Survivor: Kaoh Rong - April 6 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, 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. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages!

Oh ... in Big Brother news, Jeff and Jordan got married and they're expecting a baby! Check it out on my BB Facebook page.

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool --

Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse

Jury
Neal Gottlieb (when the infection is gone) - Merrilee, JoyzJenn

It should be interesting watching these folks scramble for numbers. It will be the first out by Tribal Council since the merge as last week Neal left for medical reasons.

Joe's worrying about the ex-Brains players being the odd men/women out. Well, most certainly I'd say Debbie is odd! However, it's more Aubry who is being targeted. She knows it. She's hoping to find a crack or start some trouble to keep in the game.

Kyle Jason tells the others of his daughter's problems with autism. Cydney points out to us that it will make him harder to beat at the end and that's something they need to think about.

Rewards Challenge has them split into two teams of five. They're playing for ice cream. It's a schoolyard pick. Julia, Scot, Nick, Debbie and Tai vs. Aubry, Cydney, Jason, Michelle and Joe. They have to support teammates on posts through the water. Then all five have to balance on a small platform. It's not easy!

Scot, Nick, Debbie, Tai and Julia win the ice cream! Bond-forming time for a few!

Meanwhile, Cydney is suspicious about Nick working his way in with Jason and Scot. Hmm.

Immunity Challenge time. They have to balance on a very narrow perch holding a handle behind their heads. Jeff is trying his best to annoy, antagonize and destroy them. He offers a temptation in the form of food for ones who feel they're safe tonight.

Julia steps down before the food. It's pizzas, hot dogs, brownies, chicken. Jason, Scot, Joe and Michele take the food.

Tai lets it slip he doesn't want a Brain to win.

Debbie is out. When Nick said Brains were targets, Cydney smirked. Nick and Aubry are out.

Tai and Cydney are the only ones left in.

TAI wins Immunity after Cydney looked like a rock through it all!

He tells us the Brawn and Beauty remainders will split the vote between Debbie and Aubry. I think Cydney might have other plans. We'll see.

Nick advises Aubry to vote Debbie and tells her there will be a split vote. He acts like the vote will be Joe or Debbie. Cydney wants to target Nick. She approaches Debbie and Aubry with the idea. She approaches Michele and Julia. Michele, of course, is in an alliance with Nick. So, she's iffy.

Tribal Council time. Nick is his arrogant self claiming a Brain is going home on a split vote. Tai mentions the super-idol abilities, surprising some who know nothing about it.

Jason votes Aubry, Nick votes Debbie. Debbie votes Nick.

The tally:
Aubry, Debbie, Nick, Aubry, Jason, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick.

HA! Nick is out!

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 3, 2016

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 a fan of either Survivor or The Amazing Race (or both!), please stop by on show nights as the shows air East Coast time for my live-blogging of the episodes and the blog parties in the comments area!

My apologies for getting this post up so late today. Last night's wild weather awakened me several times with hail and winds which sounded like freight trains! There have been several trees down around town and power outages. My power has stayed on (so far), but many areas in Plainfield are out as I get this written up. And now, several hours into these winds, I just got a Nixle Alert on my cell phone advising me to stay inside due to dangerous conditions outside. Well, duh. I took trash out to the dumpster and snagged my Sunday newspaper from the front of the building. The wind was ridiculous. I'm glad I don't have to go to work today.

Meanwhile, a certain cat keeps jumping on me to purr in my ear. Don't get me wrong. I love the cat. But, sheesh ... he sure can be an affection mongering kind of cat! Once he's on my shoulder, I can't type at all.

