The Amazing Race: Season 24 (Winter) Casting SPOILERS

Get yer spoilers here! Yep, I got your spoilers! It's safe to assume you might be a bit familiar with some of these team members as I'm making a post about it. But, if you don't want to know the cast ... do NOT click the 'read more' link.

But ... if you DO want to know who we'll be watching next season on the show, click that good old 'read more' link. You might be happy; you might not be happy. I'm not here to promise happiness, goodness and light. I'm just here to give you the skinny --

Survivor: Blood vs. Water - December 4 Episode Blog Party

Ohhh! From the promos, it looks like tonight's Tribal Council vote will result in a stubborn tie! That means all of the castaways will pick a rock, the one with a rock of a certain color will go home. Now, that hasn't been done but once before in all the seasons the show's been on the air.

In Survivor: Marquesas, Paschal English selected the Purple Rock and got the boot even though he had NEVER even had a vote in any Tribal Council at that time. I'm calling it "certain color" rather than Purple Rock (which we've referred to over the years) as it seems to me the promo is saying white. We'll see.

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! As always, the real party will be in the comments area. Come join in with us cool kids!

Before we get started ... Lifeguard Laurie's latest pool standings are as follows:

Pool People
CIERA -- Andrea J, Karen in CA, Rochelle
GERVASE -- Jackie, Pam in NJ
HAYDEN -- Joanie, Quixotic Elf
KATIE -- David, Margo, Zoetawny
MONICA -- Becky, KayBeeRN, Russ
TYSON -- Delee, meb

Redemption Island
TINA -- Cheryl in NC, Lynn1, Terry in TX
LAURA M -- AlbGlinka, JOKATS, rbennie
CALEB -- Glenn, ORKMommy

Jury
ARAS -- Donna in FL, MikesGirl
VYTAS -- Donna NY, ML

Survivor fans ready?

Heh. Hayden mentioned that Tyson will win it all. Then, prior to the duel, Caleb called out Tyson and Gervase as liars. The duel is building a house of cards. Laura wins. Dang, she is good at challenges! Argh! Caleb was just about there when his whole stack went down. Grr. I liked him. Tina and Laura remain at Redemption. Laura decides to give the Immunity Idol clue to Ciera. Ciera keeps it this time.

Ciera reads the clue with her buddies Gervase, Tyson, and Monica. Hayden and Katie are on the outs.

Aw, Tyson cried. Too bad, so sad. ARGH! And, he found the idol!

Immunity Challenge -- Race through obstacles balancing a ball on a pole, poles get longer, then throw sandbags at target. Reward is an ice cream party.

OMG! Gervase won immunity! Is that a first or what? He chooses Monica (his closest competitor and she gave up burgers) and Tyson.

Hayden tries to convince Ciera and Gervase that they need to blindside Tyson tonight. His chances don't look good.

If Ciera was a wishbone, she would have been torn in half in Tribal, Hayden tried to convince her that she would be number four in the Tyson alliance; Tyson tried to keep her.

The tally: No idol played -- Hayden, Hayden, Monica, Monica, Hayden, Monica. It's a tie. The revote -- only for Hayden or Monica.

Re-vote: Monica, Hayden, Monica, Hayden.

Another tie, Purple Rock time! Monica and Hayden are SAFE! Ciera, Katie and Tyson draw rocks, this time it's the white rock. Katie goes to Redemption.

The Amazing Race: December 1, 2013 Episode Blog Party

After two weeks of the show actually airing on time (8pm ET), tonight it's scheduled to start at 8:30pm ET after football and 60 Minutes. Now, we know that's no guarantee that it will even really air at that time! But, I'll be putting this post up at its standard time -- by 8pm ET. I will take off the word verification once it starts here.

As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest! Need I remind you, the party is in the comments area? Nah, didn't think you needed that reminder at all. Come join us there!

The Magnificent Margo's latest blog pool standings --

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
Ally And Ashley - LafayetteLisanne, Jackie,Tammy

Ready to eat funky stuff? Let's race party!

UPDATE: The show will start approximately 8:51pm ET. Grr. See you then!

