Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - July 17, 2016

Good morning! Since it's Sunday morning, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. If you're here for Big Brother news, everything I have for you can be found at this link. I'll be posting another live feeds report tonight as well as live-blogging the aired show. But this ain't that. This post is a year-round regular "feature" while Big Brother is a summer obsession. Or, something like that.

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate heat and humidity? During my staycation, I practically barricaded myself inside with air conditioning to avoid the weather. I wish I could have done the same this past week (and, I'd like to do it next week, as well). We had another week of horridly hot and humid weather and next week looks pretty much the same. I'm dreading my electric bill because I've been running the air conditioning so much. Yesterday, I think I might have even had signs of the beginning of heat exhaustion when I arrived at my workplace. I was sweating profusely, dizzy and suddenly nauseous. It went away after a few hours, but ...!

Other than going back and forth to work, sweating a lot and blessing air conditioning for any time I can spend inside ... it's been a rather dull week. I think I got a few decent photos despite sweat dripping down into my eyes. And, on a positive note, living in this area, I won't have to invest in a sauna.

I wouldn't mind if my apartment had a pool, though. I have decided that, if I ever were to come into enough money to go wild, I'd buy a house with my own INDOOR personal pool that I could enjoy year 'round. For now, I guess I'll have to make due with my bathtub. I'm not into going to the public pools or down the shore where everybody is. I like solitude or just close friends, not crowds or a gazillion kids running amok.

Onto this week's photos ... clicking on an image will open it in a larger version.

Flower-of-an-Hour (Hibiscus trionum)

Thanks and a shout-out go to Bernice for telling me about these way cool flowers! This is the first year they're growing in a patch of rocky dirt near the Bridgewater Train Station. After the jump, I have a short series of their various incarnations at different times of the day.

Oooh! A pet for Vincent!

A sign outside of Pete's Fish Market on East Second Street in Plainfield.

Monday night's moon

Hibiscus Tree blossom

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 19, 2016

Good morning! Happy Fathers Day! My own father passed away decades ago and I still miss him. I wonder what he would think of the world today. He was a good father, hard-working and he passed much too young.

Since it's Sunday, this is my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. If you're interested in my latest posts on Big Brother 18, hit this link to see them all! A very important TV note -- the blog pool is open for BB18 -- if you want in, the cut-off is Tuesday at 3pm ET and you need to sign up on this linked post ONLY. Please don't sign up on this here post or any of the other BB18 posts as your request might be missed!

After I posted last week's off topic photo post, I learned of the horrible events in Orlando. It's still bringing tears to my eyes even though I didn't know any of the 49 victims. The presence of such evil in our world is incredibly sad. I have no answers. I know from early childhood, mass murderers exist. I recall the guy on the watchtower in Dallas in the 60s. But I fear some people are fueling the fire of such evil with homophobic, racist and even Islamophobic ways. Perhaps I'm naive, but can't we just stop all this hate and exist together in the world? Sigh.

This past Friday evening, the city of Plainfield (NJ) where I live held a candlelight vigil for Orlando's victims. I was in attendance. Many of the photos beyond the jump are of the ceremony. Plainfield is a city of diversity; this area of New Jersey is a true melting pot of all cultures, religions, colors and more. I'm proud to live here. It enriches my own life to know and be friends with so many diverse folks. I honestly think many folks who direct hate on generalizations don't personally know any individuals in the groupings they hate so much.

Onto this week's photos -- clicking on an image will bring it up in a larger version:

Nature's glory

Teeny bee

Or, perhaps it's a mimic fly. As seen on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

Mayor Mapp speaks

Mayor Adrian Mapp speaks to the Candlelight Vigil for Orlando crowd at Plainfield City Hall on Friday evening.

I see Dan; he doesn't see me

We need to change the world

Did you know that more hate crimes are committed against the LGBT community than any other group? For the life of me and based on my own life experiences, I cannot understand why. I just don't get the anger directed at people being gay. All I know is that I'm glad I was raised to accept people for who they are no matter religion, gender identity, color, culture ... and on and on. After all, I certainly expect people to accept me for who I am. I don't expect everyone to like me, but I don't expect anyone to hate me for no good reason! I don't like everybody in the world. But that's based on a personal traits level, not a wide-sweeping generalization. I don't direct violence at people I dislike. If folks aren't doing you any personal harm, don't do them harm. That should be easy. But, apparently in the world today, it's not. It's sad.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - May 15, 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. Please stop by on Wednesday evening at 8pm EDT for east coast live blogging and the blog party for the season finale of Survivor: Kaoh Rong!

After having an entire week of rain the previous week, this past week was more sunny and spring-like here in New Jersey. Oh, sure ... we had some stormy weather. But, thankfully, not an entire week of grey dismal cloudy skies and rain!

