Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 23, 2012

Good morning. It's Sunday morning, so that means it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way.

Since my last off topic post, unfortunately I have been quite ill. Last Sunday night, I awoke to a high fever, chills and various aches and pains. It only got worse. On Tuesday, I went to the doctor who decided blood tests were in order to determine what's wrong. It's all due to a mosquito. Grr. I'm not naming the illness here as I don't want a gazillion whackos finding this post in a search. However, it's the "fever" version rather than the "virus" version. I do have a list of symptoms to watch for which, if they happen, would necessitate a trip to the hospital. 

At this point, I don't think that will happen. I'm still running a low-grade fever and still feel all kinds of fatigued. My appetite is slowly returning. I've arranged to be off from work until Thursday in hopes that I'll be more chipper then. Well, as chipper as I get, anyhow.

As a result of going to work only one day this past week and staying in bed for most of said week, my photos are a bit lacking. I did go out yesterday for a run to CVS in Scotch Plains to pick up my photos for the Plainfield Library Photo Competition as the deadline is looming ahead. My printer here at home always wants to print photos off center and, with ordering them online at CVS, it's a snap! 

While in Scotch Plains, I stopped by their Farmers Market. Oh my! I rarely make it to Farmers Markets as the one here in Plainfield is on weekdays I work and the others (Scotch Plains, Westfield, Bound Brook) are all on Saturdays, another regular workday for me. I have been to the Plainfield one before. It's nice, but quite small. Going to the one in Scotch Plains gave me a different perspective. There were several farms involved and the market took up the entire municipal parking lot.

I didn't buy a lot as I didn't feel like carrying a lot on the bus on the way home. They had green peppers three for a dollar -- sure, they were small, but I don't plan on making stuffed peppers with them. I took peppers right off my latest Peapod list when I got home. I also picked up some very nice cucumbers at two for a dollar. And, best of all, I bought some apple cider doughnuts. I have a craving for them every fall and rarely see them in stores around here. I really should have bought some small gourds for the window.

And, thankfully ... it is autumn. After some storms passed through late last night, we have beautiful autumn weather on the schedule this week. Hopefully I'll feel better enough during my scheduled time off to spend some time outside.

Onto the photos -- clicking on an image will open it in a new window, clicking again will make it larger. To get back here, just close the new window.   

Its days are numbered

The blossom on this weed is still holding up, but its leaves are in a sad state.

The itsy-bitsy spider in its itsy-bitsy web

I have some sad news. The one day I went to work, I noticed that Venus the Spider was gone. Her web is in tatters and she's nowhere about. However, I saw that these tiny spiders -- this web is only about two inches wide -- have taken up residence in the poison ivy by the Bridgewater Train Station. This particular web was shining in the sunlight and caught my attention.

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**

The itsy-bitsy spider himself

Technically, it's not THE itsy-bitsy spider in the web in the previous photo. It's another one. You can see his web in the background. These are really teeny little spiders.

Limo in da 'hood!

When I went to walk to the bus stop yesterday, there were three of these parked across the street. I find it more surprising that they found parking spots than I did about the fact there were three limos sitting across the street.

Jersey Fresh!

Yep, Jersey Fresh! Despite what many folks think of New Jersey, we have lots of farmland. The fruits and vegetables grown here are popular not only in NJ, but in NYC and, to a lesser extent, nationwide.

It's beginning to look a lot like autumn

Pickles in barrels

I'm personally not a pickle fan. But pickles in barrels are cool. What's cooler are frogs or eels in barrels in Chinatown, but they didn't have those in Scotch Plains.

Baked goods, too!

The Vincent

Of course, Vincent thinks I'm home to spend time with him. In this photo (he refused to look up), that grey patch atop his head looks almost a light blue. That's what caught my attention the day I saw him in the animal shelter. Well, that and his adorable loving ways, that is!