Off Topic: That Was the Year It Was - 2017

It's not only a Sunday, but it's the last day (Sunday or otherwise) of the year. This is my last off television topic photo post of the year. Television fans should make note that The Amazing Race season premiere will air this coming Wednesday, January 3, at 8pm ET/PT. I will be posting about the cast before the premiere and, of course, live blogging the show and hosting the blog party as it airs.

So ... to the off television topic stuff. Between really feeling horrible and the bitter cold this past week, I don't think I took any photos at all. That's a first in years. What I did do for this week's post is go through photos I've taken during 2017 and pick out my personal favorites, one for each month. Then I threw random photos I took of Vincent the Cat just because he's such a big part of my life.

To be honest, I won't be sorry to see 2017 go away. Between the political landscape disharmony, my increasing dissatisfaction with my workplace, declining health and more ... it's not been a good year for me. For years I had planned to retire this year. Health insurance costs, not a benefit for retirees in my company, have made that impossible. Maybe in 2018 I'll have some way to get out of the rat race. 

I even had more problems on the blog this year than in the past. I was about ready to throw the towel in on it with the Big Brother blogging this past summer. I find it ridiculous that people get so hung up on the show that they feel the need to turn their vitriol on "fans" of cast members they don't like. Sheesh. Not only was there controversy, but BB used to be my summer cash cow. I once got paid good freelancing money to cover the shows and live feeds. Neither the ads revenue nor the donations make the work I put into it worth the headaches I had this past year with it.

I am grateful for the friends I have, the roof over my head, enough money to live on without worrying that there will be more bills left than month to pay them in. I've certainly gone through worse financial years in my life. I've also gone through worse personal loss times in my life -- flashing back on decades (scores) of years ago when I lost my parents five months apart. So, it hasn't been a good year for me ... but, in many ways, it hasn't been the worst year of my life, either.

I hope 2018 is a better year for everyone!

January

My train home arrives in Bridgewater as the snow comes down. I must have left early that day because it was still daylight! I probably headed out early due to the snow.

February

Historic train wheels captured in a sculpture at the Somerville Train Station.

March

After snow cover went and before new snow cover arrived, this is a shot of the main building at the Plainfield Train Station.

April

A hawk on the stadium lights at the TD Bank Ball Park in Bridgewater. He seemed to be watching the game.

May

The coolest looking potato beetle (or false potato beetle, not sure which) posed for me at the Bridgewater Train Station.

June

Making eye to eyes contact with a starling.

July

I took so many photos of the Plainfield 4th of July Parade that it was hard to pick just one. So, I picked none. Instead, I went for this photo I took of one of the painted utility boxes in Plainfield. This one is at the corner of Watchung Avenue and East 4th Street.

August

Gull on a lamp post on North Avenue in Plainfield.

September

The marigolds in planters at my workplace were fun and colorful to photograph.

October

Yep, like birds, the trains and train stations are repeating photo fodder for me. This was taken as the sun was setting at the Bridgewater Train Station.

November

What year would be complete without a moon shot from me? This one is the Full Beaver Moon.

December

The great escape from the rat (pigeon) race. I envy that bird.

And then there's Vincent ...
He isn't always sleeping, mind you. But it's easiest to photograph him when he is! 

Off Topic: That Was the Week(s) It Was - December 24, 2017

An oldie, but a goodie

I'm not sure where the Santa suit is these days. Vincent probably destroyed it!

Another oldie, but goodie. This was created some years back for the blog by Zoetawny. I miss her! Not quite the best photo of Vincent, though.

I apologize for my absence the past few weeks with the exception of covering Survivor. I've had a mix of bad health issues, overwork and severe stress on my job, a lost camera memory card and, to be honest, the holidays in general aren't a good time of the year for me. They were great when I was a child and I do have precious memories of those days. 

Tomorrow I'll cook the small ham I bought on sale, make some side dishes and bake the Mrs. Smith's apple pie to round out my feast. Vincent and I will be alone for the day. That's been the story of my big holiday doings for most of my life. Well, not always with Vincent, but with a cat or two. Oh, well. It could be worse. I could have to work. I've had to do that some Christmas days in the past.

