The Amazing Race: May 11, 2017 Episode Blog Party

I'll be live bloggig the show's events as they air here on the East Coast. The real party is in the comments area -- come join in on the fun!

Lifeguard Sharon C has made the random match-ups for the blog pool:

London/Logan - Delee, Sharon N
Brooke/Scott - Chrob61, Becky
Tara/Joey - SueGee, Willie J, Monty924
Becca/Floyd - Janice, Brian
Liz/Michael - Judi Sweeney, Dolores in Hollywood, Ed in Ohio
Matt/Redmond - MerriLee, Jackie

PHILIMINATED:
Jessica/Francesca - Brenda, David, Sharon C
Seth/Olive - ML, Cheryl in NC
Shamir/Sara - Indiana Jane, Jenna's Mom
Vanck/Ashton - Nickelpeed, Donna in FL

Last week was a non-Philimination leg so Michael and Liz (last place) will encounter a Speed Bump tonight.

Are we ready? Yes, we are! 

Teams are headed to Greece. Both the Redmond/Matt and Becca/Floyd teams remark about how well they're getting along. Meanwhile, there's Brooke and Scott -- no drama ... ha! All the teams are on the same plane, then will be on a sixteen hour ferry. There will be a Double U-Turn ahead.

Brooke and Scott U-Turn Michael and Liz. Joey and Tara U-Turned Becca/Floyd to give Mike and Liz a chance ... they say. Mike and Liz are already lost. Sigh. So are Becca and Floyd.

Detour - For the Bride or For the Groom --  Greek customary treatment for the bride racing up a gazillion steps or delivery of milk for cheese on a donkey for the groom.

They head next to a stadium where they must complete one "Lap of Honor" to get their next clue. Tara and Joey are in the lead. 

Mike and Liz are really ticked off that Scott and Brooke U-Turned them after Michael had helped Brooke and she had promised not to do so. Becca and Floyd name their donkey Speedy McSpeederson. Mike and Liz are actually ahead of Becca and Floyd right now, but haven't done the Speed Bump.

Roadbock - Must master traditional choreography. 

Uh-oh. Mike and Liz didn't do the second part of the Detour right and have to go back.

I know I'm being partial, but I certainly hope Becca and Floyd put it in gear and beat them. I enjoy watching them!  

Tara and Joey are the first heading to the Pit Stop at the Acropolis.  

Pit Stop:
1. Tara and Joey - won $7,500 each
2. Matt and Redmond 
3. Brooke and Scott 

Mike and Liz have to wrap meat in intestines before they can run the lap. Of course, Mike is a butcher, so that will help them. 

4. London and Logan

Becca and Floyd are starting the Roadblock before Mike and Liz. Whoa! They finish with Mike and Liz on their tails.

5. Becca and Floyd
6. Michael and Liz -- Philiminated 

Next week is two hours. 

Survivor: Game Changers - May 10 Episode Blog Party

Everybody ready? Got your snacks? Got your tasty adult beverages? As the show airs here on the east coast, I'll be live-blogging with all the major happenings. Refresh the page to see the latest news! But, as always, the real party is in the comments area. I hope to see you there!

Here's the updated pool from the Lovable Lifeguard Laurie:
 
Andrea Boehlke - Indiana Jane, ML
Aubry Bracco - Ed in Ohio, meb
Brad Culpepper - Brian, Sharon N
Cirie Fields - Leonia Hart, Terry is a Texan
Michaela Bradshaw - David, Jackie
Sarah Lacina - Delee, Rbennie
Sierra Thomas - Becky, monty924
Tai Trang - Cheryl in NC, Sharon C
Troyzan Robertson - Donna in Alabama, Lifeguard Laurie

JURY
Hali Ford
Ozzy Lusth 
Debbie Wanner
Zeke Smith

Survivor fans ready?

After his allies voted against him, Tai is worried. Brad, Sierra and Tai are certainly on the list for next out at this point. Sierra wants to mend fences with Sarah. So, she tells her of her Legacy Advantage. She tells her that if she goes, she will will it to her. She will do whatever is needed. So, it looks like Brad will be the main target.

But we'll see how that all works out. 

It's time for the Reward Challenge. Winners will have an American barbecue and it's tearjerker time -- they are playing for their loved ones. Sarah immediately bursts into tears.Tethered together groups of three, race obstacles, keys, sandbags, knock down articles. The respective loved ones will go with the winning teams.

Brad, Aubry and Andrea win. They can choose one player abd loved one to join them. They choose Cirie and her son. One more ... Sarah and her husband. 

Michaela thinks it's time she works with Tai -- after all, her "friends" didn't pick her to spend time with her Mom. And Sierra wants to bring Tai back into the fold along with perhaps Michaela. An oust Andrea plan is now afoot. 

Immunity is once again up for grabs. Balance on a narrow perch while balancing a buoy between two handles. The handles are small poles, they have to hold with the pokey ends. Aubry out. Sierra out. Andrea, Sarah out. Cirie out. Troyzan out. Michaela out. It's between Brad and Tai. Tai out. Brad Culpepper wins Immunity!

Welp, Brad won't go home tonight!

