Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - November 20, 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.

Let's see ... what happened this week? I worked, came home, slept and ate.

There. That's all.

Well, I guess not quite all. But it's just been one of those weeks. My knee is running a bit tired, but I'm not in the constant pain I was in pre-surgery. I'm definitely walking faster as the days go on. That's a good thing. Pre-surgery it was taking me a half-hour to walk to the train station in the mornings. Now it's taking me fifteen minutes.

Once again the weather here has had its warm days and its more chilly ones. Tuesday night and all day Wednesday it rained. That brought down tons of the autumn leaves and made my power go wonky Wednesday evening. It went off a few minutes before 8 PM, then came back on after a less than a minute. I listened to my scanner to find that the police were dispatched for an arcing wire in my neighborhood, but couldn't find it.

Then, about midnight, as I was heading to bed, the outdoors lighted up. Huh? I looked out the window knowing it wasn't a thunderstorm. The power dimmed, came back, dimmed, came back. I turned the scanner on again. This time the police were dispatched for a blown transformer, but the power ended up staying on. Well, at least until I went to sleep, that is. Apparently there was an outage overnight, but I awakened on time to go off to work before the dawn. Thankfully my alarm clock is one of the atomic ones which automatically reset when the power returns.

That was my excitement for the week.

Of course, this upcoming week is Thanksgiving. I hope everyone has a fine holiday! 

Onto this week's photos -- clicking on an image will open it larger in a gallery doohickey. To see this entire entry and all of the photographs, you must hit the "read more" link!

Screaming squirrel

What he was screaming about, I don't know. But I could hear him a half-block away. Cleveland Street, Plainfield.

Where's the sidewalk?

My 'hood on Thursday morning after Wednesday's rain.

Traffic light is not

The power was back on in the neighborhood, but the traffic light was still out at Richmond and East Front. And, as per Murphy's Law, there was more traffic than I've EVER seen at that hour at that intersection. I scurried across when I had the chance. And I'm really not a scurrier with this new knee yet!

Scary for my knee!

Also Thursday morning, this is Church Street approaching East Third. It was hard to tell where the street, curb and sidewalk were. I really have to pay attention to where I walk. I know that particular sidewalk is full of heaves. But it was hard to tell in the dark with the leaves all over -- I used my flash on this shot. With the new knee, the reaction isn't quite up to snuff. If I unexpectedly step on uneven pavement or a branch or rock hidden by leaves, my balance could be off. And, if I fall, I can't really get up.

E&A

This very popular kitchen/chef supply outlet is always spiffy. I like how they hired the graffiti folks to do the images on the building and then let them constantly practice their art on the back of the building. Since Plainfield is an Urban Enterprise Zone, the sales tax is halved. If you're in NJ or even lower NY looking for anything for the personal or business kitchen, this is the place to stock up! Cleveland and East Fifth Street.

Beautiful Downtown Plainfield

Now, sometimes the train conductors announce "Beautiful Downtown Plainfield," yet I feel they're mocking us. Actually, where E&A is isn't too pretty -- it's an industrial sort of section. However, Plainfield does indeed sport some way cool architecture in the downtown area and has breathtaking mansions (not McMansions) throughout several historical districts.

Dawn dawns

At the Plainfield Train Station. And, attention Delee -- the receptacles at the right are the trash bins. Since 9/11 they've put clear ones in at the train stations to make any bombs less likely. The salt storage bins are either bright orange or yellow (dependent on older or newer).

Going to work

It's almost pitch dark when I leave my apartment for work. By the time I get to the train station, it's just shy of sunrise. Plainfield Train Station.

Coming home

Another day down. Note the orange salt bin. Plainfield Train Station.

Last hurrah of the leaves

The leaves on Church Street are almost all gone as I write this up. I took this shot earlier in the week before the rainy windy day.

Plainfield Train Station just before dawn

I'll admit it. I'm a sunrise/sunset freak. I'm just missing the sunset these days, but catching the sunrises.

Sunrise

Plainfield Train Station.

Red sky in the morning

Tuesday morning at the Plainfield Train Station. Sure enough, it was raining by Tuesday night.

Sunrise reflected

Also Tuesday morning. North Avenue across from the train station. I edited it to leave only the window in color.

'tis a bird

On a wire, but of course.

Let there be light and leaves

The train station once again.

Oh my

Saturday late morning by Pete's Fish Market on East Second near Watchung Avenue.

How do you DO that?

I'm sorry, but I just don't even see how this one car accident happened. First day in traffic? What? There is a parking lot entrance about fifteen feet away. BUT ...! Thankfully only a pole was hit and not a pedestrian. That pretty new KIA SUV is probably toast, though. Please note that Plainfield's fancy-schmancy holiday decorations are up in the background.

Some look this way, some look that way

Edited to mess with the background and leave only the men in color. Watchung and East Second.

Meanwhile at the train station

Then, after walking through the (stupid) car accident, I get to the train station and there's a fire engine with its lights flashing by the train station on North Avenue. No fire, mind you. Just the fire engine in the middle of the street.

Dandelion don't tell no lies

With the sunshine and the warmer days, these have reappeared. They won't last long!

Autumn in the darkness

My 'hood as I start off towards the train station. Taken early in the week, so there are leaves.

Whatchoo doin' with that camera?

Vincent doesn't want a photo session. He wants me to either carry him around, play with him or give him catnip. That's his "let's get this camera business over" look. Demanding, isn't he?