Survivor: Philippines - December 5 Episode Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? Tonight's episode is the "loved ones" episode. These can sometimes be very interesting. I, once again, am wishing that Abi will go far away. I'm still shocked that she actually won Immunity last week. If she does that for a second week in a row, my head will explode. Yep, it definitely will explode. 

As usual, although I'll update this entry with the major happenings as they air, the real party is in the comments area. Come join us! Beverages and snacks welcomed. We provide the comfy chairs.

The Reward Challenge has them paired up with a loved one. Surprise, surprise. They have to toss a muddy bag to their loved one, loved one tries to knock down five targets with said bag. Winner gets loved one to spend night back at camp.

Malcolm and his brother win Reward! Malcolm gets to pick one more person and he chose Lisa because she's been having so many problems. He gets to choose another, he goes for Skupin.

What? No Denise? I'm shocked!

Ohh ... Lisa's brother is trying to work the betray Malcolm move. Will she go for it?

Immunity Challenge time! Over water, they must race across balance beams, assemble poles, drop a flag.

Malcolm wins Immunity! So much for the plans to oust him this week.

Abi is still hanging with her lie about having a hidden idol. It's likely she or Carter will be voted out. Abi doesn't play her fake idol.

Tally: Carter, Abi, Carter, Carter, Carter ... ACK! Carter is voted out instead of Abi! Sure, going against her in the end is more of a sure win, but ...! 

The Amazing Race: December 2nd Episode Blog Party

Sigh. The show isn't scheduled until 8:30pm ET due to football. I fear it's a bit behind schedule even at that. So, while I'm getting this post up for the regular 8pm ET slot in case folks show up at that hour, it will be more than a half-hour later that the real party will start. 

Once things get underway, I'll update this entry with major happenings as they air. However, as always, the real fun is the party in the comments area. Come join us!

8:41pm ET and we're finally starting. The teams are off to Barcelona, Spain. The goat farmers actually caught up with the other teams, so all are off to an even start. But they're soon in last place once again.

Roadblock - Who wants to get smashed? It's a tennis challenge, not a drinking competition.

Detour - Spin it, repairing a windmill. Bullit - Become bulls in a bullfight.

Pit Stop --
1. Trey and Lexi - won a trip to Riveria Maya (?)
2. James and Jaymes
3. Josh and Brent beat out the twins!!! Yay!
4. Natalie and Nadiya -- rats, non-Philimination leg.

Next week is the big two-hour finale. Please don't let the "twinnies" winnie!

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - December 2, 2012

It's Sunday morning. That can only mean one thing. Yep. 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.

We've had a chilly week here in New Jersey. My heart goes out to the folks still struggling without electricity or heat. Thankfully my own power celebrated its first entire week without an outage since October 29. Yet, mind you, my bill was higher than ever for the month including my extensive outage. Well, not as high as in the summertime with the air conditioning on, but ...! They claim they couldn't send out meter readers post-Sandy and that they estimated what the bill should be. Grr. They also claim it will be adjusted next month. It better be.

It would have been nice if my landlord had offered a rent abatement, but they didn't. I know some places did offer abatements as, technically, the apartments were uninhabitable without electricity or heat during the long outages. Had I actually left instead of roughing it here, I would be pushing for some money off the rent. I have yet to fight my battles with Comcast cable television and Verizon internet for charging me when I was out of service for so long.

Let's see ... what else this week? Oh. On the day of the slushy snowstorm, the landlord had someone steam cleaning the carpet in the corridors. While I thought that was extremely bad timing, that's not the worst of it. They RUINED the carpets! The carpet is a forest green. Well, it was before they ruined it. Now there are white patches all over it. Hopefully the landlord will get them to either fix it or install new carpet. It looks horrible! It looked so much better just dirty! When I first moved here there was maroon carpet in the corridors. I recall how noisy that was when they ripped it up and installed the green. But something must be done.

Other than that, life has been work, eat, sleep and work some more. So it's onto the photos for the week. Clicking on an image will open it on a new Photobucket page, clicking again will make it larger. To return to the blog, just close out the Photobucket page.

Droplet

The Bridgewater Train Station is reflected upside down in a droplet on a branch.

Train at sunset

The double-decker trains always look so short from a distance. However, they're not. True, it's better to be stuck at a railroad crossing waiting on one of these rather than a freight train. But, no. They are indeed lengthy. This is the train arriving at the Bridgewater Train Station to take me home for the day.

