The Amazing Race 26 - April 17 Blog Party

 

It's Friday night! I hope you haven't forgotten that it's time for The Amazing Race! Not only is the show on tonight, but it's TWO HOURS worth!  We have a Double U-Turn ahead in the double show, too.

As it airs here, 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. I hope to see you there. (And bring snacks. And beverages.)

Here's the blog pool standings presented by the Magnificent Margo:

Mike and Rochelle - Cheryl in NC, Laurie

Aly and Steve - Jackie, SueGee

Matt and Ashley - Delee, Merrilee

Blair and Hayley - Terry in TX, Margo, Chris

Jelani and Jenny - Marlo, Lynn 1, dla

Tyler and Laura - Ed in OH, David, Nickelpeed

PHILIMINATED:

Jeff and Lyda - Jennasmom, Paula Bell, meb

Lebya and CJ - Donna in FL, PDXGranny 

Harley and Jonathan - Becky, Willie J 

Bergen and Kurt - Nana in NW, Rbennie

Jeffrey and Jackie - Brian, Donna in AL, ORKMommy

Let's get it on! 

Teams are flying ten hours to Namibia (wherever that is!). All the teams are to be on the same flight. Once there they get on individual bush planes. Hayley and Blair, first to leave the Pit Stop, are at the end of the bush planes. They then have to drive themselves to the Bushman Village and need to pick up a salt lick on the way.

Roadblock - Who's feeling grassy? They have to help bushmen build a hut. Teams are fairly quick making the huts. Tyler/Laura. then Matt/Ashley head off.

Detour - Track, an elephant. Pack, feeding wild dogs wildebeest meat. Pack was taken up quickly, so teams are being steered to Track.

Mike and Rochelle are at the tail end of the pack. Hayley and Blair are second from last. 

The Pack Detour is definitely easier. But the elephant one is much cooler.

Mike and Rochelle were so much later that the Pack opened up again. So they might just make it!  Everyone is getting lost or at least lost-ish.

Pit Stop --

1. Matt and Ashley - win $5000 each.

2. Laura and Tyler

3. Hayley and Blair 

4. Jelani and Jenny 

5. Mike and Rochelle

6. Aly and Steve 

It's a non-elimination leg, so all are still in it for the next hour. 

Teams are heading into town and must read something in German. Some teams are talking about U-Turning Jelani and Jenny. J and J are guessing Matt and Ashley might U-Turn them -- but they do have the Express Pass. 

The clue turns out to lead them to a skydiving place. 

Roadblock - They must find a case dropped from a plane and there's a gnome involved in the skydiving. The teams themselves don't get to skydive.

For their Speed Bump, Aly and Steve must make a toy.

Detour - Work or Play. Dragging five tires for five miles with their trucks to smooth out road. Play has them sand skiing on the dunes.

Jelani and Jenny (wisely) use their Express Pass as other teams are heading to the Double U-Turn. Matt and Ashley U-Turn Jelani and Jenny while Laura and Tyler U-Turn Aly and Steve.

Teams have to bring an exotic animal to the Pit Stop.

1. Laura and Tyler - won a trip to Queenstown, New Zealand

2. Matt and Ashley

3. Blair and Hayley 

4. Jelani and Jenny

5. Mike and Rochelle

6. Aly and Steve (my blog pool team) - Philiminated

Survivor: Worlds Apart - April 15 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready?

I hope you've all filed your taxes! Remember, the original sole Survivor, Richard Hatch, tried to not file with his million. You know what that got him -- time in the hoosegow! (I've had a yearning to use the word 'hoosegow' in correct context and now I've gone and done it. I'm livin' the wild life, y'see.)

As the show airs here, I'll update this post with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. I hope to "see" you there!

Before we get into the show, here are the latest blog pool standings from that Rockin' Lifeguard Laurie:

Carolyn - Jackie, TerryinTX
Dan - Brian, CherylinNC 
Hali - Zoetawny, monty924 
Jenn - Merrilee, Becky
Joe - SueGee, Chris 
Mike - meb, Nickelpeed 
Rodney - Margo 
Shirin - NanaintheNW 
Sierra - Jennasmom 
Tyler - Donna in Alabama, ORK Mommy 

Will - Rbennie 

Out 
WC - So
NC - Vince - Delee 
NC - Nina - Lynn1 
BC - Lindsey - Donna in FL, David 
Max - PDX Granny, Marlo
Joaquin - Laurie, Rochelle
Kelly - Petals, Ed in Ohio
Hali - Zoetawny, monty924

Let's get started!