I hope those of you with families and loved ones have a good Christmas -- but try not to overeat!

The majority of the photos this week were taken with my cell phone camera. Although I have a different memory card in my camera, I just didn't see much in the way of photos to take this past week.

Brightly lighted these days

The white lighting at the Plainfield Train Station does seem to cut down on the vagrants hanging out at night. Yet, they're still there in the daytime.

Crescent moon

My camera picks up detail not noticed by the naked eye. You can actually see the whole moon, even a touch of detail with the markings.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - December 3, 2017

Good early afternoon! Yeah, I'm getting this up a little late this week. Since it's a Sunday, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're not interested in either, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

Nothing really exciting went on this past week. One interesting thing ... maybe. I think my upstairs neighbor with the booming loud stereo may have moved out. He was extremely loud for about a week and a half leading into Thanksgiving. Then I heard no more from him since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving night. No stereo. No footsteps. In the daytime on my day off this week, I heard someone enter the apartment, walk through each room, then leave. Sometime yesterday while I was at work, a ton of furniture was dumped by the dumpsters along with several contractor type bags of trash. It might not be related, but ...! This morning when I took my own trash out to the dumpster, I noticed his air conditioner was gone, as were his two over the air digital antennas for TV that were always in his living room and bedroom windows. Hmm. The shades are all drawn. 

I know his lease renews/expires in the beginning of December. When he first moved in, he showed his lack of consideration by vacuuming (for the first time) at 3:30am on Christmas morning. Since he's lived there, he might have vacuumed a half-dozen times. While my apartment is hardwood floors, there's wall to wall carpeting up there. If he's indeed out, they'll probably have to replace the carpet. I'm sure to have to endure daytime noise of work crews up there fixing the place up. But at least they won't have booming stereos vibrating my ceiling, walls and floors at any hour day or night.

I just hope the landlord decides to follow their own rule that no more than two people are allowed to live in a one-bedroom apartment. I've had toddlers up there before and the noise of them running is ridiculous. This landlord has decided to advertise vacancies as "luxury apartments" when they're not. Then they go ahead and let couples with two kids into a one-bedroom! I'm hoping they'll be a bit picky as they know I've filed numerous noise complaints about the guy (who's hopefully out). Maybe they'll rent to a single retired person! That would be perfect.

If wishes were horses ...

Anyway, onto this week's photos ... 

It's a bird's world

A seagull poses on a lamppost as one flies overhead. North Avenue and Gavett Place in Plainfield.

Pedro's latest

Pedro Baez, commissioned by Plainfield to paint some of the utility boxes, has added some color to the corner of Watchung and East Second. That's the Main Post Office in the background. 

The eye has it

I edited this shot to leave only the orange eye of the pigeon in color.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 26, 2017

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and a great holiday weekend (if you had one of those)! I'm thankful for all of the loyal blog readers out there -- many have also become my friends, too -- who have followed this blog year in, year out ... even when Big Brother isn't in season! Safe travels to all heading home this evening.

Since it's a Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're not interested in either, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

I actually had two days off from work in a row this week -- a rarity in my life. True to form as of late, I spent a lot of time napping on the first day off. The days off in a row were Wednesday and Thursday. My third day off during the holiday week was the Sunday leading into the week. 

While the two days in a row off were nice, it's not enough time to even travel up to my nearest relative in upstate New York for the holiday. I had to be to work Friday morning (and Saturday, too). So, it was a solitary, with the exception of Vincent the Cat, holiday for me. I'm used to it. I often do get invitations to join in at local friends. But I feel it's uncomfortable to intrude on family gatherings when I'm not family. I don't like eating with a crowd of strangers where I might only know one or two people. I prefer to be alone rather than to do that.

