THE STANLEY CUP!!!

For the first time in 17 years the Vancouver Canucks are in the final round for the Stanley Cup! Hockey mania is at work in our city, the excitment is palpable, the final round of the playoffs starts Wednesday at 5 pm Pacific daylight savings time and it is safe to say that most of the residents of our city will be in front of their TV's for it. Tickets to the event are a horrific price if you can even find some. The Canucks will face off against the Boston Bruins. My little Bleuette Madeline is dressed in her team jersey and is anxiously awaiting the big game and hopes that the Canucks will bring Lord Stanley's cup home to Canada. Go Canucks Go!!

Here is a little story that appeared on Yahoo News:

Just over a year ago, Vancouver erupted in celebration when Canada beat the United States for the gold medal in the men's ice hockey competition at the Winter Olympics.

It was great source of pride for British Columbia to play host to the victory for the hockey-mad country, but now the city of Vancouver has the chance to celebrate winning its own coveted prize.

The Vancouver Canucks face off on Wednesday against the Boston Bruins in the opening game for the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup championship.

The Canucks have never won the Stanley Cup in their 40 years in the NHL, and have only made it to the final round twice before. The last time was 17 years ago.

But the Canucks have emerged as a real contender in recent years, slowly adding players to fill lineup gaps. They finished the regular season with the NHL's best record and the Olympics could be an omen.

On the two previous occassions Canada hosted an Olympics, the host city won the Stanley Cup the next year.

In 1976, the Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, and in 1977 the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup. In 1988, the Winter Olympics were held in Calgary. Sure enough, in 1989, the Calggary Flames with the Stanley Cup.

"It's been a long time coming," coach Alain Vignault said after Vancouver beat San Jose to win the Western Conference title.

COUPON SHOPPING

Inspired by the awesome couponers and tips provided by very savy shoppers on the Canadian website "Smart Canucks" I headed out today to see how I could do. I have been collecting these coupons for a few weeks via Procter and Gamble, Websavers and newspaper inserts. Not everything in the pictures had a coupon for it but it was on sale. First I headed to London Drugs who allows coupon stacking and I managed to find two 3.00 coupons for the Pantene if I bought two of them and as it was on sale for 3.99 that meant each was .99. I had a buy 2 get 2 free Ceaser dog food, also on sale for .79 so I bought 4 tins for 1.58. I had 2 - 50 cent coupons for Herbal Essence shampoo so at the sale price I paid .99.

Next I headed to Walmart to try out their new coupon policy...not all there are aware but never fear, I had it printed out in my purse and produced it for the supervisor. The Dempster baguettes retailed at 3.87, I had a coupon so they were free, the Glade Sense and Spray was on sale for 6.00 but I had a coupon and it was free also, the Ziplock bags were 1.48 each but I had coupons for 4.00 off of each 2 purchases so the over amount was applied to my total (new policy) making the bags free and change left over, the ice cream was 5.67 but I had a cereal coupon for 5.00 so that was .67, The Pringles chips are on special if you buy 2, they are 3.00 but I had coupons for .50 for each tin making them 1.00 each, the Olay wipes are 2.00 but I had a coupon for 5.00 so the over amount was applied to the cart. I price matched the Herbal Essence at Walmart as London Drugs didn't have the kind I am very fond of and again I used .50 cent coupons so it was 1.50. The cereal is on sale for 2.97 but wait, there is a coupon on it to get free Activia yoghurt....the Teryaki marinade had a 3.00 off coupon if I bought 2 zip locks so the total on that was .57. The total for everything you see in the picture is 27.00 and that includes the 12% sales tax that applied to the precoupon prices of everything. I am very happy with my morning!