Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - May 22, 2016

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, 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.

Speaking of television (even though I'm not speaking of television on this post), on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, CBS will air reality TV guests on special The Price Is Right shows -- 8pm ET/PT. The shows involved, respectively, are: Survivor, Big Brother and The Amazing Race. I won't be able to watch on Monday night or Tuesday nights, but will set up posts for those who wish to discuss the shows as they air East Coast time. I will post and live blog the show on Wednesday night. But, mind you, I'm not a big The Price is Right fan and I'm not quite sure how good my live blogging of the show will be. I'll probably make more mocking (or otherwise) comments about the show's guests!

Random notes on the week:

• The landlord will get another call about the guy upstairs with the booming bass stereo. He blasted it for over an hour Friday evening, vibrating my whole apartment. Then he and he guests left. I went to bed only to be rudely awakened at 1:38am by the thumping of the bass on his stereo. It wasn't AS loud as earlier in the evening. But it did wake me up and I had trouble getting back to sleep. I ended up going to work yesterday on all of about three hours of sleep. I work Saturdays despite his belief that Friday nights can be wild. The stereo was still on when I left for work.
• Thankfully, he and his buddies seem to have gone elsewhere (probably to annoy other people) for last night and I actually got some sleep.
• I'm looking forward to two weeks of four day work weeks ahead. Woot! Woot! I actually have a three day holiday weekend next week. Hopefully I won't be tempted to sleep it all away.
• People who walk and text do things like fall over benches and walk into poles. Ha. 

I don't have much more for you except for the photos ... clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.

Vincent tries to make a friend

Oh my. A young dove made the mistake of sitting on one of my windowsills cooing. Coo coo. Vincent tried to befriend the lonely dove. Wisely, the dove flew away. (Of course, the window is closed and there's a screen. Vincent couldn't have gotten the dove if he lunged.) Sorry about the quality of the shot, but I only had a moment to take it!

Pretty planter

One of the townhomes on East Front Street in Plainfield always has beautiful planters of flowers in their yard.

Live CRAWLfish?!?!

I don't want them crawling around my kitchen! Eek! (I assume they mean CRAWfish.) A sign in the window of Pete's Fish Market on East Second Street in Plainfield.

When a tree falls in Plainfield ...

... it closes down a major thoroughfare for nearly 24 hours! On Monday morning, a tree fell from the north side of East Front Street. It fell across the street severely damaging two parked cars and snapping the utility pole (leaning on the left of the photo) on the south side of the street.  The tree saga continues after the jump.

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

Both sidewalks closed

I had to walk all the way back to Berckman and around ... just a bit out of my way to the Plainfield Train Station. Yeah, a BIT.

24 hours later

The new power pole and pieces of the fallen tree block the sidewalk on the north side of the street.

The culprit

What do you want, sparrow?

You're welcome, sparrow

You'd think he'd thank me for that piece of croissant almost as big as his head! Some sparrows have no manners.

White azaleas

I think the flukey weather is affecting the azaleas this year. Most of them have passed where dozens of them are planted outside the TD Bank Ball Park in Bridgewater. Yet, some there are just starting to bloom.

Sparkee

The mascot balloon stands to announce a game yesterday under threatening skies. Many of the home games this week (Somerset Patriots baseball) have been scheduled for evenings when we ended up with rain.

A rose

Did you know that, by any other name it would still smell just as sweet? East Front Street, Plainfield.

Kousa dogwood

The blooms are actually called bracts and the blossom itself is in the center. The bracts are modified leaves on the plant. Come late summer or autumn this tree will contain a very cool-looking fruit (which I've never sampled, but keep telling myself I should). Plainfield Train Station.

LET THERE BE PANSIES

Pretty in purple

Yellow rose

Also in the yard with the pretty planters and the shot of the red rose I took this week.

Vincent waits not too patiently ...

... for his dinner. He's so obviously underfed and neglected, y'see. No, Vincent, you cannot have a dove entree. Eat your chicken and gravy and be happy about it.