Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 24, 2013

It's Sunday morning and, guess what? 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 on tonight, I'll post the blog party for The Amazing Race. If you watch the show, c'mon by!

It turned cold this past week. I fear that's here to stay for a while. This year I'll face it in a new winter coat with the best hood ever. While I'm a firm believer in layering and usually tend to layer with a hoodie ... forget that hoodie hood! This one is down, fluffy and warm. It was more than I usually spend on a winter coat which I mainly use to go back and forth to work. But I had the last coat for the past three seasons or so. So, if this one lasts as well as that one did, it will be worth it! (No, I'm not talking thousands of dollars. But I do tend to jackets and coats under $100. This was more than that.)

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is upon us this week. I know they're going on about it being the latest possible day for that holiday, but it still seems like I blinked my eyes and it's here. Perhaps our bouts of warm weather confused my mind; I don't know. It just all of a sudden is looming at me. It will be a four-day work week for me, something that's always welcome. I hope everyone has a nice holiday and a safe one if you're out on the roads.

Hmm ... I don't really have much to say about this past week. I guess I'll get on to the photos --

Hawk in flight

The late day sun was at a perfect angle to photograph this hawk. I only wish I had a closer shot. Over the Plainfield Police Station.

Dawn's reflection

After a dismal walk to the train station, the sunrise was trying to do its stuff on Monday morning. Bridgewater, NJ.

What's this?

I went in late to work on Tuesday and came across a huge amount of fire apparatus for what apparently was a rather small fire in the Chotola apartment building on North Avenue in Plainfield. The fire was on the first floor rear of the building isolated to one apartment. One resident of the fourth floor was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation.

Responding companies: Plainfield Police and Fire Departments, Scotch Plains, North Plainfield, South Plainfield, Westfield, Union County OEM, Haz-Mat and EMS. Oh my. By the next day, I saw the taxi place on the first floor open for business and the residents were back in. Well, except perhaps for the one apartment where the fire was contained. More photos to follow ...

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

Survivor: Blood vs. Water - November 20 Episode Blog Party

Okay, we have Aras, Vytas and Tina on Redemption Island. Does Tina have any chance in heck to win a duel with those two? Unless it's some sort of endurance in which less heavy and smaller feet come into play, I think she's going to be a goner. Your thoughts?

The latest pool update from that Loverly Lifeguard Laurie is:

End of Week 11/13
CALEB -- Glenn, ORKMommy
CIERA -- Andrea J, Karen in CA, Rochelle
GERVASE -- Jackie, Pam in NJ
HAYDEN -- Joanie, Quixotic Elf
KATIE -- David, Margo, Zoetawny
LAURA M -- AlbGlinka, JOKATS, rbennie
MONICA -- Becky, KayBeeRN, Russ
TYSON -- Delee, meb

Redemption Island
ARAS -- Donna in FL, MikesGirl
VYTAS -- Donna NY, ML
TINA -- Cheryl in NC, Lynn1, Terry in TX

Who will win the duel tonight? And, who will join the remaining two on Redemption Island? As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll update this entry with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest! But, as always, the real party is in the comments area ... come join us!

Ah, the duel is a suspended table maze. Maybe Tina has a chance! They have to hook three bags of balls. Tina is indeed in the lead early. Uh-oh! She drops the ball through the wrong hole! Vytas wins! Tina gets in right and it's Aras going to be the first jury member. He leaves with class. Vytas picks the clue to Katie who keeps it.

Tyson wants to target Laura. Hayden and Caleb (and, of course, Gervase) plan to vote for her. At least that's the pre-Immunity Challenge plan.

Immunity Challenge - Standing on small platform over the water leaning back, the angle changes. Reward is a feast of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries and soda. Hayden is the first out! Sheesh. Then Caleb. Down a notch. Gervase, then Ciera out. Katie out. Laura out. It's between Tyson and Monica. Tyson out. Monica wins Immunity! She can invite one person for reward. She says she will give it all to the others. So they eat and she doesn't.

Ciera lied to Katie and convinced her she has the idol. So now Ciera knows Katie doesn't have the idol. None of them think Tyson actually has it.