Dang. Joe looks like Bozo the Clown under the night vision lights. A lot of focus on Shirin in the beginning of the show. 

Reward Challenge -- Two teams of five, race in water through obstacles to platform, grapple hook to collect five rings. The winners will be taken to the "Chocolate Cafe" chock full of candy. Mike, Tyler, Shirin, Dan and Sierra win. It had been a schoolyard pick for the teams.

Jenn has "nothing out here except despair." And they killed one of "her" chickens. As Rodney mocks Mike (who's on the chocolate binge), Joe picks up on it and hopes he can use Rodney against Mike ... if he (Joe) makes it that far.

Tree Mail warns them to stay on their toes for the next challenge. Jenn, who now wants to go home, told Joe that if she wins Immunity, she'll give it to him.

Immunity is now up for grabs. Balance on your toes with a block balanced on your head under a frame. The block falls, you're out. Carolyn, then Will, out. Shirin out, Rodney out. Dan gone. Sierra out. Joe is out. Mike out. Jenn out.

Tyler wins Immunity!

Jenn vows to us that she will do something to protect Joe and "screw up their game." I hope she does. 

Shirin thinks a numbers split will be made. She and Joe will vote for Jenn. Mike, of course, wants Shirin to vote for Joe to go. Jenn wants to go home. Shirin is worried that Joe is more of a threat in the game. Joe decides to make a fake idol. He makes a pretty good one. He tells Mike (of all people) that he will give him the idol after tribal if he flips his vote. Mike thinks he just might have a different idol.

At Tribal, Mike asks Jeff to verify his idol. Jeff says only after it's used. Everyone is confused. Jenn says she wants to go home, but won't quit to do so.

Mike plays the real idol! He does it for Will.

Jenn, Joe, Jenn, Joe, Dan, Jenn, Joe, Jenn, Joe, Joe.

Sigh. Joe is now the second member of the jury.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 12, 2015

Good morning! This is my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. My apologies for posting so late today, but I've been a bit under the weather. I hope you'll join me later in the week for Survivor and The Amazing Race blog parties!

Until yesterday, this past week was mostly chilly and rainy with night time lows hovering around freezing. Now it looks like we might have finally turned the corner. Every day this coming week is forecast to be above 60 degrees. Yes!

As for why I'm under the weather -- I've caught the Killer Cold that's being passed around throughout the Northeast. Now, it's just a cold. But it's knocking me (and everyone whom I know who has caught it) for a loop. I can't breathe. My sinuses are whacked. My ears are even all stuffy. I felt it coming on Tuesday and it hasn't left me yet. As a result I'm not sleeping well, either. Y'know, I'm getting really tired of one health woe after another. I should be due for a good health streak.

Today is simply beautiful outside. High expected around 64, sunny and dry. I plan on pretty much hanging low, staying inside, staying in bed a lot hoping to finish off this cold.

Oh, well. I should get this posted. Clicking on an image will bring up a larger shot ...

It's finally SPRING!

Crocuses! Spring! Yay!

Early in the week ...

... the daffodil buds were showing on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

1955 Chevrolet Nomad

Although my train to work yesterday passed over the Revolutionary War Battle of Bound Brook re-enactment too quickly for photos, another treat was in store for me at the TD Ball Park adjacent to the Bridgewater Train Station. Vintage cars were all backing up the sidewalk and parking along the front of the stadium. I sat on a bench photographing some of them. But then I ended up standing up near the bench after I saw this particular car hit a lamp post with its driver side. Love them fuzzy dice! More car photos (and others, too) after the jump.

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

The Amazing Race 26: April 10 Blog Party

 

It's Friday night! I hope you haven't forgotten that it's time for The Amazing Race! While I personally haven't forgotten it, tonight will be a bit hit or miss for me. Y'see ... I have the Cold From Hell that's been going around here on the East Coast. I can't breathe, sleep, think, etc. Tonight's updates will be the major major happenings without much detail because my mind is so fuzzy. I think I should invest in the facial tissue industries!

