Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - February 10, 2013

Good morning! It's Sunday. You know what that means. It's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way.

Survivor begins this coming Wednesday. Of course, we'll be partying here along with the show as it airs in East Coast time. A week from today, it's the start of a new season of The Amazing Race. I will have posts up before the shows make their debuts. I promise! I just feel like I've been running on empty a lot lately.

Another winter week behind us, we had our first more than an inch or two storm. Although nowhere near as bad as hyped, nor as bad as any of the big storms a few years ago, it provided some beauty to the season. Some areas got record snow totals, us not so much. 

I ended up taking a vacation day due to it mainly because the streets and sidewalks weren't cleared as quickly as they would have been on a weekday storm. No way was I going to struggle through the snow on the sidewalks all the way to the train station! As usual, cars weren't towed from my street even though there are signs that it's a snow emergency route. So, the snowplow just plowed about a lane and a half worth of a swath.

Onto this week's photos! If you click on an image, it will open up in a new Photobucket window, clicking again will make it larger. To return to the blog, just close out the Photobucket window.

Looking out the window

This is Saturday afternoon, looking out my window at the fallen snow. I didn't go to work and remained inside all day. So, this was as close as I got to it.

On the windowsill

According to my ruler, that's nine inches of snow on my windowsill.

Gimme Shelter

Although you can't tell, it is snowing in this Friday morning photo. I edited it to leave only the shelter in color. Plainfield Train Station

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

Enjoy  it while you can, geese

In Bridgewater at the Toxic Superfund Site Field o' Geese.

Going to Philly is silly

Actually, going to either Philly or Trenton is silly for me. It's easier to get to Newark or LaGuardia. Signs at the Bound Brook Train Station.

Thursday morning

Man, that first step off the train is a doozy, isn't it? Okay, I'm kidding. At low platforms like Bridgewater, that door doesn't open. It only opens on high platforms like Plainfield. The doors that do open have stairs which end at the bottom of the train carriage. It is still a steep step! They have metal drop plates covering those stairs at high platforms. Also at high platforms, the windows of the lower level of the train look directly out on the platform.

Hiding

The sunflower doll in the bush on Berckman Street seems to be trying to hide from the impending storm.

Snow on the fungus

The latest snow (not this dusting) might be the one to do in the fungus growing all over the place near the toxic superfund site in Bridgewater. It will be interesting to see if it rebounds in the spring.

Monday morning

Yes, we had overnight snow into Monday morning. It didn't really stick around once the sun came out.

Attempted murder at the Plainfield PD

I realize this isn't a good photo, but it all happened so fast that it's all I got that's halfway clear. And, the story must be told. There I was, innocently walking on the corner of Watchung Avenue and East 4th Street across from the Plainfield Police Station. I noticed a boisterous flock of small birds at the bushes in front of the police station.

Then it happened. I heard a noise and saw something big coming at me fast from the left and a bit behind. I actually said, "Eeee!" loud enough for others to notice. It was HUGE. It went so close to me that its wing actually brushed my head.

It was a hawk. Like a lion on the Serengeti seeking out the weakest member of a herd of zebras, the hawk zoomed at the flock of birds in the bushes at the police station. Either the traffic he had to go through on Watchung Avenue stymied him or the birds were too fast. He ended up leaving without a kill. Nonetheless, it was attempted murder right at the police station!

Disorganized gaggle

C'mon, geese. Get your act together!

Territorial mockingbird

I've noticed that if any other birds sit in this tree, the mockingbird comes to chase them away. Bridgewater.

Obscured sun

The clouds and obscured sun seemed to be indicative of some sort of stormy weather ahead. Thursday afternoon at the Plainfield Train Station.

Same sun a bit later in the 'hood

Friday morning snow

The snow was coming down pretty heavy and sticking on Friday morning when I left for the train station to go to work. When I got to work, nothing was going on there with snow. Eventually it started snowing, then freezing rain and sleet, then snowing again as I left work.

Stay Alert. Stay Alive.

Nemo is here?

I brought my big cane umbrella on Friday as I expected it to be raining on my way home. It wasn't supposed to change to snow until evening. I wrote this in the snow that should have been rain at the Bridgewater Train Station.

Bridgewater train arrives

Arriving in Plainfield Friday afternoon

By the time I got home to Plainfield, there was about an inch and a half of snow and ice on the ground with snow coming down pretty steady.

Into white

Let it snow, let it snow

Stop!

That slight incline behind the stop sign is where I fell on ice a few weeks ago. That entire sidewalk is ALWAYS neglected by the City of Plainfield. It's a city sidewalk, NOT NJ Transit property! I generally cross the street from that little street on the left parallel to the train tracks. I suppose I'll plan a different route for Monday morning. North Avenue and Watchung Avenue, Plainfield. I edited the shot to leave only the stop sign in color.

Watchung Avenue traffic jam

The sidewalks and streets were slick with a good covering of snow and ice when I got home on Friday. Again, this was edited to leave the umbrella and brake lights in color.

"I don't do snow, sorry."

As always, Vincent is protected from the elements and leading a pampered life.