window.

I love the flowers

But I'll love autumn temperatures a lot more! Of course, autumn has its own flowers, plus glorious fall foliage.

Fireworks at the TD Ball Park

On Monday night, just as the 10pm train was coming in, they started the after game fireworks in Bridgewater.

East Second Street fire scene

Despite the local newspapers saying the fire was at 240 East Second Street, it was not. It apparently started in the attic of 640 and spread to 642. Both of those homes seem totally destroyed, with the roofs caving in on them. 644 has its siding all melted, but the building didn't catch on fire. No one was hurt. More of the fire scene photos after the jump ...

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

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.

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