On Thanksgiving, I made myself a little feast -- turkey breast, sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, asparagus and a Mrs. Smith's apple pie for dessert. Heck, the rest of the stuff was more work than I usually do, no way would I throw in a homemade pie! I had/have enough leftovers to last me through the weekend so I didn't/don't have to cook for four days after my big kitchen doings. I spent a good part of the day binge-watching The Sopranos on Amazon Prime. After all, that's a family-related show, right? Right? Heh. It's even a New Jersey family! But, I'll admit I don't know anyone in the mob in NJ. I did know some in both New York and Connecticut. But I'm not part of those families, mind you.

What else? Oh, here's a bit of urban life in New Jersey for you ...
I was waiting for the bus to get across town one evening after work. A street kind of guy pushing a bike stopped to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving. He showed me his tire was flat. Um. Okay. What do you want, dude? He showed me the glue and patches for the tire from his pocket. But then he hit me up. He only had a dime and the cheapest air is 35 cents. Oh, well. It's a quarter. I gave him one. We commiserated a bit about how air used to be free and it no longer is such. As he parted, he told me he shoplifted the glue and patches from the store down the street. ACK! I felt like an accomplice after the fact! Thankfully, my bus came shortly afterwards. I cannot fall into a life of crime in my advanced years!

I'm thankful that the guy upstairs went away for the holiday weekend. The quiet is nice. He's had his loud visitors there for the past few weeks and I meant to call the landlord about his extremely loud stereo on Monday this past week, but I forgot. 

Onto the photos for this week. I don't have a lot of them for you and many were taken with the cell phone rather than the camera. The moon shot was the camera. I can't get the cell phone to focus on that.  

Okay, train station. I'm here.

Train be on time. A friend often drives me in these days when our work schedules mesh. However, she had a four day weekend. I didn't. Taking the train on random days the past few weeks has made me late to work twice even though I should have an "early cushion" with the departures. I'm not happy about that. I always plan to be early and NJT makes me late. I'm always at the train station early to catch my train. The least they could do is run vaguely on time!

Friday's moon

You know I can't resist shooting the moon. Had I been out about four hours later, some meteors streaked through the New Jersey skies.

Chotola Pigeon Gathering

Pigeons often line the roof at the front of the Chotola Apartment Building on North Avenue in Plainfield. When I feel I have little photo inspiration while across the street waiting for my train, I turn to them. I often wonder what the building was like in its heyday or what the apartments look like inside. But I wouldn't want to live there even though it's so close to the train. I prefer to live where I don't have to worry about the denizens of the night ... even in the daytime.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 19, 2017

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're not interested in either, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

Just another week here. Work, more work, home a bit to eat, sleep and pay attention to a cat. At least I can look forward to a four-day work week ahead. I'll even have two days off in a row, a rarity for me. I get so tired of people asking me how my weekend was or telling me to have a good weekend when I don't really have any idea what a weekend is. While I will have the two days in a row this week, it will be Wednesday and Thanksgiving Thursday. I have to work on Friday and Saturday. With no family really near me in the area, it will be a little feast for Vincent the Cat and me. At least I will be able to relax some. I'm used to spending the holidays alone. Work is hectic through the holiday season and I treasure any time off; holidays give me paid extra days off. I like that. Often the one day off at a time just doesn't do it. I'm chronically exhausted.

I really don't have a heck of a lot else for you this week. Not even photo-wise. But here you go ... clicking on an image will bring up the larger version. Some are from my camera, others are cell phone.

Autumn remains

I love these bushes in the fall -- so intricately colorful! Bridgewater, NJ.

Watching the pigeons on the Chotola

I took this shot with my cell phone and really should have edited it to make it a bit more level. I was waiting for my train and bored. North Avenue, Plainfield.

Seagrass run amok

They'll probably be chopping it down soon. Outside of the TD Bank Ball Park in Bridgewater, NJ.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 12, 2017

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're not interested in either, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

Brr! Baby, it's cold outside! The past few days around here have had record low temperatures. To be honest, as long as I'm dressed for it, I don't mind the cold of winter (even though it's still fall) as much as I hate the heat and humidity of the summer. With the cold, you can layer up and dress for it. With the heat and humidity, taking your clothes off, you're still all sweaty. And, in my case, I'd be all sweaty with people laughing and pointing at me before the police hauled me away! 

