It Makes Me Happy .............

Like the song says .."Sunshine came softly through my window today." There it was, peeping through my bedroom blinds, for the first time in days. Sunshine at last.

It made me feel happy.

It was cold out when I left my apartment, of course, and the wind made it feel colder, but that sunlight made up for any discomfort I was feeling. I only had one place to go today but I was gonna take my time getting there.

I stopped at the Dunkin' Donuts on St. George and ate my breakfast at a table by the junction of two windows. I could feel the warmth of the sun through them. I was happy eating there.

I drove up into Rahway and stopped at the library. Because of the snow piles, I parked closer to the back then I usually do so I went into that entrance. There was a woman just ahead of me.

We were too close to the door and I couldn't see if anyone was in the foyer. I followed her in. She took the elevator and I took the stairs. I didn't get anything.

On the way out, I passed this guy.

I looked around, then turned back towards him.

Point, press, Flash.

I got back in my car and headed towards Inman Avenue feeling happy.

I stopped at the Colonia Branch of the Woodbridge Library. I didn't find anything interesting. I got back on Inman and headed towards Edison. I took a left on Grove. Up ahead,  I saw this woman.

When I got closer, I noticed that she was on the phone. I never bother people on their phones - it's one of the few rules I follow. I continued on Grove and stopped at the North Edison Library. I was happy to find a copy of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" for $.25.

I took Grove to Route 27 and stopped at the Metuchen Library. Again, nothing there caught my eye.
I headed up Main Street and made a left on Amboy. This took me from Metuchen into the Clara Barton section of Ford's. This is a quiet area full of tree-lined streets. I was coming to a stop at a street light when I saw this guy coming up on my driver's side.

As the light turned green .....

Point, press, Flash.

It happens that way, every now and then. I was happy with it.

I headed towards Walmart. That was the only place I needed to go today.( Now, I know that a lot of my friends and family refuse to shop there but that's where my pharmacy is. They've been extremely helpful with all of my prescriptions since the transplant 6 years ago and I like their automated system for renewals and notifications.)

I pulled into their lot and, again, had to deal with the huge mounds of snow there. I parked a little further away then I usually do. That's where I saw this guy getting into his car.

The sun was still shining brightly and the wind had died down. I went inside and chatted with the counter girl as she got my refill for me.

To get out of the lot, I had to drive around to the side of the building. That's where I saw this guy.

I had no idea why he was walking there. It was such a nice day out and yet there he was - all alone. He looked cold. Maybe he felt miserable.

Point, press, Flash.

Sometimes, I get a chance to help someone out.

It makes me happy.

Unexpected ...............

We just got through the "Great" Blizzard of 2015.

In my area the prediction was for 18 to 24 inches. We got about 6. The low amount was unexpected but I was happy that it was because I could deal with that. I went out around 11 in the morning and spent about 1/2 an hour digging out and cleaning off my car. I didn't go anywhere, just cleaned it off. No one else had done their cars yet and I didn't want to lose the spot.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This morning was cold but sunny and I left my house about 8:30. The car started right up but I sat for a while warming her up. I noticed that almost every other car in the area had been cleaned off and dug out. Since most folks would be going to work today, I was hopeful that I'd get a decent parking spot when I got back. At least that was what I was expecting.

I took Rahway to Freeman and headed towards Shoprite. There were a few things I wanted to get and I usually start there. Near the High School, I came across this woman.

It dawned on me that this may be the same woman I saw at the beginning of the month. At that time, I thought she might have made a resolution to walk each day as exercise. It must be below 20 degrees out there and the wind was pretty harsh.

Good for her.

I drove on.

I picked up shampoo, shaving cream, garlic powder, and the paper. I was still looking for a microwaveable bowl with a vented lid, so I drove down St. George's to the KMart/Pathmark strip mall. Just as I got there, I came up behind this guy walking in the street.

