Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - September 18, 2011

My apologies for getting this up late today -- first Blogger didn't want to let me post photos, then I ended up making breakfast and watching Sunday Morning on CBS. Well, at least it's still Sunday morning and now it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken.

I do need to touch a moment on television, though. The recently ended (yay!) season of Big Brother will go down in my records as the worst or, even giving it some credit because I enjoy watching Jeff and Jordan, perhaps a tie with BB9 as worst. I watched the after finale interviews. Ho-hum. Keith wants everyone to know he's single and looking. Adam is still delusional that he's some great game player. Jeff and Jordan will be moving in together -- they're just not sure where or when. Rachel and Brendon are supposedly getting married this weekend as per TMZ. Y'know ... I don't really care. I'm just glad the season has been put out of its misery despite the fact that they're claiming higher ratings.

My week was, for the most part, uneventful. I'm trying to get ready for my trip to the Outer Banks next week. I bought new travel-sized stuff to put in my good old quart bag to get through TSA checkpoints at the airports. I know from my last trip that the knee(s) are going to set off alarms, so I'm expecting extra scanning or pat downs.

I "graduated" physical therapy this past Friday. No, not because the knee is all healed. It's more because I ran out of the allowed visits per calendar year on my insurance. Since the kneecap dislocated and attention has had to be paid to that, I didn't do half the things I did in PT with the previous knee. I'll probably be returning to use the exercise equipment in October. I didn't have the knee replacement only to be dependent on a cane or wear a brace.

On Tuesday I have another follow-up visit at the orthopedic surgeon's office. Those have been coming every two weeks since the dislocation, too. I suppose I should be worried about the knee while in the Outer Banks, but I'm not planning on stressing it a lot. I won't even attempt to climb up to the top of the lighthouses. I am tossing around the idea of renting a bike down there for the week. The rental bikes are sturdy and may let me go off exploring more with my camera. I'm mainly thinking heated pool, hot tub, hammock on the deck, and relaxing. Oh. And FOOD.

I didn't really get a lot of great photos this week, but here are some:

Ban the scan!

I can only think they mean the TSA scan at the airport. Newark is supposed to change from the scan which puts out "naked" images to one which shows gingerbread men cut-out type images. But I don't know whether the latter will be in place when I go through security. Last year the scanners weren't so prevalent and I ended up going through a pat-down each time.

Nature's beauty

These shrubs/small trees bear off-white blooms well into the summer, then turn to this in the early autumn.

Scotch Plains 9-11 Memorial Flag

Benches dedicated to the three lives lost in Scotch Plains on 9-11

Unveiled

The memorial

Won't be around much longer

Replacing the H

Interesting -- I never thought about the neon tubing having to be specifically made for the signs. John's Meat Market, Scotch Plains.

Flower in the park

I took this from inside the gazebo at the little park in Scotch Plains

Cat nap

o
Vincent at rest after a big meal.

Big Brother 13 Season Finale Blog Party

The show is about to start here on the East Coast. As it airs, I'll update this entry with major events. It's been a long odd season and the final three going into the finale aren't what I would have liked from the beginning. But, I guess since they're there, they're deserving. I guess.

The real fun is in the comments and I hope you all join in! Partay!

Back to part one of the final HoH ... surprise, surprise ... Adam is the first out early in the mixer bowl. Rachel is in the zone, for sure. 46.10 minutes and Porsche is out. Rachel wins the first round!

Second round - Porsche vs. Adam. Underwater maze, matching HoH faces to correct spot. One at time, Porsche first. Although he's a smoker, Adam can definitely hold his breath longer. But he screws up discarding then retrieving his goggles. 6 1/2 minutes for him and 3 min. 50 sec for Porsche. So he sucked again!

Kalia joins the jury, then Jordan. Awkward!

3rd round of HoH -- Rachel vs. Porsche -- how well do they know the jury? They both did poorly, but Rachel is the new HoH!

Porsche and Adam can plea their case to stay. Rachel votes to evict ... Adam. She's keeping her deal with Porsche.

Time for the jury interrogation.

Now they each can plea their case to stay. Rachel is repeating herself again, but she does make a solid case. Porsche, hmm ...

Voting time --
The order inserting their keys for the win:
Brendon
Daniele
Jeff
Shelly
Kalia
Jordan
Adam

But first ... the early hamsters return.

The jury votes:
B -- Rachel
D -- Porsche
J -- Rachel
S -- Rachel
K -- Porsche
J -- Rachel
A -- Porsche

RACHEL WINS BB13!

America's favorite houseguest -- Jeff wins!

Survivor South Pacific Season Premiere Blog Party

Yep, it's here -- a new season of Survivor! That way too cool Zoetawny made us a new blog logo for the season and Margo is running the blog pool.

The pool participants are as follows (randomly picked by Margo's Mom) --

Upolu Tribe
Albert - Jennasmom, Margo
Brandon - Zoetawny, Keith
Christine - JOEY, Ed
Edna - Glenn, Monty 924
Mikayla - Rbennie, Becky,
Rick - SueGee, Auntie Leigh
Sophie - Jackie, Delee,
Stacey - meb, Sharon S
Coach - Donna in AL, ML

Savaii Tribe
Dawn - PDXGranny, lynn1
Elyse - Buzzmaam
Jim - Pam, DKNYNC
John - Caraleigh, Nana in NW,
Keith - Terry in PA, Dora M
Mark - Lisanne, Donna in FL
Semhar - Sydney, Laurie
Whitney - Karen in CA, Lorraine
Ozzy - Teri, Petals

As the show airs here, I'll update this post with major events. The real fun is in the comments area -- please join us there!

