The Amazing Race: April 28, 2013 Blog Party

The show is actually starting on time tonight here on the East Coast. Are pigs flying in Hoboken or something? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings as well as the Pit Stop order and elimination (or not) at the end. So, please refresh the page to get the latest.

I don't know if it's the constant scheduling issues with the show due to sports delaying it or perhaps casting, but I'm not as into the show this season as I have been over the years. Although I'm not thrilled with Max and Katie, they're far from a team "I love to hate." Meghan and Joey, the YouTube best friends, are growing on me each week. I like the hockey dudes, Bates and Anthony. There's no one (other than Max) I have any real reservations about at this point. Hmm ...

When the show starts, the real party will be in comments ... come join us!

Teams are heading to Edinburgh, Scotland. Caution: U-Turn ahead. On the flights, those who thought they were first are actually last -- Joey/Meghan and Roller Derby don't know they're trailing.

Roadblock - they have to learn how to play a harmonizing note on the bagpipes while marching.

Detour - Tasty Pudding or Whiskey Rolling -- Prepare meat pudding or deliver whiskey barrels. Beth and Mona will have a Speed Bump ahead. Max and Katie actually liked their haggis. Bates and Anthony double U-Turned Joey and Meghan. Max and Katie U-Turned Mona and Beth.

Mona and Beth have to do a bowling thing (skittles) as their Speed Bump.

Pit Stop --
1. Max and Katie -- won ten grand each
2. Bates and Anthony
3. Caroline and Jennifer
4. Mona and Beth
5. Joey and Meghan -- Philiminated. :-(

Next week is the two-hour season finale. We can only hope it might air somewhere near on time.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 28, 2013

Good Sunday morning to you! Since it's Sunday, it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. Later tonight, the blog party post for The Amazing Race will be up and running, albeit not quite racing around the world. We will remain in our respective homes watching the scenery! If you watch the show and would like to discuss the happenings as it airs with a group of friends, here's your place!

Tonight will be the 60 Minutes interview with serial killer Charles Cullen. That's the man who admitted to killing 13 people in the very same hospital where I had my knee replacements. Although he was caught at "my" hospital (Somerset Medical Center), it sounds like they dropped the ball as much as the other hospitals he worked for did. He admitted to killing around 45 people, but it's estimated that he may have killed up to a few hundred. My friend who was working there at the time Cullen was doing his stuff said he would see him where he wasn't really needed just kind of lurking and that Cullen didn't really make eye contact with people. He creeped him out. Cullen is the first serial killer to appear on 60 Minutes in its 45-year history.

The weather has been actually spring-like this week with some beautiful daytime temperatures, yet still down around freezing or in the 40s in the overnight hours. I'm not too keen on wearing a light jacket in the morning, then having to carry it home. But I'll take it. On the other hand, the pollen in the air has been making this a bit miserable. Congestion, eyes watering, sneezing ... yup, that's me! I'd still rather this, massive pollen levels included, over the 90+ degree high humidity days of the summer.

On the home front, I still haven't seen my new upstairs neighbor who moved in at the beginning of March. He's still the best neighbor up there yet although he does sing loud enough for me to hear it at times.

Also on the home front, the not really new any longer landlord -- it's been about a year now -- ripped out the front and side doors of the building and replaced them with very nice quality slightly tinted thermal glass and metal doors. We all received new keys. Some idiot already lost the key and stuck up notices with some sort of odd black gum-like stuff on the new glass. Sigh.

Even though the doors were supposed to be done by Monday, work was still going on when my Peapod grocery order came in on Wednesday. The poor delivery guy had to lug them down three steps, then up seven steps, wheel them all the way to elevator on a hand truck. Then a second trip with two cases of water and some other bags taking the back stairs. Oy. I helped carry up some bags on the second trip. Yeah, I can do stairs. It doesn't mean I like them, though.

On the other hand, the main superintendent for the landlord, not really quartered in this building and I haven't really seen him since last summer -- went on and on about how beautiful Vincent is. Vincent purred all over him and would have jumped on his shoulder if I hadn't stopped him.

