Survivor: San Juan Del Sur Blood vs. Water - October 22 Blog Party

It seems like the merge will be on tonight, adding a new dynamic to the show. I personally think people are going to try to break apart couples before they go for individuals. But I guess 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 news. As always, the real party is in the comments area. Come join us!

Before we get going, here's the latest on the blog pool standings from the Lovely Lifeguard Laurie:

Coyopa
Alec = Karen in Case, Merrilee
Baylor = Glenn, maquinn78, Sharon S
Dale = Brian, Margo
Jaclyn = CYW Coleman, rbennie
Josh = crob61, Rochelle, Jackie
Wes = Buzzmaam, ORKMommy, sanra

Hunahpu
Jeremy = Becky, Nana in the NW
Jon M = Donna in Alabama, Laurie
Julie = Donna NY, meb
Keith = Donna in FL, PDX Granny
Kelley = Babs Dud, ML, Russ
Missy = Ed in Ohio, Monty924, Sharon N
Natalie = Jennasmom, Kelsey NY
Reed = David, Kathy, Lynn1

Out: Nadiya
Val = Brenda, Nickelpeed
John R = Cheryl NC, MikesGirl, Terry in TX
Drew = Delee, Petals, SueGee

Survivor fans ready?

They head to the arena where Alec finds out that Drew was voted out. Shock abounds in the Coyopa tribe.

"Drop your buffs."

Sure enough, the pairs are already looked upon as targets.

It's not the merge -- just a reshuffling. (Probably because Coyopa sucked so badly.)

Coyopa has three pairs of loved ones plus Keith.
Josh and Reid are with singles on Hunahpu.

Jeremy is sure Josh and Reid will target him. John and Jaclyn like to smooch a lot. Keith is happy that he has the idol to protect him. Jeremy and Natalie work to sway Alec to stay with the singles against Josh and Reid.

Dale is getting backlashing for keeping an eye on the rice from Missy. She also has heard that Dale wanted her daughter out. Uh-oh ... a rice war about to go down! Meanwhile, Dale's daughter is worried her father will rub people the wrong way. Too bad; he already has.

Hunahpu is almost out of food. Maybe that's why they were winning challenges!

Immunity challenge time -- finding keys buried in sand, racing through mud, retrieving sandbags, throwing them on a wobbly platform. Um. Okay.

Hunahpu crushed Coyopa in the challenge. Nowhere even close!

Jeff said he'd come to the Hunahpu camp to discuss the food situation. That should be interesting.

Keith is the obvious target for tonight. But maybe that can be swung around against Missy? Or Baylor? As things go about, it looks like Keith might actually be safe.

The couples on the tribe are adding a new dynamic in Tribal. The Dale and Baylor brouhaha lives on!

Time to tally the votes. Keith does not use the idol --

Baylor, Kelley, Baylor, Kelley, Dale, Dale, Kelley.

Dale's daughter Kelley is out. Hmm.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 19, 2014

Good morning! It's Sunday. Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. My next post will be about television, I swear!

Yep, another week has gone by. And, yep, another week without much going on here. Work, eat, sleep, rinse, repeat. Well, a lot of attention paid to a certain cat, but that's about it.

We had unseasonably warm temperatures for most of the week here. Today marks a return to autumn. I don't mind that, not at all. Earlier this week, the landlord put a notice under doors saying that we had to remove our air conditioners from windows and that they would store them for us. Um. While I own a window air conditioner, it's been sitting in the closet since I moved in.

My unit still has the in-wall air conditioners which came with it. Over the years, the air conditioners became defunct or people stole them, so they don't come with the apartments now. I just clean the filters regularly and they're still working fine. However, since the window unit I own was practically brand new (used two weeks) when I moved to New Jersey, I've hung onto it for a back-up. I suppose if I'm ever that desperate for small change, I could sell it.

Today, I certainly won't need air conditioning!

Oh, well ... onto this week's photos. If you click on an image, it will bring up a larger version on my Photobucket page; just x out that page to return to the blog. With the slideshow, the diagonal icon on the bottom right will make it full screen. Other than pretty fall foliage shots, nothing really caught my interest this week. Wah. (Oh ... and Vincent. He's always fun to photograph!)

