Off Topic: That Was The Week It Was - April 29, 2012

Good morning everyone! It's Sunday morning once again. And, once again, it's time for my weekly off topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken. 

I've had a bit of a stressful, hectic and just plain annoying at times week here. The weather has been at times cold and windy, other times rainy and it really wasn't conducive for photography. Yet I got in a few good shots and noticed some out of the norm kind of things. 

At home, the people upstairs managed to flood my bathroom once again. Thankfully the floor plans are in line here -- their bathroom over mine, bedroom over my bedroom, etc. So nothing of my own got damaged. Well, the brand new roll of toilet tissue I had put out was a goner. But it's not like they flooded my computer equipment or anything. I hope they finally get whatever up there fixed this time. Since I moved in here 11 years ago, it's been one thing after another leaking and subsequently fixed. 

There was some excitement here very early yesterday morning. Although I don't have to get up as early on Saturdays as I work later, I tend to wake up by 5:15 or 5:30. Well, I heard a ruckus in the hallway with police radios involved. Hmm ... I turned on my scanner. It turns out that a man fell from the fire escape shared by Crazy Joe across the hall and new tenants in the apartment next to him.

Now, they may call him Crazy, but Joe's not stupid. Nor is he athletically inclined. He's a retired guy who's lived here for nearly ten years without climbing the fire escape. So I would guess it was either the new tenants or a burglar. Since the cops didn't say anything about an arrest, I assume tenant. It's possible they only have one key, lost the key, didn't know who to call, aren't on the intercom system yet (as they connect the intercom to a phone number) or something. A compound fracture of the arm and a head injury. I bet he won't climb that again.

On the other hand, I wish I hadn't chucked my old small Hibachi years back. Although totally illegal, it would be so tasty to cook up steaks on a grill using the fire escape outside my bedroom window! I'm sure if I still had it, I wouldn't have the nerve to use it. But, still ...!

This week's quirky observation  -- when an automatic IN door doesn't function, a crowd will gather and stare at it instead of just pushing the door open. They'll back up and look. Then they'll get closer and give it a hard stare. But will they push it open? Nope. 

Since I had the hectic week, even to the point of working really late last night, I have a treat coming to myself with a Peapod grocery delivery in a few hours. I get the deliveries about once a month now. It's heaven not to worry about heavy items without a car. Plus, I do like the cuts of meat better than at the local supermarket a few blocks away. Yet I do stop in there on occasion because their produce department is fantastic!

Onto the photos ... remember, as of last week, they're hooked to my PhotoBucket account. Clicking on an image will bring you to the shot there, click again and it's large, close that window and you're back here!   

The NYC taxi again by the Plainfield Police Station

Nope, this is not the photo I took a week or two back. But it is the same passenger in the cab. Very odd. I'm not sure if it's the same taxi driver, but it could be. I don't feel bad spending $6.95 for grocery delivery when I see something like this! I edited the shot to leave only the taxi cab in color.

Up Close and Personal

Despite temperatures below freezing a few nights this past week, the flowers continue to bloom by the Bridgewater Train Station.

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

I before E except after C

Gosh, I wish I could earn a living just running around fixing spelling errors on signs or in newspapers! Things like this just jump out at me -- RECEIVE, not RECIEVE. I actually cringe when I spell it wrong. It's not even one of those exceptions to the rule like the word "weird" -- which is often misspelled because people think of the "i before e" rule. Sure, I know I have the occasional typo on this blog. However, back in the days when I actually hand-painted signs, you can bet the spelling was right! East Second Street, Plainfield.

A sea of blossoms

Stadium lights

The Somerset Patriots are back in baseball action at the TD Ball Park next to the New Jersey Transit train station in Bridgewater. I worked late enough two nights this week to see the ball park during games. It looks like a lot of fun for families there. But, for me, just smelling all of the ball park food as I walk by is torture. It smells SO good and I'm usually hungry as I walk by!

Fireworks prep in the field of geese

The field of geese sans the geese is where the TD Ball Park sets up their fireworks displays. This isn't an every game thing, but they do have fireworks quite often throughout the baseball season.

In the pink

They're everywhere!

Safe Haven?

Oh my. It doesn't look like a safe haven to me! I found this one in the defunct vehicle police/city lot along the railroad tracks on East Fourth Street in Plainfield.

Textures in nature

Vincent waves to y'all

Vincent loves the way I rearranged things after my apartment remodel. Now, if I'm on my computer, he has three choices. He can be sprawled across my chest and right shoulder, on his chair next to me, or sprawled on the floor in direct sight staring at me (lovingly, I hope!). Of course, he CAN go elsewhere in the apartment. But, no. If I'm home, he wants to be connected, I guess. 

How was your week?