Other than that, work consumed a good part of my life this past week as it always does. I have a staycation planned for the last week of May, then my July vacation with a trip to upstate NY for my high school reunion, the first one I've ever attended. My old high school friends found me on Facebook and, apparently, I wasn't as much of a outsider as I thought I was there. In school I tended to have just a small group of friends, got my A's, was put on independent study (so I didn't go to classes so much, did papers and projects) in many courses and left after my junior year to go to college. I really wasn't comfortable in high school although it was better than junior high with the bullying. No, not me doing the bullying ... getting bullied. College, I liked and even felt comfortable. We'll see how the reunion goes this summer.

Onto the photos for this week --    

Beetle on new poison ivy

I like how the grey in the background turned out in this shot. What it is is that this sprig (whatever) of poison ivy was growing on vines on the concrete overpass by the Bridgewater Train Station. It's actually the street in the background and from above. With the camera focused on the poison ivy and beetle, it makes the street almost look like some kind of backdrop. That said, the beetle is kind of cool. It's about the size of a ladybug.

Pink in the planter

This is one of the flowers growing in that huge orange planter by the U-Haul building at East Front and Roosevelt in Plainfield. I also solved the planter mystery ... kind of sort of.

First azaleas of the season

As is the standard custom, the pink azaleas by the TD Ball Park (adjacent to the Bridgewater Train Station), came to life first. Next should be the white, then the red. Only a few of the plants have blossoms right now. I should get better shots in the weeks ahead.

Yet another huge orange planter

Oh my. When I saw the one by U-Haul, I thought it was tied in with the orange of U-Haul. This one is about a block away on East Front Street. They're really over-sized and way too bright orange. I hope the city of Plainfield got a good deal on them because they're very garish. Bright orange? Who thought of that one?

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

Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites - April 24 Blog Party

Gee, since Phillip is gone, we're going to have to think of new drinking words! But, since he is indeed gone, I'm solidly in the Cochran camp now. I like the Woody Allen of reality television!

So ... will one of the three pretty boys go tonight? Or will Dawn finally implode? As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll post major events in this entry -- refresh the page to get the latest. However, the real party is in the comments area. Come join us!

Now it's Brenda who's crying and Dawn consoling her. Brenda thinks she lost control of the game.

It's the food auction dealie going on. Malcolm bought information to go with his beer. It was directions to a buried immunity idol. Andrea gave up a big meal to bring rice and beans back to camp. Cochran took an advantage to be opened next immunity challenge. Letters from loved ones to those who have money left -- $20. Eddie ended up with a giant bowl of peanut butter for all; all they can eat in 60 seconds.

Immunity Challenge - Holding onto a rope connected to a log, move down on the rope in intervals, rope/log harder to hold. Cochran's advantage -- he can move his hands up two knots on the rope at any time. Everyone is holding 1/3 of the body weight they started the game with.

COCHRAN WINS IMMUNITY!

Tribal Council time. Malcolm didn't find the idol, so nothing to play.

The tally: Reynold, Malcolm, Andrea, Reynold, Malcolm, Andrea, Reynold, Andrea, Malcolm .. re-vote due to three-way tie. They can only vote those three, the three can't vote.

Re-tally - Malcolm, Malcolm, Malcolm, Malcolm ... buy-bye, Malcolm. 

The Amazing Race: April 21, 2013 Blog Party

The teams are off to Germany tonight and the show seems like it's actually starting on time for a change. Last week I wondered what they had on my GOLF network (included in my Comcast cable package) since CBS seems all involved in golf. During a channel surfing incident the other day ... I saw the GOLF channel was airing a Toronto Bluejays baseball game. Go figure.

As the show airs tonight, I'll update this entry with the major events. So, please refresh the page to get the latest. But, as always, the real fun is in the comments area. Come join the party!

