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**

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds into Sunday, Power of Veto - August 23

But, is his mind racing?

Oh my. I didn't really see that one coming. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Zingle and Ready to Mingle:

• Blocked to the feeds, the comp was a mixture of the Zingbot and face morph.
• VANESSA WON.
• Apparently Meg did horribly and was crying when the feeds came back.
• That made Austin and company worry that she doesn't trust them not to put her up if the veto is used.
• First, she shouldn't worry -- Vanessa isn't planning on using it.
• Second, they shouldn't worry -- I think the stress and doing so poorly on every comp in the book is getting to Meg in addition to the Zingbot zings. She can get a bit teary anyway. I don't think she's all that worried about being evicted. She told Vanessa it's because she feels like a "total ditz" on the show.
• Yeah, she is a bit of a ditz. But she's very likable and personable. That's far more than some past (and maybe present) hamsters.
• It's Steve and John who should be worried. One will definitely go home this week.
• So, now we have the big conundrum in front of us -- which one to send home? Steve or Johnny Mac?
• I can see this quandary being discussed and dissected until Thursday.
• While Vanessa has been pushing for a Steve ouster (and still is), I did catch her saying that he'll be out next week when she wins HoH.
• Hmm.
• Heh. Liz won't talk about her zing and it was mentioned it's a sore point. It has to be about her using/being with Austin, methinks.
• They keep going back and forth over who will go. Ack. I can see these revolving door conversations going on for days!
• I might just have to go join Meg in a good cry!
• The zings included ones about Vanessa crying so much, Steve being a "nerd dude," James living in the "friend zone" and some kind of reference to Austin's (at home) girlfriend. Eep.
• The latest on which should go home is Vanessa saying that she knows Steve is loyal to Austin and should be kept.
• Round and round it goes.
• Steve kept reading what looked like his HoH letter from home (from his short reign).
• They're all in bed as I get this posted.

Will this week be his last?

Watching "Netflix" (HoH spy cam)

Johnny Mac approaching the Twins

Steve lied to me!

Talking mostly about Steve

In deep thought

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Saturday into the Evening - August 22

Playing games

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Tomfoolery and Frivolities:

• As you can tell by my lead, I ain't got nuthin' earth-shaking in the way of news from today.
• Johnny Mac is still foolishly trusting Austin, thinking he's a pawn.
• He even asked who he should pick as Houseguest's Choice if he draws that chip.
• Hopefully JM is just playing along, not totally being duped.
• He doesn't talk to us as does Steve or, as of late, Austin.
• They're pretty sure it's time for the Zingbot Veto.
• That's what you get with BB fans on the show. They should really juggle these comps around.
• I'd say get all clueless recruits who have never seen the show, but I don't like them. Plus, so many people who have watched every season of BB really want to be on the show.
• Not me. Nuh-uh. Nope. No way.
• Austin is sure that he and Liz are very popular with the fans.
• He'll find out when he leaves.
• McCranda.
• That's all I got to say.
• Austin thinks that James is probably unpopular because he broke up Clay and Shelli.
• He'll find out when he leaves.
• I'd dare say that James is more of a fan favorite than the twins and Austin all together.
• They're on indoor lockdown. So, it's going to be a bit boring for today.
• They don't have as many places to scheme.
• Vanessa is still telling Austwins that Steve needs to go sooner rather than later.
• She really wants him gone.
• While Steve knows that Vanessa is bad-mouthing him, he probably wouldn't nominate her if he won HoH.
• She's workin' her mojo, I say.
• Finally the veto players were picked. Steve got Julia, John got Meg and Austin got Vanessa. Liz will be the host.
• Then hours and hours ... and hours went by.
• They fooled around playing games, throwing chocolate and eating cookies.
• Meg declared it, "The most boring day ever!"
• I can't argue with that.
• Seeing the hour it is here on the East Coast and they just went to Jeffish a few minutes ago, I might be reporting on the outcome in the wee hours.

Product placement

Has suffered no injuries lately

Meow

How can you sleep in a winter hat?