Random notes on the week:

• We keep alternating between winter and spring. Unfortunately, most of the warmer days, we've had rain.
• We started the week with high wind warnings. We ended the week (and started this week) with high wind warnings.
• I keep having to get out my winter jacket, then putting it away.
• I worked extra hours this week and I'm totally exhausted.
• I actually have three of four days off starting today. I work tomorrow, but have off both Tuesday and Wednesday. I volunteered to take a paid vacation day to help with a budget cut this week at work. Good for them; good for me. I need the rest. I've been running on empty.
• We didn't get the overnight snow coating they predicted for last night. However, I'm sure we had a hail coating in the middle of the night!
• I bought a package of peanuts to feed squirrels. I'm weird like that.
• The Walking Dead season finale is tonight. Gulp. They better not kill off Darryl. Or, if they do, perhaps they could bring in Larry and his brother Darryl and his other brother Darryl from Newhart. I bet they'd be quite capable in the zombie apocalypse. 

Onto this week's photos -- clicking on an image will bring up a larger version.

On a wing and a prayer?

More like on wings and wind currents. A turkey vulture was having the time of its life gliding about in the high winds earlier in the week. He's probably hiding with the hurricane-force winds we're getting today!

Daffodils are still growing strong

Despite some outright overnight freezes, they're hanging in there!

First bum of the day

No Plainfield Train Station ticketed passengers can use that platform shelter in this photo. The bums hang out all day and most of the night there. They're responsible for all the trash on the grass in that area, too. It's sad that new apartments have been set up on North Avenue in rehabbed buildings, commanding a luxury rent price ... and they look out on the Plainfield Train Station bum gathering. The police regularly stop by and move along those on the East 4th Street side of the station. Yet this spot is almost totally ignored. I doubt those new apartments will ever have good quality tenants until the loitering issues are solved. 

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

The Amazing Race Blog Party - April 1, 2016

The show is starting! As you all know, it's been off for a few weeks due to basketball. (Grr.) As it airs here on the East Coast, I'll post the major happenings live. Refresh the page to get the latest! However, as it always is ... the real party is in the comments area. Please join in on the fun! (And bring tasty beverages and snacks!)

The Magnificent Margo (and Mom) have made the random picks for the blog pool and here they are ...
Tyler & Korey-P- Paula Bell, Bruce & Ray, SueGee
Burnie & Ashley- Buzzmaam, Delee
Sheri & Cole- Donna in FL, Merrilee, Becky
Zach & Rachel- Sharon N, Nana in NW
Dana & Matt- Grandi, Nicklepeed
Scott & Blair- Meb, Jennasmom
Kurt & Brodie- David, Ed in OH

Philiminated:
Marty & Hagan- Jackie, Willie J
Cameron & Darius- chrob61, PDXGranny
Jessica & Brittany- Donna in AL, Monty924
Erin & Joslyn- Brian, Margo, Rbennie

Amazing Race fans ready? Let's GO!

Teams are on their way to Armenia. All teams are on the same flight. So, any one could win this leg ... theoretically. There is an Express Pass waiting for the winner of the leg. The teams are bunched waiting to purchase opera tickets. They're not going to see the opera -- their next clue is hidden in the theater.

Teams have to climb a gazillion steps next -- Cascade.

The Alpha Boys are leading the pack, followed by Cole and Sheri.

Detour: Thread - Make a rug or ... Bread - making traditional bread. Both tasks are difficult.

Tyler/Korey and Blair/Scott are the last ones out of the theater.

The Alpha Boys are the first on their way to the next clue. No real surprise there. They have to take a certain bus and pick up the clue along the roadside at a stand.

Roadblock -- Who's feeling drained? They have to do an oil change. Only two cars at a time can be on the ramp.

Alpha Boys are heading to the Pit Stop.

Pit Stop:
1. Kurt and Brodie - won Express Pass (to be used before the 9th leg)
2. Burnie and Ashley
3. Zach and Rachel

Sheri at first didn't have the tool to loosen the oil filter. Then she keeps trying to loosen it in the wrong direction. That might cost them the leg/race (dependent on whether it's a non-Philimination or not). We're probably due for a non-Philimination. But I could be wrong.

4. Dana and Matt

Scott helps Sheri!

