Survivor: Cagayan - 'Chaos is My Friend' Blog Party - April 30

Well, Tony has that special hidden idol with the power to be used AFTER the votes are revealed. It's quite possible, with the way he's been playing the game, that he just might be forced to use it tonight. 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! But, as you all know by now, the real party is in the comments area. Come watch the show with us!

The latest blog pool standings from the esteemed Lifeguard Laurie:

Pool People
Jefra Bland - David, Sharon S.
Jeremiah Wood - LostChyld
Kass McQuillen -Delee, MikesGirl
Spencer Bledsoe - Becky and Monty924
Tasha Fox - DKNYNC, Rochelle
Tony Viachos - Lynn1, Zoetawny
Trisha Hegarty - Jackie
Woo Hwang - Laurie, SueGee

Jury People 
Sarah Lacina
Morgan McLeod
LJ McKanas

Survivor fans ready?

Tonight is the traditional food auction. Tasha, Tony and Spencer are all waiting out the food for the advantage which should be offered. If they bid the entire $500 on the advantage, they will need to draw rocks. Spencer and Tony draw rocks. Tony draws black and wins the advantage.

Tony's advantage isn't for the Immunity Challenge -- it's a clue to another idol.

Tony has the hidden idol. He showed it to all in his alliance, hoping any blindsiding thoughts would end.

Immunity Challenge time! Digging up five bags in sand, retrieve five balls from them, table maze. Ho-hum. 

Tasha wins Immunity AGAIN! 

Tony thinks the girls are in an alliance and the guys need to target Jefra. Woo, Spencer and Tasha are on board with the plan. When Spencer goes off to look for the special power idol, Tony starts having second thoughts.

Tony pulls out his idol and wears it on a necklace -- the normal idol, not the secret power one. 

The tally --
Spencer, Jefra, Spencer, Jefra, Spencer, Jefra, Jefra. 

Spencer lives to face another day and Tony's latest plan (Spencer's plan) worked.

The Amazing Race All-Stars: 'Accidental Alliance' Blog Party - April 28

Oh my ... it looks like three teams are going to team up against Brenchal. Too bad, so sad. Although they have been running a good race for the most part and are definitely more bearable in their latest 15 minutes of CBS reality show fame, I wouldn't be heartbroken if they were knocked off the racetrack!

As the show airs  ... and it's actually airing ON TIME here this week ... I'll update this entry with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest! As always, the party is in the comments area. Come watch the show with us!

Here are the latest blog pool standings going into tonight's episode:
Jen & Caroline - Lynn1, Buzzmaam, DLA
Dave & Connor - Becky, Auntie Leigh, Rochelle
Brendon & Rachel (Brenchal) - Terry in TX, Brian
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
Jessica & John - Sharon S, David, Rbennie
Flight Time & Big Easy - Laurie, Donna in FL, nicklepeed

Teams are on their way to Switzerland. Uh-oh. All the teams are on one train except for Jet and Cord. They got lost and are on the next one.

Rachel quote: "Who needs friends?"

There's a bunching point at the William Tell clue and the cowboys show up. Now they're driving to Luzern. Heh. Brenchal got lost.

Teams have to rehab hotel rooms wrecked by rock stars. Um. Okay. Brenchal is still lost. All the other teams are at the hotel. Brenchal is now there. The cowboys finish first, then the Afghanimals. Now the girls and Dave/Connor are also on their way. Brenchal remains last.

Teams have to guess what a huge doohickey was used for (to drill a tunnel). Then they must figure out the year of their product placement Ford Mustang.

Cowboys still in the lead. Followed by Dave/Connor.

Roadblock has them delivering milk via dog sled and gondola.

Apparently there is no Detour tonight. It's the cowboys in the lead closely followed by Dave/Connor. Gah. Brenchal is now in third place. Oh my gosh, Dave and Connor have taken over the lead! The Afghanimals, Dave/Connor and Cowboys are now all bunched up in a gondola heading to the pit stop. I think the girls are still stuck at the Roadblock.

Pit Stop:
1. DAVE AND CONNOR! They won a 2015 Mustang/
2. Jet and Cord
3. Leo and Jamal
4. Brenchal

The girls are still at the Roadblock.

It's a non-Philimination leg. Jennifer and Caroline are still in it!

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 27, 2014

Good morning! It's Sunday. You know what that means. Welcome to 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'll be posting The Amazing Race blog party. If you watch the show, come watch with us!

This past week? Let's see ...

It was definitely one of the better ones as of late. The severe cold or whatever it was I had finally stopped. I only had a four-day work week as I had requested a vacation day for Saturday due to expected train issues. And, on Friday morning, a local taxi driver saw me walking and gave me a free ride to the train station as he was heading to his office and I'm a "nice lady." He was one of the regular drivers I used over the winter when the sidewalks were so dangerous. That made my day!

I'm sure many of you will be upset to hear I have no snake photos again this week. Apparently the location at the Bridgewater Train Station might have been some kind of birthing den and they've moved on. It wasn't a good place for the garter snakes anyway -- too close to people. It was good for me as I got to take photos of them. But they need to be away from people.

Our weather here still isn't really "normal." Some of the flowering trees, such as the magnolias, have suffered from the overnight freezes. The gingko trees are just starting to develop leaves. I looked at photos I took in previous years and, every year, things were in full bloom by now with all the leaves on the trees.

