Survivor: San Juan Del Sur Blog Party - November 5

Well, the merge is supposed to be on this week. That will certainly change the dynamics a bit. Will we see those with loved ones try to ally with the like? Or the singles? At the very least, we won't be seeing Coyopa continue to decimate weekly. Or, is that weakly? Of course, there might be some tribal loyalties going on there and the old Hunahpu members could still trounce the ex-Coyopa. It's all so complicated! That's why I sit at home at watch.

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 in on the fun!

Before it's on with the show, here's the latest blog pool standings from Lifeguard Laurie --

Coyopa
Alec = Karen in Case, Merrilee
Baylor = Glenn, maquinn78, Sharon S
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  
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
Kelley = Babs Dud, ML, Russ
Dale = Brian, Margo

Survivor fans ready?

Keith is predictably disturbed about getting votes in the last tribal. Missy and Baylor owned up to it. Now he knows how much he can(not) trust them.

Tree mail has Hunahpu packing up for the merge. Coyopa got a similar email. Hmm. Where are they going to set up shop?

We have the usual feast going on.

Ah, they're going to the former Coyopa home.

Jeremy wants to get together with some singles, plus John/Jaclyn and Missy/Baylor. Huyopa is the new tribe name. And now it's Wes's birthday.

Josh wants to get the couples together. Surprise, surprise.

Aha! They found out that Julie was hoarding a supply of trail mix from their feast. Oh noes for her!

Immunity Challenge time. Josh is worried that his name will be on the chopping block. They have to balance a ball on disks supported by ropes and it gets tougher as time goes by.

Whoa! Jeremy is out first! Missy out, then Julie.

Second round starts. Reed out, Baylor, Alec out, Jaclyn out. Natalie out.

Josh, Wes, Keith and Jon left in.

The next round has two balls balancing on the disk. Josh out. Jon out. Keith and Wes, father and son, are the last two vying for victory. Keith wins the first individual immunity!

Jon told Jeremy that Josh is the target. While Josh wants Jeremy out, he also ponders breaking up Jaclyn/Jon. Lots of scheming going on. Now Jon wants Jeremy out and the couples stick together. Oy!

Uh-oh. Will Julie quit? She met Jeff away from camp. She is bereft without John. Poor baby.

She quits the game.

Jeff meets up with the others and tells them.

No tribal council tonight with Julie quitting! Jeremy stays another day.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - November 2, 2014

Welcome to my weekly off television topic post! Each week I take a journey through the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. My next post will indeed be about television -- stay tuned!

Random musings about the week:

• I could do this get an extra hour of sleep thing every day.
• We had nice temperatures and some nice days, then some really icky cold rain. Now it's just cold. I guess it's really late autumn. Sigh.
• At least it didn't rain for the kids on Halloween. Not that I had any trick or treaters knocking on my door. I never do here.
• My superintendent told me the person upstairs is a younger guy. I think the "younger" bit is relative. He can't be too young or he couldn't afford to live alone there. I'm think probably 30ish-young. But I did kind of call it right. I still haven't seen him. He's still not annoying. Yay!
• I'm tired. Can I retire yet? I'm really getting tired of being exhausted day in and day out. There has to be a better way!
• While I had way too many "out of stock" items on my Peapod grocery delivery order this week -- they're still adjusting to the new huge distribution center in Jersey City -- they more than made good on it. They told me they'd remove the delivery charge and put the sale items missed in my cart at the sale price for my next order. Well, since I ordered on Super Saver Wednesday, instead of $6.95 delivery, it was $5 off, then another $1 off as I chose the wide delivery window which they narrow down to two hours the day before. So, technically, my delivery cost a 95 cent delivery charge. (I also get $1 off for paying by electronic check, so ...!) I received an email from them. They took $10 off the order.
• I also received an email from the Plainfield Library in regard to the photo contest. I won something, but don't know what. The awards presentation and exhibition is slated for November 15th.

Onto the photos for this week -- clicking on an image will open it larger in a new Photobucket window. You can make it even larger there and just close out that window to return to the blog.

A touch of color

I took this shot of ivy on a building adjacent to the Plainfield Train Station.

Oh my

What the heck broke into that locomotive engine car? This is one of the new fancy/schmancy locomotives which runs diesel and can convert to electric for a one seat ride on the Raritan Valley Line into NYC. Since our line is diesel, we've always had to switch trains in Newark as diesel locomotives can't run in the tunnels. Now, with these new locomotives, some of the trains run directly into the city, but not every train. There are also tunnel crowding logistics running amok in the planning. I'm thinking this locomotive might have struck a tree branch. I'm innocent. Plainfield Train Station.

This week's Flowers and Foliage slideshow has photos taken in Plainfield, Westfield and Bridgewater. Clicking on the diagonal arrow on the bottom right will make it full screen for you!

Yes, I see you, Squirrel.

Is it Rocket J. Squirrel? East Front Street, Plainfield.

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

The Amazing Race 25 - October 31 Episode

Happy Halloween, folks! I'm anticipating few to attend this blog party due to Halloween plans. But, if you do come by, stop in the comments section! 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!

Here's the latest blog pool standings from the Marvelous Margo --

Adam & Bethany - chrob61, Kathy in Brooklyn, Kelsey NY, Zoetawny
Brooke & Robbie - Caela, Sharon, Sharon N, Willie J
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
Keith & Whitney - Jean, Jennasmom, Nana in NW, PDXGranny

Ready for the race?

Kym and Alli leave the Pit Stop first -- have to deliver hay with a horse-drawn carriage, reward the horses with an apple each, and then get their 'product placement' vehicle. Ah, good. Bethany and Adam have pulled into the lead.

But Kym and Alli get to the next clue first. Detour -- Camp, set up a camp to exact specifications. Cream has them milking a goat and making butter with the milk. Rats. Misti and Jim are there.