As for me, just another week in the life of work, home, eat, (not enough) sleep, pay attention to a cat and then rinse, repeat. I didn't do anything exciting, nor did I go anywhere except to work. I often feel like I'm doomed to complete exhaustion and will end up working until the day I die. With my luck, I'll probably die AT work. Gah. I so want to retire and move onto doing something I actually enjoy doing and have less stress in my life. I'm tired of being so tired.

Wah. Sniffle. Sniffle.

Now that my whining is done, here are some random takes on the week gone by:

• The Somerset Patriots at the TD Ball Park in Bridgewater were rained out one night, but played last night as the dark stormy skies were rushed away by strong winds. Their ballpark food always smells SO good as I walk by on my way to the train station! 
• Other than some rare random hammering as they hang pictures or something, I haven't heard a peep out of the new neighbor(s) downstairs. Hopefully they can say the same about me. Well, except for the hammering part, that is. While I actually own a hammer, I can't tell you the last time I used it!
• On the other hand, my upstairs neighbor had his stereo going full blast in short spurts Friday night. Hmm. I've come to the conclusion that he's a loud guy whenever he has guests over. Unfortunately, he has guests every weekend. I have to work on Saturdays. If I were new here, I'd just think sound travels. But I know better. In the time I've been here, there have been a handful of different tenants in that apartment. He's the ONLY one with a pounding bass stereo at an unreal volume. He's also the ONLY one whose conversations I can hear when they're not even arguing/fighting. You pretty much have to shout for me to make out the words in my apartment and he does. Sigh.
• We might have record cold temperatures tonight. Eek. I hope some of this chilliness carries on through the summer. I wouldn't be upset at all if we had no heat waves!
• Is Norma really dead on the Bates Motel? 

That's all I have for you! It's onto the photos I've taken this past week. If you click on an image, it will open in a larger gallery version.

Spotlight on the azaleas

I edited this shot with the Google NIK Color Efex Pro 4 photo editor to darken the edges and bring out the color on the row of blossoms a bit more. These are growing outside of the TD Bank Ball Park in Bridgewater.

Red pansy

I used the same effect on this shot, but made the edges even darker. There were not so healthy blossoms nearby this beauty. By using this vignette filter, they were taken out without cropping the photo and they no longer distracted from the beauty of the red pansy.

How do these things happen?

This is right down the street from my apartment. There is no cross street there. Plus, traffic shouldn't be moving all that fast if adhering to the speed limit. That's a cast iron fence. Sheesh. A drunk driver is the most likely cause.

Pretty pansies in a row

I did absolutely nothing other than resize this photo down for posting. It's all just plain ol' nature's beauty.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 23, 2015

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection of the past week in both words and photographs I've taken along the way; This post is a year 'round "feature" on the blog. If you're looking for Big Brother posts, they can all be found at this link right here. If you're not interested in this particular post, please feel free to skip on by it. I'll be posting a Big Brother blog party post coinciding with the East Coast airing of the show and, late this evening, another live feeds post. Stay tuned.

Oh my ... what a week weatherwise we had around here this past week! We had an extended heat wave with humidity that made the air thick as pea soup some days. Well, perhaps not THAT thick, but ...! It was the kind of weather in which some folks have trouble breathing and others fall to heat strokes. I didn't have either of those issues, but it was definitely the kind of weather that made me miserable anytime I was outside in it. Gah.

On Wednesday, thankfully a day off from work for me, we had this strange storm which hung over our relatively small section of New Jersey with downpours lasting a few hours. I'm talking constant downpours. Sure, there was lightning and thunder, too. But the rain amount within three hours was more than we usually get for a month. While my direct neighborhood was no more than an inch or so flooded in parts, just a few blocks down the street from me people were abandoning their cars in the high flood waters. Neighboring town Scotch Plains was even worse.

My neighborhood has only flooded once in the fifteen years I've lived here. That was a few years before Sandy with another hurricane, if memory serves. While we got flood predictions and evacuation notices over Sandy at my building, that was more wind damage than water here. I'm not on the ground level, so floods don't worry me so much. Wind, on the other hand, is an issue. There are big trees lining the parking lot and we have above ground electricity wires. Sandy knocked out my power for almost two weeks.

That was the big excitement for the week. Other than the weather, everything was same old, same old. I keep telling myself vacation (more of a staycation) is coming soon. Alas, not soon enough!

Here are the photos for the week -- clicking on an image will give you a larger version!

Got his leggings on!

This is one of the pigeons born this past spring at the Bridgewater Train Station. To be honest, I have no clue whether it's male or female. However, I do know this one has cool leggings!

