September 11, 2001... We remember!

Kosciusko, MS, Brooke. September 11, 2001, I woke up before the blazing sun which was quit unusual for my 20 year old self with a part-time job that didn't start until 1pm. Never the less, there were muscadines to be picked and sold to the local grocery store in an effort to pad my savings account for the apartment/house I was determined to rent and furnish by the end of the year. As the sun came up and began to beat down on my body, I had 2 five gallon buckets of berries and headed inside to cool off and possibly take a nap.

As I pulled my boots off at the back door, I heard my phone ringing but didn't get in a hurry to answer it. A quick glance at my phone showed 6 or 7 missed calls from my boyfriend, Frankie. Knowing that was extremely strange because he should have been at work, I called him back, immediately. There was no hello, only, "Turn the TV on, something bad has happened!" I did as I was instructed in a blur of confusion. He said, "They are reporting we have been attacked by terrorist."

The first thing I saw when the TV came on was a lady running as fast as she could down a New York street and ducking behind a car. She was covered in ashes. Frankie nor I spoke, but I continued to hold the phone to my ear as my brain began to comprehend what had happened. Planes had hit the North and South towers in New York, one plane crashed into the Pentagon, and one went down on a field in Pennsylvania because a group of courageous people fought back. By this time, the first tower had already fallen, and you could hear urgency and hysteria in all the reporters voices. At some point Frankie and I must have hung up with one another because I called my mom at work to make sure she knew what was going on. I had not moved from standing in front the TV in my parents living room. I remember her saying, "Oh, it is so sad, Brooke." I responded with, "Oh my God, the second tower just fell; I am watching a live news feed!" Tears filled my eyes, as I explained, "Momma, all those people just died." She tried to reassure me and herself by saying,  "Oh no, I am sure it was just a replay of the first tower falling." I assured her; it was not.

The rest of the morning was spent staring at that TV and sorting out what had happened. I finally rushed through a shower not wanting to miss a second of the news before I had to leave to go work at the public library. Between the hours of 1pm-6pm, not a single soul entered the library. We (the employees) took turns going  upstairs to watch the news. We, like the rest of the world, found ourselves in state of shock that has yet to wear off.

AAE bulletin board 2011

 New York, NY, Wes. 1, 159 miles away in New York City, I received a phone call from my girlfriend, Rebecca. She cried in hysterics as she explained that while riding the ferry to work she watched two planes fly into both of the towers that made up the World Trade Center. I lived in West New York/New Jersey and could see Manhattan Island from my apartment balcony. Not yet comprehending what was happening, I  looked out my window and saw smoke billowing from the towers. I woke up my roommates, immediately, and turned on the TV. The TV screen and the view from my window were mostly identical.

Reporters were just beginning to speculate that America had been the victim of a terrorist attack. I saw the first tower begin falling on the TV and watched it crumble to the ground out of my apartment window. I, then,  called my sister who lives in NY to make sure she was okay. While leaving a message for my mom to let her know I was safe, I watched the second tower collapse outside the window.

The thing I remember most about that day was how beautiful it was... no clouds in the sky, cool temperatures, and the bluest skies. I remember how quiet it was, no planes in the sky, no traffic, no one talking as they returned from the city either by ferry or by foot as all traffic was closed in and out of the city. You could finally hear the birds singing. Around mid-day, the scent of an electrical fire made its way to my apartment. My skyline view of the twin towers was replaced with pillars of smoke. When asked what it was like that day, I can only respond with the word, shock.

Until next time...

OXOXOXXOX

A special thanks to Wes for sharing his story with me.

Top Eight events, I didn't write about in August

Well, I haven't blogged in a while. I am not really sure why. I suppose I didn't consider anything publish worthy at the times they were taking place. But reminiscing on it a few note worthy events did occur.