The teams are all on the same train. Someone seems to have stolen Bates' bag while he was asleep on the train. He has his passport on him. Ford Fusion product placement gives them their next clues. After answering some questions, they're off to Berlin. They have to go to the top of a tall building and "base fly" to the bottom. Fun!

Detour - Train trials -- laying train tracks and keeping their train on track. Font follies -- carry huge letters to the museum.

Roadblock - Identify a JFK quote, go through a club funhouse-type labyrinth.

Bates and Anthony broke a letter, so are now running in last place in the detour. Max and Katie are already well into the Roadblock.

1. Max and Katie - Each won a new Ford Fusion (surprise, surprise)
2. Joey and Meghan -- I'm liking them more each leg. Good for them.
3. Caroline and Jennifer
4. Bates and Anthony
5. Mona and Beth, in a footrace with the boys ... non-Philimination!  

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 21, 2013

It's Sunday morning. Yay. Of course, that means it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Later tonight, the blog party post for The Amazing Race will be in place by 8pm EDT. Whether the show will actually start on time ...? Who knows. Grr.

I actually wanted to watch the scheduled 60 Minutes this week, but I believe a special edition on the show going in depth on the happenings in Boston this past week will air instead. That's understandable. Originally scheduled was the first time the show interviewed a serial killer. That serial killer? Charles Cullen, New Jersey's most prolific serial killer, possibly the most prolific in the country with indications he might have killed more than a few hundred people. He admitted to around 45, I believe.

My interest in the case is because it's rather local, he was finally caught at the hospital where I had both of my knee replacements (he's one of those "angel of mercy" types) and an acquaintance of mine who worked at the hospital actually knew him. Cullen was caught five years before my first knee replacement. Although my nurses weren't all goodness and light there, they haven't killed anybody. That I know about, that is.

It's been a horrific week for the country. Between the Boston Marathon bombing and the unprecedented manhunt and the tragic fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas ... I don't know. Both incidents have their own horror about them. Knowing that fertilizer can be used to make bombs (mind you, I have no clue, nor desire, about how bombs are made with such), I wouldn't live near a fertilizer plant. I also wouldn't live near a nuclear plant. Sure, accidents are rare. But when they happen, it's horrible.

The Boston happenings struck my own life a bit more. Even though I lived a few years in California, I'm an East Coast kind of gal. My favorite East Coast big cities are NYC (naturally!), Boston and Philadelphia. I'm starting to feel jaded here since 9/11. That affected everything for me and made me realize that we ARE targets. Although I go about my everyday life, well, every day, I ride mass transit; I live in the Greater New York City Metropolitan area. Reminders are around me daily of the possibility of a terrorist incident.

So, I wasn't shocked about the Boston Marathon bombing. Saddened deeply, but not really shocked. I found it more shocking the manhunt and lockdown of the towns up there. I found it more shocking that the younger brother suspect was so well-liked and "normal" in his every day life. Did he idolize his older brother so much that he went along with the madness? I don't know.Even if that is the case, he's legally an adult. If guilty, he will suffer the consequences. 

It can be a sad, sad world.

At least the arriving spring breathes some new life into things ... onto this week's photos -- 

Pretty pigeon

One of Dave's (The Corner Store) pigeons, East Second and Watchung in Plainfield.

Sunrise in the 'hood

East Front Street, Plainfield.

Sunset at the Plainfield Train Station

East Fourth Street side.

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

Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites - April 17 Blog Party

Yes! Due to a miscommunication and then upload issues, I haven't been sporting Zoetawny's cool graphic for this season! But, I finally got it to work and here it is! She rocks, y'know.

Tonight's show should be interesting if the promos are true. While Dawn's breakdown isn't too desirable, Cochran's comment about the Tribal Council being the best one ever, as well as promises of a huge upset at Tribal ... well, it sounds like a winner to me!

As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings. Remember to refresh the page to get the latest. As always, the real party is down in the comments. Come mock the show with us, the cool kids!

Ah, Dawn's breakdown is because she lost her bottom retainer bridge with her front teeth. Now, THAT I can understand freaking out about! Brenda retrieved it from the waters for her and now they're bonded.