A private corner

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds into Saturday - August 22

Finally, it's the smaller table.

Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of Someone Has to Go:

• Despite the tension in the house, they're still having fun with chocolate throwing fights and their "Cooking Show."
• That's a good thing.
• One thing about this cast is that it seems the majority of them will probably keep in touch after leaving the house. No one really seems to "hate" each other.
• That's not good in the fact that we lack real brouhahas and there's no chance of fisticuffs or arrests!
• Heehee.
• In a long talk to us from bed (they're no John and Yoko), Austin explained his plans.
• They told both Steve and Johnny Mac they're pawns.
• They told Johnny Mac there's a backdoor plan.
• Vanessa is NOT a backdoor plan and Austin will not be putting her on the block.
• Steve would be their second choice to leave.
• At the moment, Johnny Mac is their first target -- mainly because they don't really have him figured out.
• I don't think anyone other than perhaps Becky had John figured out.
• What the Austwins (which, right now is more just John and Yoko ... er, Austin and Liz) don't have is a real contingency plan if the veto is used.
• They're thinking that they'd put Meg up and have the votes to keep her.
• Steve, after his bit of a fall from grace yesterday, seems the lesser target once again.
• But if Johnny Mac saves himself, Steve will be in trouble.
• Both Steve and Johnny Mac have a knack for winning veto when needed.
• But, obviously, there are no ties in Big Brother.
• If someone doesn't rise up soon to break up the twins, I can see them as the final two.
• Not too bright of a cast this year to let such a strong bond stay.

He'll stay if he stays.

Shrewd, but can she beat The Three?

Explaining plans to us.

More cooking fun

Big Brother 17: Live Feeds Friday, Nominations - August 21

Quite fitting, methinks

It's yet another convoluted HoH reign this week. Austwins have made too many deals with too many people. And, yeah, he's just a clown in a top hat with dangly hair with doohickeys in it (who does hickeys), a dangly ponytail beard. What do we really expect of him? Had he not latched onto Liz/Julia, his game might have him out by now. Instead, the block of three just might make it to the end. Here's the latest from inside that Big Brother House of One Potato, Two Potato:

• Austin told Steve he made deals with everyone by mistake.
• Well, duh. Had he thought things out, he could see that way leads to trouble!
• The original plan he/they (Austwins) had was to put up Steve and Johnny Mac as pawns, then possibly backdoor Vanessa.
• As Shelli puts it, "Vanessa got in his ear."
• Despite the fact that she tried to backdoor him, despite the fact that her lies have been exposed, despite the fact that (like Johnny Mac pointed out) the majority of people out today were Vanessa's choices to be gone ... Austin seems to forgive her and now wants to keep her in the house.
• Liz has been pro-Steve; Julia anti-Johnny Mac.
• Austin has always liked Steve more than he liked Johnny Mac.
• Remember back when Austin hated James?
• Those days are gone.
• Austin promised James and Meg he wouldn't put either of them on the block.
• He seems to want to stick with that particular deal.
• Austwins (since it's not just Austin HOH this week) are worried that Becky or Shelli will come back into the game and team up with either Steve or Johnny Mac.
• Sheesh, they can't vote BOTH of the out!
• Vanessa had been told the target was Johnny Mac.
• Steve said, in front of Vanessa, that he didn't want to go up as a pawn.
• That gave Vanessa ammo against Steve because he's "not a team player."
• Yet, she's begging not to be put on the block.
• Oy.
• These hamsters are making my head hurt.
• In the end, Austin nominated Steve and Johnny Mac.
• And, they're seriously looking at them both -- Steve might be in more trouble than Johnny Mac.
• That wasn't the case just yesterday.
• Tomorrow might be a different story.
• Austin is also talking of possibly putting up James if one of the two are saved by the veto.
• Vanessa?
• Vanessa who?

Is Johnny Mac giving the Evil Eye?

They know she lies, yet they believe in her

Could it be bye-bye, Steve?

James needs to win HoH!