Survivors ready?

Ozzy is on Savaii, Coach on Upolu chosen by ink colors in random eggs pick.

Redemption Island is going to work just like last season.

Hero challenge -- Ozzy against Coach. It's physical, wanna bet who wins? The reward for the winning tribe is "terra" (sp?) -- like potatoes and flint.

Shocker! Ozzy wins and his tribe was a big help. Coach's tribe just confused him on the puzzle.

Christine already put a target on her back by calling Coach and Ozzy "temporary" and then going off immediately to search for the hidden idol.

Meanwhile, the retired NYPD detective is gay. Interesting!

Immunity challenge coming!

Upolu wins immunity and Semhar probably sealed her fate. Very close.

For his own reasons, Ozzy is pushing for Cochran to go instead of Semhar. We'll see.

Tribal Council time ... time to tally the votes:

Cochran
Semhar
Semhar
Semhar
Semhar
Semhar

YAY! Cochran stays!

Even Ozzy voted her out after pushing for her to stay. The vote was unanimous with the exception of her vote for Cochran. Good.

Big Brother 13 Live Feeds Into Finale Day

The end is nigh ... finally. Tonight is the big season finale of Big Brother with the final HoH round between Rachel and Porsche. As usual, it should have ended more than a couple of days ago. Three hamsters in the house is always tedious. These particular three hamsters, even more so. I've had a few people ask why I haven't posted updates the past few days. Well, honestly ... I tend to post updates when something actually happens. After all, how many times can I post:

• The girls have agreed to take each other to the final two.
• Adam keeps pleading his case with each nonetheless.
• Adam begged America to vote him as favorite player.
• They played cards.
• They talked in funny accents.
• Not funny ha-ha, mind you. Funny annoying.
  
• They napped.
• They worked out.
  
• They cooked.
• They ate.
• Then they played more cards.
• They reminisced.
• They tried to figure jury votes.
• They tie-died shirts.
• They ate some more.
• You get the drift.
• Now, had I caught some actual news -- say something like one of the girls said they'd take Adam to the F2 -- I would have broken in with a post.
  
• However, it does look like the girls will definitely take each other.
• I guess we'll see tonight!
  

Stop back tonight for the Survivor premiere party at 8 PM ET followed the Big Brother 13 season finale party at 9:30!

Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - September 11, 2011

If you're looking for my latest Big Brother post, this ain't it. It's here.

It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way.

This isn't just any Sunday morning -- it's the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Our lives around here were forever changed on that day. The skyline of my favorite city isn't the same, but the lives lost and the loss of a sense of a secure homeland will be with us forever. The images are ingrained in our minds. We will never forget.

The Scotch Plains (NJ) 9/11 Memorial

This won't be truly unveiled until today, but I took some photos of it Thursday.

The covered piece is part of one of the towers.

Onto the more trivial things of the week gone by. Of course, it rained some more. We needed that, right? On the day I trekked to both my orthopedic surgeon's office in Bound Brook and then to physical therapy in Scotch Plains it was periodic monsoons. I needed that ... right?

The doctor and the PT are pleased with the way my patella subluxation (kneecap dislocation) is coming along. Now, it still has put the knee replacement recovery a bit on hold. My surgeon suggested buying a brace for it. Sigh. I didn't get a knee replacement so I could wear a brace! I'm holding off on a brace for now. I want to build up the quad muscle and pray the kneecap never again dislocates.

Oh well, onto the photos ...

Did another business move in?

The restaurant for rent signs have vanished, but no new signs are in place. I didn't go over there and peek in because I was waiting for a bus ... in the rain. Watchung Avenue, Plainfield. I edited this one to leave just the restaurant in color.

Sad

At least Luigi's is a constant. Watchung Avenue, Plainfield. Why is this happening? The rent is just too damn high!

Underside of a HUGE mushroom

No, I didn't do this. Irene probably did. While I love to take photos of them and I am curious, I won't damage nature ... not even a mushroom. My grandfather told me when I was young that I need to put every rock and stick I moved back as everything in nature is someone's home. Maple Avenue, Bound Brook.

Another mushroom fatality on Maple Avenue

Rainy day flower

The flower garden on Maple Street is no longer in its heyday, but there still are some blooms. It was only raining lightly on my walk from the bus to the surgeon's office. So I could take photos, but no bee shots!

Same flower garden

And again ...

And again ...

One more Maple Avenue flower garden shot!

Torrential rains after my surgeon visit

This is Mountain Avenue near the intersection of West Union Avenue. My un-sheltered bus stop is across that street on the right. Thankfully I waited out the worst of the downpour under the eaves of a church.

Happy Halloween!

Alfonso's Pizza in Scotch Plains has decorated their back door. Yes, it's raining.

Fall flowers are coming in!

A planter on Park Avenue in Scotch Plains ... in SUNSHINE on Friday.

Keep your eyes on the prize, Vincent

Yes, it's catnip ya little feline catnip freak!