Schedule .............

I'm finally getting a handle on how to get personal stuff done in the small amount of personal time I actually have now. I've been trying to eliminate doing anything after I've finished babysitting for the day because, frankly, by then I just want to go home.

We had a good Thanksgiving and I was "off" on the Friday, so I did the bulk of my Christmas shopping on Amazon. (I got everything by the 11th - although I had to reorder it all because I wasn't home when they attempted to deliver it so they marked it as "refused" and issued credits.) I finished my shopping on that Saturday in one store.

Thursday, December 3rd, I had a 1:00 appointment at the Radiologist in Rahway. It was a sort of trial run of the actual process. It was a gloomy kind of day and I did some food shopping and ate lunch. I headed up there about 12:15. As I was driving through the back streets I saw this guy up ahead, raking leaves.

I had to make that turn anyway.

Point, press, Flash.

I got to the office at 12:30 and was called in a little bit later. After the testing and some x-rays, we had a discussion about the timing of the process. They made arrangements so that I would be on the table by 7:00 AM.

My schedule will now require me to get up and out by 6:30 AM, Monday through Friday, for a total of 34 sessions (with exceptions for Holidays and bad weather.)

Tuesday, December 8th, was an "extra" day for me because my daughter stayed home. I had a late breakfast, ran some errands, stopped at a couple of libraries, and decided to gas up the car. I drove to the Wawa station in Avenel. $1.79. I drove out the back and saw this guy behind one of the small apartment buildings.

The angle was bad. I passed him by.

Thursday, December 10th, I had blood work scheduled for 8:00 down in New Brunswick so I was out early. I got one of the "2-hour only" spots in the connected parking garage and was out in 1/2 an hour. Being in and out that quick means that I didn't have to pay for the spot.

I stopped at a Dunkin' Donuts on Woodbridge Avenue for breakfast. I stopped at Walmart to pick up a prescription. That's where I saw a truck that had taken up too many spaces. That's a pet peeve of mine. I went in, picked up my prescription, and came back out. I saw the driver standing in his doorway.

I started my car and drove forward.

Point, press, Flash.

I headed for home.

Yesterday, December 12th, started out warm but cloudy. I had a few things to do so I headed up to the Dunkin' Donuts in Avenel. When I got to the corner of Green Street, I saw this guy painting the side of a store.

I was tempted but  I figured that he was probably annoyed that he had to work so early on a Saturday. I drove on.

Sunshine broke through about mid-day and I just rode around for a while with the radio on just enjoying it all. As I was passing through Colonia, I saw this guy heading towards me.

There was no one else around.

Point, press, Flash.

Sometimes, I can't resist.

Today, I went out for just an hour or so. I ate breakfast at Denny's. I stopped at Shoprite for the paper, my lottery tickets, some lunch meat for the next few days, and something to eat for dinner. They're working on the parking lot - again - so I had parked to the left of the store rather then my usual right side. When I got back to my car, I saw this workman just standing around.

No temptation this time. It was too open and too crowded. Besides, he was just another guy who got stuck working on the weekend.

Before I could start my car, I got a text message. It was from Doyle. He's been busy with a lot of stuff he couldn't talk about (probably related to recent terrorist activity, I thought) but he'd had my Radiation Oncologist checked out - and my test results as well - and everything looked good. I texted back my thanks.

As I drove home, I thought about the upcoming week. Every day would start with radiation at 7:00. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, I'll be babysitting from 7:30 to 3:30. Thursday, after radiation, I have to drive down to New Brunswick for more blood work at 8:30 and a cardiologist's appointment at 1:00. I'm busy but I think Doyle may be busier.

Everyone has things they have to do on their schedule.

 

Appointments ........................

I've said before that I only get Thursdays "off" from babysitting my Granddaughter. Well, for the last week or so I've also gotten a few extra days due to holidays and schedules. Most of these days have been filled with doctor's appointments.

Back on October 22nd - a Thursday - I had blood work scheduled down at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. I always make an 8:00 AM appointment so I can use one of the 2-hour spots in the attached parking facility. I drove down on Route 27 but came back on 514. This would get me to Walmart just after 9:00. I had a prescription to pick up. I then swung by the Dollar Tree store.

I pick up a lot of household products there. That day I bought toothpaste and soap.