I could see that the nearby sidewalk had been shoveled so his walking in the street annoyed me. He was too far out for me to pass him without cutting into the left lane and there was too much traffic for that. I was forced to creep along behind him until we both turned into the parking lot. He never turned around to look behind him.  I passed him on my right.

Point, press, Flash.

Neither store had the bowl I was looking for. I drove back up St. George's and stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast.

When I came out, Doyle was leaning on a Black Ford Explorer parked next to my car. This was totally unexpected.

"Hey, Denny! How'ya doin'?" He grinned.

I hadn't seen him in months - in fact I think the last time I'd heard from him was a text message back in October. But I couldn't help grinning back.

"Doyle! It's good to see you. I'm good. How're you?"
"Great, Denny. Just great. Sorry I haven't been around much." He seemed suddenly embarrassed. "There's all this stuff goin' on which I can't talk about, of course, but Mr. Jones still wants a detail on Gordon, so I'm up on what's happening with you."

I flashed on Gordon popping up at the Menlo Park Mall a couple of weeks ago.

"What do you mean by that? Keeping up on me, I mean."
"C'mon, Denny. Besides the medical stuff you've been through, I hear that there's a grandchild on the way. Congratulations, Grandpa!"

That was a relief. I smiled. "Thanks, Doyle. I'm really looking forward to it. Since the kids live near me I'm expecting to do a lot of babysitting."
"Good for you. I'm happy for you. You know, if you want to stop doing these Events, you can. You don't owe us anything. It's just...." He trailed off.
"What? ... C'mon... Don't leave me hanging... What?"
"We still kinda need you to be out there every once in a while. The shrinks still think Gordon has an obsession with you and if you stop, he might also, or he might do something totally out of character."
"I .. uh... I don't quite understand that. Since I hadn't heard from you in a while, I kinda assumed Gordon had   .. I don't know .. gone to ground, or something."
Doyle shook his head, slowly. "No. He's still out there, though he seems to be pacing himself."
"What does that mean?"
"Over the last 4 months or so, he's struck in 6 different places, stretching from southern Delaware to Northern New Jersey. As usual, there's no rhyme or reason to where or when he strikes." He stopped, and slouched against the Explorer for a few seconds before straightening up again. "But, like I said, Mr. Jones insists on pursuing him so I have to keep a team on it and the shrinks feel that you're an integral part of things. So .... do what you can, Denny. I'll cover for the rest."
I had to smile. "Let's be honest here, Doyle. I like what I'm doing. When the grandchild comes along, sure, I'll have other obligations, but I'll still have my alone time. Don't worry about it."
He grinned. "I knew that. It's just that we're kinda stretched thin right now so I'm glad to know I can count on you."
His phone went off and he checked it.
"I gotta go, Denny. Congrats again."

We shook hands and he got into the car and drove off.

I realized that we'd been standing in the cold all that time and got into my car to warm up. I decided to check out the Thrift Shop in South Plainfield for the microwaveable bowl. I took Route 1 to Gill Lane and turned right. I saw this woman outside of a QuikChek.

She was trucking along, wearing some kind of modified kind of snow shoes. Something I never expected to see. I made the left and then then next right on Wood.

I took this up to Inman and made the left. I saw this woman walking in the street, heading towards me.

I could see that the sidewalks had been dug out but the corners weren't. I didn't blame her.

I drove on.

When I got to the Thrift Store parking lot, I saw this guy.

All I could think was ... "That sucks." Your car starts, you drive somewhere, then your car dies. Definitely not something you expect.

I didn't find a bowl there and was on my way out when my phone rang. It was my landlord. He said that he couldn't find an entry for my rent this month. I knew that I'd paid it - in fact I'd recently balanced my checkbook and saw the entry. He asked, if I could get a copy for him and I said I would.

This was really unexpected and I was going to go back to my bank when I remembered that they had a branch office nearby. I stopped in and got 2 copies of the cancelled check.