Finally ... four teams remain. Who will be eliminated NEXT?

The teams have to eat grilled cobra in order to get their next clue. Although I'm horrible with weird foods, I bet I could do that! Ah, two entrances, north and south, and Tim and Marie went to the wrong one. Plus, Marie is a finicky eater. I hope this knocks out my fellow New Jersey team. I don't like them.

Roadblock has a team member boiling eggs in volcano steam.

Detour -- Paint your partner or turn over a new leaf. The first has them painting partner as a Japanese bride. The latter has them delivering tea leaves.

Heh. Kim doesn't know how to boil eggs. She doesn't even have them in the water!

Pit Stop -
1. Jason and Amy have their first win! They also won a trip to Cancun.
2. Tim and Marie (grr)
3. Nicole and Travis
4. Leo and Jamal

It's non-Philimination leading into next week's season finale. All four teams are still in it.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - December 1, 2013

Good morning! It's Sunday morning. You know that that means, right? 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 will get back on the topic of television with The Amazing Race blog party post. If you watch the show, c'mon back for the party as it airs!

Let's see ... what happened this week? Oh, right. Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a good holiday with family, friends, food, whatever brings contentment to your soul. I'm thankful for a lot of things, too many to name. I'm thankful for the friends I've met through the blog. You all rock!

I had a quiet holiday at home. As I have no family nearby and don't really have enough time off to travel any distance, I usually fix a small feast for myself and spend the day with the cat. Often, when people hear I'll be alone for the holiday, I'll get invites. But I'd feel out of place trying to fit in with a family I don't really know. I'm a bit of a strange duck ... I really enjoy my holiday in the comforts of my own home, eating what I want, enjoying the company of a certain cat and just doing my own thing.

This year, instead of my usual turkey breast, I made prime rib with mashed potatoes and broccoli. For dessert, I had Trader Joe's Ultra Chocolate ice cream topped with Kahlua (also bought at Trader Joe's). It's odd they have hard liquor there now. When I was in there, I swear I heard the Kahlua calling my name. I haven't had any in years and the price seemed quite reasonable. That was my little feast and I was very pleased with how it all turned out!

I made my Trader Joe's run to nearby Westfield on Monday after work, just staying on the train a few more stops and then taking the bus home. I figured I'd avoid the bad weather expected Tuesday and Wednesday and the crowds on Wednesday. Well, I avoided the bad weather. The crowds were so bad that they had someone in their parking lot directing traffic. Yipes! But, in the newly expanded store with many more registers, the wait in line wasn't bad at all. It was much shorter than the wait people had trying to get through the parking lot. Just walking across the street to the bus was so much easier, too!

The cold rain and winds started here on Tuesday. Although I had to fight through the weather on my way home from work Tuesday, I had Wednesday and Thursday off from work -- regular day off and paid holiday. I made sure there was no need for me to go out in it on Wednesday. And, no sales will ever drag me out on Thanksgiving Day even though I'm usually alone on the holiday. I know that if I need something grocery-wise in an emergency, the bodega around the corner is open every single day of the year. Since the owners also man the store, that's their decision and holidays are lucrative for the small business. But I made sure I needed nothing!

How was your holiday?

As a result of the shortened work week out and about and the bad weather for part of the week, I don't have a lot of great photos this week. Most of them, I took the day I hit Westfield after work. But, here goes ...

Happy Hanukkah!

This is the Menorah at the Westfield Train Station. None of the lights are lit as I took the photo on Monday. 

Mums

I'm surprised some of the mums in planters in Westfield are still hanging in there. Most around here have been taken by the cold nights (and some days!). I was going to take a shot of a dead rose on East Front Street in Plainfield, but it was all too darn sad.

With a red bow

Watchung Avenue in Plainfield on Tuesday afternoon as I headed home from work. Despite the fact they said the rain would start in the evening, it started by noon. Grr. I edited this shot leaving only the bow in color. After the jump, I have a similar photo in actual color.

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

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday with fine food, family, friends! I'm thankful for all the friends I've met through blogging over the years!