October 28th - a Wednesday - I had to go back down to RWJ. I have a Throat Biopsy scheduled and the ENT required a Cardiac Clearance form before he'd do it. I drove down early, along Route 27 again, and passed this guy waiting for a bus.

I'd been feeling anxious about the biopsy and I needed to unwind a bit.

Point, press, Flash.

I got a spot in the parking structure and walked over to the hospital. I had time for breakfast before my appointment. This day marked the 7th Anniversary of the day I was admitted to the hospital and started my wait for the transplant. Interestingly, the doctor that I saw was a recent hire and had been a Resident that I'd seen a lot of while I was waiting.

November 5th - another Thursday - my daughter and son-in-law were both off so he stayed with the baby and she drove me up to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Rahway for the biopsy.

I've been in a couple of different hospitals for a couple of different reasons throughout my life but this experience was - strangely - more personal. It was scheduled as Same-day Surgery and, instead of sitting around in a large room with other waiting people, I was put directly into a semi-private room that had individual, complimentary televisions. Everyone I came into contact with was friendly and helpful. The biopsy went well, recovery was short, and they insisted that I take my pillows with me. They even took me out in a wheelchair.

Saturday - November 7th - I had an appointment with my Primary Physician. She'd been getting updates on my various tests and procedures from my various doctors and she just wanted to check up on me. Her office is on Progress Street just off of Inman Avenue in Edison. The area looks like an Industrial Park but many of the buildings are occupied by medical offices of one kind or another. In fact, the ENT that I was working with is in the same building.  I filled her in with what's been going on and was out in less then 1/2 an hour. I had parked in the back lot and, as I was driving out, I saw this guy.

I couldn't resist.

Point, press, Flash.

Yesterday - November 11th - was a Wednesday, and a holiday. I had the follow-up meeting with the ENT scheduled for 2:30. I was up early so I drove over to the Shoprite area and did my wash in the Laundromat. I had breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts. I took the paper with me to the Menlo Park Mall and sat there, reading it.

It had been an overcast day and, as I drove around, it started to drizzle. I was heading down Woodbridge Center Drive towards the Baby's R Us on Route 1 when I saw this guy.

I felt kind of sorry for him, having to walk around out there in that weather. I drove on by.

As we'd arranged, I met up with my Daughter and Granddaughter. We had lunch at Perkin's then we all drove to the ENT's office. Turns out that the growth on my right vocal cord is cancerous and he said he'd contact a Radiation Oncologist that he'd worked with and that I'd get a call from them in a day or two. As we were driving home, the Oncologist's office called and I made an appointment for today at 9:00.

Today is a Thursday. I drove up to the Radiation Oncologist's office - which is right next door to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Rahway.

Again, I was pleasantly surprised at how I was treated by the staff. There was paperwork to fill out, of course, but they had coffee and tea in the waiting area. The nurse that did the preliminary stuff had already scheduled a couple of scans I'd need to have done.

When the doctor came in, he wasn't wearing a tie or a jacket. I liked that.

He did a quick examination and then we discussed what was going to happen. Bottom line, he said we'd caught it early and he was positive that the treatment would cure me.

I'm gonna hold on to that.

I have an appointment next Tuesday for the two scans the doctor wants - a PET and a CAT.

I have an appointment next Thursday for my annual cardiology tests.

I have an appointment on Monday, November 23rd, to get the preliminary set-up work done so that we can proceed with the Radiology.

There will be a trial run for the procedure on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

The radiology will start on Monday, November 30th. It will run 5 days a week for 34 sessions (with exceptions for holidays and previously scheduled appointments). It should only take about 10 minutes, so I should be able to get back in time to babysit.

When I got home, I updated my phone calendar to include these new dates. Out of curiosity, I looked ahead.

So far, I already have appointments scheduled through May of next year.

When I Can .................

My hard-core babysitting kicked in this month and I'm doing 4 days a week. Thursday is my only weekday off. This has made me adjust my own personal schedule so that I can get done in one day what used to take me all week. It's not that they are particularly time-consuming things, I just like to space them out so that I'd have something to do every day or so.

Another adjustment I've made is that I now plan ahead. I used to buy what I needed, food-wise, on a daily basis. Now, when I go to the supermarket, I look for what I'm going to need for the days that I'm sitting. I've always planned ahead on the over-the-counter meds that I take - picking them up when I come across a good sale price - and now I do that with food.

