Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - August 15, 2010

It's Sunday morning, time to reflect back on the past week in words and photographs I've taken. If you're looking for Big Brother live feeds reports, a new one will be up a bit later this morning.

Like much of this summer, the week got off to a hot and humid start. This weather has really taken its toll on not only me, but on the grass and trees, too. Everything is so dry here. In the early spring we were saying, "Watch, we'll have drought conditions in the summer!" After an overabundance of rain at winter's end and into the spring, here we are with water usage restrictions in many parts of the state (New Jersey).

The last few days turned into great "open the windows and let the breezes in" weather. My cat Vincent loves to sit in the open windows (with screens, naturally!) and watch the action below. Plus, I'd rather have fresh air instead of air conditioned stale air any day. On the down side, because I had my windows open, last night the noise from my Riff-Raff neighbors annoyed me. Some people have no consideration for others. There is an intercom system. People have phones. You do NOT repeatedly pull up outside a building and SHOUT to get someone to let you in the building -- especially between the hours of 11 PM and 2:30 AM. I would have called the police but I figured by the time they got here, the jerks wouldn't be in the parking lot anymore.

Mind you, not all of my neighbors are like Riff-Raff. They're the only ones with kids running wild in the hallway and all kinds of noise these days. One of these days their door will break between the slamming of it and the pounding on it. The receiver for the bank has already put out several eviction notices. I hope the bunch in that apartment are next. Apparently they're very strict with the rent payments. One of the women from another floor complained to me "two days late and I got an eviction notice." I don't know. I mail my payment before the first each month so they have it by the first. Supposedly we have a grace period until the 5th to get it in.

For those who don't read my Facebook page, here's a video of a local rock group about the city in which I live, Plainfield, NJ. Although they used a photo of mine (along with some others from the 2009 library photo exhibition) without credit, it cracks me up. Thanks to local blogger Bernice for the link!



As you can tell, my week has been somewhat uneventful. Oh, well. Here are some of the photos I've taken during the week - clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window:

Urban Blight

This is detail of the deteriorating bricks of a building located on North Street near the Plainfield Train Station. It looks like one day this building will just crumble to the ground on its own. Since the rear is accessible to vagrants, this poses a danger to the surrounding inhabited buildings. Perhaps a plan should be enacted before it becomes yet another "emergency" with the city paying impromptu humongous fees to have it taken down ...?

Truck on the tracks!

I know the quality of this photo isn't great -- it was taken out of a dirty train window. I've been riding the train for a good five years now and last week was the first time I've spotted this. This NJT truck is actually driving ON the tracks with some kind of platform doohickey thingee (technical term) under it. Kewl!

On the early morning train
With a coffee in my hand
And an achin' in my heart
And my pockets full of sand
I'm a long way from home
And I miss my loved bed so
On the early morning train
With only work to go ...

My apologies to Gordon Lightfoot -- "Early Morning Rain"
Plainfield Train Station

"If you walk with Jesus ...

... he's gonna save your soul, gotta keep the devil way down in the hole." - Tom Waits, "Way Down in the Hole"

The Latina Jesus Ladies continue to spread the word on the corner of Watchung Avenue and North Street in Plainfield. One little blue um ... bear (?) seems to pay rapt attention.

Oh, this is SO wrong!

How could they abandon him? How could they desert him near the busy city street? What kind of world is this? He thought his soul was saved!

Just waitin' on a train

But looking in the other direction. Plainfield Train Station.

The evening skies

I took this shot from the lot of Supremo Supermarket on Tuesday evening. The days are getting shorter. I just want them to get cooler!

Just what are those piñatas up to?

The piñatas over produce in Supremo seem to be mating. We'll know for sure if I return and there's a whole slew of piñatas running around!

Texas Weiners I

Watchung Avenue in Plainfield. I edited the photo to leave just the sign in color. I never heard of Texas Weiners until I moved to New Jersey. I didn't see any Texas Weiners when I visited Texas this past spring. Different Texas Weiners places are all over here in New Jersey. Not only that, but the correct spelling of "wiener" should be "i" before "e." Weird.

Hight Lights?

Where the fare increases went

NJ Transit is slowly replacing the between cities (not NYC commuter) buses with these fancy-schmancy new ones. Inside, they smell like new cars. They have two cameras inside -- one in the front by the door and driver, another all the way in the back with a DVR recording constantly. That is a great move. I often think that the bus drivers, alone dealing with drunks and fare-beaters, need some kind of "protection." True, the camera won't protect them per se, but it might make ne'er-do-wells have second thoughts before causing problems.

The buses also "speak." Each intersection is announced. Nifty keen. They don't rattle all over either. While I walk to the train in the mornings, I'll often take the bus home as it leaves me a block away from my apartment. My monthly train pass covers the bus trip, so it's no extra cost. I won't take it in the mornings to the train as I can't trust them to be on time. The train waits for no one. This is the bus I would take to my apartment. But I won't take it to Newark! The shot was taken at the intersection of Gavett Place and North Street in Plainfield.

As the crows sit

I watched them fly. They did NOT fly in a straight line thus debunking the myth of "as the crow flies." I wonder which one is Randall Flagg ...

The chicory continues to thrive

The grass is dying, but the chicory continues to be colorful and healthy. Plainfield Train Station.

Oh, pointy!

Monday's early morning sun

Over the Plainfield Train Station track lamps.

Same sun sans lamp lights

These photos were taken at about 6:30 AM on Monday morning and I didn't touch up the colors at all. Hot day ahead.

Eastern goldfinch munching a sunflower

The pack of goldfinches continue to hang around the neighborhood where the sunflowers are located. They like to take off when they see me take out the camera. Grr. The sunflowers themselves are starting to pass. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Are you going to feed me now?

Yes, Vincent. I've finished this. Let me get the poor starving cat his food.

How was your week?