5. Scott and Blair
6. Tyler and Korey
7. Sheri and Cole -- NON-PHILIMINATION!

They're immediately going to start on the next leg!

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - March 30 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, 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. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages! Tonight promises us a "drop your buffs" moment for the merge. This should be interesting!

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool!

Blue - Chanloh
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Neal Gottlieb - Merrilee, JoyzJenn

Yellow - Gondol
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn

Torchless
Darnell Hamiltonn - free play!
Jennifer Lanzetti - David, Paula Bell
Elizabeth Markham - Donna in FL, Terry is a Texan
Alecia Holen - Becky, Donna NY
Anna Khait - monty924 , SueGee from the Left Coast
Peter Baggenstos - Jackie, Tammy

Medical Evac
Caleb Reynolds - Ed in Ohio, Stephanie in Baltimore

Let's get this party started!

Due to the vote last week, now Scot is wanting to target Joe and Aubry. Over on Chanloh, Cydney sees the bulge in Neal's pocket and thinks it's an idol. She tells Kyle and he also sees it -- and he's sure it's real.

A boat shows up at Chanloh. They have to pack up and go to the merge. The boat arrives at Gondol's camp. Tai thinks his best ally remains Scot despite the fact that some of the beauty still survives. Debbie thinks her Brains are still tight.

Scot lets it slip to Jason Kyle and Nick that Tai has an idol (after they said they think Neal has one).

Debbie comes onto Tai and asks him to be in an alliance with her. He tells her yes. I think he's in shock with himself. But he tells us he sees through her.

Meanwhile, Brawn and Brain is together. Or so, Jason and Scot think.

It's getting Situation Complicated here. The Brains themselves are getting annoyed at Debbie. Neal admits to Aubry that he has an idol. Aubry is all excited about the possibilities.

Immunity Challenge time has Jeff inquiring about the infections they have.

Stand on a log, balancing a ball on a disk. More balls added as time goes on. We've seen this before. Joe out first, Debbie out. Jason out. Another ball is added. Michele, Neal, Scot out. Cydney out. Aubry out. The three Beauty players get to the three ball round. Julia out. It's just Nick and Tai. Tai out.

Nick wins the first Individual Immunity!

Scot and Jason think they're running the show. They want to target Aubry. Nick's not all that keen on them -- he thinks they're over-confident. Aubry and Debbie want to take out Scot or Jason. Both sides want Michele to work with them.

Nick thinks that they should work with Brawn because he feels he can manipulate them down the road.

A boat pulls up with Jeff and medics. Uh-oh. Jeff is concerned about the infections. Uh-oh. Neal is getting pulled from the game due to his knee infection. The others are cleared. He'll be back on the jury after hospital treatment.

No Tribal Council tonight. He did NOT give his buddy Aubry his idol. She remains a target.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - March 27, 2016

Good morning! Happy Easter to you all! (Unless you don't celebrate the holiday ... then it's just Happy Sunday to you!) This is 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 a fan of Survivor or The Amazing Race, please stop by during East Coast showtimes for my live blogging of the shows. We have blog parties with fans and a good time is generally had by all!

I haven't seen any rabbits yet this spring or I'd have one leading off the photos. Oh, well. Easter is coming early this year. Since it is the holiday, I'm pretty much going to go straight into the photos.

Clicking on an image with bring up a larger version ...

Easter in my Plainfield 'hood

Buds are starting to form on the larger trees. This magnolia tree across the street is the only one in full spring mode.

Wildlife at the Bridgewater Train Station

I'd rather see the garter snake than the homeless dude who's been living there despite my complaints to NJ Transit. Although, I must admit, the homeless guy slithers away like a snake when I'm surly to him. But the snake doesn't panhandle and isn't annoying.

I'm SO confused

What holiday is this? Even though it's Easter, this home on East Second Street is perpetually in a Christmas kind of mood. As long as it doesn't invite snow and I don't live there, live and let live. 

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