Gruesome discovery

Who could have perpetuated such a heinous crime? These remains were discovered on the grounds of the Plainfield Train Station. Obviously, no house fell on her. Those aren't ruby slippers and we had a flood, not a tornado. The rest of the victim's body remains missing. If you have any information, notify the authorities, please. We cannot let a vicious killer like this continue to roam the streets of Plainfield! Citizens beware!

Plainfield ambulance rushes to flooded area

While my block and the next were relatively unscathed by the flooding on Wednesday, just east of where I live was underwater with many cars stranded. As Route 22 and many other streets on the east side of town (my side) were closed due to the flash flood, traffic was backed up as far as you could see heading westbound as this all went down during rush hour. I took this shot about a half-hour after the storms subsided and the sun came out.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 21, 2015

Good morning! It's Sunday, the first day of summer and Father's Day all wrapped in one! Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! I'd say Happy Summer, but it's not my favorite season of the year -- I'm more into less extreme weather. Give me spring or autumn weather all year 'round and I'd be thrilled. Since it's also Sunday, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way.

If you're looking for Big Brother television show content, check out this link right here for the latest. If you want to sign up to be in the blog pool for the show, you need to sign up only on this linked post. (Otherwise we might miss your request!) Later on today, I plan to post some hot gossip on some of the new house hamsters. Yikes. I said "hot gossip." I feel like a tabloid.

I really don't have much to report on from this past week. Here are some random bits and pieces:

• I managed to catch one of the illnesses going around my workplace this week -- yet another monster cold combined with allergies I've already been suffering. Wah. 
• The weather this past week has been hot, humid and rainy. I don't like that. Make it stop.
• The new guy next door, even when his adult children (maybe in their forties) came with a child about seven carrying a big ball ... hasn't moved my floorboards with thumping, nor can I hear much at all from over there. I still haven't met him. The couple was bearing groceries and I'd guess the child is a grandchild. Oh, and I should add, the boy was CARRYING the ball in the hallway, not bouncing it. 
• We're under a flood watch today. I'm staying in. But it can still stop, please.
• I'm shocked and saddened by the Charleston, SC, massacre this past week. Those folks took him in to pray with them. It speaks volumes about the goodness in their hearts and the hate in his. This world is so messed up. 

Anyway ... onto the photos. Clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.

Mug shot profile

Have you seen this bird? Heh. This is one of the adolescent pigeons born this spring at the Bridgewater Train Station. Similar to how one of the parent pigeons posed for me one day with curiosity about the camera, as did this one and its sibling this past week.

Peapod in da 'hood

I spotted the bright green Peapod grocery delivery truck down the street from me one day. Grocery delivery is really catching on. For the longest time I thought I was the only one around here getting Peapod. Nowadays, at least two other people in my building use the service in addition to this stop down the street and the times I've seen the truck pull in at apartments across the street.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 24, 2014

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic post which reflects on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. There is no television content in this post and it's something I do weekly year 'round. If you're looking for Big Brother content, my latest can be found right here at this link.

Another week down. Another week with nothing really exciting going on -- just working, blogging and giving a certain cat his required devotion. Here's some quickie random thoughts on the week:

• I really really need a vacation. I have two four-day work weeks ahead of me. But that's not good enough. I want vacation.
• Without endurance comps and a predictable season at hand, BB isn't as financially good for me this season as in the past. Few people are motivated to donate via Paypal although the ad income is just about the same as other years. Yet I'm still working as much at it. Sigh. If I didn't enjoy the community I built, I'd be tempted to give it up. It's almost like having a full-time job atop a full-time "real" job. I'm so tired!
• It seemed to rain a lot this week. We had another one of those bizarre three-hour long thunderstorms on Thursday night. I don't recall having that long of a thunderstorm ever, yet we've had more than a few of them this year.
• I, for one, am enjoying a rather mild temperature summer. Alas, they're predicting a bad winter for around here. I can take the cold -- I know how to dress properly. I just can't deal with ice and snow on the sidewalks and streets!
• I still have no clue who the new upstairs neighbor is. Nor do I have any idea male or female. It seems to be one person -- always a plus in my mind! No kids (which I don't know why they let people with children in one bedroom apartments when their own rules say no more than two people in a one bedroom). I hear footsteps and occasional music. I don't recognize the music. It's not Mexican Polka, nor classic rock or classical. It has a beat. I'm thinking either pop or rap played rather low. He/she hasn't flooded my bathroom. All is good.

Onto this week's photos -- clicking on an image will lead you to my photobucket page of the image. From there, you can make the image larger twice by clicking on the magnifying glass at the bottom right of the screen.

Plainfield Train Station lamps

At sunset last night. The day was cloudy and drizzly but cleared up enough for a very nice sunset.