Plainfield Fire Prevention Fair

The Plainfield Fire Prevention Fair was setting up as I left for work yesterday. If Dan Damon looks closely (or checks out a photo after the jump), he'll see that there is a new unpainted proper historically acceptable door in back of Sparkie's Playhouse. North Avenue, Plainfield.

Solo beauty

But don't pick it up. It's a poison ivy leaf. Bridgewater, NJ -- just a taste of this week's Flowers and Foliage slideshow. Oh ... but don't taste it, either.

This week's Flowers and Foliage slideshow is more foliage than flowers. The weather, early morning darkness and my pedestrian patterns didn't have me passing many flowers when it was a good time to shoot them. We still have an abundance of green around here, peak colors are still ahead of us. These shots were taken in both Plainfield and Bridgewater.

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

The Amazing Race 25 Blog Party - October 17

Ah, I'm a free agent in the blog pool as my team, the firemen, were Philiminated last week. I'm leaning towards throwing my support to Bethany and Adam mainly because (1) they seem nice and don't bicker and (2) I just admire her so much for dealing with the loss of her arm and not letting that stop her from not only living a regular life, but excelling in physical challenges.

As the the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll update this entry with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest news! You all know where the real party is -- I hope to see you in the comments area!

Here's the latest on the blog pool run by that Very Magnificent Margo:

Adam & Bethany - chrob61, Kathy in Brooklyn, Kelsey NY, Zoetawny
Brooke & Robbie - Caela, Sharon, Sharon N, Willie J
Keith & Whitney - Jean, Jennasmom, Nana in NW, PDXGranny
Kym & Alli - Brenda, meb, Nicklepeed, Rochelle, Terry in TX
Maya & Amy - Ed in OH, Karen in CA, Lynn1, Margo
Misti & Jim - Cheryl in NC, Laurie, ML, OrkMommy
Shelly & Nici - Buzzmaam, Merrilee, Rbennie, SueGee
Tim & Te Jay - Babs, Brent McKee, Dusty, Monty924,

Sorry you have been PHILIMINATED
Lisa & Michelle - Becky, Delee, dla, Donna in AL
Dennis & Isabelle - Auntie Leigh, Brian, David, Donna NY, sanra
Michael & Scott - Donna in FL, Glenn, Jackie, Marlo

Ready to race party?

Huh. They slept in tents on the Shetland Islands Pit Stop. They now have to take a ferry and head to Denmark on a plane. Although the ferry is a bunching point, they're taking three different flights. Kim and Alli are in the lead. Beat those dentists, girls! The car will punish them if they don't drive energy efficiently. The punishment? A quiz!

Detour -- Parking Space, living room or garden setting for a streetscape resting place. The other task is a wedding cake run -- finishing a wedding cake and delivering it on a cargo bike.

Good. The dentists didn't drive efficiently.

Roadblock: Who has a good memory for faces? They have to take orders from dining patrons and memorize the dishes ordered.

Kym and Alli are in the lead and now have the clue to the Pit Stop! Meanwhile, the dentists have to redo their parking space.

Pit Stop -
1. Kym and Alli -- each won a new hybrid Ford

Heh. The dentists switched detour tasks and now are having problems with the cake!

2. Brooke and Robbie
3. Keith and Whitney
4. Maya and Amy
5. Tim and Te Jay

Now the dentists are having trouble in the waiter task.

6. Shelly and Nici
7. Adam and Bethany
8. Misti and Jim

Rats. They gave Phil the save, but it's a non-Philimination leg so Phil gave it back.

Next week will have them facing a Double U-Turn and Marrakesh!

Survivor: San Juan Del Sur Blood vs. Water Blog Party - October 15

Well, last week we saw the last of John Rocker leaving the rapidly decimating Coyopa tribe. While he should have been strong in challenges, he really didn't lead them to any victories. Hunahpu seems ready to fall apart even though they keep winning. What will happen tonight?

