Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 18, 2017

Happy Father's Day!

An undated photo of my father and I in sailor hats at my grandparent''s house. I recognize the furniture and wallpaper of that home! I'm thinking I was about two years old or so in this photo. My father was a great guy; a hard-working man who passed much too young. He's been gone around forty years now. I often wonder what he would think of the world today. I wish I had gotten to know him better on an adult child level, but that opportunity never really came.

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. Things here on the blog will be changing up this week.

Tomorrow is the cast reveal for Big Brother 19. Unfortunately, I won't be home from work until after 10pm and have to be up early for work on Tuesday. But I'll post what I can and should be all caught up by Wednesday, my day off. 

Life goes on here. Well, to think of it, that's a good thing. The alternative isn't really acceptable. Let's see ... what's been going on here?

Um. Um. They've been repainting the fire escapes at my apartment building. Ten years ago they did that. The last state five-year inspection passed them. Now they failed once again. I'm not quite sure how painting them increases a safety level, but there ya go. I also noticed the super doing lots of work in the apartment next door which was a showplace just over a year ago and the current tenant fought to keep the state inspector out. I wonder what happened.

I haven't heard anything about my apartment. I would guess I'll get word that they will need to replace my bathroom ceiling tiles, damaged from the last flooding from upstairs but not a current leak. I don't think there's anything else. I certainly hope they don't feel the need to paint. I hate my life disrupted.

The landlord/company raised my rent with the lease renewal. Yeah, I have an increase of $3 a month! Outrageous, I say. Heh. An ex-landlord here raised it $50 a month more every year he had the building. Now that I have the letter with the increase, I'm going to call the landlord office to complain about kids once again -- 1A and 3G. I see the security glass near 1A is now broken. (I think it was intact during the inspection.) NO, it's NOT okay to let your children run loose in the hallways. Be a parent, for gosh sakes! 

I'm also going to report Joe's apartment across the hall. I really think he might have passed (at a hospital, not in the apartment) and relative/friend squatters are in there. They put trash bags in the hallway for hours or even overnight before taking it to the dumpsters. There are people coming and going at all hours. Joe wouldn't accept that. He's definitely not there. They also threw out most of his stuff. I didn't want to complain until I got my rent increase/renewal notice because I don't want them to think I'm a chronic complainer. But things are going downhill after doing so well under this new owner. Sigh.

Oh! Something good! I bought an 8-speed tower fan with a remote control this past week. I LOVE IT! It works so well that I'm sure to save on some air conditioning bills this summer.

Onto the photos for this week ... clicking on an image will open a larger version in a gallery setting.

One open, three closed

The flower of an hour was closing as I caught this shot. They seem to actually be open for a bit more than an hour. In this shot, it's clear they are related to hibiscus.

New awnings

They installed awnings on Maria's and the adjacent restaurant on North Avenue. Nice, but now you can't really see the names on the businesses -- which is why I'm calling the one restaurant "adjacent." I forgot its name.

Where is he?

A solitary starling on a wire. She seems to be looking for someone.

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

There you are!

An exciting evening on the wire

No longer lost!

As I was downtown yesterday morning to catch my train, I saw a man putting up these notices. How sad -- eight years old, well taken care of, without a doubt a beloved part of the family. Huskies are always striking in looks, too. I decided if I saw the dog, I wouldn't take a reward. When I got home, I noticed the posters were gone. I went on one of Plainfield's Facebook pages and saw that Diesel was indeed found ... and got a ticket, as well. I'm sure the owners will gladly pay the ticket (apparently for loose dog, not a driving or parking issue) to have him back home.

It must be time to open!

Marigolds are always so cool

Lilies are starting to blossom

Splotches, the pigeon

Yes, I named him Splotches. Bridgewater Train Station.

Caught on camera!

As I waited for my train home from Bridgewater Friday evening, I saw these two guys trying to scale the fences in back of the scoreboard at the TD Bank Ball Park. A Somerset Patriots baseball game was due to start soon at that time. The pair was unsuccessful in their attempt at that spot and then walked out of my view. 

Turkey Vulture in flight

More flowers

Hot town, summer in the city

Back of my neck getting dirt and gritty, doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city. My apologies to The Lovin' Spoonful. Early this past week, we had our second official heat wave of 2017 and it isn't even summer yet! A woman tried to find some relief in the shade of a tree at the Plainfield Train Station.

Heavenly!

These are growing in a hedge on East Second Street. I don't know what they are, but they smell amazing!

Shade(s) thrown on the rocks

Near the Bridgewater Train Station. Not mine.

Dune buggy?

The wind blew the tarp off this car parked at a home on Berckman Street. It's not quite like the ones I remember from my youth, but it definitely looks similar.

Not my train!

On a drizzly morning, a friend offered me a ride to work. We got delayed by a freight train.

He's such a nut!

No catnip needed! Vincent does this kind of thing when he thinks I am not paying the proper attention to him or I'm getting ready to go to work. He thinks he's so adorable that I can't resist him!