Onto the photos for the week -- clicking on an image will lead you to a Photobucket page of the shot, clicking on the magnifying glass at the bottom right of the photo will make it larger. You can make it larger twice. To return to the blog, just close out the Photobucket window.

Welcome

Welcome to the middle of town, that is. This new electronic sign has been erected on the grounds of Plainfield's Municipal Court and Police Department. I think they were testing it as I watched. It rotated between this welcome and advertisements for the sign company. Then it went into the temperature in blue, jumping randomly from 69 to 73 degrees. Then my bus came. Corner of Watchung Avenue and Court Place.

Even more welcoming

Church Street (Plainfield) in the sunrise hour of a spring morning.

Also quite welcoming

Tulips in a planter on a porch on Berckman Street in Plainfield. I showed the other planter last week.

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

Survivor: Cagayan - 'Sitting in my Spy Shack' Blog Party - April 23

Every week I've wondered if Tony's doings might be his undoing in the game. This week isn't any different. Perhaps it's even more likely that his paranoia and need to control the game will be his undoing tonight. We'll see.

As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll post the major updates right in this post. Refresh the post to get the latest! As always, the real party will be in the comments area -- come watch the show with us!

The latest blog pool standings from that Lively and Lovely Lifeguard Laurie:

Pool People
Jefra Bland - David, Sharon S.
Jeremiah Wood - LostChyld
Kass McQuillen -Delee, MikesGirl
Spencer Bledsoe - Becky and Monty924
Tasha Fox - DKNYNC, Rochelle
Tony Viachos - Lynn1, Zoetawny
Trisha Hegarty - Jackie
Woo Hwang - Laurie, SueGee

Jury People
Sarah Lacina
Morgan McLeod
LJ McKanas

Survivor fans ready?

Tony makes himself a spy shack, reminding me of Tom Sawyer sneaking back to check out his own funeral.

Reward challenge has them divided into two teams of four. They have to row out, collect paddles, solve a puzzle. Tasha, Jefra, Spencer and Jeremiah are on one team. The other is Woo, Tony, Trisha and Kass. Reward is a picnic style lunch with chicken and chocolate chip cookies (amongst other things).

Tasha, etc. win reward. It's set in a stunning cave. The rewards crowd try to bring Jefra into their alliance and they all agree Tony needs to go. Oh! Jefra got a letter from her mother! Tears, tears. It's a SIGN! A final four pact is made.

Immunity Challenge time! Stand on a narrow beam while balancing a ball. Move to a more narrow beam. Last person standing wins. It's down to Woo, Tasha and Spencer. Woo is down. Tasha wins!

Tony knows he's in trouble. He scrambled looking for "iconic landmarks" for the hidden idol with special powers. And ... he found it. I swear he almost wet his pants!

The Tony alliance draws Jefra back into the fold. Silly Jefra tells Jeremiah.  Jeremiah lets go with his big secret that he's a fashion model. @@ Spencer tells Tash and Jeremiah that he has an idol.

Spencer plays his idol.



Votes: Woo, Woo, Woo, Jeremiah, Jeremiah, Jeremiah, Jeremiah, 

Jeremiah is gone.

Tony pretended he had a fake idol.

The Amazing Race All-Stars: 'Donkeylicious' Blog Party - April 20

Sure, it's the Easter holiday evening and many people may be partaking in family or church doings and the show is actually starting on time tonight. Go figure.

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! I'm not sure how well attended tonight's party will be due to the holiday, but please join us in the comments section for some good times!

The latest blog pool standings from the Magnificent Margo are as follows:

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
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
Jessica & John - Sharon S, David, Rbennie

Let's RACE! Teams are driving to find their next clue. Jennifer/Caroline and Dave/Connor are working together. Brenchal, since winning the last leg, are in the lead. This is the last chance for Jet and Cord to use their Express Pass. And, of course, there is a double U-Turn ahead.

Detour: Donkey Run has the teams in a donkey race. Donkey Build has the teams building a donkey out of wood and delivering it. Brenchal finishes, still in the lead.

Gah, Brendan wants to U-Turn Dave and Connor! Rachel wanted to do the cowboys. Brendan won. Gah. Dave/Connor said they needed to U-Turn someone. They let the cowboys survive and U=Turned the Afghanimals. They told them and apologized.

Roadblock: Who's got the write stuff? The team member has to copy old style writings perfectly.

While the two teams U-Turned have their own problems, it's the Globetrotters who seem hopelessly lost right now.

Heh. The Globetrotters are finally at the Detour. Big Easy is almost crushing his donkey! They have to switch detours. They're still running in last place.

Sigh. Brenchal is on the way to the Pit Stop. The Globetrotters finally finished the Detour after switching back to riding the donkeys.

The Pit Stop --
1. Brendan and Rachel - won $7,500 each.

Eek! Connor doesn't think he can finish the Roadblock and wants to take a penalty! No, don't do it, Connor! Wow! The Afghanimals helped Dave and Connor!

2. Jet and Cord
3. Leo and Jamal
4. Dave and Connor
5. Jennifer and Caroline
6. Flight Time and Big Easy -- Philiminated