The I See Dead People saga continues

People really shouldn't sleep near me on the train! This guy is so cool that his bike has blue tires. I noticed his legs are shaved. I would guess for aerodynamics. Of course. I'm sitting in the vestibule level handicapped/bike/etc. section as I had a bunch of stuff I bought at Target with me and I didn't want to lug it up and down the train stairs. Although the seats are padded there, the seats in the main section of the cars are more comfortable. Raritan Valley Line, NJ Transit.

Hanging in there

A busy bee at the Bridgewater Train Station.

My ride home

It's Saturday evening and I'm home. Well, not really home. I might seem to spend a lot of time at the Plainfield Train Station, but I certainly don't live there!

To see this week's flower slideshow and the rest of the photos, click the 'Read More' link below!

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 3, 2014

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly Sunday morning reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. If you're looking for Big Brother live feeds reports, you can find those posts at this link right here. The post you're currently reading is off television topic and a weekly post I make throughout the year on the blog. You can read it or not -- your choice!

Here in New Jersey, we had more than enough rain once again. Our reservoir levels have remained in the positive all summer long. It's a shame that we can't steer the rain off to areas in the West which are experiencing droughts! Overall, after a harsh winter, it's been a mild summer. Hey, I'm not complaining! I'm not a fan of the extreme heat. I'm not one to lay around on a beach sunburning and sweating. I don't like to sweat. Give me the 70s and I love it!

I was bitten by another mosquito this week, going into the full allergic reaction once again. Well, not to the point of anaphylaxis, but yet quite serious. I have no clue why all of a sudden I'm having these allergic reactions. I've been wearing Eau D'Off pretty much wherever I go, but forgot to put it on the morning I visited Mindowaskin Park in Westfield. I put it on after a while as I carry an Off "pen" in my pocketbook, but it was too late.

That's all for me for now. It's onto the photos! If you click on an image, it will open a new window and you can increase the size of the image twice by clicking on the magnifying glass on the lower right. If you click on the X to close that page, you end up right back here where you left off. I have two slideshows this week -- to make those full screen, just click on the diagonal arrow on the bottom right!

I hope everyone has a great Sunday and I'll be posting the latest BB16 live feeds soon!

NJ Transit, Raritan Valley Line

Because the double-decker trains are so tall, they look quite short when seen from a distance. Don't let the optical illusion fool you -- this train is seven or eight long cars long! Thankfully for drivers, it's nowhere near as long as some of those freight trains which take forever to pass by.

Ducks at rest

I made a trip to Mindowaskin Park in Westfield this week. The ducklings I photographed at the beginning of summer are growing up! After the jump, I have a slideshow of my day in the park. This is just a sneak peek!

East Front Street bunny

I don't have to go to the park to see cute bunnies ... they're all around my neighborhood. This is a young one resting in the grass.

Blue Dasher Dragonfly

This is another shot from the day in the park. Dragonflies were all over the place! I wonder why more Blue Dashers than other varieties seem to have wing damage of some sort. I've seen in in photos I've taken before. Their wings must be more fragile than other kinds of dragonflies, I guess.

After the rain

Again, more than enough rain here this week (and it's raining more as I write this). This is the reflection in a huge puddle after the rain stopped one morning.

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS AND SLIDESHOWS OF BOTH THIS WEEK'S FLOWERS AND THE DAY IN THE PARK**

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - July 20, 2014

Happy Sunday morning to y'all! This is 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 looking for the latest Big Brother live feeds or show posts, they're right here at this link.

Onto stuff ...!
Despite the dire warnings that if I refused the bug bombing of my apartment, I'd be overrun with critters ... ha. None. Well, I did have a tiny moth in here that apparently came in somehow through the screens. To be honest, I think most of the people in the building refused the fogging. I doubt that, with the exception of a very few apartments, the building has any sort of infestation of roaches or whatever. I really think the new exterminator is milking the cash cow landlord. I'm just glad I could refuse the treatment without issue.

Random stuff ...!

• If you're going to break up with your girl, don't do it loudly on your cell phone on the train.
• If you stand in front of a marked automatic out door wondering why it doesn't open for you, those people trying to exit know the door won't open for them because some fool is blocking it!
• Heard as I walked by a couple on the street -- "You know that fire wasn't an accident. This is between us." Oh my.
• My good quiet upstairs neighbor moved out. I happened to share the elevator with the super and a couple there to look at the apartment. I innocently mentioned how much I missed the guy upstairs because he was so quiet. The super then said I was very quiet myself. Then we both talked about the building being quiet. I hope the couple got the hint if they take the apartment.
• Cool. Mr. Ed is on one of the cable stations way early Sunday mornings. A horse is a horse of course, of course.
• I cringe every time I see a skateboarder on the street itself.
• But I really wish Plainfield would enforce the NO BICYCLES on the sidewalks ordinance. Law? Whatever. Now a bunch of them have bells. This is a case where I stand my ground. I make them slow down and go around me!

