Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - May 19, 2013

Good Sunday morning, world! As it is Sunday, 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. I'm taking a bit of a television rest as finales have aired and summer shows have yet to start up. However, during this week I do plan on posting about Falling Skies and possibly a few other shows.

Our weather here where I live in New Jersey is still a bit off. We had cold temps early in the week with some overnight lows sending up freeze alerts. By the end of the week we had springlike day temperatures at least. Oh, but then yesterday was grey and we're expecting some rain almost every day for the next seven days. It better get it out of its system as I have a staycation coming up the following week!

I've had a relatively uneventful week. I bought two tickets to the big Powerball drawing. And, let me be the first to announce it right here on the blog ... I got the Powerball! Yes! Yes! Yes, I did. Um, well. I got the Powerball number and no others. I guess I'll have to cancel the order for the Lamborghini.

Let's see ... what else? Oh, I know. There's been a real creepy guy on the train for the last few weeks. He seems to be drunk, even on the first train out in the morning. He's on the train already when I get on it, then gets off where I get off.

The first day he talked to me, he complained about how unfriendly the woman conductor is. "It's Monday morning. You're supposed to be happy. She didn't even say hello or smile!" Well, she always says hi and is friendly to ME. Maybe she just figured you're a creep, I thought but did not say. Plus, in what world are people bouncy and friendly on Monday mornings? Are we supposed to be happy on Monday mornings as we head to work on the early train? I don't think so! (Especially to dudes who creep us out.)

As we left the train, he proceeded to tell me that he should be getting his license back in two weeks. Good. As I continued to basically nod my head and ignore him hoping he'd go away, all of a sudden he stopped in front of me, lifting his shirt. "I got shot here and here. I got stabbed here," as he pointed out scars on his beer belly. Eww! Eww! Ever since that day, I dawdle and let him get WAY ahead of me so I don't have to deal with him. He really creeps me out.

So, last night, there I was lurking by the annex for the Plainfield Police Department Narcotics and Gang Unit waiting for the bus after getting off the train. (The bus to take me a block from home is free with my monthly train pass.) Out of the door comes my buddy ex-narcotics detective who was promoted to sergeant a few months back. He was in his (still crisp) sergeant uniform. I hadn't seen him since the day he got promoted. So we exchanged a big hug and talked for a bit.

It turns out he's been assigned to the Union County Homicide Task Force. It's a very good career thing for him, plus he's learning a lot which, in the long run, will be good for the Plainfield Police Department. He was involved in investigating that bizarre Kai, the hatchet-wielding hitchhiker murder case of a lawyer in the area this past week. While he said he can't give details, I said the whole case seemed weird from what I've read. He emphatically agreed to weird.

After a goodbye hug, he left to go back across the street to the police station. And then, who comes along? Mr. Creepy from the train! Ack! Thankfully he saw the police uniform and the hug. He seemed drunk once again. Or still.

"Was that your husband?" he asked.
"Yes," I said without skipping a beat. Heck, I don't care that the cop in question is probably more than twenty years younger than me and married. For that moment, he's my husband. Yes, indeed. Mr. Creepy staggered away without another word.

Good.

Onto this week's photos ...  

Azalea up close and personal

Bridgewater, NJ.

Colorful iris

Growing on Berckman Street across the street from the photo below.

Allium and azaleas

The big ball allium is incredibly cool. This photo was taken on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

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

Growing at the Plainfield Train Station

Close-up

AZALEA MANIA

An overnight frost in Bridgewater early this week turned most of the earliest blooming white azaleas a pitiful tan. Sigh. However, the others are faring better and some buds are yet to bloom. The following azalea shots were taken mostly in Bridgewater with a few photos of azaleas growing on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

Berckman beauty

They always grow such beautiful flowers at this house on Berckman Street in Plainfield. Allium, azaleas, soon to come lilies and more.

Rosebud

I spotted this growing on East Front Street in Plainfield. No, it's not a sled.

A few days later

Iris bud

Simply stunning

Nature's beauty never ceases to astound me. These irises are growing on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

An iris of another color

This one is growing on East Front Street in Plainfield.

Clear-shell tortoise beetle

I should get better shots of these as it gets warmer (and hopefully less windy). It looks almost like a shiny metallic gold ladybug until you get a close look to notice that there's this cool transparent shell around the gold. Bridgewater Train Station (on poison ivy, of course).

Ivy, not poison

But I don't think I'd munch on the leaves anyway. This is growing along East Third Street in Plainfield.

I dunno, but nifty

This is either a small tree or a big narrow bush. I have no clue what it is. Bridgewater Train Station.

Pretty in Pink

This is in one of those huge ugly bright orange planters. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Rhododendron buds

These are growing on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

Rhododendron blooming!

Urushiol

Urushiol is the "poison" irritant in poison ivy. In its natural state, it's a yellowish liquid. However, if a leaf becomes damaged, it turns black once oxidized. It's actually been used as lacquer over the years. Bridgewater Train Station.

Oops

East Third Street, Plainfield, early Monday morning. I high-jumped it! Oh, well. Okay. I stepped over it.

Oops, too

Same morning, with the first found downed parking meter on the street at the top of the photo, there was this. A downed (and missing meter itself), tire skid marks, various lens pieces and car bits and vehicle scrape marks on the concrete wall by the Plainfield Train Station. North Avenue. How do people do these things?

Vroom!

Harley alert! You don't see too many of these parked out on the street in my 'hood. I think the drivers are scared they'd get tipped over by passing traffic more so than any theft issues.

At it again

What can I say? Vincent is an addict and I'm an enabler. At least he's not rolling in it ... yet.