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 news! However, you all know the real party is in the comments area. I hope to see you there!

Before we get started with the party and show, here are the latest blog pool standings from Luscious Lifeguard Laurie:

Coyopa
Alec = Karen in Case, Merrilee
Baylor = Glenn, maquinn78, Sharon S
Dale = Brian, Margo
Jaclyn = CYW Coleman, rbennie
Josh = crob61, Rochelle, Jackie
Wes = Buzzmaam, ORKMommy, sanra

Hunahpu
Drew = Delee, Petals, SueGee
Jeremy = Becky, Nana in the NW
Jon M = Donna in Alabama, Laurie
Julie = Donna NY, meb
Keith = Donna in FL, PDX Granny
Kelley = Babs Dud, ML, Russ
Missy = Ed in Ohio, Monty924, Sharon N
Natalie = Jennasmom, Kelsey NY
Reed = David, Kathy, Lynn1

Out: Nadiya
Val = Brenda, Nickelpeed
John R = Cheryl NC, MikesGirl, Terry in TX

Survivor fans ready?

On Coyopa, Dale is sure he's the next target if they lose Immunity again. On Hunahpu, they found the missing flint right by the fire. Now they're lamenting the lost fishing gear they gave up to be re-flinted.

At Reward, Hunahpu clapped when they saw John Rocker gone. Drew tries to return the flint and barter with Jeff for fishing gear. No way! They use a grappling hook to retrieve balls, then try to make baskets using a catapult. Comfort items or campfire food.

Jon wins for Hunahpu, sending his girlfriend Jaclyn to Exile. Drew volunteers and is welcomed by Jon to go with her. The tribe is going for the comfort items.

Drew got the idol clue and shared it with Jaclyn. Drew tells her that he wants to throw the next Immunity Challenge to them -- there are snakes on his tribe that need to go! (According to him, that is.)

Keith thinks that Jeremy has the idol from their camp and tells everybody such. Keith goes searching again and actually finds it. Meanwhile, Jeremy is steaming. Now Keith is on the radar.

Immunity Challenge time. Swimming, climbing, diving, retrieving rings, then it's a ring toss affair.

"Drew is single-handedly losing this for his tribe," Jeff calls out. Jon wants singles without loved ones out -- go for Julie.

Yep, he threw it. He thinks he's the kingpin of his tribe. We'll see about that. So, Coyopa won their first Immunity Challenge, handed to them by some delusional kingpin.

Drew wants Kelley out. Jeremy wants Keith out. Reed wants Julie out. The girls want Drew out.

Tribal Council time. They're all over the place. Keith does not play the idol.

The tally:
Julie, Kelly, Drew, Keith, Julie, Drew, Drew, Drew.

Ha! It backfired on the "kingpin." He's out!

And, next week Jeff tells them to drop their buffs. Hmm. It seems merge is coming a bit early. But I could be wrong.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 12, 2014

Good morning! It's Sunday, time for my weekly off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. My next post will be all about television, I swear!

Not much has been going on here this past week. Work, work and more work. The temperatures are turning fall-like and we've had some rain, too. I guess we need the rain. But I do wish it would confine itself to the overnight so I don't have to walk in it. However, it's not so bad unless it's pouring and the wind is blowing. Thankfully that kind of weather happened in the overnight hours this past week.

I really don't have a lot to say this week. So, I guess it's onto the photos ...

Home at last

After a long day at work, being home is always welcome. Not that I live at the Plainfield Train Station, mind you.

It's a marvelous night for a moondance

The day after the Hunter Moon, the skies were lit up through the clouds as I walked to the train station. This scenario set up one of the most beautiful sunrises I've seen in years.

Just before sunrise

The same morning of the Hunter Moon, the skies looked like this when I arrived at my destination. This shot and other sunrise shots from the very same day and earlier in the week are in the slideshow below. It's amazing how fleeting the beauty is -- just a few minutes and it's gone. Clicking on the diagonal at the bottom of the slideshow will make it full screen.



My second slideshow this week is of the flowers and fall foliage. We're still a few weeks from peak foliage, but we have bright colors popping here and there.

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