Snowy sunflower doll

The sunflower doll stuck in the bush on Berckman Street in Plainfield was less than thrilled with this week's snow. Not only did she bend with the snowfall, but it looks like she's frowning as well.

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

Survivor: Philippines - November 28 Episode Blog Party

Yep, yep, yep. It's time for this week's Survivor blog party! Tonight's episode includes the auction which is always entertaining. But, of course, I'm more interested in seeing Little Miss Abi do herself in. I so hope she implodes tonight! How about you?

As always, as the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major events. However, the real fun is ALWAYS in the comments area! Come join us!

Lifeguard Laurie advises me that the latest blog pool standings are:

Abi-Maria : Chrob61, meb, SueGee
Denise : Buzzmaam, Karen in CA
Jonathan : Brian, JonMD1267, Tammy G
Lisa : Gaylos, Nana in the NW, Terry in TX
Michael : Donna in FL, Lars
Malcolm : Dewan, Margo

Jury
RC (Roberta) : ChicMc, PDX Granny, Sharon S
Jeff : DKNYNC, Jennasmom
Artis : Delee, MLCarter : Deb, Pam M in NJ, Syd
Pete : Becky, Rbennie

For the auction, each castaway got $500. Denise spent all of her money right away on pancakes and bacon. They can't share food, same rules as always. Abi claims she's going home soon, so she'll keep her money. Carter traded his baked potato for rice and beans for the tribe. Abi spent all 300 on "an advantage in the game."

Her advantage is that she can go directly to the final round of the upcoming Immunity Challenge and have a one in three shot at winning it. But, after all, it's Abi. Can she win a challenge even with that head start? She's decided to pretend that she has an idol. She wants to latch onto Malcolm.

The Immunity Challenge has them tied to ropes going through a course. A twist is that Jeff will ask a question. If they get it wrong, 5% of their body weight is added to them. Abi lied and said her note was two parts, hinting that the second unread part has to do with the hidden idol. It's Carter, Penner and Abi in the final round.

Abi won Immunity. I guess pigs can fly after all.

The general consensus is that they will vote for Penner. Lisa is in personal turmoil over the decision. Penner tries to turn the vote to Denise.

The tally: Denise, Denise, Penner, Penner, Denise, Penner, Penner.

Penner is gonzo. He makes a rather elaborate unusual exit, whistling with a curtain call.

Good. I'd rather Denise stay. I really wanted Abi to go!   

The Amazing Race: November 25 Episode Blog Party

Sure, the show is starting on time here on the East Coast. Of course, with so many folks on the road returning home from a long Thanksgiving weekend, the viewership is bound to be down a bit. But will that stop us from our blog party? No way!

As the show airs here, I'll update this entry with the major events. However, as always, the real fun will be in the comments area. Come join the party!

Getting only a flag as the next clue, they need to figure out that it's the Netherlands where they need to go. James and Jaymes looked up the flag on the Internet. Trey and Lexi thought it was France. Thankfully, they're in with the Chippendales who steered them right.

Grr. The twinnies found the Fast Forward clue first. The Chippendales aren't that far behind them, but Abbie and Ryan got hung up in Frankfurt missing their connecting flight.

The twins have to eat raw fish on a bus which will go underwater. They finished the task and are heading to the Pit Stop just as the Chippendales arrive at the FF. Of course, the twins win the leg. They also won $5,000 cash each.

The Detour - Back in Time - recreate a Rembrant masterpiece. Organ to Grind - operate huge organ and collect 30 Euro in tips. U-Turn ahead.

James and Jaymes don't want to do anything at the Double U-Turn. But, in the end, they U-Turned Ryan and Abbie. Sigh.

The Roadblock has them pole vaulting over a water-filled ditch. Ho-hum.
James and Jaymes made it second.

As per their previous plan, Trey and Lexi U-Turned the Chippendales, knowing they already were through. That keeps Abbie and Ryan from U-Turning the goat farmers. Those last two teams are traveling together. I sense a break up ahead.

Trey and Lexi are third to the Pit Stop.

Uh-oh. The last two teams just hit the U-Turn. Eep.

Josh and Brent are in 4th place.

Abbie and Ryan came in last, Philiminated. There goes the big two million. They're quite bitter about the Chippendales.