I bought a nice new winter jacket a couple of weeks ago. It's been some years since my last winter jacket purchase. I think it's money well spent -- this one is quite warm and fits well. And, my heat is included in my rent at my apartment and I have control of it. It's cozy in here. In the summer, I have to pay for electricity, thus pay for air conditioning.

As I get older, I don't care so much for snow or ice, though. If we could harness it just so it would fall everywhere except roads and sidewalks, I'd be a happy camper. I still find snow breathtakingly beautiful. I just don't want to fall.

I had yesterday off from work, having requested it off as a personal day long ago. It was the day of the Plainfield Public Library Photo Contest. I ended up not entering this year. The theme for the year wasn't a great one for me and the change in judging criteria turned me off last year. I don't really do photos of people posing and smiling or just candid uncropped photos with half-people at the edges which seems to be the draw of judging now. I like to be more art-related in my photos and I guess that's out now. I'll think about next year, but will see what won prizes and honorable mentions versus what was entered this year once they release it online. I was thinking of going yesterday, but spent the majority of the day sleeping it away. I needed the rest.

All that said, my photos this week aren't all that artsy! But, here they are ...

Kodachrome ... brings the nice bright colors

Um. Of fall. Although these leaves are gorgeous on their own, I found a Kodachrome filter on my Google Nik photo editor brings out the colors even more.

I find it easier to take videos with my new phone rather than the camera. Here's a train going the other way at the Plainfield Train Station while I waited for my extremely late, almost time for the next train, to arrive on Friday.

Plotting to overthrow humanity

Soon all will be barren

Looking out on Watchung Avenue from the eastbound platform of the Plainfield Train Station.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 29, 2017

Good afternoon! Since it's a Sunday afternoon, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. Yeah, I know I usually post this in the morning. But I'm in a lackadaisical mood today. If you're not interested in this, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

We're under a flash flood watch here today with heavy rains and heavy winds expected as the day goes on. It's raining as I get this written, but it's not really stormy ... yet. I just hope it doesn't cancel or delay my expected Peapod grocery delivery order I expect between 4pm - 6pm. 

We've certainly had worse weather around here on this day in past years. Five years ago, Hurricane (or Superstorm) Sandy hit the area turning everything topsy-turvy in the area. While I'm not close enough to a shore point to worry about ocean storm surge, the wind damage in this area was bad. My power was out nearly two weeks. And, a few days after the storm, we had a three inch or so snowstorm. I had no power, no heat. I found out the meaning of not wasting daylight. We had received possible evacuation notices from the city of Plainfield before the storm -- I live near a stream called the Green Brook and it has necessitated some boat rescues across the street in the past. In a few other storms I've seen water come up about a foot or so around my building. But here with Sandy, the rains weren't the issue. It was the wind.

The year before Sandy on this date, we had a seven inch snowstorm ... with all of the trees still bearing leaves! The wet snow brought trees down throughout Plainfield which knocked out my power for three days. Gah! We need underground cables! While I remember an earthquake back around eight years ago, they would be more reliable in this area. 

So, Halloween was canceled here two years in a row -- 2011 and 2012. Looking at the forecast this upcoming week, Halloween is the only day with lots of sunshine expected. I never have trick-or-treaters here, but I always buy something (I like) just in case. But I do know they're out there. I'm glad they'll have a good day for it.

I really don't have much photo-wise this week. I worked a lot. I'm tired. But, then again, I always feel tired. Oh, well. Onto the photos I took -- clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.

Saturday night's moon

I tried taking a shot with my cell phone, which does have a quasi-decent camera. But it came out as a white blob in the sky no matter what I did. So, this is the real camera. Hmm ... all of these shots this week are the real camera. I didn't take much with the cell phone.

Birds on a wire

Probably planning on overtaking the world and destroying humanity. Yep, they do things like that. Or, at the very least, they think about it.