Plus, several of our regulars here won't be able to make it tonight.

Double whammy.

Here's the blog pool standings presented by the Magnificent Margo:

Mike and Rochelle - Cheryl in NC, Laurie

Aly and Steve - Jackie, SueGee

Matt and Ashley - Delee, Merrilee

Blair and Hayley - Terry in TX, Margo, Chris

Jeffrey and Jackie - Brian, Donna in AL, ORKMommy

Jelani and Jenny - Marlo, Lynn 1, dla

Tyler and Laura - Ed in OH, David, Nickelpeed

PHILIMINATED:

Jeff and Lyda - Jennasmom, Paula Bell, meb

Lebya and CJ - Donna in FL, PDXGranny 

Harley and Jonathan - Becky, Willie J 

Bergen and Kurt - Nana in NW, Rbennie

Teams are headed to Monaco. After a Roadblock with chocolates and flowers, teams are off the Casino Royale in Monte Carlo where they'll gamble to determine their Detour.  

Win by a Nose has them making perfume and cologne.  Don't Slack Off has them ziplining down and walking a rope back up.

Pit Stop Order:

1. Blair and Hayley - Won a trip to South Africa

2. Aly and Steve

3. Mike and Rochelle

4. Matt and Ashley

5. Jelani and Jenn

6. Laura and Tyler

7. Jeff and Jackie -- Philiminated

Next week is a two-hour episode.

Survivor: Worlds Apart - April 8 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready?

It sounds like Idol Fever is going to take over the castaways tonight ... and I'm not talkin' American Idol. Thankfully, my blog pool random pick person already has one. I still think it's not great that she (Carolyn) told Tyler about it, but they always seem to tell someone. Why, I don't know.

As the show airs here, I'll update this post with the major happenings. Refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. I hope to "see" you there!

Before we get into the show, here are the latest blog pool standings from that Rockin' Lifeguard Laurie:

Blue - Escameca
Dan - Brian, CherylinNC
Joe - SueGee, Chris 
Mike - meb, Nickelpeed 
Rodney - Margo 
Sierra - Jennasmom 
Tyler - Donna in Alabama, ORK Mommy 

Red - Nagarote
Carolyn - Jackie, TerryinTX 
Hali - Zoetawny, monty924 
Jenn - Merrilee, Becky 
Shirin - NanaintheNW 
Will - Rbennie 

Out 
WC - So
NC - Vince - Delee 
NC - Nina - Lynn1 
BC - Lindsey - Donna in FL, David 
Max - PDX Granny, Marlo
Joaquin - Laurie, Rochelle
Kelly - Petals, Ed in Ohio

Let's get started!

Rodney thinks he has Tyler, Carolyn and Will as allies against Mike. Mike calls Jenn's playing of the idol "sweet." Rodney does a lot of talking.

Onto the Reward Challenge. Walk across balance beams, retrieve puzzle pieces, three vie for the win. The Reward is a zipline trip and pizza picnic. Joe, Mike and Hali go for the puzzle solving part. Joe wins Reward! He picks three people to join him -- Tyler, Will, Carolyn. One more -- Shirin. (Eek.)

Carolyn unknowingly got an idol clue in her soda. She gave Joe the rest of her soda -- he had seen the note in it. Tyler saw Joe get the clue. The plot thickens. Joe gets Tyler to follow him in the night. Mike follows the both of them.

Oh my gosh! Joe goes missing and Mike freaks! 

Mike tries to convince the others that Joe has the idol. Ew, Mike eats termites while he searches for the idol. And ... then he finds the hidden idol!

Immunity Challenge is ON! They have to race to move a puzzle piece through three slide mazes, then solve a slide puzzle. Heh. Rodney is still on the first slide maze while just about all the others are solving the puzzle. Dan thought he had it. He didn't. Twice. 

JOE wins Immunity once again! (And he needs it, too.)

Shirin and Hali's names are being thrown about. The girls want Dan out. 

Tribal Council time. Probsting questions indeed. 

The Tally -- No idols played:

Dan, Hali, Dan, Hali, Dan, Hali, Dan, Hali, Hali, Hali.

Hali is voted out. It should have been Rodney, methinks.