Rewards Challenge -- two teams of fives, obstacles, muddy pit, bags of balls, dig through rice, balls into basket. Winning team goes to a hotel, luxury meals, etc.

Purple - Cochran, Phillip, Erik, Reynold, Dawn

Orange - Malcolm, Andrea, Sherri, Brenda, Eddie

Purple wins Reward!

Uh-oh. It's not just the teeth with Dawn. She's in unstable mode. Sigh.

After a good night's sleep, Dawn is normal once again. The Stealth R Us plan is to target Reynold.

Immunity is up for grabs -- two heats, jump in ocean, move rings to posts. Phillip claims he's sitting out because he had a bad experience in water as a boy. @@

Reynold wins Immunity! I guess they'll need a new target, eh?

The new targets are Malcolm and Eddie. Malcolm has his idol, but doesn't want to use it. He's searching for another one. He's not the only one searching. He finds the second idol for himself right in front of people (or, played a clever hoax to get the vote off him).

Tribal Council time. Whoa! Malcolm gave the second immunity idol to Eddie! He really did have them both! Now, the three targets all have immunity. Malcolm says all three of them will vote for Phillip and calls him the fun sponge (sucks all the fun out of the game).

Erik votes "fillup" -- no other votes shown.

Eddie and Malcolm play the idols.

Votes: Malcolm, Malcolm, Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, Phillip, Phillip, fillup!

Phillip, my blog pool pick, is gonzo! Good, now I can cheer on Cochran! 

The Amazing Race: April 14, 2013 Blog Party

Sigh. Now we're delayed due to golf. Why does my cable company force me to have a Golf Network if these things aren't just covered on that? Once the show actually starts here on the East Coast, I'll post major happenings here in this very post.

As always, the real party -- assuming people are bothering to watch the show with these ridiculous delays week after week -- is in the comments area.

Okay, 60 Minutes just started a few minutes before 8pm ET. So we're running nearly an hour late. This is not acceptable.

8:56pm EDT and it's finally starting. The teams are off to Switzerland. All the teams are on the same flight, so all are caught up and starting out even once again.

Teams each get a St. Bernard rescue dog and must deliver them by train. Lots of trains so far in Switzerland. The scenery is stunning!

The Roadblock has teams climbing to retrieve a gnome, traversing the north face of a mountain cliff. Wynona/Chuck and Meghan/Joey are stuck at the Roadblock as the other teams move on.

Teams have to use a sled to transport 200 pounds of cheese in their next task. Okay, this has me laughing as they slide down with the cheese! It doesn't make up for my annoyance about the delays for the show each week.

After the cheese, it's on to the Pit Stop!

1. Bates and Anthony -- also won a trip to Bora Bora
2. Mona and Beth
3. Max and Kate
4. Caroline and Jennifer

Joey and Meghan finished the cheese. Chuck and Wynona abandoned their sleds and rolled the cheese down. I don't think they can do that. The editing is making a big deal about Joey and Meghan being lost, but there's no way ... because Chuck and Wynona didn't transport their cheese the right way. They get a 30 minute penalty.

5. Joey and Meghan
6. Chuck and Wynona -- Philiminated  

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 14, 2013

It's Sunday morning! Bonjour! As it is, that means it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Be warned -- due to spring breaking out all over the place, there are tons of photos this week. You've been warned.

Hopefully it is really spring. This past week I've worn my winter jacket, short sleeves and my spring jacket for my walk to the train station for work. We've had winter, summer and spring all within the week. Two days this week, the temperatures were in the mid-eighties. We had a terrific thunderstorm as a cold front blasted its way in. Then it was winter-ish once again. Yesterday was nice with temperatures around 60 and just fluffy white clouds mixing with the blue of the sky. Today is supposed to be more of the same.

I actually worked a quasi-normal human being work week this past week -- Monday through Friday with this weekend off. I'm of two minds about that. While it's nice to have two days off in a row, I'm not used to working five days in a row (or nine days out ten) to get there. I've been working a two days on, day off, three days on, day off pattern for so many years that I was exhausted by Friday. That might also have to do with remodeling chaos at my workplace, though. I don't know. I won't be doing it every week. This week I'm back to my Wednesday off.