I do what I need to do when I can.

For example, last Thursday, I was at the Laundromat just after they opened at 7. While my wash was going, I went into Shoprite and picked up some liverwurst (reduced) and a loaf of rye to cover several days worth of lunches. I bought a box of mini-muffins (on sale) for my breakfasts. I also bought some Calcium, Magnesium, and Fish Oil capsules that were on sale.

I drove up to Walmart and picked up a prescription that was ready. As I parked, I noticed this truck in the lot.

It annoys me that some truckers will take up more then one spot but I was in a good mood and let it go. I picked up my package at the pharmacy and drove to the nearby Dunkin' Donuts. I sat inside and read my book over breakfast. I took my coffee out to the car and saw this truck.

I had let the first guy go but this was just blatant. I drove towards Route 9 then turned around. The truck was now on my passenger side.

Point, press, Flash.

He wasn't going to be going anywhere for a while. I drove back to Amboy Avenue then took Woodbridge to Middlesex Community College. I had worked there part-time prior to the transplant and finally got around to stopping by to brag about my Granddaughter.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Today is another Thursday and I had some things to do.

I drove up to Pathmark early but they didn't have what I was looking for. I did, however, get several cans of Progresso's French Onion Soup for $.99 apiece (A great price). I stopped at Shoprite and picked up some ham and precooked ravioli (both reduced) and drove back home to refrigerate them.

I drove to the new Chic-fil-A's nearby.

It's a stand-alone store that has a breakfast menu and I had a gift card that I'd gotten for some recent holiday.

The first thing I always ask is if they have decaf coffee. This may seem strange but the first time I'd gone to both White Castle and Taco Bell for breakfast it turned out that they didn't have decaf. I was just cutting to the chase. I ordered breakfast and it turned out that they had to make the decaf. Apparently, someone dropped the ball. I wasn't happy.

When I'd finished and gotten back to my car, I found that this guy had parked right up next to me.

The lot was not crowded and he could've parked in any number of spaces - some of which were closer to the restaurant. This just added to my annoyance.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove away, then took St. George Avenue north and stopped at Walgreen's. It's time for my flu shot.

It didn't take long and Medicare covers the cost. As a bonus, I got a $3.00 off coupon that had to be used today. I picked up another over-the-counter med that I take which was also on sale. I don't often buy this one ahead of time but, with the sale price and coupon, it turned out to be a good deal.

I headed into Metuchen and stopped at the library. Nothing there looked interesting. I headed up to South Plainfield. That's where I ran into some construction.

This one wasn't too bad but it always annoys me to see police officers standing around at these sites. I know this is because of a knee-jerk-reaction law to an accident that happened a long time ago but I can't help wondering who's paying for them.

I stopped at the Thrift Store that I frequent and picked up a used laptop carry-bag. The one I have now is starting to tear and, since I bring my laptop with me when I babysit, I thought I'd get a back-up. Fortunately, Thursdays are discount days for cardholders and it only cost me $3.20.

I  took New Dover Road back towards home. Along the way, I saw this guy up ahead.

I was still kind of annoyed at the road construction but was feeling good about finding a back-up bag.

Oh ... what the hell.

Point, press, Flash.

I decided to stop at Subway's and pick up one of their 12-inch Melted Pastrami subs.

I do what I need to do and, sometimes, what I like to do when I can.

Every Sunny Day ..........

This week, I had two days "off". By that I mean that I wasn't needed to babysit my Granddaughter and, outside of a doctor's appointment, I had no real plans.

I started Wednesday having breakfast with my Daughter and Granddaughter at 8:00. It was early enough that we were seated and served pretty quickly and were done a little before 9:00. They went home so the baby could have a nap and I drove up to the Walmart shopping area. In the Dollar Tree I picked up some toothpaste and soap. You can't beat name brand products for $1.00. I walked up to Walmart and picked up a prescription that they had ready for me. When I got back to my car, I saw this guy loading up.

It was a bright morning and I thought that we were pretty isolated but, as I was getting ready, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. Someone was coming up on us from my left. I started my engine instead and watched as a woman pushed up another cart next to the hatchback. I drove away.

It was 9:30 and I my doctor's appointment wasn't until 2:00.

