Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 5, 2015

Good morning! And, I wish everyone who celebrates the holiday a Happy Easter! This is my weekly off television topic post in which I reflect on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Later this week you can find both Survivor and The Amazing Race blog parties right here!

Hmm ... what happened this week? Well, I'd say we got out of winter, yet even this morning the temperature remained below the freezing mark. One day we got up near 70 degrees but it was a grey rainy day. Looking at the week ahead, it seems like the temperatures won't be bad but we're due quite a bit of rain. Oh, well. It's better than snow.

In the ongoing noisy neighbors saga, it sounds like they've put carpet down on the hardwood floors. I hear muffled thumping and my own floor in the dining room does still move some with the thumps. It still can't be good for the neighbor underneath them. I can hear the occasional scream from the child, yet nowhere near like it was. Yet, I was in the hall corridor and could hear the child screaming away loud and clear . I went in my apartment and could no longer hear him. Huh. Not sure how they did that, but I'll take it.

I really don't have much more to report. This past week was neither great nor terrible ... just another week in the life. Onto this week's photos -- you can see larger versions by clicking on the images.

Happy Ester

No, I didn't do this to the bench. If I had, I would have spelled it right. The bench at the corner of Watchung and North Avenues in Plainfield was covered with egg, chicken and other ink stamps accompanied by the holiday greeting.

A cloudy morning ...

... at the Plainfield Train Station.

The "charcoal drawing" version

If you like messing with photos you've taken, this PhotoCat website is fun. It's very simplistic, online interaction (you don't need to download a program), free and has a lot of cool options.

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

Ahem.

SOMEONE needs to buy this or whatever! My neighborhood has never been known for boarded-up homes. This five, maybe six, apartment home has been in great condition on the outside and occupied since I've lived here. I'm guessing it's a foreclosure. But someone needs to pick it up -- I'd imagine decent shape inside, the roof and exterior is beautiful condition, quiet and safe neighborhood.

Ohh! A Turkey Vulture!

I saw him landing atop the TD Bank Ball Park (Bridgewater) field lights as I got off the train one morning this week. From a distance, it looked like a large hawk. Nope. Nor is it a Black Vulture as it didn't have (dirty) white legs.

Uh-oh. He sees me.

Doing that would break my neck. But birds can do it with ease!

Move it, clouds!

Clouds really wanted to keep me from taking a good shot of the full moon on Thursday night.

This week's full moon

Finally the clouds parted and I took this shot Thursday night. I did not get up early on Saturday to try to catch the "Blood Moon" eclipse. That was only to last a few minutes and was very early, plus it was a bit cloudy here.

Dude at work on the roof

I dunno. I think it will take more that a power screwdriver to cure that roof's ills. North Avenue in Plainfield.

The dude in "sketch" mode

I edited this shot with PhotoCat. Fun, fun, fun.

North Avenue at night

While the streets themselves seem deserted, there are plenty of rowdies at the train station in back of me.

Synchronized birds

#packattack

When I first noticed this 3-D billboard for Vincent's favorite cat treats, I thought it was damaged by weather or something. Ah, I get it now. Supposedly a cat broke into the packages! D'oh! They really should have worked a giant cat in there somehow. As seen on the corner of East Second Street and Watchung Avenue in Plainfield.

More Chinese food delivery

Now, I do enjoy a good delivery of Chinese food every now and then. But the trucks coming out of Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens which deliver the food to the local restaurants look like this more often than not. I can only hope the inside of the trucks are somewhat sanitary. In an alley off Watchung Avenue, this truck was delivering to a local Chinese restaurant.

Daffodil buds!

Even though I haven't seen ANY crocuses (yet) this year, I've spotted some daffodils-to-be growing on Berckman Street in Plainfield. Last year's extended winter weather made many trees and bushes "skip" their blossoming phase or have a severely shortened or lesser one. The magnolias come to mind. They just barely blossomed and then passed last year. I fear this year might be the same.

Smile for the camera, Vincent!

Despite his lack of cooperation with the camera, Vincent says hello to everyone!