Onto the photos ... clicking on an image will open it in a larger Photobucket page and you can make it larger twice using the magnifying glass at the bottom of the image there. Just close out the Photobucket window and you're back here!

Cicada Killer Wasp heading at me!

Last year at the Bridgewater Train Station, I saw garden snails for the first time. Well, at the station, that is, not the first in my lifetime. Earlier this spring, garter snakes. Now Cicada Killer Wasps. This is a male guarding his territory (and looking for a mate). Although they can get as large as two inches long, the males can't sting at all. The most he can do is bump into me and beat me with his wings. The females can sting, but generally don't. They do, however, sting cicadas, then lug them back to their underground nest to feed their brood.

A mother's job is never done

Even though her babies born some weeks ago look bigger than her, they still follow her around jumping up and down and fluttering their wings for food. They remind me of spoiled toddlers. Plainfield Train Station.

Yellow jacket wasp

Now, these wasps I have a very healthy fear of! I also have a fear of ending a sentence in a preposition, but there ya go. I'm allergic and these can be very aggressive. That said, they're usually more aggressive as the summer wears on. Right now they're way too busy building their nests. This one is guarding what's evidently a huge nest inside the base for a light pole at the Bridgewater Train Station.

This week's flower slideshow and more photos after the jump!

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO CONTINUE!**

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - July 13, 2013

Good morning! Welcome to 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 looking for the latest Big Brother show or live feeds posts, you can find them right here at this link. This here is a weekly post I make year-round; you can peruse it or skip by it if you wish.

About the biggest thing this week here is about next week. My landlord's exterminator is going to be fogging most of the building next week. I'm sorry ... but (a) I haven't seen a cockroach in the past ten years or so, (b) they already treat the apartment once a month and were just here last week, (c) I really don't want to have to spend weeks bleaching or otherwise cleaning that poisonous residue off of all the surfaces in the place, (d) I don't want to take chances with my own health or Vincent's health with dangerous poison in here, (e) I don't have a bug problem, neither do my immediate neighbors with whom I've talked, (f) I can't board Vincent on such short notice, nor can I take him to work (g) if I have to pack up all of my worldly belongings in plastic bags, I might as well just MOVE as my lease renewal is September 1. Part of the reason I'm not moving is because I hate to pack everything up!

I got the notice Thursday evening and the fogging is planned for Tuesday. With my work schedule, there isn't even enough time in the day for all of this even if I don't sleep for three days! So, I called the office to tell them I wouldn't be able to have the apartment ready for Tuesday. They told me it's fine to refuse the service and they'd note it with the exterminator not to do my apartment, no problem. Yay! I plan on putting Vincent and his stuff in my bedroom with a towel under the door to keep any fumes out if they spray the hallway common area. I'll leave a "NO FOGGING" note on the door referring them to the office and I'll call the office to remind them.

I personally doubt it will happen (I don't think this wing of the building has any infestation issues), but if my apartment is buggy after they do the fogging elsewhere, I will deal with it. The bait traps they sell for cockroaches work better than the silly spray they spray my place with every month anyway. I honestly think the exterminating company, a new replacement of the old one, is looking at the building as a cash cow and trying to milk the landlord for more money. If the building had such an issue with roaches, I think I would have seen a few in the past decade. I guess I'll find out! But, if the bugs do come in here, I'll take care of it without dangerous poison residue all over everything. I worry about the sick and elderly people here, as well as the cat down on the first floor. I think this is all very unnecessary.

Anyhow ... onto the photos for the week --

Dapper Dude

Not what the average Plainfield man is wearing ... especially on a 90 degree humid summer day! Although not "cool," that suit is cool! Watchung Avenue, Plainfield

Chowing down

This squirrel on East Front Street in Plainfield kept digging for treasure and he found it!

Rabbits are the new squirrels

I wonder where the East Front Street bunnies go in the winter. They seem to be pretty street smart when it comes to moving traffic, unlike their squirrel friends.

****CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE FLOWER SLIDESHOW AND THE REST OF THIS WEEK'S PHOTOS!****

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 29, 2014

Hey, folks! This is my weekly off television topic photo post! If you're looking for the latest Big Brother 16 stuff, you can find it at this link. In this post, I reflect on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way.

I've had some trouble with my Firefox browser freezing or the blog freezing my Firefox this morning. So, I'm running late at everything! Gah.

I really don't have much to report on this week. BB started, so I'm way busy. I'm working my full-time job atop of it, so I'm way busy. With the exception of some early week rain, it hasn't been horridly hot here this past week. Yay!