I drove back down through Woodbridge, stopping at my apartment long enough to drop off my purchases. I was going to be out for a while and didn't want them to be sitting around in a hot car that long. I drove up into Avenel and stopped at the Wawa's. Gas was now $1.81.

I stopped at the Menlo Park Mall and read the paper. I did the crossword puzzles. I took the long way to Metuchen and stopped at the library. As I parked,  I saw this older man heading towards me.

It was too nice a day and I watched him walk by. I went into the library but didn't find anything interesting. I drove up into South Plainfield and stopped at my favorite Thrift Shop. I didn't find anything there, either. I drove up into Iselin and stopped at a Burger King. It was Whopper Wednesday and I ate lunch.

I got to the doctor's at 1:30. He's an ENT. I've been having trouble with my throat for months now and my voice has been very raspy. I'd gone to a GP in July and got an antibiotic and a throat culture test, which turned out negative, but I was still having a problem. Given my personal history, I decided to go to a specialist. He threaded this camera-on-a-wire thing up my nose and down my throat - and, yes, it's as uncomfortable as it sounds. I'd been told by a couple of medical people that my problem was caused by post-nasal drip but it turns out  that there's a growth on my right vocal cord. It could be nothing, it could be something. I agreed to a biopsy and they'll call me next week to schedule it.

I headed for home and, driving through Iselin, came up behind this guy riding a bike.

I wasn't in too good a mood anymore.

Point, press, Flash.

I continued on home.

This morning I was hoping to sleep in but that didn't happen. Starting around 7:00 there were loud, crashing noises coming from the side of my building. I went out into the living room and looked out the window. Someone was throwing things out of an upstairs window. I rushed through my morning routine, went outside, and got into my car. That's when I saw Rick.

He does odd jobs for the landlord. Apparently, someone on the 3rd floor had moved out and he was hired to clean out the apartment. Instead of carrying this stuff down 3 flights of stairs, he threw it out the window. When I got out there, he was moving this stuff to the nearby dumpsters. I was annoyed but I can't say I blamed him. I drove away.

It was a nice day and I decided to drive down into Monmouth County. I stopped at Shoprite first. I got my usual lottery tickets and I bought an Everything Bagel. I'd read somewhere that the really good bagel makers make sure that the topping is on both sides. Shoprite does this. They also have a Dunkin' Donuts counter in the store and I ordered a medium Iced Tea, black, to go.

I broke up the bagel into small chunks and headed down Route 9, South. I didn't eat or drink anything until I'd reached Lawrence Harbor. The bagel was good, the Iced Tea wasn't. It was Iced Coffee. Oh well, I was stuck with it.

I stopped at the library in Hazlet. I picked up a book by Alistair Maclean for $.25. I headed down Middle Road. Along the way, I saw this guy.

I was still annoyed about the coffee.

Point, press, Flash.

I continued down Middle Road, turned right on Laurel, left on Route 35, then took the jug handle for New Monmouth Road. I stopped at the library in Middletown. I picked up two books - one by Erik Larson and one by Jonathan Kellerman - at $.50 apiece. On my way out, driving around the back of the library, I saw this guy sitting at one of the tables.

I was in a better mood now so I passed him by.

I drove back up Route 35 and, on a whim, took the turn off to South Amboy. I stopped at the library there. I haven't been here in over a year. I picked up another two books - one by James Patterson and one by Truman Capote - again, for $.50 each.

I headed home. I was in a very good mood.

On my way up Through Perth Amboy, I noticed this guy walking up ahead.

Sometimes, I can't resist.

Point, press, Flash.

On my way home, I couldn't help thinking how I'd just had two good days. They would've been really good days except for a couple of snags. It seemed to me that something has to happen every day in order for you to really enjoy it. It may be as small as a wrong drink order or as big as an unexpected diagnosis.

There's an old saying about every cloud having a silver lining. I'm not too sure about that. What I do think is true is that there's always some kind of cloud that affects every sunny day.

More Changes To Come..........

I just started baby-sitting my 5-month old Granddaughter. I'll be there every weekday that my Daughter and Son-in-law are working, from about 7:15 AM to about 3:45 PM. That was Tuesday and Wednesday of last week and each day was different from the other. It's going to be interesting going forward.

