Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - November 13, 2011

It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. This was my first quasi-full week back to work. I actually only worked four days, taking Tuesday as a personal day due to yet another follow-up visit to the orthopedic surgeon.

No, there are no issues with the knee. Well, nothing unexpected or needing a doctor visit anyway! I'm definitely in better knee shape than I've been in for the last ten years. People keep commenting about how much happier I seem. (And, no ... I'm not thrilled to death to be back to work!) It's just that this is the first time in a decade I'm not in constant and sometimes crippling pain. Chronic pain can really take its toll on a friendly shining disposition! But, no. I'm not "perky." I refuse to be perky.

That said, some folks would probably think the pain I have now at the end of the work day is bad. But it's nowhere near like I had before. The quad muscle is still way too weak making stairs rough. My knee and ankle tend to be swollen by the end of the day, so I still ice and elevate in the evenings once I get home. If this were to be as good as it gets, I'd still be happy. I know what bad really is. Plus, I also know healing and muscle strength will just continue to improve for more than a year. My next follow-up visit with the orthopedic surgeon is on December 21. 

Our weather here this week was basically very mild with above average temperatures except for one day. On Friday we had a blast of colder air and wind which reminded me winter is going to eventually come. I just hope that we don't have a lot of snow and ice this winter. On the whole, I like winter better than hot and humid summers. But last year's storms were a bit too much!

On the home front things have been quiet. Crazy Joe across the hall rather surprisingly told me anytime I wanted to use his car, just ask. Huh. He's lived across the hall from me for nine years and we're friendly enough coming and going, but that offer is totally unexpected. He does have two cars and knows I walk. But I know that all the years I had cars, no one drove them but me! It was very nice of him to offer. However, I doubt I'll ever take him up on it. I'll just depend on him to scream at kids running and playing in the hallway. They don't call him "Crazy Joe" for nothing.

Other than that, I've got nothing for you. We might as well get to the photos for the week. Remember to hit the "read more" link to see all of them. Clicking on an image will open it larger in a new gallery doohickey. Or, perhaps it's a gallery thingamajig. I really don't know.

Plainfield Train Station at Night

Last night at the Plainfield Train Station. It was quieter than it usually is at night. That's good and bad. It means the annoying street people aren't around. But, in a way, I prefer SOME folks around. There have been a lot of robberies in the city lately and, while I'm really not a good victim as I can be surly if the need arises, it's better to even have the crowd of street people around at night. Alas, even my local bodega was robbed at gunpoint the other night. The gang stuff doesn't bother me as much as all of the recent robberies. 

But I'm a two minute walk from the police station at the train station. When I come home later on Saturday evenings I walk over there and take the bus so I'm not walking across town. I get off a block from home on the bus and know all the folks in that Berckman Street block. I could always run to someone's house and they'd help if I had a problem. But still, I wish they'd nail these robber dudes. If I'm coming home really late, I'll snag a cab.

Westfield Train Station

I stayed on the train going home Friday night until Westfield. I was spoiled at work with direct deposit, but my short term disability checks were actual checks. My physical therapy was near a branch of my bank. So, for most of my time off, it was a non-issue. But once physical therapy stopped, I'm not really near my bank. I had gathered my last three checks and it was time. 

Oh. And my bank happens to be across the street from Trader Joe's. Two birds, one stone. Did you know that Trader Joe's now has shrimp corn dogs and their own brand bags of onion rings (which are scrumptious!)? Some things Peapod grocery delivery just doesn't have, so a Trader Joe's stop is always nice.

Fall Colors in the Fog

The foliage is pretty no matter whether it's sunny, foggy, raining or even snowing. I took this shot in Bridgewater, NJ.

Whoa! Very foggy!

Of course, if you can't SEE the foliage, it's not as pretty! We had a few foggy early mornings, but this one was the topper. I like that, with the time change, it's not pitch dark going into work in the mornings ... for now.

Waiting on a Train

We even had some shorts weather this week. Well, not for me as I'm not really a shorts kind of person, but for others. This woman and her two cute and seemingly very well-behaved boys were at the Bound Brook Train Station.

Broadway Joe and His Shadow

This young man was standing by the Broadway show posters at the Bound Brook Train Station. I edited it to leave him and his shadow in color, the rest in black and white.

Oh My

In television commercials they're always going on about how great NJ kids do on tests. Well, if nearly a fifth of the students drop out, that kind of eliminates bad scoring students, doesn't it? That's a scary statistic. I can only guess 17% unemployment for the generation. It's hard to get jobs when you have a college degree these days. It's probably almost impossible without a high school diploma. It's not like factories are hiring! I don't think the high school dropout rate was that high in my day and back then you could easily get jobs in manufacturing, etc. without a diploma.

Way Cool Tree

Whatever kind of tree this is, it's very cool. I noticed it on East Maple Street in Bound Brook.

Well, duh!

I think the last place I lived where it was safe to leave your car (or home) unlocked was circa 1972 in upstate New York. There have also been a rash of goods stolen from unlocked cars not only in Plainfield, but all around the area. Well, duh. Lock your car. Take your keys. (Don't let a good boy go bad -- remember that ad?)

Cemetery in Red

The trees in the cemetery in Bound Brook almost make it look like a cheery place. Almost.

Last Bee Buzzing?

There were other smaller honeybees on the leftover flowers from the past season, too. But, for some reason, none would stay still enough to catch them with the camera. This shot of the bumblebee was nicely focused but the fence is in the way. Grr.

Leftovers

Soon to be history. Yet with the warmer temperatures this week and no freak snowstorms, dandelions have been popping up!

Waiting for the doctor

Don't you hate waiting in the waiting room at the doctor's office beyond your scheduled appointment time, then being put in an examination room to wait some more? That's what happened to this guy! I swear one of these days when I'm stuck in the room with this dude, I'm going to put his hands on his feet and vice versa.

I LOVE Autumn!

It's a magical world in the autumn, yes it is. East Maple Street, Bound Brook.

Pumpkin Carnage

Note that they still have the bird feeder on the dead tree tied to the fence. After their little hanging post was shunned, they must have figured this is the way to go. Normally there are birds there, but not when I took this shot. The green leaves you see are actually from the tree further back in the backyard. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Here Today

What a gorgeous little tree at the Plainfield Train Station!

Gone Tomorrow

The next morning all the leaves were down.

Have I Mentioned I Love Autumn?

Yes, I believe I have mentioned it. Bridgewater, NJ.

Ginkgo and Oak

Plainfield Train Station, 4th Street side.

Full Moon

Whenever I see a full moon, I feel a challenge to shoot the moon and get as much detail as I can with my non-fancy-schmancy camera. I was pretty pleased with this detail. Sometimes it just looks like a white glowing circle in photos.

Out the Train Window

This aged ginkgo tree was butcher-pruned at the Netherwood Train Station in Plainfield. But with the skies, I thought it made for a rather cool shot. If I had the gumption, I'd remove the train lights reflection from the image. But I gots no gumption, so they're staying!

Catnip Junkie

Sure, point the finger at me and yell "ENABLER"! But you never know. Vincent could have little cat friend druggie catnip dealers stopping by and slipping catnip under the door while I'm away it work. It could happen!

How was your week?