Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 27, 2013

Good Sunday morning to everyone near and far! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Later tonight I'll be hosting the blog party for The Amazing Race episode. But now we're talking off topic.

By Wednesday of this week our temperatures dipped here to a bit below average and that's where they remain. I don't mind. Sure, it's a bit chilly, but I like the nip in the air. And, at least we don't have a monster storm looming on the horizon as we did last year at this time. It even looks like the kids will have Halloween for the first time in two years around here. Last year we had Sandy with wires and trees down all over and no power. The year before we had a snowstorm with wires and trees down and no power. Sandy was a lot more horrific, but the snowstorm knocked us out for three days nonetheless.

I keep disrupting the writing of this entry to go down to the front entrance of my building looking for my Sunday newspaper. Sheesh. It was finally there at 7:15. It used to be out there by 6am. The longer it sits out there, the more of a chance it will disappear.

Often it seems that I'm the only one up early in the morning on Sundays. Not so much today. Every time I went to the elevator, it was on a different floor. Then, once I had my paper in hand, I had to go down to the basement before I could head up to my floor. A man from the floor above me was already in the elevator heading down there with his laundry. I also saw someone going up the back stairs (we have glass doors leading to them). Hmm. I hope they're not all vampires or zombies at this early hour!

Let's see. What else? Well, work is a bit hectic once again. Or still. I have a new boss who doesn't really seem to be used to a very busy atmosphere. She's learning. As for me, I can only do what I can do. I can suggest things to her, but that's about it. I'm still training new management -- she's not new, just new to us. Oh well, it keeps the roof over my head and Vincent gets his catnip, cat treats and cat toys!

Back on the home front, it looks like all the windows except for Crazy Joe's across the hall have been done. That's odd as he's been fussing about wanting new windows for nearly ten years now. Since Mario the super seems to be knocking on doors to set up times for them to be done instead of calling, maybe they just haven't caught Joe at home.

Heck, Mario was lucky he caught me. Had he tried in the evening, I usually don't answer door knocks unless I'm expecting someone. They're usually people wanting us to switch our electrical supplier, FIOS, Spanish speaking Jehovah's Witnesses or Farrakhan's Nation of Islam folks. The latter two have absolutely no interest in me. We have an intercom system. If I don't let someone in the building, I pretty much don't want to see them.

Onto this week's photos ...

Defying the season

The roses at one home on East Front Street in Plainfield want to believe it's still spring.

I see the light!

My early morning train arrives in the dark of night. Well, pre-dawn. Plainfield Train Station, NJ Transit.

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Let there be mums

Berckman Street, Plainfield.

Soon to be gone

I'll miss the bits of color here and there when all is barren and cold soon.

Still blossoming

Perhaps not AS prevalent as a few months ago, these can still be found in bloom at the Bridgewater Train Station.

Hanging in there

Bridgewater Train Station weed.

Colorful berries

In the spring, this tree by the Bridgewater Train Station boasts amazing red and white blossoms. I have no clue what kind of tree it is, but it makes my "way cool tree" list.

Night friends

Technically, it's not really night. But the darkest hour is indeed before the dawn. I take a train just past 6:30am most mornings and the sun isn't coming up until nearly 7:20 this week. This is the Third Street side of the Plainfield Friends (Quakers) Meeting House at that hour.

GRRR!

Feet OFF the seats, jerkface! Raritan Valley Line, NJ Transit train.

All I could think ...

... was Facebook fly. After all, most of us refer to Facbook as FB! It's actually a fly on a brick at the Bridgewater Train Station. Since Irene's super flooding and Sandy, there are odd bricks from who knows where scattered around the area there. I suppose not old enough for an archeological dig, but it still makes me wonder what previous civilizations er ... factories might have been on those grounds.

The sunset from the rails

That's actually a disabled train you see sitting there. I worked almost two hours late that day and just wanted to get home. The train I took STOPPED two stops away from home. They made an announcement that they were waiting for a westbound train (we were eastbound) to go through, then we were switching tracks and picking up passengers stranded by a disabled train. Grr.

When we hit Plainfield, there was the disabled train. Huh. Had I caught that one, I could have gotten home! At least I saw train friends I don't normally see as I took the later train. We joked about being on the wrong side of the tracks and all headed for home. After all, for me, home is where the cat is!

Let's hear it for the trees!

I found this dappled burst of colors by the Plainfield Train Station. Oh, not in the morning. It's too dark to see much there!

Golds with a bit of red

East Front Street, Plainfield.

Fall color and B&W

This little poufy tree is boasting its fall colors. I edited the shot to leave only the leaves in color. Corner of Watchung Avenue and East Fourth Street, Plainfield.

Fall foliage in Bridgewater

This row of trees near my workplace are always fun in the fall.

The clouds make it even better

Getting a bit sparse

Although the reds on the big tree by the Friends Meeting House on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield are still glorious, most seem to be lining the lawn there now.

Poison ivy on the wall

The poison ivy leaves which remain after the winds the last few weeks are sporting pretty autumn colors. Some vines extend around the stone walls leading to the Bridgewater Train Station.

More poison ivy on the wall

Kind of like another brick in the wall, but not.

Fall color by the 525

Oh my. The poor 525 Parking sign has been through the wringer. Last year Sandy blew it away somewhere. It came back, a bit damaged but still workable. Now it seems the winds have knocked it awry once again. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Vincent practicing his napping technique

You know he works hard to make napping an art!