What this means for me is that I now have to make some changes in my routine. I now have to plan ahead for my meals on the days I'm baby-sitting and bring my breakfast and lunch with me. I also have to make sure that all my doctor's appointments are on my "free" days and that I get my errands done as well.

Last Thursday, I headed out early. It was still pretty warm out. I stopped at the Post Office on Main Street and mailed my bills. I took Main to Amboy and drove into Metuchen. I had an 8 AM appointment for a chest x-ray. Afterwards, I headed back into Woodbridge and stopped at my bank to make a deposit (they have great hours). When I came out, this car was parked right next to me.

I had taken the second slot and he'd parked in the first - even though the rest of the parking lot was empty. I hate that. I know that it's stupid to feel that way and I should probably change but I won't.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove away feeling calmer. He'll be there until the tow truck shows up.

Friday it was cooler. I decided to get my haircut. I usually wait until it's a little longer but I had the time. Afterwards, I drove up St. George, cut through a development, and stopped at the Wawa's for gas.

The prices just dropped below $2. That's a change I liked.

I knew that the libraries that I usually drop in on will be closed all weekend so I decided to drive into Metuchen. I took a meandering kind of route through Colonia, Iselin, and Edison. As I drew closer to Metuchen, I saw this guy standing out on the sidewalk.

I figured that he was probably waiting for a ride and I was in a good mood. I drove by.

Saturday, I drove up Rahway then took Freeman towards St. George. Along the way I saw this older guy tending to his front lawn.

I've passed by here a lot, and he's always out there mowing, trimming, or tending to his rose bushes. I stopped at Shoprite for the paper, Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast, and spend a relaxing hour or so at the Menlo Park Mall. Some things never change.

Sunday, I went to Mass. I've recently registered in a different parish. It's the one that my Granddaughter was Baptized in and it's actually closer to where I live. The church has changed but I still get a sense of comfort out of going.

I stopped for my usual lottery tickets and got a free"sample" of New Jersey's new Free Play Tickets.

It's a computer-generated attempt to simulate scratch-off tickets. I'm all for change but this I don't like. I prefer the suspense of scratching off each section slowly. I like the anticipation. Where's the fun in seeing it laid out already? Thankfully, we had a larger-then-usual family BBQ that afternoon and that definitely made the day better.

Today, I had to prep for my next two days because I'll be baby-sitting. I know, I could have done some of this over the last 4 days but I tend to wait until the last minute to do anything. I guess that's something else I may have to change.

I stopped at Shoprite. Since I still have some rye bread from last week I bought some liverwurst. I picked up a box of Mini-Muffins that will cover my breakfast. I couldn't find anything for supper so I headed up towards Iselin to stop at some other supermarkets. I was driving through Iselin when I saw this guy.

There was a nice breeze and he seemed happy just plugging away. I drove on by.

 I stopped at the Stop N Shop and picked up some precooked chicken legs. I was set now. I headed home. On my way back through Edison, I saw this guy riding towards me.

I don't like bike riders, especially those coming at me. It's a childhood thing and I'd probably need therapy to change that. I'm not gonna do that.

Point, press, Flash.

I continued on home. I have a few things to do in order to be ready for tomorrow. There's a lot of things coming up and I'm pretty sure there are more changes to come.

It's a Me Thing ..............

Last Thursday, I got the results back from my Prostate Biopsy. Out of the 12 samples, there was a very small spot on only 1 and it was not aggressive. I'd been reading up on treatments - just in case - and agreed with the doctor when he recommended that we just watch the situation. He gave me a scrip for another PSA test next February and I also made an appointment for then. I figured that this was the second-best outcome and I was happy with it, but that's me.

Friday was my birthday and I spent the morning with my daughter and granddaughter. We had breakfast at the Golden Corral in Freehold, then stopped at the Verizon outlet near the Woodbridge Center Mall. My daughter was interested in upgrading her phone and wound up getting a good deal. It took a long time to transfer her contacts and other things so I did some browsing around. By the time they were done, we were hungry again so we had lunch at the nearby Red Robin's. I enjoyed spending the time with them.

Saturday, I had breakfast at Perkins with some of my other New Jersey relatives - again, for my birthday. I had some errands to run so I wound up skipping my usual Saturday routine - reading the paper in the Menlo Park Mall. On my way home, I had to wait at a corner - even though I had the light - because this old guy decided to cross the street against the light.