Let's see ... what else happened this week? Oh, I know. NJ Transit has a new class of train engineers out on the rails. Those are the train "drivers." I think I'd like a few to go back for remedial training. They keep overshooting the Bridgewater Train Station platform. I had to jump off the train into the rocks one morning. I stumbled a bit upon landing, but was fine. I should have been a sneaky sneakface when the conductor kept asking me if I was okay. I had told him I had two knee replacements before I jumped. I should have called an ambulance! I should have sued! Nah, not my style. I was fine. But, if it had been pre-surgeries, no way could I have done it.

Another time, boarding the train, we had to walk through two closed cars before we could sit. Now, that doesn't sound bad, but these are multi-level trains. Up the stairs, down the stairs, cross the car, more stairs. Grr. Another time the train had to back up as he entirely missed the platform. Scary. Each time when I've been on the platform waiting, I could tell the train was coming in too fast on the approach.

There's nothing new on the home living front. I still haven't met the upstairs neighbor. He's still the best person who's lived up there out of the four different folks/families that have been there since I moved into my apartment. The only better neighbor up there has been the times it has sat vacant in between tenants.

Onto this week's photos -- I have an abundance of spring going on. Plus, yesterday on my rare Saturday off, I took a walk downtown and attended a ceremony in the plaza by the Madison-Park building to kick off the primary season democratic headquarters opening. Yes, I lead an exciting life, don't I?  

Yes, it's really spring! (I think.)

East Front Street in Plainfield.

Pretty in blue

Berckman Street, Plainfield.

Daffodil

Also on Berckman Street.

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

Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites - April 10 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? Last week we saw the favorites turn on Corinne. Will they keep humoring Phillip and keep him around this week? Is romance in the air between Andrea and Eddie? I guess we'll know soon enough!

As the show airs, I'll update this post with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest. If I happen to vanish it's because severe thunderstorms are coming through the area. I'm hoping NOT to vanish, though.

As always, the real fun is in the comments area. Come join the party!

Reward Challenge has them dividing into two teams. One person is the defender while the others go for baskets. Reward is rappelling down a waterfall and a picnic lunch. It was a schoolyard pick. No one picked Sherri. No surprise there. The teams are uneven, male to female, but the game is going quite even. Erik, Eddie, Michael, Cochran and Reynold going on reward.

Cochran is balking (to us only) about the testosterone alliance his winning team wants to get together. Malcolm is trying to gather fans to his side. Phillip is onto Malcolm and wants him out. Ah, the web we weave ...

The Immunity Challenge is underwater in a steel barrier cage with the water rising. Last one in it wins it. Heck, Cochran has a chance at this one with his nose! First one out is Phillip. Heh. Then Sherri. Erik, Dawn, Malcolm, Mike, Eddie, Cochran, Reynold, Andrea ... Brenda wins Immunity!

Lots of scheming is afoot. Not really sure how this one will pan out.

The tally: Wait! Reynild plays his idol. Malcolm tries to tell him they all voted for him (Malcolm) and succeeds! Andrea, Andrea, Reynold, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael, Michael.

Michael is the first member of the jury. 

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 7, 2013

It's Sunday morning. Wake UP! Er ... you can sleep in if you want, I guess. But, since it is Sunday morning, it's time for my weekly off television topic post reflecting on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way.

Just a quick programming reminder -- due to a country music awards show, The Amazing Race won't be airing tonight. Therefore and thusly, there will be no blog pool party tonight. 

So, how was my week? Well, it's not going to go down in the annals as the best week in my life, but it was a lifetime away from my worst weeks. I can't really complain. I caught some kind of stomach bug early in the week and called out of work. Unfortunately, there were some kind of computer woes they couldn't figure out and after an extended phone call to my sick bed, I ended up working on my day off to fix things. Sigh. The bright side is that I didn't waste any of my paid sick time being sick. 