I called my landlord back and made sure he was in his office. It's on Main Street in Metuchen. I drove down there. I gave him the copy and he apologized. I told him not to worry about it. Stuff happens. But we both understood that now he owes me one. An unexpected bonus when you're a renter.

I headed back down Main towards Amboy. I saw this guy up ahead.

He was on the sidewalk not in the street. Still, there was no one around.

Point, press, Flash.

I headed down Amboy to Woodbridge Avenue, then Main Street to Rahway. I turned into my street and found a spot on the next block.

Sometimes things happen the way you want them too and sometimes things are .........

Unexpected.

Factors involved .........

When I got up this morning it was cold. The indoor/outdoor thermometer in my living room said it was 19 out there. I used to believe that, but now I know that there are other factors involved. Let me explain.

When I was a kid it was simple - it was hot in the summer and cold in the winter and my parents told me what to wear. When I got older - say by my teenage years - I learned how the temperature was measured by a thermometer. At that point, to me, it was hot if it was over 90 (and really bad if it was over 95), and it was cold if it was under 36 (and really cold if it was under 30).

Now, that I'm older I've noticed that the TV Meteorologists have added a few new elements. In the summer, in addition to the temperature, they've added the THI - the Temperature Humidity Index. That means that although the temperature may be 90, the humidity might make it feel like 100. In the winter they've added the WCF - the Wind Chill Factor. Which means that although it's only 35, it feels like 25. These are just some other factors involved..

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've mentioned before that I have a Saturday routine, and I started out early this morning. I had agreed to dog-sit for some friends for the next two days. I waited until they left then drove over there and dropped off my stuff so I could get back to what I liked.

I stopped at Shoprite first. It was the last day of a Progresso sale and I wanted to pick up some French Onion Soup.

I stopped at Wawa's for gas.

I've been watching the price drop steadily for weeks now. I'm not sure why it's happening and I don't know how long it will last. I'm sure there are various economic factors involved.

I picked up the paper and had breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts.

I hadn't seen anyone walking around outside but I figured that the cold had kept people inside.

I headed to the Menlo Park Mall to sit back, finish my coffee, read the paper, and do the crossword puzzles. They still haven't finished setting up the area I prefer to sit in, so I took my second favorite spot. It's near the central fountain on the main floor, next to a cell-phone charger. There are 2 arm chairs there and I like to sit on the right side so I can put my coffee up on the stand.

I opened my paper and checked out my Quick-pick Mega Millions ticket first. No luck.

I scanned the news, checked out the funnies, finished the first crossword puzzle (the Star Ledger, my local paper, has two) and started on the second when - out of the corner of my eye - I noticed someone take the chair on the other side of the charger.

"Hello Denny! Happy New Year! Please don't react to me in any way. Just continue with your puzzle."

Gordon.

"Hey .... ah ... Gordon ....I'm not sure what you want me to do here."
"Just keep on doing your puzzle and I'll pretend to check out some stuff on my phone."
"OK. ... So ... how've you been? I haven't heard from you in a while."
"I've been busy, of course. Things didn't quite work out last year so I'm trying to come up with an alternate plan."

 I thought about that for a bit and then it hit me.

"That's right. You told me that everything would be over by the end of the year. So ... what happened?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him flinch a little.
"He was supposed to be at a New Year's Eve party at the Woodbridge Hilton. It was being thrown by the Republican Party of Middlesex County. He didn't show up .... said something came up ... some terrorist activity or some other crap." His voice was starting to rise and he stopped to get himself under control. "I was all set, too."

I didn't know how to respond to that, so I didn't. I waited for him.

"You know, Denny, you can make all kinds of plans but, sometimes, there are other factors involved."
"Yeah. I guess so. What're you gonna do now? And who are you talking about?"
"I'm gonna have to rearrange some things, is all. I'll get him. You can bet on it."