By the time he'd gotten across, I was stuck at the red light. Now, I don't like bike riders on the main streets and I'm beginning to not like these wheelchair/scooter things too. There's a senior citizen building nearby and several of the residents now have these. It would be OK if they stayed on the sidewalk but they insist on riding in the streets and they totally disregard the rules. I didn't do anything to this guy but it was only a matter of time. This is beginning to annoy me.

Sunday, I went to mass and had breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts. I stopped at Wawa's for gas.

$2.11 a gallon. The prices are coming down again.

 I decided to shop for some new sneakers. I admit it - I buy cheap sneakers - but they usually last me for a couple of years. Unfortunately, the ones I bought in June developed a popping sound whenever I stepped off my left foot. I don't know if anyone else could hear it, but I could and it bothered me. I had to replace them, and I did. I got a pair for about $20 in Walmart. You may think this was silly, but that's me.

Yesterday, I went to do my wash.

The attendant said that there was a problem and some of the machines weren't working. This could be a problem because I'm a guy. That means that I do the wash when I'm wearing my last clean pair of underwear. (It's a guy thing.) I took a look and saw that some of the machines still had their displays lit and I discussed this with another guy there. We agreed that it looked like there may be a circuit breaker problem and we were gonna try the ones with the lit displays. They worked.

I'd been thinking about the phone I'd seen at Verizon on Friday and decided to stop by and see what kind of a deal they'd make me.

I don't need a "smart" phone. I only wanted something that I could use to text, take pictures, and make calls. My family doesn't understand that but that's how I am. They made me a good deal, of course, but it took about 1 1/2 hours to move over my contacts and pictures. It had something to do with the memory card being corrupted but there was nothing I could do except wait once they started. On the plus side, at least it was air-conditioned in there.

This morning I was out early again because it was going to get very hot. I stopped at Shoprite to get a hero bread - I had some diced ham at home and was going to make ham salad for lunch. I parked near this truck.

This annoys me. If he had parked parallel to the store he would only have taken up 2 spaces. Instead, he parked this way and took up 4. The driver, obviously, has no consideration for others. I looked around before I did anything.

Point, press, Flash.

I would've liked to have stayed around to see what the driver's reaction would be when he came back and the truck wouldn't start but I didn't know how long that would take, so I left.

I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast. When I came out, I found Doyle standing by my car.

"Denny! How's it goin'?" He stuck out his hand and I shook it.
"Good, Doyle. I'm good. I'm surprised to see you though. I just saw you, like, a month ago when you just missed Gordon at the mall. Wait ... is he around here somewhere?"
"Nah, Den, this has nothing to do with him. In fact, we haven't gotten a blip from him since then."
"So .. what's up?"
"Well .... I was thinking that it's been 6 years - 6 years ago today, in fact - since I talked you into joining this Project and I, ah..." He trailed off, looking kind of embarrassed.
I felt a little embarrassed too. I understood what he was trying to say, but couldn't. It's a guy thing.
"Gotcha, Doyle. Thanks."
"Good ... good ... just, you know .. wanted to say something." He looked over at the black SUV idling nearby. "I gotta go, Denny. I have a meeting in New York. Good to see you, though."
"Good to see you, too."
We didn't shake again. He walked to the SUV, turned, gave me a quick head nod, and got in. They drove away. I stood there for a few minutes then got in my car and drove away.

I wanted to stop at the library in Metuchen but I had about 45 minutes before they would open. I opened all 4 windows, put on the radio, and took a leisurely drive through Iselin, Colonia, and Edison. I still had about 10 minutes to kill when I parked across the street so I used the time to set up my ring tones on the new phone.

I went in when they opened but I didn't find anything interesting. When I came out, I saw this.

The entire block was empty but this guy had to park right in front of me. So close, in fact that I'm going to have to back up in order to drive away. I didn't like that. I looked around first.

Point, press, Flash.

I got in, backed up, then drove away. He wanted to park right there so he'll be there until he can get his car towed.

I headed for home.

Thinking back over the last few days, there were things that I enjoyed and things that annoyed me. I guess that's true of everyone. The difference is that I can do something about the things that annoy me.

It's a me thing.

Working Out ..........

