Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - February 12, 2012

Yes, it's another Sunday. That means it's time for another off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. Never fear, TV fans --- Survivor returns this Wednesday! As usual, I'll have the blog party going on as the show airs here on the east coast. Everyone is welcome to join in!

The esteemed Lifeguard Laurie will be running the blog pool. If you want to get in on the action (no real wagering, but bragging rights if your random pool pick is the sole survivor!), please respond here in comments or email her at lifeguardlaurie@gmail.com. This is the list Laurie has so far:

Ann
Becky
Brent McKee
Delee
Donna
Ed in Ohio
Jackie
Jenna's mom
Laurie
Leigh
Margo
meb
ML
Monty 924
Nana in the NW
PDX Granny
Petals
rbennie
Rochelle
Sue Gee
Terry
Zoetawny

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In other business, we had snow not once, but TWICE this past week! Wow. I'd say the total of both storms combined was less than an inch. Wow. During my skiing heyday, I'd be miserable about the lack of snow this year. But I'm not missing it at all. We've paid our snow dues the last few years, last year in particular.  I just wonder what effect it will have on the other seasons. I've never seen a winter in the northeast this warm.

On Friday morning, there was a big fire in Plainfield. There I was, making my lunch to take to work with the TV news on in the other room -- WCBS out of Manhattan. I heard, "We're over Plainfield ..." Huh? It must have been a slow news day in NYC as all the network affiliates had their helicopters hovering over Plainfield.  As I waited for my train, there were four helicopters just hovering there like dragonflies watching for prey.

Usually if they give that much coverage to a fire in NJ, it's huge. This one wasn't really huge like a city block or a forty unit apartment building -- it was a single home with an attached vacant body shop. But it was a relentless fire fueled by a gas main. And, the smoke as I headed to the train station was unbelievable.

No one was injured which, of course, is a good thing. However, I was very saddened to hear that the family there had three emaciated pit bulls in the yard, one which had to be put down on the scene as he was in such bad shape ... and not anything to do with the fire. Didn't the neighbors see the poor dogs suffering? Please, folks, if you see neglect like that, report it!

Not much else has been going on. As promised, I'm first bringing you photos of the Tropicana Train -- the Times Square shuttle. I'm really not sure how orange juice will make you feel better when the day goes awry, but it does make for a different NYC subway experience. I took them on January 29th. 

***HIT THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS!***

BACK TO NEW JERSEY ...

Seagull and the Snow Moon

The full moon we had earlier in the week is called the "Snow Moon." February is typically the snowiest month of the winter. Well, um, of a normal winter, that is. Nope. I'm not complaining!

Smoke ahead

I could see the news helicopters from my apartment on Friday, the day of the fire. After I walked a couple of blocks and took my shortcut through the U-Haul lot, I could see the smoke. I could smell it before I saw it, but the amount of smoke was really incredible. That's East Second Street by the light. The fire itself was on West Second Street (same street, just the other side of Park Avenue) about five blocks away.

Smoke engulfs the train station

The train station was so inundated with smoke that few of my photos came out. I had to aim towards the east for a quasi-clear shot.

Sunrise in Bridgewater

This is the same morning as the fire in Plainfield. Bridgewater is about 11 miles west of Plainfield. I don't know if the fire helped make the sunrise so pretty, but something did! No, the red isn't the fire. It's the sun!

I SAID stand on the log!

Sheesh, geese never listen! I wanted him to jump up on the log. I took this in the toxic superfund site field of geese. Actually, that's not a log. It's a downed tree which is part of the debris left behind by Hurricane Irene flooding months ago.

Predawn spinning class

A man sits and watches his laundry spin in the dryer in the predawn hour. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Nature is confused

Things are trying to bud with the mild winter. I hope that won't harm the plant life when spring actually comes!

Can we bloom yet?

This was taken Saturday morning during our big snowstorm. The snow was mainly sticking to the lawns and some trees. Obviously, this plant thought it was rain.

February?

This type of leaf budding doesn't usually begin until April around here.

It must be March!

I'm no plant expert, so I can't tell you what these are. They are usually fairly hardy through the winter. But they're outright vibrant and healthy-looking now!

White stuff coming down

Is that SNOW? Plainfield Train Station.

White stuff REALLY coming down

This was last night as I left work. It was really snowing heavy (but melting on contact with pavement) as I left Bridgewater. When I got to Plainfield, it wasn't doing anything.

Snow on the rocks

This was the snow earlier in the week. Wow.

I have my eye on you

Uh-oh. Vincent caught me taking a photo of him. Either that or he's winking at y'all!

How was your week?