Survivor: Cagayan - 'Mad Treasure Hunt' Blog Party - April 9

Come one! Come all! It's a mad treasure hunt ... or so they promise us, anyway. It seems from the promos that everyone is out searching for the hidden idol. Since both idols in the game were absolutely wasted last week, albeit displaying loyalties, getting the idol is better than a feather in your cap.

Huh. I really don't understand the worth of a feather in your cap myself. Maybe it's just me.

As the show airs here on the East Coast, this entry will be updated with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest! However, as always, the real party is in the comments area. I hope to see you there!

The latest blog pool standings from the one and only Lifeguard Laurie --

Jefra Bland - David, Sharon S. 
Jeremiah Wood - LostChyld 
Kass McQuillen -Delee, MikesGirl 
LJ McKanas - Lorraine, ML 
Morgan McLeod - Donna in Alabama, ORKMommy 
Spencer Bledsoe - Becky and Monty924 
Tasha Fox - DKNYNC, Rochelle 
Tony Viachos - Lynn1, Zoetawny 
Trisha Hegarty - Jackie 
Woo Hwang - Laurie, SueGee

On with the PARTY! Er ... show ...

Okay, Morgan thinks Kass is jealous of her because she (Morgan) is cuter than her. Oh my gosh, shallow water alert!

The Reward Challenge has them split into two teams, swimming, dragging chests, puzzles. The reward is a Survivor Outback Steakhouse product placement trip. The split was random -- LJ, Spencer, Morgan, Jeremiah and Jefra win!

At the Outback, Spencer had a clue in his napkin. He went out in the rain to read it after they returned. Woo's suspicious. Woo stole the clue from where Spencer left it with his pants. Uh-oh. Pandemonium is surely to ensue.

Woo ran to camp and told everyone about the clue. Even though all searched, it was Spencer who found it.

The Immunity Challenge has them standing on their toes on a platform with a wood block on their heads they must hold against the frame. It was down to Spencer and Tasha ... Spencer wins immunity!

Spencer wants to flip Kass back. Tony wants Morgan out due to her uselessness around camp. Spencer wants to target Tony. Kass tells us she loves the ambush and she loves the blindside. Eep.

Sarah indeed is the first member of the jury.

The tally - Tony, Tony, Tony, Tony, Morgan, Morgan, Morgan, Morgan, Morgan, Morgan.

She's out and Tony dodged a bullet. 

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 6, 2014

Good morning, folks! Rise and shine! Up and at 'em! It's Sunday morning. You know what that means ... 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.

Remember -- The Amazing Race will NOT air tonight! Instead, there's a country music award show.

In other news:
This week was a bit springish at times. I've had to rotate between my lightweight spring jacket and my least winter jacket. We had a lot of rain. We had some sunshine. On the really beautiful spring days with the sunshine, it was so windy that it felt cold. So far our April showers seemed more like November showers -- cold and unforgiving.

Today is supposed to be nice. We'll see about that!

It was another week of work, home, eat, sleep and spend a lot of time being a sofa for a certain cat. The weather must have been a real aggravating trigger for the sciatica problems as I've only had a few occasional twinges as the temperatures have finally gotten above freezing on a daily basis. Mind you, the evenings still dip way down.

I heard my downstairs neighbor was burglarized once again this week while he was away. I think this makes the third, possibly the fourth, time. I tried to tell him it has to be people he knows. He's allowed riff-raff friends in his place over the years. They know when he's gone as his car is gone. I don't believe he ever learned that you're not only known by the company you keep, but that riff-raff has no loyalty. The old upstairs neighbor was the same -- he let his street-ish drinking buddies in and, next thing you know, he ended up burglarized one day.

Without a car, no one knows if I'm home or not. Well, unless I have the stereo on. I also have a habit of not responding to knocking on the door when I am indeed home. If I'm in my pajamas or it's evening and I'm not expecting people, I don't answer the door. If I haven't buzzed someone into the building, they shouldn't be knocking! Any friends I have had over are certainly not of the street or burglar ilk. Most of them are the sort I would trust with the key to my apartment. So, I have no real fears of burglaries here. I'll admit I do keep the window that leads to my fire escape locked when I'm not home. That's just common sense.