My Granddaughter was christened a couple of weeks ago in a church right here in Woodbridge. I knew it was going to be held there so I've been going to their early Sunday Mass for about a month. Last weekend I decided to register in that parish.

Monday, I was out early and, since the parish office wouldn't be open until 9, I ran some errands. While stopping at the A&P in South Plainfield, I saw this.

The Google Maps car was running the perimeter of the parking lot. Pretty cool if you ask me.

I got to the parish office a little after 9 and had no problem registering, so that worked out.

Wednesday, I had a Prostate Biopsy scheduled for 4 PM. I had one of these about 3 years ago and the results were negative but, since my PSA Level has continued to rise, the doctor insisted that I go through another one. I was not looking forward to it. I found it to be intrusive and I remember being very uncomfortable for several days after. While driving around, killing time, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" came on the radio.

It reminded me of my cousin who never stopped fighting the cancer that finally took her. I took it as a sign from her to just do what needed to be done. I went through the procedure and came away feeling better then I remembered. By Thursday morning I was almost back to normal and went out as usual.

This morning, I stopped at Shoprite to pick up some stuff and found that they had those Coca Cola name bottles again. On a whim, I took a look and actually found one with my granddaughter's name which, of course, I grabbed up right away. Then I remembered that my daughter and son-in-law had found one last year - months before she was born - and have it displayed in their china cabinet. They weren't, however, lucky enough to find one with my son-in-law's so they left it at that. Now, here I was with his name staring right at me.






I dug through the display until I found one with my daughter's name and bought all three. I dropped off the two at my daughter's house and she's already added them to the one in the cabinet. That worked out great.

I drove up Rahway to Avenel and cut through a small strip mall. I saw this guy sitting in his car. It looked like he was working on some scratch-off tickets.

It works out this way, sometimes.

Point, press, Flash.

I had a nice leisurely breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts then drove to Wawa's for gas. $2.27 a gallon. Pretty good.

I had nothing left to do and all day to do it. I lowered the windows, turned up the radio, and just drove around.

At Pathmark in Avenel, I picked up a packaged salad and an onion for lunch. At FoodTown in Iselin, I picked up some hot dogs, potato salad, and bread for supper.

I was feeling good and heading for home when I saw this woman heading my way.

I've said before that I don't like bike riders on the main roads but she was roller-blading - with headphones on. I couldn't resist.

Point, press, Flash.

As I continued on home, I was thinking about what I had on my schedule for the next week. There were two things.

Breakfast on Friday at Golden Corral in Freehold with my daughter and granddaughter for my birthday.

But first, on Thursday, a follow-up with the doctor to get the results of the biopsy.

I'm not worried. Whatever they are, I'll deal with them.

Things do have a way of working out.

Timing Is Everything.....................

As I was driving home today it occurred to me that timing played a part in a lot of what happened to me this week.

Monday, I drove down early to my cardiologists office in New Brunswick for some blood work. I got there at 7:25 for an 8:00 appointment and got a spot in the lot next door. I go all the way down there because they do the work on site and I usually get my results within 24 hours. I was in and out in 35 minutes, didn't get charged for parking, and was back in the Woodbridge area before 9. And I got the results that afternoon.

Tuesday I left early and got to the Laundromat at 7:30, shortly after they opened. I got that done, had breakfast with my daughter and granddaughter, and got an oil change - all before 10:30. I had the rest of the day to enjoy.

Thursday, my daughter and I had planned on breakfast again and then we were going to pick out a Baby Monitor, so I was out early. Unfortunately, she didn't feel well so we cancelled breakfast. I used this time to drive to Merrill Park and wash all my car windows and check the car's fluid levels. I was on my way back when my daughter texted. We wound up getting the Baby Monitor at Babies R Us.

Today, I started out running some errands. I stopped at the bank, then Shoprite, then the gas station. I then headed towards Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast. I cut through Avenel to get there. On Prospect Street, I saw this guy working on his tires.

It was quiet out here, and isolated.

Point, press, Flash.

I made a few more turns and stopped at Dunkin' Donuts. I bought a Honey Bran Raisin Muffin and a medium Iced Tea, black. As I was getting some napkins and a straw a young man came over. He was maybe mid-20's and wearing a dress shirts, slacks, and a tie. I guessed that he - and his two similarly dress friends - were probably salesmen at one of the nearby car lots.