It's been chilly and windy most of the week with temperatures dipping down around freezing just about every evening. Sure, it's often been PRETTY this past week, but COLD and windy. Grr. I swear, ever since Hurricane Sandy (make that "Superstorm Sandy"), it's been windy more often than not around here. Of course, nowhere near as windy as that night, but ...!

I still haven't seen or met my new upstairs neighbor. But the folks who moved into the first floor front wing at about the same time as he moved upstairs are a real nightmare. I told you about the party with the three police cars called and how I couldn't hear it from my apartment. Then I told you about the screaming on the cell phone woman early one Sunday morning as I went to get my newspaper. After she entered the building she was pounding on that door demanding her stuff.

Well, this morning I went down to get my newspaper at about 5:30am. Getting off the elevator, I could hear partyers. After finding my paper wasn't there yet, a group of loud party people, two with clown wigs, were by the elevator. Sigh. One did say "excuse me" as he accidentally brushed me while passing by.  I'll give them that much.

At 6:30am when I went to check on the paper again, they were all in that front apartment near the building entrance, music playing, shouting and loud partying going full force. They also park not one, but two, baby carriages on either side of their door all the time. They also tend to sit their trash bags out in the hallway by their apartment door. It's a one bedroom apartment, mind you. Obstructing the hallway is a big no-no. Trash set in the hallway is just lowlife, scummy and disgusting.

I could hear the party from the elevator area which is about forty or fifty feet and around the corner from their apartment. I could also hear it through the windows outside as I got my newspaper. I'm SO grateful that they moved to the front riff-raff wing of the building and not my wing. If they had moved upstairs into that apartment, I'd be on the phone with the landlord and police 24/7 until they were gone. I don't really see them lasting, but still it's horrible for anyone around them even if they're riff-raff in their own right.

Bless my new upstairs neighbor. Although I still haven't met him, he's a definite keeper! He's still quiet for the most part although I hear music now and then. He doesn't stomp on the hardwood floors. He hasn't flooded my bathroom. He doesn't throw wild parties. Yay!

Onto the photos from this week ...

Da daffodil is awake!

Finally they daffodils along a hedge on Berckman Street in Plainfield bloomed. They aren't faring real well in the cold. We need nighttime temperatures at least up in the 40s, PLEASE!

Rain on the crocuses

I took this with the flash early Monday morning after the Sunday night rain. Plainfield YWCA.

Aren't they ADORABLE?

These itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny blue flowers are growing amongst the often dead grass in Bridgewater by the Target store. They can't be more than 1/4 inch, but they're so darn cute!

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

Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites - April 3 Blog Party

The merge is ON tonight! As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll update this entry with the major happenings. Please refresh the page to get the latest. However, as always, the real party is in the comments area. Come join in on the fun with us as we watch the show!

There's a boat approaching Gota! They have to gather everything they need in their new home. MERGE ahead! Feast time and green buffs abound. Malcolm sneaked in his mother's name backwards as the tribe name -- Madeline or, in this case, Enil Edam.

Corinne wants to blindside Phillip and snags Malcolm for her cause. The other name coming up to go is Sherri.

Immunity is the old eating disgusting stuff challenge. It's been a while since we've seen this one.

Done in rounds --
Beetle larvae
Ship worms (actually a member on the clam family)
Balut! (Duck embryos -- we've seen these before)
Pig brains -- down to Cochran and Malcolm

COCHRAN wins Immunity!

Corrine wants to line up her boys, vote off Sherri, then Phillip. She's gathering the numbers. Dawn told Cochran, now they're trying to gather numbers to blindside Corrine.

Tribal Council time.

Phillip votes Corrine, Andrea Votes Corrine, Mike votes Sherri, Sherri votes Corrine

Tally: Sherri, Sherri, Sherri, Sherri, Sherri, Corrine, Corrine, Corrine, Corrine, Corrine, Corrine, Corrine.

Buh-bye, Corrine!