The names being tossed around are Sierra and Andrea. Tai and Michaela are sought after by both camps. Sarah wants Sierra voted out due to the Legacy Advantage. She tells Michaela about the advantage, but leaves out the fact that Sierra plans to will it to her. 

Tribal Council time is here. No fireworks this week.

The tally:
Sierra, Andrea, Sierra, Andrea, Andrea, Sierra, Sierra, Sierra.

Ah, so Sarah will get the Legacy Advantage.

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - May 7, 2017

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. If you're here for Survivor -- you can find any Survivor posts I make at this link right here.  You can find any posts I make about TAR at this link -- The Amazing Race.

Another week in the life down. We've gone into a chilly time weather-wise as well as plenty of rain. One day (Thursday) we had nearly three inches of rain! I know that come August we'll be praying for rain. But, sheesh. Enough already. The saying is APRIL showers, not MAY downpours!

I thought it was storming late one night when my apartment building actually shook. I mistook it for thunder. Nope. Just Trump's entourage flying extremely low heading to Bedminster. His golf course is in the next county over, not all that far from my workplace. I know he'll never show up in Plainfield!

Last night when I got home from work, I noticed the yellow caution tapes were lining Watchung Avenue in anticipation of today's New Jersey State Bicycle Championship Race today in downtown Plainfield. If I felt better, I'd go take some photos of the action. This is the second year in a row that we've had the privilege of hosting the race. (And the second year I've missed it.) The weather is a bit chilly and skies are overcast but not really expecting rain. I'd say it's probably perfect weather for it. 

Some of the hall kids have already started again -- not really the ones from the overcrowded apartment in my hallway. I've got some names now -- Brian and Kevin from the third floor, Nigel from the first floor -- and will be calling the landlord's office tomorrow. Last night they were running back and forth (and back and forth) for almost two hours in the third floor hallway. You can hear that all the way down on the first floor when they run back and forth (and back and forth). Plus, when I came home from work one day I caught the three of them with a POGO STICK on the first floor! A pogo stick! That is SO not an indoor toy! I sent them outside with that. I notice that whatever parent(s) had to pay for the broken security glass in the back first floor door to the staircase must have paid for it. There's new glass.

I have just a three day work week ahead of me (yay!). It's not all fun and games, though. On Friday I have to go to the vascular surgeon for the first phase of healing my out of control varicose veins. I don't care about pretty. My legs are too scarred up from knee replacements and more to be "pretty." I just want to feel better! It's more of a treatment than a surgery, per se. I'll be getting Varithena foam shot into my great saphenous vein on my lower right leg. It will fill the vein, then collapse it. It sounds a lot easier to deal with than the old-fashioned vein stripping remedy! I'll be bandaged and wearing a thigh-high compression stocking for 48 hours afterward. I don't know if I'll be able to bend the leg much, but I guess I'll find out. I do have a three day weekend next weekend. So, if I feel okay, I might do something other than nap it away.

Onto this week's photos ... clicking on an image will open it in a larger format. 

I said DON'T ruffle my feathers!

See! See! This is what happens! A starling at the Plainfield Train Station.

The prettiest time of the year

Okay ... autumn is very pretty with its brilliant foliage. Winter is pretty when the world is white and quiet. Summer, not so much as things around here tend to dry out and lawns turn brown, especially in the late summer. But spring is a renewal -- flowers are blossoming and the array of greens is amazing to behold. Yes, it wreaks havoc with my sinuses, but I still love the spring sneezes aside.

Uniquely marked pigeon in Plainfield

All pigeons do not look alike! This pigeon hangs out on North Avenue in the vicinity of the Plainfield Train Station.

Coral-colored azaleas

As seen on Berckman Street in Plainfield

Here I am, but the action is behind me!

As I waited for my train home in Bridgewater last night, a baseball game was in full swing at the adjacent TD Bank Ball Park (home of the Somerset Patriots minor league baseball). Although sunset hadn't hit yet, all of the stadium lights were lit and ready for the dark. I saw a big hawk fly over me and didn't get my camera out in time to catch him in flight. But I saw where he landed -- right on one of the stadium lights stanchions! You'd think he'd be looking for prey and would shun the cheers, music and other noise at the ball park. Nope. He eventually went to the top of the lights and appeared to be watching the game in progress. Now, the crowds there for games usually measure in the thousands and, unless he plans to grab the ball, I can't see why a Red Tailed Hawk would watch the game. He is probably trying to figure out humans, I guess. (More on the hawk after the jump!)

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

The Amazing Race: May 4, 2017 Episode Blog Party

I'll be live bloggig the show's events as they air here on the East Coast. The real party is in the comments area -- come join in on the fun!

Lifeguard Sharon C has made the random match-ups for the blog pool:

London/Logan - Delee, Sharon N
Brooke/Scott - Chrob61, Becky
Tara/Joey - SueGee, Willie J, Monty924
Becca/Floyd - Janice, Brian
Liz/Michael - Judi Sweeney, Dolores in Hollywood, Ed in Ohio
Matt/Redmond - MerriLee, Jackie

PHILIMINATED:
Jessica/Francesca - Brenda, David, Sharon C
Seth/Olive - ML, Cheryl in NC
Shamir/Sara - Indiana Jane, Jenna's Mom
Vanck/Ashton - Nickelpeed, Donna in FL

Are we ready? Yes, we are! 