Oh geez. Jim and Misti are the first through the Detour. Grr. Shelley and Nici are totally lost and are the only team who hasn't made it to the Detour.

Roadblock -- Teams have to go over canyons on ziplines and swinging bridges and solving a puzzle.

Jim and Misti are heading to Casbah Dif, the Pit Stop. Oh my gosh. Bethany chose to do the Roadblock despite having one arm. Yikes!

Pit Stop--
1. Jim and Misti - Won a trip to Brazil
2. Adam and Bethany
3. Kym and Alli
4. Tim and Te Jay
5. Brooke and Robbie
6. Amy and Maya
7. Shelley and Nici

And, they have been Philiminated

Survivor San Juan Del Sur Blood vs. Water Blog Party - October 29

Will Jeff give in and give Hunahpu more food? And, if so, at what cost? No tribe has ever begged for food before! What about Coyopa? Will they continue to lose even with the reshuffling of tribes? Then there's Dale's fake idol. Are they gonna buy that it's real? These questions and many more should be answered in tonight's episode.

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 is in the comments area -- come join in on the fun!

But, first ... the blog pool update by that 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  
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
Kelley = Babs Dud, ML, Russ

Survivor fans ready?

Dale showed John his fake immunity idol. John thinks it's real. Silly John. Jeremy thinks it's stupid to ask Jeff for rice -- they should suck it up. After all, they might win food tomorrow!

Jeff arrives with a huge bag of rice. Jeff lectures them about losing their flint and eating all the rice. He wants all of their comfort items. They'll only keep a machete, a pot and a flint. He thinks they've been winning because they've been eating better than the other tribe. I think he's right.

Reward challenge has one person from each tribe racing blindfolded through obstacles studying masks by touch and then recreating them. The reward is a Survivor BBQ feast. It's Reed against Baylor.

Reed wins for Hunahpu! Now they have food. Baylor goes to Exile. Reed picks Julie to go, but Natalie volunteers. Natalie "wins." She goes to Exile with Baylor.

Baylor got the clue to the idol and showed Natalie. I find Natalie much more bearable without Nadiya. Natalie thinks that she's in with Missy, Balyor's mom. She is. Now she thinks she's in with Baylor, too.

It's raining on the tarp-less Hunahpu tribe. Sucks to be them, eh? Julie is crying. Jeremy hopes she goes home before him.

Immunity Challenge time! Race up and over a wall, push a cube through posts, collect puzzle pieces, solve puzzle.

Jeremy got his bag stuck on the coil they have to remove it from. Will Coyopa actually win a challenge? Maybe not. Hunahpu has taken over the lead. Hunahpu wins Immunity again!

Heh. Dale told John that if he (Dale) isn't voted out tonight, he'll give John his "idol." He wants Missy targeted.  They all (not Dale or Keith) decide they should split the vote between Dale and Keith. John thinks it might be best to align with Dale. He really wants himself and Jaclyn to be a "power couple" after the merge.

Tribal -- lots of talk about loyalty. Keith votes Dale

The tally -- Dale, Keith, Missy, Keith, Dale, Dale.

Dale is voted out.

Next week is the merge!

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - October 26, 2014

Good morning! It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off television topic reflection of the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're looking for TV stuff, my last post and my next post will have some.

We had several days of rain this week. But I did take advantage of the few nice days when I could take some photos going to work and coming home. Alas, my day off on Wednesday was raw, chilly and rainy ALL DAY. I didn't even step out of my apartment all day. On the days it was nice, it was VERY nice with warmish (for this time of the year) temperatures and sunny skies. On the days it was not nice, it was dismal with a cold, cold rain and grey skies.

I personally prefer brisk temperatures over the heat (and humidity) of the summers here. I actually don't even mind the cold of winter. I can always layer and dress warm enough. But in the heat and humidity of summer, there's only so much you can take off! And, you could be naked and still sweating! Ew! If we could train the ice and snow to stay off the roads, parking lots and sidewalks, I'd have no complaints about winter whatsoever.

Two years ago at this time we were anticipating being in the "cone of concern" for Hurricane Sandy. There are still signs of the superstorm all about in mismatched roof shingles, tree damage, trees gone and such. I must admit I enjoyed the excitement of the storm, but the aftermath was way too much. Almost two weeks without power, four months of train issues, a wacko snowstorm a few days after the hurricane while I had no heat (or lights or anything). It was a surreal kind of existence for weeks after the storm. I don't want to go through that again. Thankfully, there isn't anything like that in the forecast here now.

Onto this week's photos -- clicking on an image will bring you to its Photobucket page where you can make it larger. Just X out the Photobucket page to return here to the blog.

Downtown autumn colors

The trees surrounding the Park-Madison complex are turning all kinds of pretty colors for autumn. I took this shot looking at the corner of Park Avenue and West Second Street in Plainfield. To my right (off camera) is East Second Street -- Park Avenue in Plainfield is the dividing line between East and West.

Pretty pre-sunrise

The sun is actually rising after I get in the door to work these days. Well, except for Saturdays when I go in to work later. With our three (four?) days of rain this past week, I had rather dismal non-sunrises most of the week. But this one was nice. Bridgewater, NJ

Ladybug, ladybug ...

... fly away home. Your house is on fire and your kids are alone. Eep! What a HORRIBLE little saying! Bridgewater, NJ

This week's Flowers and Foliage slideshow is once again probably more foliage. I took some shots of flowers in the dark with my flash. And, the rain and some warmer temperatures have some of the roses blooming again! The shots were all taken in Plainfield and Bridgewater as I went nowhere and did nothing this week (except work). You can make the slideshow full screen by clicking on the diagonal arrow lower right of the window.

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