Color through the trees

While the trees lining my apartment building's parking lot are still either green or shedding brown dried leaves, the neighbor has color in his backyard.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 22, 2017

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're not interested in either, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related! You can find my Survivor posts at this link.

My apologies for not posting last week. I'm still tired and not feeling all that great this week. But at least I took some photos! I'm still working on improving my photo-taking with the new cell phone. Most of the shots here are from my actual camera unless I note cell phone. 

Nothing much is happening here -- the weather has been incredibly nice, temperatures in the 70s most days and chilly evenings. We're now at the point that we need rain, though. I'm sure it will decide to rain as I'm out and about heading to work and have to be caught in it.

Last night seemed to be party night in my apartment building. No, not for me! After I got home from work, I had my own party of one with a cat companion. (Someone may have imbibed too much catnip.) On the first floor in the front of the building, it was incredibly loud as I got home. Today when I went down to the front door of the building to get my Sunday newspaper, I saw busted balloons -- dozens of them -- all over the corridor floor, stairs and in the elevator. I know they were popping some in the front wing of my floor last night, too. I wasn't really sure WHAT the noise was, but I knew it was NOT gunfire. Now I know. The guy upstairs also had a party. Since he's been quite amazingly quiet for months, I tolerated it even though the noise went beyond 11pm. It wasn't as loud as he's cranked it in the past. But he definitely invited some real clodhoppers up there. Thank goodness he has carpeting in that apartment.  

I'm hoping for a quiet peaceful Sunday.

Here are the photos for the week -- clicking on an image will open a larger version.

De train! De train!

Oh, wait. That was Tattoo yelling, "De plane! De plane!" on Fantasy Island. I'm certainly aging myself with the memory of that television show, eh? The sun was almost set to the left just out of this photo shot as my train home from work arrived at the Bridgewater Train Station one day this week. A more colorful sunset would have been nice, but ...!

If the NJ Transit bus breaks down ...

... he has wheels of his own. I've noticed more skateboarders on the trains and buses since the Skate Park opened in Plainfield. I keep telling myself I need to get over to the park with my camera. Unfortunately, I haven't really felt well enough to be out and about more than I have to be lately. I took this photo with my cell phone, making it accidentally a video. So I edited a still from said video.

White and Yellow Lamps

Well, I will say that keeping the eastbound side of the train station so brightly lighted at night seems to have cut down some of the ne'er'do-wells who spend the evenings/nights there. As it was just after sunset when I took this shot, you can't really see the white brightness. NJ Transit Police and the Plainfield Police still need to move along the non-passengers during the daytime hours. Now they tend to hang out right on the platforms taking up benches for people who want to take the trains. Plainfield Train Station.

Let me pose for you

A posing squirrel on a fence post on the west side of my apartment building. My windows look out on the east side and only have a chain-link fence.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 24, 2017

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, it's time for my off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're not interested in either, please feel free to check out my previous and newer posts I will put up after this -- they will be television related!

If you want to be in on the blog pool for the upcoming Survivor season, you need to head to this linked post and sign up only there by Tuesday! Every season we get folks trying to sign up after the cut-off, including some of the very regular blog commenters. PLEASE! C'mon, you know the show is coming. If you want in on the blog pool, PLEASE sign up on time! Laurie is kind enough to be running the pool and really does have the right to say no to stragglers after the cut-off!

I'm so thankful the latest season of Big Brother is over. Several of the long standing BB fan communities have given up -- even Hamsterwatch is about ready to throw in the towel. I don't think she will, but you never know. She certainly earns more money off the show than I do. I don't have the capability to sell CBS Access with a cut for myself. There was a time when, with the paying writing gig, BB paid my rent all summer. Not so these days and this season was more headache than fun for me. Because of the issues this summer, I will be implementing a few ground rules for posting comments on future show posts.

In other stuff, my week back to work from vacation was about what I expected -- chaos, disorganization and more. For decades I had planned to retire on my most recent birthday. I just don't dare do it due to the cost of health insurance. While I would have my pension, my 401K, Social Security and a great discount on life insurance from my company ... the group health insurance would vanish and Medicare wouldn't kick in for three years. It all feels so defeating.