While I know that more "innocent" burglaries happen, I can't help but wonder when a person is repeatedly targeted. It has to be the company they keep. I also don't allow Vincent to hang out with cat burglars! (Heehee)

Oh, well ... onto this week's photos. If you click on an image it will open up in a Photobucket page. Clicking on the magnifying glass at the bottom of the photo will make it larger. Then there's one more magnifying glass you can click on to make it even larger. To return to the blog, just close out the Photobucket window.

Dusk at the Plainfield Train Station

With the days getting longer, it was dusk when I arrived home from work yesterday. It would certainly be nice if they fixed all the burnt out lamps there. But they have worse things they're not fixing or, at least, not timely fixing.

Let sunning snakes lie

The garter snakes at the Bridgewater Train Station continue to catch my interest (as you'll see later in this post). What cool and intriguing critters they are! I've tried to catch one for a closer photo shoot. However, they've been much too quick for me. I really must be getting old. When I was a child, I could catch garter snakes with ease.

Look! Spring is finally HERE!

Of course, it felt like I needed my winter jacket coming home from work last night and I don't think the high on Friday got above 42 degrees. But, it seems the snow and real winter is finally behind us. I took this shot on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

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

Survivor: Cagayan - 'The Head of the Snake' Blog Party - April 2

Aha! The episode title is 'The Head of the Snake'! Perfect! I took a photo a couple of days ago to go right with this one --

How's that? Of course, it's just a garter snake, not any sort of huge predator. And, since he was kind enough to pose for me, I'd rather he not be beheaded.

But it does sound like heads are going to roll in tonight's episode. The merge is one and it's each castaway for themselves ... or for the greater good of their alliance. Or, they might switch things up alliance-wise.

Here are the latest blog pool standings for that Lovely Lifeguard Laurie --

Aparri
Kass McQuillen -Delee, MikesGirl
Spencer Bledsoe - Becky and Monty924
Tasha Fox - DKNYNC, Rochelle
Sarah Lacina - Buzzmaan, Tammy
Jeremiah Wood - LostChyld
Morgan McLeod - Donna in Alabama, ORKMommy

Solana
Trisha Hegarty - Jackie
Tony Viachos - Lynn1, Zoetawny
Woo Hwang - Laurie, SueGee
Jefra Bland - David, Sharon S.
LJ McKanas - Lorraine, ML 

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! However, as always, the real party is down in the comments area. Come watch the show with us!

Aparri decided to make a final six pact. But is the trust really there?

Whoa! The merge is ON. They're all moving into Aparri. The celebration includes food and wine ... and suspicions. They also got a note reading that another idol with "special powers" in hidden in the camp area. Tony wants to sway his ex-buddy cop friend Sarah back into the alliance to flip the numbers.

Sarah creates problems for herself with her six by arguing who they should vote off.

Immunity challenge -- the necklace is on a pole awaiting its first winner. They have to balance on triangular platforms in the water, moving up to smaller platforms. Last one standing wins. When they get to the top, few survive. It's Tony and Woo.

Woo wins the first individual immunity!

Sarah decides she's with the six and wants to vote out either LJ or Tony -- the latter being her cop buddy. She is really pushing the Tony vote. Kass is NOT happy about Sarah in charge. When Tony fails to get Sarah to commit, Trish tries for Kass to come aboard.

Ah, Solana agreed to vote for Sarah to go to get Kass aboard. Interesting indeed.

Tribal council time. Tony admits he has an idol and will use it for his tribe if needed. He claims it's a community idol.

Tony gives his idol to LJ (who has his own idol, but no one knows). Ah, LJ gives Tony his idol!

The tally -- Jefra, Sarah, Jefra, Sarah, Jefra, Sarah, Jefra, Sarah, Jefra, Sarah, Sarah.

Kass flipped and Sarah's gone. Spencer is shocked and bitter. Her tribe is stunned.

