Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - June 12, 2011

Okay, it's Sunday once again. You know what that means! It's time for my off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken. Of course, I haven't had any ON TV topic posts this week, but that's beside the point. It was my last work week before my surgery, most of the week was enveloped in heat and humidity and, while I did watch some shows, I really wasn't up to posting.

Gah. What a week it's been! I still feel like my head is spinning trying to wrap up everything for a lengthy stay away from my workplace. We have a couple of major changes which affect my job and, not only did I have to learn a bunch of new stuff, I had to prepare the person filling in for me. Plus, filing swamped me each day this week and I had to get all of that caught up. Gah. Oh, wait. I already "gah'd." Well, it's worth a double gah. So there.

On the 100 degree day, not to be confused with the 102 degree day, I had my last pre-op appointment with my orthopedic surgeon. Since I walk and use public transportation, that meant extended time in the heat and humidity. I think the trip could have been in lieu for a stress test not taken in prep for the surgery. (My EKG was excellent, no need for a stress test -- thankfully!) But if the time spent walking in the heat and waiting in the heat didn't kill me, no surgery ever will!

Have I ever mentioned I HATE to sweat? This week's weather was of the kind that my forehead starts sweating while I'm just standing there doing nothing. Grr.

The doctor's visit really wasn't much. Perhaps it's the last chance to back out! He told me all the medical tests were fine, gave my knee one last look-see and answered a few of my questions. He told me he can't guarantee that I'll have the same 150+ degree bend in the right knee that I have now in the left one he replaced three years ago. He feels he might have set the bar a bit high as I'm the most flexible knee replacement patient he's ever operated on.

I will be having the same exact knee as the previous one -- a Smith & Nephew Genesis II, cemented. I understand the results might differ. But if I don't have constant pain and stabbing pain when bending the knee more than it wants to be bent, I'll be fine. I'm ready. It's too bad my apartment stuff and lots of loose ends still need to be done!

Now that I've bored everyone with the knee stuff, it's onto the photographs I've taken this week! Clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window, then hit your back button on your browser to return to the blog.

This is not a photo I took!

This is a copy of the flyer for the Plainfield Public Library Photo Exhibition. When we were discussing the date for the opening, I had been thinking my operation would be scheduled mid-May instead of mid-June. Oops. But I'll be four weeks into things, so I'll probably be using my crutches, but I'll be there!

Wazzat?

It's a camera, silly squirrel. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Already a name change?

Goody, goody (in my best Hannibal Lechter voice). They just rehabbed and opened this restaurant within the last year. Now it seems to have a new name and is touting that it's a "Spanish and Chinese restaurant." Huh? ALL of the Chinese restaurants around here have Spanish dishes! I always wonder if they make as many typos in Spanish as they do in English on the menus.

If one really wants any kind of Hispanic related foods, I'd recommend they just look around at any of the many restaurants from every Latino-related country in the world ... right here in Plainfield. This Chinese "Spanish" restaurant is on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield.

I don't know what it is, but I like it.

I'm talking the green car, of course. The other car is too much like the cars I grew up around as a teenager. Bridgewater, NJ.

Feet off the seats, fool!

Hogging up one of the four four-seaters on the upper level of the train, sitting on the aisle seat with her nasty feet up on the seat blocking anyone else from sitting there. Now, who would want to when she had her feet all over the seat? I'm having a knee replacement this week. I can't take my Advil leading into the surgery. If anyone ever needed to elevate her feet, it would be me! Do I? NO. I wouldn't want my shoes which have gone through who knows what on the seat!

The chicory is back.

Plainfield Train Station.

Outdoor ant

He stopped running around long enough to get one clear shot out of about ten! He's bigger than those tiny ants, but smaller than a carpenter ant. Bridgewater, NJ.

Seeing these amidst the grass makes me smile.

Bridgewater Train Station.

Absolutely no clue

I've never seen this plant before and it's in a place in Bridgewater I've walked by for at least seven years. They're very tiny and, as you can see, even the stems and such are brilliant royal blue. When I first saw it, I thought it was fake. A brief tug proved otherwise. There are about five of them growing in a patch of "lawn" alongside the Bridgewater Train Station parking lot.

Pink beauty

Growing in my neighbor's lawn.

Again, no clue.

Well, it's not a plant! It's very tiny, less than a quarter-inch long. Bridgewater Train Station.

Bound Brook flowers.

I feel I should know what these are, but I'm very flower-ignorant. They were growing by the Presbyterian Church on Union Avenue in Bound Brook.

Knee action figures!

This is what happens when you leave me alone in an examination room at the doctor's office. I shoot knees. Bound Brook, NJ.

Intertwining vines on a guy wire.

They've definitely taken it over! Maple Avenue, Bound Brook.

Peaceful

Although it was SO hot and there didn't seem to be any shade in Plainfield, my walk from the bus to the doctor's office in Bound Brook was shady. That's the office on the right. Maple Avenue, Bound Brook.

Idyllic

That cool big tree has a historical plaque -- George Washington slept there or something. Maple Avenue, Bound Brook. (Actually the plaque states the tree was there before George Washington -- it's over 300 years old.)

Another unknown flower in Bound Brook

Cool blue/purplish flowers

East Front Street, Plainfield.

NOT a new shot of Vincent

This is where he'll be staying while I'm in the hospital. He'll have his own three level cat condo with a litter box in the "basement." They'll let him out daily to roam the cat room and check on the view from the windows. Although they have dogs there, the cats are all in this room where they can't even hear barking. I used them (Best Friends in North Plainfield) when I went on vacation last year and was very pleased. They even email a photo daily to the owner! (Which won't do me much good as I'll just have my dumb phone with me -- it can go on the Internet, but isn't good about it.)

So, that's just about it. I swear once this operation is done and over with, I'll be back to posting more about television shows ... especially Big Brother. How was your week?