Sigh.

Oh, well. Onto the photos I took this past week -- at least I didn't accidentally delete them from my memory card like I did last week. 

I met a praying mantis

Oh, well. Maybe it's a preying mantis. Either way, it was HUGE -- longer than my entire hand. While I fear its days may be numbered, it was alert enough to follow my camera and my movements with its eyes. This was on the fence netting by the TD Ball Park in Bridgewater adjacent to the train station. When I walked through after work, it was gone.

Hanging in there

While there were dozens of flower of an hour blossoms a month ago, only a few still blossom today.

Let there be lights

One morning at the Plainfield Train Station, I saw all the lamps lighted on the eastbound platform. An NJ Transit dude was (finally) replacing the burnt out bulbs. I used to be enthralled taking photos of the lamps. But, the neglect in replacing knocked-down poles and bulbs over the last several years, plus the influx of ne'er-do-wells hanging out at the station, have inhibited my photos of the station.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - September 10, 2017

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, this is my weekly off television topic post taking a look at the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. This weekly post is done year in, year out. Big Brother, the main draw for so many of you, only lasts about three months -- although sometimes it seems to be a lifetime. If you're here solely for the BB posts, please feel free to skip this post. You can find my latest BB19 posts by using this link.

My apologies for not posting last Sunday. I've been under the weather and under severe stress at my workplace. Between that and all of the turmoil of having to filter hate on the BB19 blog posts, I'm wiped. I never understand it when people get so hung up on that show that they have to either love or hate cast members with little leeway for just realizing that the actions of the cast have no effect on their own lives. I see Dingo at Hamsterwatch is pretty much in the same state of mind as I am. But she pretty much does the site for a living. If I had to live off the pennies from my blogging the past few seasons I wouldn't be living. I remember when it used to cover the rent all summer when I got actually paid to write.

Sigh.

At least I'm on my latest staycation this week. I really need it. I wasted most of yesterday napping. Well, I wouldn't call it wasted. It felt good! I'm actually a bit refreshed today!

My thoughts and prayers go out to those being affected by Hurricane Irma. I have relatives and friends living there. Please be safe and update us when you can!

It doesn't seem right, but our weather here is glorious -- dry, beautiful blue skies and daytime temperatures in the 70s. That's my favorite kind of weather. It's been dipping down a bit low during the overnights, but I can cope with that.

Onto this week's photos (with a few from the week before) --

A marvelous marigold blossom

As seen in Bridgewater, NJ.

The I See Dead People saga continues

This past week a silly college girl made social media and news reports because she ended up waking up in the Raritan train yard on a parked train. The Raritan Valley Line isn't a tremendously long trip end to end. People, especially those unfamiliar with the train system, either need to stay awake or set their phone alarm to wake up before their expected stop. Or, even ASK the conductor questions -- let them know you're not familiar with train travel. Every conductor I know on the line would be glad to help you out if you ASK. But don't expect them to just babysit you. I do know from knowing the conductors that suspension is probable for the conductor who's responsible if a passenger is left on the train at the train yard. Yes, they are indeed responsible to make sure no one remains on the train. They screwed up. But, so did the girl. She's lucky the lights were still on.

Kousa Dogwood last week

The Kousa Dogwood tree at the Plainfield Train Station has started bearing fruit. This is actually a shot that I didn't post last week. The fruits are all red now and getting bigger.

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

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - July 23, 2017

Good morning! Since it's a Sunday morning, this is my weekly off television topic post taking a look at the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. This weekly post is done year in, year out. Big Brother, the main draw for so many of you, only lasts about three months -- although sometimes it seems to be a lifetime. If you're here solely for the BB posts, please feel free to skip this post. You can find my latest BB19 posts by using this link.

We had another heat wave this past week here in the NJ/NYC Greater Metro Area. I don't like heat. I don't like humidity. No one should sweat merely standing. For those who say I'll miss it come winter ... no. I actually don't mind cold temperatures. I'm not too keen on ice and snow as I'm pedestrian and public transportation based. But the cold itself? Not really a problem. 