He asked me where I'd gotten the T Shirt I was wearing. I told him that I'd picked it up last year at a second-hand store in South Plainfield.

 
He said that a friend of his - a Hip Hop Artist - made these shirts to plug his act and asked if he could take a picture to send him. I let him and he thanked me and went back to his friends. They left and I sat down to eat, smiling to myself at the strangeness of the situation.

I took the rest of my Iced Tea and headed towards Menlo Park Mall. Along the way, I came up behind this woman on a bicycle.

I've said before that I don't like bike riders on busy streets. I was tempted, but she had a child seat on the back and I couldn't tell if there was anyone in it or not. I drove by.

I was doing the crossword puzzle when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone take the next chair over.

"So .. Denny ... I hear you're a grandfather." Gordon.
I looked over at him. He'd changed his hair color and grown a goatee. He'd gotten a tan. It looked like he'd put on some weight, too. He grinned at me.
"Hey, Gordon, long time no see. Uh .. yeah .. I'm a grandfather. In fact, tomorrow is the Christening. But I don't .... how do you know these things?"
His grin widened - if that's possible.
"Sorry, D, but I can't tell you. Trade secrets, you know. Anyway, I just stopped by to personally congratulate you. I know I left a card back in April but I've been feeling that that was too impersonal a gesture."
He looked at his watch then stood.
"Gotta go. Company's coming. Stay well, my friend."
I watched him walk towards Nordstrom's then turn into the exit for Barnes & Noble's.

I spent another 15 minutes on my puzzle, but I couldn't finish it. I went back to my car. As I opened the door I heard tires screeching. Looking up, I saw a black SUV pull in and stop. Doyle got out of the passenger side, looking worried.

"Doyle, what's going on?"
He ignored the question. "Denny, did anyone inside approach you, you know, talk to you or anything?"
"A guy asked me if I knew what time the stores opened and then what time it was. Just that."
"What did he look like?"

I paused a minute, weighing the situation, and then described how Gordon looked.

"Doyle, man, what's this all about?"
" Gordon's tracker popped on about a half an hour ago. He was here, somewhere in the mall. We thought he was still down in Delaware and .. you know ... with all the recent shootings and stuff we're kinda stretched pretty thin. We got here as fast as we could because I know you spend some time here on Saturdays with the paper."

The driver from the SUV called to Doyle and he went over and spoke for a few minutes. When he came back he looked at me and shrugged.
"We had units at all the mall exits at the same time I got here but no one's sounding optimistic, Denny. I put the description you gave me out but it may be too little too late."
"Wait ... Are you saying that the guy who asked about the time was Gordon? He didn't look like any picture you've ever showed me and he certainly didn't look like the same guy I saw that one time years ago."
"I know. The guy's become a freakin' chameleon!" He rubbed his face with his hands then ran them back through his hair.
"Hey ... Doyle ... take it easy man."
"Yeah ... yeah ... I know. I'm just frustrated is all." He took a few deep breathes then cracked his neck. "Look, why don't you just go and do what you were goin' to do. I'll let you know what happens. Besides, don't you have your granddaughter's christening coming up?"
It was my turn to grin, now. "Yep, it's tomorrow. Should be nice. I'm just hoping that the rain holds off until later. Thanks for asking."
"No problem, Den. Take care of yourself, alright?"
"You too, Doyle."
We shook hands. He got back in the SUV and drove off. I got into my car. I looked at the clock on the dash. It was only 10:30.

I decided to head for the library in Metuchen. I took Route 1 to Amboy and turned right. Just ahead I saw this woman walking towards the overpass.

The opportunity presented itself.

Point, press, Flash.

I stayed on Amboy, made the right onto Main, then the right onto Library Street. I parked and, as I was closing the windows, I noticed this young man. He was pacing back and forth and smoking a cigarette.




                                 

I happen to know that there's a sign by the front door that says that this is a smoke-free area. I started the car, lowered the windows, and inched up. I looked around. It was just me and the smoker.

Point, press, Flash.

I drove away, took some back streets, and wound up back in Edison. I headed for home.

It's interesting to think how a few minutes, earlier or later, can make a difference - can result in a different outcome. I guess that the old saying is right. Timing is everything.