Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 19, 2015

Good morning! Since it is indeed Sunday, you know what that means. It's time for my weekly reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. Remember to come back on Wednesday and Friday evenings for Survivor and The Amazing Race blog parties!

Let's see ... what has been happening with me this past week? My Killer Cold has lessened a great deal. What I have now is either leftover remnants of the cold and/or allergies kicking in. All day yesterday I was sick to my stomach, but that seems to be gone today. I have no clue what's up with that. I feel better today in that aspect. Perhaps it was something I ate.

Spring has finally taken hold here. I wouldn't mind if it lasted until autumn. I'm not a summer heat kind of person. While I love a cool storm, I'm not into extremes of temperature -- either heat or cold. I can actually take cold weather better than hot and humid.

Random bits:

• I bought Vincent some fresh catnip yesterday and he loves it. Yes, I'm an enabler.
• Seriously, if you get off the train, do NOT stand on the stairs blocking others while you mess with your smart phone.
• Sometimes you have to grin and bear it. But that doesn't mean you're happy inside.
• If you forget to give your Peapod grocery delivery dude your coupons (they double up to 99 cents), you can mail them in for credit.
• Yes, I forgot to give him about $12 worth of coupons.
• Peapod drivers who get this route with Plainfield like it more than the Manhattan routes. Too many walk-ups there, too much traffic and no parking.
• I need to clean my windows.
• But most of the "dirt" is on the outside. I have to remember how they put them in so I can take out the panes to clean the outside. I don't have a squeegee on a pole to reach up from outside.
• Hmm ... maybe I'll just do the insides.
• NJ Transit cops or the Plainfield police really have to get someone stationed at the Plainfield Train Station from late afternoons into late late nights. The bums, druggies and street people loitering is ridiculous. They ought to limit it to ticketed passengers. That would clear up the problems there.

Onto the photos for the week. Clicking on an image will bring up larger versions of the photos.

Sunset at the Bridgewater Train Station

Complete with the edge of woods, birds on a wire, stadium lights and the back side edge of the scoreboard doohickey for the TD Ball Park.

Love me some forsythia!

Basic yellow daffodil

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The white and yellow daffodil

And both daffodils live peacefully together on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

Pigeon in flight

When I first saw this photo, I thought a stick was through the pigeon. Nope. On closer inspection it's just the wingtips.

Forsythia in bloom

Forsythia in bloom edited

I used the sketch function on the PhotoCat.com website photo editor to create this image from the original (above).

Early in the week ...

... buds appeared on the magnolia tree across the street from me.

The 59 bus

Instead of waiting at the Plainfield Train Station to catch my train to work, I could jump on this bus and head home! It's a thought. This is the type of bus that goes from city to city within New Jersey. The farthest I've gone on it eastbound is to Elizabeth for jury duty. I keep telling myself that one day I'll take it into Newark to photostomp some of the downtown architecture.

The 113S bus

Instead of waiting at the Plainfield Train Station to catch the train to work, I could jump on this bus to Manhattan! Now, there's a thought! This style bus is more like a Greyhound type (sans bathroom) and goes into the city. When I take a bus to the city, it's usually the 113N or the 113X -- they stop right by my apartment. I would have to walk downtown to catch this one. The closest it comes to my apartment is about five blocks away. As it's considered part of the Greater New York City Metropolitan Area, Plainfield has good bus and train access to Manhattan. And, these days, a bus or train ticket is cheaper than the tolls for bridges or tunnels. That's not even to mention gas and parking fees in the city.

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

Perhaps a glorious past, but now this magnificent building has just been sitting vacant and deteriorating for years on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield.

The DandyLion

I spotted my first dandelions of the season yesterday in Bridgewater.

Doobie Palace

Now, back in the early 70s, a place called Candy Kris's Doobie Palace would NOT be a hair salon! But these days actual head shops exist such as LaHookah on East Front Street in Plainfield. Of course, nothing they sell is for use with illegal drugs . I took this shot on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield.

Bursts of color

Flowers growing along the front of an apartment building on East Front Street bring welcome color after months of grey, brown, white and drab.

The magnolia tree is starting to blossom

And here it is again!

This particular magnolia tree is across the street from my apartment. Alas, they chopped down one flowering tree on my block because it either interfered with power lines or was held responsible for the upheaval of the adjacent ancient sidewalk. I'll miss the beauty of that tree. It wasn't a magnolia tree; it was like ones at the train station which have yet to bloom. (Sniffle) 

Ruffled feathers

At least it's a fairly warm wind blowing.

Last night's sunset

As seen from the Bridgewater Train Station.

Taking in the sun's rays

It's been a long time coming. Yesterday was the first day since September that we had a temperature of 80. I'd personally prefer temps in the 70s year 'round.

Teensy flowers in the grass

Over the last few days these have sprung up in Bridgewater.

Tulip to be

I took this shot on Friday. Last night one of the tulips was actually in bloom. Unfortunately dark and a rather sketchy guy were near and I didn't want to take out my camera to use the flash. My new camera looks more expensive than it actually is and I didn't really want to draw attention to it. I'll catch the blooms during the week. The guy turned out okay -- we exchanged greetings and talked about what a nice night it was.

More tulip buds

Yay, spring!

The daffodils are all in bloom. Yay!

Vincent on the sofa arm

While I have a particular favorite spot on the sofa, Vincent experiments. One day he knocked down one of the huge back pillows and was curled up atop it. Silly kitty!