I think it might be best to get this up while Blogger and Firefox are working together well ...

Here's lookin' at ya, kid!

I thought this bee might be sick or dying. Then he turned and looked at me. Eep. I'm allergic, dude! He then flew away. Phew! Bridgewater, NJ.

A flower jungle out there

The house at the corner of Richmond and East Front in Plainfield is a cacophony of color!

Flower slideshow ahead

The flower slideshow of the week is just after the jump if you're reading this from the main blog page!

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 20, 2013

Good morning! It's Sunday morning, yep. You know what that means. It's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Later tonight we'll have The Amazing Race blog party. I do hope to see you there!

I do have a few television related things I'd like to bring up before I get into the week. Odd, but both have to do with commercials --

First, I see the YouTube "Kid President" is now on the Meineke commercials. Very nice. Not only is his upbeat attitude infectious, but he has some serious health issues -- he has a brittle bone disease and has suffered over 70 broken bones so far in his life. It's good when good things happen to someone who's had their share of bad.

Second, as I was watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine (one of the only new sitcoms I haven taken to so far this year), I was wondering if there would be an Allstate "Mayhem" commercial as Dean Winters was the guest. Yup, there was!

Okay, enough television for the off television topic post!

My week started last Sunday morning -- yes, it always does, but this was different! Workmen showed up to rip out my old original (about 50 years old) windows and replace them. What an ordeal that was! They were supposed to have been here the day before, but switched to Sunday. That's good in a way as I was home on Sunday, not Saturday. The project lasted from about 9am until 1pm, partially because the contractors were doing another apartment at the same time. I wouldn't want them in here when I wasn't home and the super (whom I trust) can't be everywhere at once. Poor Vincent was trapped in the bathroom for all that time. There's a window in there, but it only leads out to the ventilation chute. That one wasn't replaced.

The landlord who bought this building about a year and a half ago has really made many improvements. New attractive glass entrance doors on the side and front. Railings for the steps at the door in the rear as well as a raised platform for the exit -- rain water used to puddle right in front of the door. New washers and dryers in the laundry room. Brighter lighting in the stairways and halls. IF the elevator goes wonky, it's fixed within a day.  They also installed a new emergency phone in there -- one I'm less likely to accidentally set off while toting packages or bags. Heck, they even fixed the light on the first floor button in the elevator. I can't recall that working in the past ten years. This landlord is the first (out of four since I've lived here) who has actually stopped ALL the leaks from the apartment above me! And, they only raised my rent $5 this year.

All that said, I do wish they'd watch how many people, including children, live in the apartments. I don't see how, when the building is only studio, one bedroom and two bedroom units, people can have five kids in an apartment ... often with two adults! There's a sticker from 1983 inside one of my kitchen cabinets saying my unit passed inspection and maximum occupancy is two tenants. Mine is a one bedroom. I guess that's all changed, huh?

In other news, I had good news this past week on the personal front. At least, good prospective news. I'll go more into things when (and if) they come to fruition. One has to do with blogging, the other with photography. Ah, two of my passions! 

The weather this past week wasn't as dreary as the last few. What rain we had confined itself to the overnight hours. As it should, of course! So, I got in some decent photos. This week it's supposed to be about ten degrees cooler on the average. That's okay with me. I have new less drafty windows!

Red leaves in the sun

Although the leaves are growing more sparse, the color is glorious at this tree outside the Friends Meeting House (Quakers) on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield.

Late season bee

This one's working the spotted knapwood at the Bridgewater Train Station.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 22, 2013

It's Sunday morning! Woohoo! Hey, wait ... what am I so excited about? That means it's the last day of my staycation. Wah. However, it's also time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way.

I had all kinds of grand plans regarding what I'd get done and do this past week. While I did get some things done, I ended up goofing off most of the time. After three months of getting little sleep between work and covering the Big Brother 15 live feeds and show here on the blog, I was exhausted.

While I did get some of my planned errands done and I made a trip to Mindowaskin Park in Westfield to take photos and enjoy the peaceful tranquility there, I never did make it into the city. I was going to go into Little Italy in Manhattan for the Feast of San Genaro -- which was going on all week -- but I never got the energy to do so. Instead, I spent a good part of the time this past week stuck under a cat.

I need to go back to relaxing ... here are the photos!

Idyllic

I believe this was my favorite photo I took at Mindowaskin Park in Westfield. The footbridges over the water lend themselves to fantastic reflections, throw in three ducks and you got yourself a bit of tranquility!

Red eared slider

More about this little guy a bit later in the post ...

Reflecting on a duck

A duck and her reflection at Mindowaskin Park.

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

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - September 15, 2013

Good Sunday morning, folks! It's time for my weekly off television topic post reflecting on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. While there isn't any television talk on this off topic post, I must stray to it for a minute ...