Just then his phone went off.
"Hah. I gotta get this. I've been waiting for it."
As he checked his phone, I took a quick photo but, because of the angle, I didn't get his face.

He stood up abruptly.
"I gotta go but I'll be in touch. Glad to see you're doing good. See ya around, Denny."
He left before I could reply.

I sat there for a while trying to figure out what he was talking about but I couldn't come up with any answers. I got up to go back to the house.

I wasn't going to let it bother me.
 There were too many factors involved.

Calm And Bright .................

It's the first morning of the first day of the first month of the new year.

I couldn't help thinking - as I watched the broadcast from Time's Square last night - that a lot of the crowd were there not just to see in the new year but to make sure the old one left. It wasn't one of the best, considering the volume of horrible situations that filled the news broadcasts and the papers.

Still, the sun was shining brightly and I left my apartment with a sense of hope for this year, especially since it will bring a new addition to my extended family. It was cold out but there was no wind so it didn't feel as bad as yesterday. If I was someone who goes out to walk, jog, or run, I would've called it exhilarating. I'm not, of course, but I did enjoy the quiet as I sat in the car while it warmed up.

I drove up to Shoprite and was struck by something I noticed - there was practically no traffic and very few people about. I know it's a holiday but it was as if the world decided to sleep in.

Well, most of the world.

I saw this woman walking in my direction as I passed by the local High School.

She had that purposeful stride that, I imagine, someone who decided to exercise in the new year must have. I drove on by. Far be it for me to ruin her resolution.

I picked up a few things and stopped at Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast.

Then I decided to just drive around. I didn't need anything and I didn't have to be anywhere but I was feeling good.

I took the long way up St. George to Main Street, then down Main to Amboy. I didn't have the radio on and I actually made every light. I was enjoying this, and I began to see some people out and about.

Along Amboy, in the Clara Barton section, I saw this guy sitting on a bench.

He was waiting for the bus, I guessed, and was probably headed for work. Not everyone has the holidays off. I wished him well and drove on.

There's a lot to be said about just driving around when very few cars are sharing the road with you and you're hitting the lights.

 It feels great.

There's a freedom to it.

But ............ if you're smart you'll realize that you're doing 60 in a 25 MPH zone and slow down.

I turned up Gill in the direction of Route 1. This is a narrow, winding road that cuts through a cemetery. Up ahead, I saw this guy coming in my direction.

I couldn't come up with a reason for why he was out here.

Point, press, Flash.

I headed for home. There were more cars out now, and more people.

The moment, I guess, was over.

That's when the Christmas Carol "Silent Night" crossed my mind. It's about that one perfect, peaceful night. I couldn't help applying the lyrics to this morning. It was ...

calm and bright.

My Saturday Routine ..................

I may not have mentioned this before but, at times, I can be a creature of habit. I find a certain comfort in routines and I do have a few of those. Don't get me wrong, I can adapt quickly to change - seen or unseen - but I prefer routine.

Today is the first sunny day we've had in a while and it's a Saturday. I have a routine I like to follow on Saturdays and, since I was unable to follow it for the last couple of weeks, I was looking forward to it this morning.

I do almost all of my shopping during the week so I don't have to deal with crowds on the weekend. (This works especially well during the holiday season.) I picked up the paper and headed for Dunkin' Donuts. I go there a lot, but I really like to eat breakfast there on Saturdays. It's usually pretty empty and I can sit be a window and read a book while I eat.

That didn't work out.

There was only one table available and that was between a group of local High School cheerleaders and a group of adults. They were all happily gabbing away about some sports event that was going to take place later. I took my breakfast to go.

I drove up Avenel Street towards Route 1. Along the way I came up on this guy.

Point, press, Flash.

I got to Route 1 and made a right turn. I headed towards the Menlo Park Mall.

This is the part of Saturday's routine that I really like. I take my coffee and the paper into the Mall and pass a quiet hour or so catching up on the news and doing the crossword puzzle. The seating location I like has been converted into Santa's Workshop so I headed for the fountain area and picked out a nice, comfortable chair.