Tribal time. The tally: Laura, Katie, Laura, Laura, Laura, Laura. Laura is headed to Redemption.

The Amazing Race: November 17, 2013 Episode Blog Party

Oh my. It's actually starting at its scheduled time of 8pm here on the East Coast. Be still, my heart! As the show airs here, I'll update this post with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest updates! But, as always, the real party is in the comments section. Come join us!

As last week was a non-Philimination leg, the Magnificent Margo's latest blog pool update remains the same:

Ally And Ashley - LafayetteLisanne, Jackie,Tammy
Jason And Amy - Nicklepeed, PDXGranny, Brian, DLA
Leo And Jamal - MEB, Margo, Brenda, Caela
Nicky And Kim - Nana in NW, Jennasmom, David
Tim And Marie - SueGee, DKNYNC, Rbennie
Travis And Nicole - Delee, Laurie, Lynn1, Merrilee

Sorry you have been PHILIMINATED
Hoskote And Naina
Rowan And Shane - ML, Becky, Cheryl in NC, KayBeeRN
Chester And Ephraim - Buzzmaam, Donna in AL, Sharon S
Brandon And Adam - Donna in FL, Monty924, Sharon
Tim And Danny - JOKATS, Dusty, Zoetawny

Let's RACE!

The teams have to use their satchel of coins from Norway to unlock SUVs and they're heading into the dunes. U-Turn ahead.

They have to drive dune buggies across the desert to find their next clue. Nicky and Kim burned out the clutch (and almost buried) their dune buggy and had to get a replacement. So, not only are they last, but they're LAST.

Detour - Wedding guest, fix and prepare wedding dish. Beauty Contest has them primping camels.

Travis and Nicole use their Express Pass to bypass the Detour. They hit the double U-Turn and snag Leo and Jamal.

Due to the Express Pass, Nicole and Travis are at the Roadblock -- raft through rapids and grabbing three flags.

Tim and Marie are running around literally clueless. Heh. It sucks to be them right now, huh? (They're my least favorite team this season.)

Pit Stop -
1. Nicole and Travis - each won their choice of any "eco-boost" Ford

Jason and Amy U-Turn the bunnies (Nicky and Kim)

2. Jason and Amy
3. Tim and Marie (boo)

For Nicky and Kim's speed bump they have to make their way through a wave generating pool.

4. Leo and Jamal
5. Ally and Ashley
6. Nicky and Kim -- Philiminated

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 17, 2013

Good morning! It's Sunday morning, 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 I'll be posting The Amazing Race blog party as the show airs here on the East Coast. Stop on back for the party!

This wasn't a great week for me. Oh, nowhere near the worst times in my life, but definitely irking. On Tuesday I tripped on a branch under about six inches of leaves as I walked to the train station. Yes, this was on a sidewalk. Had I been shuffling my feet through the leaves, I wouldn't have fallen. In trying to keep from falling on my knees, I twisted my left ankle. Yeah, then I landed on my right knee and elbow. Gah. The knee is fine, bruised but good. The ankle is still swollen and painful. I took Tuesday off from work, but have worked every day since. I'll live.

As a result of limping about, I don't have a ton of photos for you this week. While I do like some (like the first one here), no real works of art. Well, Vincent thinks he's ALWAYS art, but ...!

Hmm. I don't have all that much to say. Maybe some random musings and observations:

• My upstairs neighbor sings loudly in the shower. I hear the shower. I hear him. Still the quietest one up there in all the years I've lived here.
• Whenever I talk on the phone at home, Vincent thinks I'm talking to him and comes running to droop over my shoulder. Living alone and not being a huge phone talk person, most of the time I'm talking in here, I AM talking to him.
• Either that or I'm insane and just talking to myself.
• The big green stickers on automatic doors mean you go through that door. The red stickers mean you don't go through that door. Is it that hard to understand?
• When you get off a train or enter/leave a store, keep moving. Don't just stop and act confused, text or whatever. Keep it moving and get off the traffic path!
• For the pickers of Peapod grocery delivery -- four six-packs of Coke Zero at $2.50 each are NOT to be confused with one six-pack with two bottles removed at the same ten bucks. 
• Yes, that happened. Yes, they credited me for the four six-packs and I ended up with four free bottles. Yes, they gave me a rain check for the sale price. But, sheesh. Common sense, Peapod pickers!
• I've seen some houses with the outdoor Christmas lights on already. Oh my.
• I'm not scared of clowns.
• Well, except for Pennywise the Dancing Clown. He's creepy!
• Crumbled leaf debris has infiltrated the first floor of my building. Until they're all down, it will be a battle. Thankfully, it's limited to the first floor and the entrances to the building.
• Why are all the younger women at WCBS 2 (NYC) going through pregnancies one by one?
• If you're riding a train, get up and ready to go BEFORE the train stops. When those doors open, it's train etiquette to let others get out before you board. If you straggle when getting off, you mess with the cosmos.
• That's just bad mojo, y'know.
• I can't believe it's been 50 years since JFK was assassinated. I shouldn't be able to vividly remember that far back.
• But I do.
• I can't be that old. I refuse to be that old.
• Those projects on the west side of town are just about completely boarded up now, including the entrances. That must put a crimp in the drug dealers and gang-bangers daily doings. 
• Maybe they'll go get jobs.
• BWAHAHA! I crack myself up. They'll just relocate and terrorize other parts of town. Hopefully not my neighborhood.

That's just about it ... onto the photos for the week --

Dramatic skies

Soon the sun will be even lower in the sky as I leave my workplace. Sure, it's not as bad as Alaskan winter nights. But, still ...! Despite the "dramatic" skies of this shot, there was no storm. Taken at the Bridgewater Train Station.

Mmm ... acorns!

Pickings are good for the squirrels right now. Then again, they tend to stay hardy all winter long due to these good pickings days now. Plainfield Train Station.

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

Survivor: Blood vs. Water - November 13 Episode Blog Party

Well, last week we saw Vytas win the first individual immunity of the season while brother Aras got the boot. Tyson, playing perhaps the sneakiest game this season, has the idol but was in no danger all along. Actually, unless you're Aras or Vytas, it made sense to get rid of Aras as he has a real chance to win it all. And, after all, he just might still have a chance as Redemption Island started up all over again.

As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll update this post with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest! But, as always, the real party is in the comments area ... come join us!

Here are the latest blog pool standings from that elegant Lifeguard Laurie:

End of Week 11/6
CALEB -- Glenn, ORKMommy
CIERA -- Andrea J, Karen in CA, Rochelle
GERVASE -- Jackie, Pam in NJ
HAYDEN -- Joanie, Quixotic Elf
KATIE -- David, Margo, Zoetawny
LAURA M -- AlbGlinka, JOKATS, rbennie
MONICA -- Becky, KayBeeRN, Russ
TINA -- Cheryl in NC, Lynn1, Terry in TX
TYSON -- Delee, meb
VYTAS -- Donna NY, ML

Redemption Island
ARAS -- Donna in FL, MikesGirl

Survivor fans ready?

Oh my, Immunity Challenge is coming only seven minutes into the episode! It's the icky food comp ... fun to watch, but I couldn't do it.

40 mealworms (live, of course)
3 ounces pig intestines
It's between Monica and Gervase for the win.
2 live grubs

Monica wins immunity!

The plan seems to be to split the votes between Vytas and Katie. Tribal is coming early in the episode, too -- 8:22pm. Hmm. Something must be up or VERY entertaining ahead!

The tally -- Vytas, Katie, Tyson, Vytas, Vytas, Vytas, Vytas.

Rats. He'll have duel with his brother to return.

Second Immunity Challenge -- Balance a sword on a shield, with other hand balance coins on the sword's handle.

Katie wins Immunity!

Due to Monica's wild vote for Vytas last tribal, she's a target this time ... perhaps more so than Tina. Still no one knows that Tyson has the hidden idol.

At Tribal Council, Tina hints she might have the idol.

The tally -- Monica, Tina, Tyson, Tina, Tina, Tina, Tina.

Her ploy didn't work. I personally would have preferred it if Monica went.