• If you're looking for the latest Big Brother live feeds or show news, you can find those posts right here.
• If you want to sign up for the Survivor: Blood vs. Water blog pool, that post can be found here. The deadline for that is Tuesday. Please sign up only on that post or by contacting Lifeguard Laurie at the email address listed in that post. No other posts or places will be checked.

Okay, back to off topic!

I had a four-day work week this past week as I took yesterday off as a vacation day to kick off my latest staycation. I usually work Saturdays, so that was an added bonus. The weather, after hitting 96 degrees early in the week, was down to a high around 70 both on Friday and Saturday. Yay! That's MY kind of weather -- cool overnights, sunny, dry and not hot! Yay!

Yesterday I walked downtown to the big Central Americano festival. It wasn't as crowded as the last time I went. But, then again it could have been the time I went or the fact that the last time I went there were actually two festivals adjacent to each other. Nonetheless, people were parked as far up my block to attend the festivities and East Front Street was a huge traffic jam.

While nothing much went on last week, today is my birthday. I'm older than I ever thought I would be had you asked me decades ago. I plan a day of relaxation for the most part. Big Brother live feeds have died down and I can actually rest. I could go to the festival which is still running downtown today, but I doubt I will. 

Will it go 'round in circles?

Will it fly high up in the sky? I took this shot at the Latino festival in Plainfield yesterday.

Smile for the camera

This young mockingbird was with its siblings, but was the only one to pose for me up on the fence rail. The mockingbird parents have been very territorial, chasing other birds and even warily watching me for weeks now. There are five of the young 'uns. While they can fend for themselves, they still bother their mother for food by fluffing their feathers, shaking and crying out. Like toddlers, they are. Bridgewater Train Station.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 18, 2013

Good morning! It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. If you're looking for Big Brother television show or live feeds reports, you can find the latest at this link.

It's been another hectic week for me with my real day job and the BB season in full swing. I'll be thankful for September with a staycation and the wrap-up of another season of live feeds. I really feel like a zombie. I hope I don't look like one!

In my real life, I have a new boss at my workplace. Gosh, I hate breaking in new bosses, don't you? More seriously, it's always an adjustment period when this happens. I'm not particularly worried as I'm good at what I do and know my stuff better than most. But, still ... I can tend to be a bit change-resistant, especially when I enjoyed the previous boss. However, life goes on. C'est la vie. She does have a llama, a pig and other farm animals. I have Vincent the cat. So, we have some common ground. (Yeah, that's comparable, for sure!)

We had temperatures that I love for most the week, accompanied by rain for the first part of the week. I could have lived without the latter. But the walk to the train station early on the mornings when it wasn't raining was PERFECT. A bit of an autumn chill in the early morning air. I couldn't ask for more! The days are getting quite noticeably shorter -- sunset is before 8pm again. I know I'm weird, but I like that. I love autumn. It's supposed to be summer again by mid-week this week. Sigh.

On the home front, after not seeing him the first three months he lived here, I keep encountering the now not-so-new upstairs neighbor. He's always so pleasant that he could make noise and I wouldn't be mad. Yet, he's very quiet up there, even in his walking on the hardwood floors. Best upstairs neighbor ever in that apartment! Woohoo! He also seems happy here, so he may stay around for a while. It is a nice quiet neighborhood.

How was your week?

Onto the photos ...

Ladybug, ladybug

As one who is now sporting a HUGE mosquito bite on my forehead, I'm appreciating the innocent little ladybug more and more. They're kind of cute and they neither bite, nor sting. You go, ladybugs! Bridgewater, NJ

Sunflower avec bee

Don't you just love it when I toss in French words here and there? Avec means "with." That's a bee in the center of the flower. East Front Street, Plainfield.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 30, 2013

Good Sunday morning to all those reading this! If you're here for the Big Brother live feeds posts, the last one is located right at this link. The next one will be posted a bit later today. One of the things I do year 'round here is an off television topic post reflecting on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. You've been warned!

Once again this week, at least in the early week, I got caught in storms heading home. Grr. I thought I put in a request with Mother Nature for the storms to occur during the overnight hours!

On one of the stormy, hot and humid days, I got into a bit of a kerfuffle with some rowdy kids on the train home. They weren't familiar to me and I really didn't expect them to get off at my stop ... screaming and yelling at me. Eep. Thankfully, there were two Plainfield police officers working at the station. When one went to move the obnoxious teens along, the other (after asking where I live), gave me a ride home. Yes, in the front seat! That sergeant ROCKS! That was so nice of him! And, no, he's not one of the officers I actually know on the Plainfield PD.