Heat is included in my apartment rent. Air conditioning (electricity) is not. So I pay more in the summers. Plus, if outside, you can bundle up against the cold. In sweltering heat and humidity, even taking off your clothes wouldn't help. You'd still be all sweaty and people would point and laugh before the police hauled you away!

Give me autumn any day!

My apartment building is going through fixes needed as per the NJ Five Year Inspection last month. I got a notice entirely in Spanish to move my car away from the building Friday and Saturday as they would be painting the fire escapes. They tried a few weeks ago to do that but got rained out. Now, I don't speak Spanish much at all. But I do find it odd that I can read it. Yet, I don't have a car, so I didn't care about the notice.

I did care that on my day off on Wednesday some maintenance dude knocked on my door at 8:05am. I was awake, but not dressed. He said he was here to replace the ceiling tiles in my bathroom. I asked him to come back in fifteen minutes so I could get dressed. He never came back that day. I wasted most of the day not daring to take my shower or go anywhere because I expected him back. Grr. 

On Thursday, I had to go to work. I left Vincent's litter box in the living room -- it's usually in the bathroom -- in case they came back to do the bathroom ceiling tiles. I worried about Vincent all day while I was at work. I don't like people in my apartment when I'm not home. And, if I know for sure someone is coming, I confine Vincent to the bedroom. But I didn't know for sure and he gets stressed being trapped in there for hours on end.

Well, they came. Vincent is fine. However, they made my bathroom into a nightmare. They spray-painted the frames for the new ceiling tiles getting white spray mist all over my (relatively) new sink and vanity and my new toilet! Apparently, they got white spray paint on the walls (which were a light peach and didn't need painting) and then they painted my bathroom (above the tiles) a blinding white. They did that painting with a brush. Thankfully they moved my towels to the living room. But paint drops are all over the floor, the tub, my cheap shower curtain liner, my big bottle of foam bath, etc. There are even a few drops of white paint on the hardwood floor leading into the bathroom!

Why, I don't doubt they got paint drops on Vincent and I just can't see them because he's already white!

I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night Friday night. I was almost blinded by the white. Eek. I think I need to get a dimmer bulb in there! At least the bathroom ceiling tiles were the only thing brought up during the inspection. Although my kitchen cabinets are ancient, I don't want them tearing them out while I'm trying to live here. I don't like outside intrusions.

That's the big news of the week. It's onto the photos now ...

Please strike a pose, pigeon.

Ah, that's a good one. Um, no. I'm not paying you. Don't be like the costumed characters in Times Square! Bridgewater Train Station.

Teensy bee on the chicory blossom

The bee is very tiny. For reference, the chicory blossoms are only about an inch, perhaps a tad more. Plainfield Train Station.

Photogenic fungi

Growing on a fallen tree near the Bridgewater Train Station.

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Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - June 25, 2017

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.

This photo post is a weekly feature on the blog year 'round, unlike the Big Brother which is just a season. Well, of course, last year BB was two seasons with BBOTT online, but ...! Big Brother 19 makes its season premiere with a two-hour show this coming Wednesday, June 28 at 8pm ET/PT. All of the posts I've made/will make regarding the show can be found on my BB19 blog label. I will be announcing the opening of the blog pool later today. I've been waiting for a response back from the person who usually does it. If she doesn't respond by afternoon, I guess I can come up with the random match-ups myself. 

Not much has been going on here -- more heat, more rain and work, work, work. This coming week, I only work four days (yay!) and then it's onto staycation. I really need it and timed it so it covers the 4th of July holiday week, plus the full first week of the BB19 live feeds to get me into the swing of the new faces and twist of the show.

I really didn't get great photos this past week. A lot of the days, it was either rainy or windy. Oh, well ... onto the photos I took this week -- clicking on an image will open a larger version in a gallery setting.

The Stalker

A male pigeon puffs himself all up and stalks female pigeons at the Plainfield Train Station. Kinda like human behavior ...

Burst of orange!

Day Lilies

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