Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 26, 2016

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, that only means one thing -- 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. If you're here strictly for Big Brother, feel free to skip over this post. You can find all of my latest on BB18 at this link right here. There will be at least one more live feeds report much later today (they're sleeping) and live-blogging/blog party tonight at 8pm ET. BB only lasts three months; this blog is year 'round and the off topic post is a Sunday morning staple.

Now, with Big Brother starting this week and working my real job, I'm already running on empty. Every year I wonder if I'll make it through the summer! But, I always do. It was a lot easier when I had knee surgeries keeping me out of work a few summers.

Thankfully, I only have a three and a half work day week looming ahead. I'm taking a day and a half vacation at the end of the week leading into a week off. Yay!

It's a good thing I have no plans to go anywhere today. There's a big bike race event tying up all the streets any bus I might want to take would go. While the bike race is good for the city of Plainfield promotion-wise, it's not all that great for those living in the area. I'm just outside of the taped off blocks. Of course, I could walk anywhere on foot. But I don't want to walk on foot! People in the taped off blocks can only escape by foot unless they've parked their cars elsewhere. While it's tempting to walk downtown and photograph the action, I feel more like staying in today.

I don't really have much more for you this week. Work has been work. Summer has been summerish. That's about it. Onto the photos! Clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger version.

Love me some flowers

Don't bite off more than you can chew

The full Strawberry Moon on Monday

"See, hear and shut up"

Why has this nasty MS-13 gang graffiti remained so long right off of East Front Street in the business district? Although it seems like black gangs may have been more involved in local violence recently, the history of the Latino gangs in town is deadly. We ought to start a Normal People Sick of Gangbangers Gang.

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

More graffiti on the same building

I spy a fly

This carrion or blow fly was kind enough to pose for me. Thankfully, it wasn't on a dead animal. I did not invite him to come home with me as a pet, though.

Cute little flowers

These sprang up where I've never seen anything but weeds before. Let's see if they stick around.

Skater bois

Not the smartest place to sit and hang out -- in the road under the bridges at the Bridgewater Train Station. That's a good way to get hit by a car as they're down in a dip there and cars speed to drop off late people for the train. But, hey ... as the kid's hat says, "I heart haters!" -- I guess it's all in attitude.

Ramadan Mubarak

That translates to "Happy Ramadan." This banner is over East Front Street in Plainfield. Ramadan last for about another week and a half. On my very late evenings, I see families going into the Islamic Enlightenment Center by the Plainfield Train Station to eat. For the month of Ramadan, the fasting goes from dawn to dusk every day. Ramadan follows a lunar calendar and isn't the same from year to year. One young man I know has never known anything but long summer type Ramadan months. Older folks remember the days with less daylight, thus shorter fasting hours.

Running bird

I guess we do need rain. The grass at the Plainfield Train Station where there's no shade is no longer green.

Why only tear down one?

They leveled the ground with dumped dirt where they tore down the East Second Street burnt house last week. For the life of me, I don't understand why the second house wasn't torn down -- the roof is practically gone! I still can't believe I slept through the five-alarm fire on the two houses almost in back of where I live.

A chase ensues

A sparrow wants that goody from the starling!

"No Furniture"

Hey, the donation bin doesn't say "No Defunct Gym Equipement!"

Flowers in a planter

Eek! A rabbit! - Eek! A human!

I see you, little bunny!

No, you don't

Is this a trick?

What? Give me a bit of bread, then shoot me? Sheesh!

And more flowers

Graffiti Chinese food delivery

Every Chinese Restaurant food delivery truck I see from Manhattan, Queens or Brooklyn sports graffiti. This one is from Brooklyn. Although we have graffiti in town, they don't do trucks.

Lazy day for Vincent

But, then again, Vincent can be lazy every day. I wish I could!