Those who follow the show know, but others who tune in specifically for this weekly post might not realize -- Big Brother and its live feeds started up for the summer. Working a full-time "real" job and covering the house happenings make for a lack of sleep for about three months. Oy. But, on the other hand, I never have to be worried about having nothing to do!

On the home front, I shared the elevator once again with the now not-so-new upstairs neighbor. No tennis clothes this time, but shorts nonetheless. He's very pleasant and polite. And, that South African/quasi-British accent is a nice change of pace for my ears. He's still quite quiet up there. He can stay.

That's about all I have for you right now ... onto the photos!

Bunny in the grass

Much better than a snake in the grass, don't you think? Corner of East Front and Berckman in Plainfield.

By any other name

East Front Street, Plainfield

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 23, 2013

Good Sunday morning to you! Me? I overslept today. It felt good, so I'm not too upset about it. However, it makes this post a bit later than usual. What's this post? Well, it's my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way.

For the television fans -- make sure you check out my hamster introduction post. I plan on checking out the videos today and will probably post more on the upcoming Big Brother 15.

I spent the early part of the week getting caught in downpours on my way home from work. Yes, just as I was leaving, we'd get thunderstorms and torrential rain. Grr. One day, one of my co-workers was kind enough to tell me -- "Oh, they've put up a tornado watch. There's rotation in the cloud." Thanks, like I needed that news as I was heading out into it! No, there was no tornado. I just got soaked despite my umbrella.

Thankfully, by midweek, we actually got in some days with no rain whatsoever. That's been very rare the last month or so. I just know that come August we'll be worried about drought and the lack of rain! That's how things seem to go. I'll put up with it as long as I don't have to deal with another storm like Sandy again. I just ask that the timing be a tad better -- for four days in a row, it started to storm right as I was leaving work. Y'know, Mother Nature, overnight rain would work out much better for me. Thank you in advance!

There isn't much else to report on this week. I worked. I ate. I slept some. I got stuck under a cat for long periods of time. So, we may as well go onto the photos for the week ...

Tiger Lily

Last week I saw these had bloomed just a half-mile away from my 'hood, but hadn't come to life here yet. This week, they're going wild and I love it! Berckman Street, Plainfield.

Weed or nature being creative?

Even in its most common efforts, I find nature so intricate and stunning!

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 16, 2013

Good Sunday morning to everyone! I hope all the fathers out there have a great Fathers Day. My own father died young, so please cherish your dads while you still have them in your life. A good father is priceless.

As it is Sunday, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. On television topic for a moment -- there should be news tomorrow on the new Big Brother house and, by the end of the week, on the new cast of hamsters. You can still get the Early Bird Special on the live feeds at cbs.com. If you're having trouble signing up for the live feeds, my only advice would be to clear your cache or reboot your computer. It might be easier to sign into the CBS site with your Facebook account if you have one.

Onto the week ... it rained. And then it rained some more. On Wednesday, my day off, it actually did NOT rain! Woohoo! I took a trip into nearby Westfield to visit Mindowaskin Park for a photo stomp of flowers, water fowl, bugs and the cicada "invasion." Here's a video I shot at the park with the cicadas singing their mating song as the background ...

Once I hit Trader Joe's, I was thrilled to find out they're expanding and taking over the whole building at their location. It's now twice the size! YAY! Although everything is still under construction, I already found new items I've never seen before. Trader Joe's is my favorite grocery store and the Westfield location was so tiny. I'm overjoyed for sure!

On the home front, the new landlords sent me the notice of a lease quit/renewal and rent increase. I had been worried as, even though I'm paying above market rate due to past mismanagement, they've been doing a lot of improvements to the building. My lease isn't up until September 1st, but I usually get this notice this time of the year. Okay, they raised my rent $5 more a month. I can deal with that. About the only thing better would have been no increase or a decrease. I can't see that happening!

One thing the new landlords should do, however, is learn their math. The state legal form was led off with an apology for the way it was worded (these notices required by the state always sound like you're getting the boot), how they understand how tough the economy is and blah-blah-blah. Then they said my rent increase is so tiny that it ends up being less than 75 cents a day! Um. Do the math. I believe it's more in line with 15 cents a day.

I found six dollars on the ground at the Bridgewater Train Station last night. I'll put that towards my rent increase! Onto this week's photos ... due to the never-ending rain for most of the week, the majority of these were taken on my Wednesday in nearby Westfield. 

Is it an ALIEN?

Nah, it's just a Magicicada. More on these in a bit.

Hey! Paparazzi! Stop shooting my butt!

My, what a big mouth he has! I guess he wanted to let me know he wasn't just a sitting duck.

Morning glory!

These are lining the chain link fence at the back of my apartment building.

Whatchoo lookin' at?

You know, it's rude to honk with food in your mouth, Goosey Lucy.

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