Liz and Michael are missing their families. He's especially missing his daughter and is in tears. But they can't sit around because the teams are going to be heading to Venice, Italy. There are two buses, a four-hour bus ride. From there they need to take a water taxi and it's finding a clue held by a sweeping worker next. Scott is bummed that he's stuck with Brooke because she's a "glass half empty" pessimist type person. I don't blame him.

Detour -- Sing It or Bring It. They have to learn and perform an Italian song or lug much luggage up into a hotel. 

Matt and Redmond took the physical detour and are now the first team to complete the Detour. Joey practically hauled the luggage by himself. They're running in second.

Who has Masked Intentions is the Roadblock. They have to pick an actor and recreate the mask. There is a demo going on, so they're not totally clueless. 

Finally, Becca and Floyd finish singing. They're on the way to the Roadblock.

Brooke is fussing once again. 

Redmond finishes his mask just as Joey and Tara are arriving. Redmond and Matt are headed to the Pit Stop. Floyd arrives at the Roadblock and follows the painting instructions which he mentions to us that Tara isn't doing.

Michael called out LoLo (London/Logan) for not helping him find an earlier clue after they had helped LoLo a lot before.

Pit Stop order:
1. Matt and Redmond, won a trip to Grenada 
2. Becca and Floyd
3. Tara and Joey

Brooke is running around asking so many others and no one wants to help her. Liz is doing the mask wrong. But it's getting so it's every team for themselves a bit. Tara finished her mask.

4/5 Logan and London, Brooke and Scott
6. Michael and Liz -- NON-PHILIMINATION LEG

All teams are still in it. Michael and Liz will encounter a Speed Bump in the next leg.

Survivor: Game Changes - May 3 Episode Blog Party

Everybody ready? Got your snacks? Got your tasty adult beverages? As the show airs here on the east coast, I'll be live-blogging with all the major happenings. Refresh the page to see the latest news! But, as always, the real party is in the comments area. I hope to see you there!

Here's the updated pool from the Lovable Lifeguard Laurie:
 
Andrea Boehlke - Indiana Jane, ML
Aubry Bracco - Ed in Ohio, meb
Brad Culpepper - Brian, Sharon N
Cirie Fields - Leonia Hart, Terry is a Texan
Michaela Bradshaw - David, Jackie
Sarah Lacina - Delee, Rbennie
Sierra Thomas - Becky, monty924
Tai Trang - Cheryl in NC, Sharon C
Troyzan Robertson - Donna in Alabama, Lifeguard Laurie
Zeke Smith - Janice from GA, Paula Bell

JURY
Hali Ford
Ozzy Lusth 
Debbie Wanner

 Survivor fans ready?

The blindside of Debbie hit Brad. It's a subdued group back at camp after the Tribal Council. Cirie knows they can't get complacent.  

Straight to the Reward Challenge. Two teams of five, one person race to a chair, team will lift chair, person will retrieve numbered blocks, 30 bats in all, solve puzzle. A helicopter ride to a luxury resort with a feast, overnight in a real bed. It's a schoolyard pick. It's a very tough puzzle. It's taking forever.

Reinventing how the game is played is the answer. Zeke, Aubry, Andrea, Brad Sarah win.

Uh-oh. Zeke and Brad are bonding. That raises Anrea's eyebrows. She and Zeke just worked things out before on the Debbie vote. Aubry is leery now of Zeke. too. Heck, even Cirie seems to be on the Oust Zeke Train.

In order to tell Cirie why and how she wants to keep Zeke right now, she tells her of the advantage she has. She thinks Zeke could be useful now and eliminated easily with her advantage to steal a vote later. 

Zeke notices the mood at camp seems to have changed. Sarah tells us it's Zeke she trusts, not the girls. Zeke tells her that he wants to make a final five deal with her, Brad and Troyzan. He tells Troyzan and Brad. Oh my. The plot thickens.

It's time for the Immunity Challenge. Stack blocks on a beam while avoiding a trip obstacle, the blocks to eventually fall like dominoes. Brad is the first one to hit the obstacle and have to start over.

Andrea wins Immunity! 

She wants to go after Zeke. She thinks her plan is brilliant because he won't see it coming. She goes to Cirie. Cirie tells her she doesn't know if Sarah would go for it. They go to Sierra.  

Time for them to talk to Sarah. Sarah isn't too pleased with it -- she needs Zeke for a few more votes, but doesn't want to push the issue and put the target on herself.Michaela isn't too keen on the plan. She talks to Sarah. Hmm.

It's to Tribal Council. Sarah tells Jeff she owned up to flipping last week. Tai is worried because he feels like he's on the bottom. He thinks he might be going home tonight. 

The tally --
Tai, Sierra, Tai, Sierra, Tai, Zeke, Zeke, Zeke, Zeke, Zeke

Tai is stunned. Michaela cries. Yet another blindside for the season.