The Amazing Race All-Stars: 'Down and Dirty' Blog Party - March 30

Well, I didn't really expect the show to start on time here what with March Madness still going on. However, every season it's something sports knocking our Sunday night 8pm ET shows back. Grr. 60 Minutes started at 7:20pm EDT, so I expect TAR to start 20 minutes late.

As the show airs here in the NYC viewing area, I'll update this post with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest! Of course, you know where the real party is ... down in the comments. Come watch the show with us!

The latest blog pool standings from that Marvelous Margo --

Flight Time & Big Easy - Laurie, Donna in FL, nicklepeed
Jen & Caroline - Lynn1, Buzzmaam, DLA
Dave & Connor - Becky, Auntie Leigh, Rochelle
Brendon & Rachel (Brenchal) - Terry in TX, Brian
Jessica & John - Sharon S, David, Rbennie
Cord & Jet (Cowboys) - ML, Nana in NW, Delee
Leo & Jamal (Afghanimals) - Jackie, Jennamom, Merrilee

Philiminated --
Mark & Mallory - SueGee, jonMD1627, Margo
Joey & Meghan - Brenda, Zoetawny, Dusty
Margie & Luke - Donna in AL, Monty924, PDXGranny

Time to get off this Pit Stop mat and on with the race!

Teams are on their way to the Dutch Museum (still in Sri Lanka). Now, the twinnies must be dying as they missed the leg in their native land. It's a bunch-up, open 8 to 5. Off for a train ride! All are on the same train.

Roadblock - Who wants to fill 'er up? Finding and filling up teeny taxis. Rachel screws up by filling up the cars of her color, not realizing she was looking for a marker of her color on the windshield instead. Finally John told her, then took her "green" car for himself as it was a red tag on it.

Big Easy, who could lift the cars by himself, was the first through. It's now a trip by train, then tuck-tuck (teeny taxi) to the elephants. They all manage to get on the same train.

Detour - Truck or Sheets. Choosing timber, working with an elephant to transport six logs. Sheets - making paper with elephant dung. I think most want to actually work with the elephants rather than the dung! Due to there only being four chains, they reluctantly split up to do dung.

Cowboys, then Afghanimals are the first down with either part of the Detour -- they both did elephants.

After traveling to get a clue from a musical wise man, it's off to the Pit Stop. Cowboys in the lead with Afghanimals right on their tails.

Pit Stop --
1. Leo and Jamal - Trip for two to Berlin, Germany
2. Jet and Cord
3. Jessica and John
4. Connor and Dave

Dave and Connor had their taxi driver steer the Globetrotters wrong.

5. Brendan and Rachel
6. Flight Time and Big Easy
7. Caroline and Jennifer -- NOT Philiminated!

Yep, another non-Philimination leg!

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - March 30, 2014

It's Sunday morning! That means 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 on tonight I'll be posting The Amazing Race blog party post -- please join us if you watch the show! I keep up with the major events on the entry itself as they happen on East Coast time while commenters hold a party down below.

Okay, I guess we have spring. It was still winter-cold for most of the week. While I was down to my normal winter coat instead of the huge one, it was in no way whatsoever SPRING. It finally got a bit spring-like on Friday afternoon, then the rain started yesterday morning. Now we're under flood watches and warnings. It's probably around 50 degrees, but with the wind and rain, it's a raw chilly weekend. Better than snow, but ...!

I have to say it was relaxing last night to go to sleep with the sound of rain against the windows. Much more calming than sleet against the windows!

It was a rather mundane week here. So, onto the photos ...

Plainfield Train Station beauty

Pre-sunrise turned the clouds a gorgeous pink and blue one morning as I waited for my train. It's a shame that such beauty is always so fleeting.

And then there's the ugly

The tunnel under the tracks at the Plainfield Train Station is really rough these days. It looks like they've put in a new light fixture or two, but another light is totally removed -- probably because of water dripping through it. Other areas of the station need work recovering from the rough winter, but the tunnel seems to be deteriorating daily.

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