Popcorn time

It is that time of year - Boy Scout popcorn time. This year I offered to be the "Popcorn Kernal", partially because I like running fundraisers and because I believe we can do so much better than we have in the past. Our poor scouts have been dying to go on a high-adventure or out-of-state summer camp or both but the troop has not had the funds because we just don't do that well with fundraisers. No one has been willing to shake-up the standard way of doing things. This year will (hopefully) be different.

Oh, in case you want to support a scout (Trails-End has a nice military donation program), J would always appreciate your business. http://www.trails-end.com/estore/home_alt.jsp?_requestid=868420
His ID is 7073457, in case the link does not go to his page

Coupons for all

I'm a couponer. My mother was one when she was a young married mother of 3 children with a very tight budget and she taught me all that I know about them. I remember getting so excited to see how much my mom saved on her grocery shopping trip using the coupons. We would always aim for $10-$20 worth of coupons savings.
Now I have a little accordion file that I use to store the coupons until I need them. I get excited when I see the cub scouts selling "Scout Fair" tickets outside the grocery store, since that means they'll have $5 off your $75 purchase at the grocery store for each month of the year, plus many more coupons. I usually buy 4 and use all of the grocery store coupons plus many of the others (this year's free pint of Blue Bell ice cream in each packet was very much appreciated).

If I see that my coupons will expire soon and I won't be using it, I scout out other shoppers' carts to see if they have anything for which I have a coupon. If they do, I give them a coupon. I made some woman's day today - I gave her 3 coupons worth $2.40. Every little bit helps. Sometimes I have an extra scout fair ticket - that's $5.

9/11 - I don't want to remember

As we approach the 10th anniversary of 9/11, there has been a ramping up of news stories about that fateful day. Every time a segment comes on the T.V. about, I change the channel. It's not that I don't care or that I do not think that it is necessary for those born after the date or were too young to comprehend the tragedy, it's just too much for me.
We had just moved out of New York a few months before the incident and the feelings that I felt from that day were horrible. I remember calling and calling friends to see if they had survived and not getting through, as all the phone lines were busy. I remember my father-in-law responding to ground zero and not knowing for days where he was and if he was O.K. (he was fine, he does suffer from PTSD and breathing problems now related to the incident). So every time something comes up about it, I can't help but say, "NO, I don't want to relive that". Even now, just typing this brings up tears and anxiety.
My reaction reminds me of some of the reactions of my husband's grandparents and their friends to footage of the D-Day invasion. They too can not watch, even after all these years, because the memories of who they lost, of what the country suffered is too great.
So to those who know me; when I change the conversation, it is not because I am unsympathetic or heartless, it just too much for me.

Wildfires in Texas

Wildfires here in Texas have been exasperated by drought conditions and we're sending our thoughts to those in danger. The smoke here is strong, you know when houses are burning because the smell changes from campfire-scented to an acridic burning scent. Schools have decided to cancel/hold inside outdoor activities. I've been checking http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/ to see how close the fires are - some are as close as 15 miles, most are 35 miles away. I'm not really worried about them reaching us (which might be naive), but I am worried about several of my friends. One I spoke to today has everything packed and ready to go in case mandatory evacuations are enacted. In case you are wondering, she is taking important papers (passports, bank statement, shot records, deeds,etc), all her photos and 2 weeks worth of clothing. Everything else which be at the mercy of the fires. Another friend has been moving her horses back and forth, and finally had just leave them for there was no where to take them. One horse is pregnant, she's hoping the stress of the fires does not put her into labor early.