1.  School started.... need I say more.
2.  Mississippi State killed Memphis in the opening game. Expected, but so fun!
3.  Jess and Paul bought and moved into a house.
4.  Tropical storm Lee rained out our Labor Day plans and
5.  caused us to close our pool a little earlier than planned, but hey, I don't have to deal with a single acorn, now!
6.  began getting up at 5:15 three days a week to run.. OMG!
7. had a fun night of Boo-ray and ice cream sundaes with my friends.
8. Wes is seriously considering getting a dog, which is pretty much a miracle! 


Yeah, it was a pretty boring relaxing month.

Until next time...

XOXOXOXO

I swim in that water?!?!

In July, Wes' mom and step dad came for a visit. For our entertainment one day, we fished for shark in the same water that I had just been swimming in four days before. Makes you think!

Until next time....

XOXOXOXOX

My Mississippi

Increasingly over time, I have begun to notice that people who weren't born and raised in Mississippi, even if they have visited, have a distorted view of our glorious state. The extent to which they are willing to believe certain things astonishes me. Things such as the idea that people don't wear shoes when grocery shopping, that all  hospitals only have one doctor, and he/she lives hours away from the facility, and that Mississippi is only good for producing racism and rednecks.

My Mississippi is nothing like that! My Mississippi is a place whose namesake was anointed to a mighty river, the largest river in North America as a matter of fact. A place were riverboats churn and trains whistle. This is a place where a story teller with a slow southern drawl lures you in and holds you for awhile with a tale so outrageous it must be true. It's the place that birthed Eudora Welty, William Faulkner, Willie Morris, Shelby Foote, Alice Walker, Richard Wright, Stephen Ambrose, Walter Anderson, and John Grisham. People whose works are not only considered masterpieces, but whose words stood for and affected social change. My Mississippi cuddled Jim Henson as he dreamed of Miss Piggy and Kermit. In my Mississippi, the blues of B.B King rolls into our ears, warms our souls, and spreads smiles onto our faces. It's a place where our hips still shake to the beat of an Elvis song.Our eyes gaze upon fields of snow white cotton fields, not forgetting the past, but grateful for the present. It's a place were pine trees reaching for the heavens replace skyscrapers, magnolia's burst into bloom, and mockingbird's sweetly sing. My Mississippi is a place were fried chicken and mashed potatoes, shrimp and grits, tomatoes sandwiches, and sweet tea are on the menu at restaurants and at your best friend's house. It is a place were we brew our own booze and call it Lazy Magnolia. It boast outstanding plantation homes that hold an aura of mystery as to the skeletons in their closets. After all, what fun would it be for a southerner to live in a place with no secrets. In this place, hospitality and gossip abound with hugs and kisses and "ya'll come on in." My Mississippi is an innovative leader in Polymer Science, and tests rockets for NASA at Stennis Space Center. Fun can be found in catching lighting bugs, jumping into a creek, or stomping through a mud puddle. In my Mississippi, Eagles, Bulldawgs, and Rebels fight for a touchdown on Saturdays. Sandy white beaches glitter beneath my feet and draw me into the Mississippi Sound where bottle-nose dolphins play, fishing abounds, and the sun turns us a toasty brown. My Mississippi wraps me in a blanket of warmth and sings me to sleep with the song of a cicada. So come on in, ya'll, to my Mississippi.  

I loved to hear about your Mississippi.

Until next time...

XOXOXOXOX

Scenario Ideas and CVS

The CVS ad is very light this week. However, it is a good week to stock up on things if you are just beginning to coupon.

Remember at CVS, you must have a card. Be sure to check the item sizes to ensure you are getting the product that is on sale. It is important to remember that stocking up doesn't mean leaving the store with a buggy full of stuff. It means leaving with the stuff you need when items are at their lowest prices and using coupons if/when you have them.

If I were just beginning, my scenario would look like this:

Transaction #1 (Because there are not BIG ECB deals, I will get them all in one transaction.)