I'd just opened the paper when a young man took the nearby chair. He seemed antsy and was talking softly to himself. I admit that I was tempted to move but I didn't. I'd already lost my Dunkin' Donuts routine, I wasn't about to lose this one.

The young man didn't bother me and left after a few minutes. I noticed that he stepped on and off the rug a few times before he went on his way - some type of obsessive-compulsive thing, maybe. I finished my coffee and the crossword about 45 minutes later.

My Saturday routine now calls for a stop at the Metuchen Library. I was enjoying the sunshine and the car was warm. I slid open the sunroof.

I picked up an historical novel about the Lincoln assassination at the Library and, since it was still early, decided to check out some of the local supermarkets in search of an idea for lunch and supper. While this isn't really a part of my Saturday routine, it did give my a reason to continue driving around.

I drove up to the local A&P.

When I got there, I found this truck in the lot. It took up 2 spaces and was left running, noisily.

There was nothing in the store that appealed to me and, when I came out, the truck was still there. I got in my car.

Point, press, Flash.

As I drove away, I smiled to myself. I would have liked to stay and see the driver's face when he found his truck inoperable, but that's not something I routinely do.

I drove to the FoodTown in Colonia. This was a nice ride down New Dover, up Grove, and down Inman. Along the way, I saw this guy, up ahead, where they were redoing a gas station.

Point, press, Flash.

I picked up some fried chicken at FoodTown. That would be for supper but I still needed lunch.

I drove back to Woods Avenue and turned left. I took this all the way to Thornall then took that to Gill Lane. I turned right and headed up to Wegman's. This is a quiet, winding stretch of road and, as I made one of the turns, I saw this guy coming towards me.

Point, press, Flash.

I picked up some knishes to go with the fried chicken and several can of Progresso French Onion Soup (4 for $5.00). I now had lunch and I headed home.

Like I said, I can be a creature of habit and one of those habits is ....

my Saturday routine.

Downs And Ups .............

Maybe it's because I just passed my Sixth Anniversary as a transplant recipient. Maybe it's because we just passed Thanksgiving - the used-to-be get-together-with-the-family Holiday. Maybe it's because today was one of those cold, overcast days that are harbingers of the coming winter. Whatever the reason, I left my house this morning in a mood.

I wouldn't call it depressed. I'm not one of those people who spend a lot of time questioning things, and I never feel sorry for myself. Still, I guess, everyone must feel down every now and then.

I stopped at the Library a little after 9 and found that they wouldn't be open until 10. Down.

 I stopped at Shoprite and picked up a box of decaffeinated tea bags. I stopped for the paper. I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts and had a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel with butter and a medium decaf coffee. I had a book with me and sat by the window to eat. There was not enough butter on the bagel. Down.

I got back to the Library at 10 to 10 and they'd opened already. I went in to print out my checking account statement but they changed things. You now have to have a Library Card in order to access the system. I have a card. It didn't work. Down.

I waited at the main desk and renewed my card, then logged in, printed my statement, and left. I decided to head towards the Metuchen Library and took Avenel towards Chain-of-Hills. Along the way, I passed this woman.

She's a fixture in this neighborhood. I've seen her walking around here for years. I've heard that she lives in a nearby SRO and that she carries all of her possessions with her because she's afraid to leave anything in her room. A sad story. A Down.

 I drove on. I decided to head up through the Clara Barton section, which would take a little longer, but I now had my radio tuned to CBS-FM and they were playing their traditional Top 500 for the weekend. That always makes me feel good. Up.

Along Amboy Avenue, I passed by this guy sitting on a bench in front of a Senior Citizen's Home.

I'm sure he had a story. I wondered, briefly, what it was. There he was all bundled up and sitting in the cold, all alone. It looked like a sad story. Down.

