Happy Hanukkah!

It's rare indeed that Hanukkah coincides with Thanksgiving! I wish all those who celebrate, the best Hanukkah ever!

The Amazing Race: November 24, 2013 Episode Blog Party

Oh my. Yet another week on time here on the East Coast? Sure, spoil us. Then crush our dreams of a show which actually airs at its scheduled time!

As the show airs, 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. Please come in and join in on the fun!

The Magnificent Margo's latest blog pool standings:

Ally And Ashley - LafayetteLisanne, Jackie,Tammy
Jason And Amy - Nicklepeed, PDXGranny, Brian, DLA
Leo And Jamal - MEB, Margo, Brenda, Caela
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
Nicky And Kim - Nana in NW, Jennasmom, David

Are you ready? ...

The teams are flying off to Indonesia. Once there, they need to transport two rams to an event in which the rams butt heads, then transport them back. I'm not talking Dodge Rams, either.

They're off to a train station for the next clue.

Detour -- For the elephants -- feeding elephants or For the Birds -- deliver love birds and encourage the birds to sing.

Tim/Marie and Jason/Amy are an hour behind the other teams. But Ally and Ashley are lost.

The Roadblock has them building a local wood instrument and then playing it to a student's satisfaction.

Pit Stop --
1. Leo and Jamal - won $7,500 each
2. Tim and Marie (boo)

Nicole is falling apart at the Roadblock. They were the first team there and everyone is passing them. Amy is helping her. Now the stragglers, Ashley and Ally have arrived.

3. Jason and Amy
4. Travis and Nicole
5. Ally and Ashley - Philiminated

There goes my blog pool pick. I'm a free agent now!

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