1 Oral B Indicator toothbrush$1.99
1 12.6 oz Pantene Pro-V Shampoo $3.48
1 12.6 oz Pantene Pro-V Condition $3.48
1 11.6-12.8oz Colgate Advance whitening toothpaste, twin pack $2.99

Use:
$2.00 Oral-B Indicator PG 7/03
$3.00/2 Pantene SS 6/19
$.50/1 Colgate SS7/10

Total due (w/tax): $7.29
Get back ECB's: $5.00 ($1, $2, $2)

Transaction #2

1 Cottonelle Ultra tissue 18pk $8.99

Use:
$.75/1 Cottonelle 12+  SS 7/17
$1.00 ECB
$2.00 ECB
$2.00 ECB

Total due (w/tax): $3.87

Total for all transactions: $11.16

Leave a comment or message me, if you have questions.

Until next time..

XOXOXO

* Update* Scenario Ideas and Walgreens

So, after shopping at Walgreens, today, here are how my totals came out. Actually, much better than I estimated. I completed the 3 transactions below just as planned.

Here are the totals:
Total ticket (total savings + total paid)= $50.38
Total saved (with sale prices and coupons/RRs): $32.15 (64%)
Total paid: $18.23

Until next time...

XOXOXO

I taught a coupon class Wednesday night, and it was sooo much fun! I know everyone who came is putting their shopping lists together and getting ready to hit the stores, Sunday! This week I will be shopping at Walgreens. I thought it might be helpful to post my scenario in advance this week.

*Remember* When shopping at Walgreens, you get register rewards (RR's), and you must have the same number of items as you do coupons. RR's count as coupons.

Walgreens 7/17-7/23

Transaction #1

1 32oz Drano $3.50
1 Pledge Spray 9.7-12.5 oz $3.50
1 Schick Disposable Xtreme 3, 4pk $5.99

Use:
$3.00 Schick Xtreme 3 printable coupon

Total due (w/tax): $10.90
Get back RR's: $3.00 ($1, $2)

Transaction #2

2 Dove Men+Care Soap 6pk $6 each
1 Penway 2 pocket folder $.09

Use:
$4.00 Dove Men+Care coupon RP 6/26
$1.00 RR
$2.00 RR

Total due (w/tax): $5.94
Get back RR's: $4.00

Transaction #3

2 Chex Mix 5.5-8.75 oz $1.50 each
1 Pure honey 12oz $2.50 w/ in ad coupon (coupon will come in sale paper on Sunday, if you don't get the paper, yet.. grab the ad when you walk in the door, and tear the coupon out while in the store.)

Use:
.50/2 Chex Mix Reg SS 6/12
$4.00 RR's

Total due (w/tax): $1.39

Total for all transactions: $18.27

In the end, this will be probably be a 40-45% savings trip. Ideally, we want our trips to save us 50-60%. However, in reality, I am getting things I need like Drano, Pledge, and honey and stocking up on things like soap and razors. The important thing is that you get the items your family needs when they are on sale.

Until next time...


XOXOXOXOXO

Great CVS trip!

I had the best CVS trip I have had in a while, yesterday. They have some pretty good deals going this week, and luckily, I was able to take advantage.

Here is how it worked out.

Transaction #1

2 375ct Q-tips 2/$4
2 Head & Shoulders 2n1 shampoos $4.99 each
1 Gillette Pro Fusion razor system $9.99

Used:
$4.00 Gillette pro fusion coupon
B1G1 H&S coupon -$2.99
$5.00 ECBs from previous week
$1.50 ECBs gained from this quarter of shopping

Total paid $11.70; Total saved: $21.07

Cash back:
$7.00 ECBs

Transaction #2

2 large packages Starburst 2/$5
5 2Liter Cokes $.69 each
3 15ct Mentos gum
1 Charmin 16pk

Used:

$1.00 off 3 Mentos gums
$.25 off Charmin
$7.00 ECBs from previous transaction

Total paid: $14.66; Total saved: $24.85

Saving percentage from both transaction 64%.

Until next time..

XOXOXOXO