I pulled up in front of the Library in Metuchen, and saw this man walking towards it.

Another guy, carrying some books, looking all alone. I imagined that he walked up here - maybe weekly - to take out some other books. Another sad story. Down.

I went inside and headed towards the sale books. I noticed the guy from outside was now at the main desk, returning the books. As I browsed, the guy went past me, humming, and went upstairs to the meeting room. I heard voices greeting him. I walked over there and read the sign - there was a meeting of the local Historical Society going on. This guy wasn't alone after all. Up.

That's when I realized that I'd let my own mood color how I saw things. Maybe the guy in the Clara Barton section wasn't alone either. Maybe he was waiting for someone to pick him up. Up.

And, maybe there was more to the story of that old woman in Avenel then the locals knew about. At least now I was willing to entertain that thought. Up.

I went back to the sale books and picked out two. As I left, I held the door for a woman coming in, probably to attend the meeting. She thanked me. Up.

Then, as I headed towards my car, I saw another woman carrying a couple of bags. I offered to help but she said it was OK. Still, I went back and held the door. She thanked me  and said that the bags held some cupcakes that she'd baked for the meeting. Up.

I drove home feeling better. Everybody has moods. Everybody has a story. And we tend to allow our moods to affect those stories. Everybody has ...

Downs and Ups.

No Real Plan For The Day ..............

Yesterday was overcast and foggy, but warmer. Today, we have a cold front starting but it's sunny. I went out early.

I had a few things to do but no real plan for the day.

I stopped at Shoprite and picked up the paper and my lottery tickets. I drove into Avenel to pay my cable bill. I parked on Lord Street and walked over. They weren't open yet but they have a drop-box out front for payments. As I walked up, I noticed this guy down along the side of the building.

I was ready as I walked back.

Point, press, Flash.

I got to my car and drove to the Post Office to mail my electric bill. (I know, I could pay this - and other bills - online but, frankly, I'm leery about doing that. I'm all in favor of modernization but - in some cases - I prefer to stick with what I know.)

I drove back towards St. George's Avenue and Dunkin' Donuts, for breakfast. On the way down Avenel Street, I came up behind this UPS truck.

Here's another annoyance that I come across while driving. These guys stop wherever they want. In this case, he was blocking the through lane. I waited till I could pass then ..

Point, press, Flash.

I realized later that by taking out his engine he'd be blocking traffic for a while but it was satisfying when I did it.

I enjoyed my breakfast and took the rest of my coffee with me. Today being a Thursday, the Thrift Store I like up in South Plainfield had their weekly card-holders-only sale. I'm going to a Brunch Cruise out of Perth Amboy on Sunday to celebrate a family member's birthday and, since it's supposed to be cold, I thought I'd look for a heavy sweater.

I took Chain-of-Hills Road and came up behind this person.

I didn't have a clear view and there was a merge with New Dover Road just ahead. I drove on by.

On a whim, I made a left on Grove and stopped at the North Edison Library. I picked up a mystery that has Mark Twain as the hero. I gotta admit that I'm a sucker for fiction that uses historical people as central characters. I headed back down Grove to Oak Tree when I came across this guy.

I knew he was surveying something and I also knew that he had a partner that he could see but I couldn't. I drove on, made the right on Oak Tree, and stopped at the Thrift Store. I picked up a nice, heavy, green sweater for $6. Feeling good, I decided to swing by the library in Metuchen.

I know the way there but not the street names. Along the way I came across this guy.

These landscape guys are a pet peeve of mine and here was one using a ride-on leaf blower in the street. I looked around but saw no one else.

Point, press, Flash.

I skipped the Metuchen library and just headed home.

I took 27 to Middlesex Turnpike and got back on Chain-of-Hills. Around one of the curves I came up behind this guy.

An isolated stretch of road and another annoyance.

Point, press, Flash.

I continued on, towards home.

Sometimes, the best plan is to have ....

no real plan for the day.