Sophie's Story

 Hi This is Scamp.   When C and Sophie got on a trip we have a cat sitter that takes care of us. Her name is Judy. I used to get very upset with C and Sophie when they would go away. I would rather that they stay home and spend more time with me and Colby. I would get very upset when I would see the suitcases come out.   Judy comes once a day in the morning. She feeds us breakfast and sets up dinner trays for us. She cleans our catboxes too. I really like that she does this every day. Sometimes C and Sophie don't clean them for a few days.   When she first started coming I would be mean to her. I would hiss and growl. Sometimes I would pee on things so C and Sophie would know I was upset. Sometimes she would bring us small toys that I would ignore. I always made sure to watch her to make sure she did things like she was supposed to. The past few years I stopped growling and hiss only once in awhile. She does feed us after all.   Last spring I dec...

   As we left Door County yesterday, we stopped to do a few things we had not had time to do during the week. One of those things was to stop at a shop where they make and sell maple syrup. We've stopped there every year to buy syrup. Usually we have to ring a bell and an elderly woman comes out to sell us what we want and chat a little bit. This year the store was open and we saw two people near the door. One of them was an elderly man who was probably the woman's husband and the owner of the farm. The other was a younger woman  probably his daughter.   The younger woman led us into the small shop and took her place behind the counter.We were correct in that that this was the daughter of the couple who own and still run the farm. We asked after her mother and were told that she was suffering with dementia. C had suspected something was up last year and mentioned it,but I wasn't prepared for what the woman said next. She said that her mother would still sometimes ...

     The innkeeper left a note in our room for us. It started out "welcome home". I had to smile. In a way we are at our second home. We've come to this same place longer than any other place we have ever been. It's the 13th time that we've carried our suitcases up the staircase to this room. It's become a routine. After we carry our bags in, C starts hanging things up. I unpack my Ipod and I pad and put them on the bedside table. I take out the paperback books that I brought and put them by the tub. I put the pillow I brought on the bed. (Yes, I bring a pillow. I tend to have trouble sleeping in beds other than my own. Using my own pillow sometimes helps.)   On Sunday we went to church. We were welcomed by people who remember us from past years when we have attended Sacrament Meeting there. It was good to see that they were able to build an addition to the chapel. It gives the branch some much needed room. In Relief Society, the teacher said that it was go...

  After a frustrating few months at work, I believe a public service announcement is in order. There are a few things that you should keep in mind when you go to a pharmacy to have a prescription filled. Keeping these things in mind will make the experience easier and better for you and for us.   1.Unless your insurance has not changed within the last three months, bring your current insurance card with you. If you are going to a pharmacy that you have never been to before make sure you have your insurance information with you. Contrary to popular belief, I can't just get your information "off the computer". I am also unable to figure your new insurance from your old card. I may be able to call you insurance and get what I need to bill your prescription, but I may be on hold for quite awhile. Asking me to bill your insurance without giving me the billing information is like telling me to charge your purchase without knowing your credit card number.   2....

   One of the things that I like about working in a community pharmacy (as opposed to hospital or mail order pharmacy) is the diverse customers that I meet and sometimes get to know better. I've met a man who fought in World War II, a woman who came over from Germany with her husband and a woman who came from Great Britain either before or just after World War II (I can't remember exactly.)   I like listening to the stories that some of my customers tell me about themselves. One of my customers is a woman a little bit older than me. I ask after her children and family. We sometimes talk about other things too. Occasionally  we talk a little about our respective faiths. She is Jewish and I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  She came in recently and I mentioned that I thought she had finished celebrating a holiday. I had heard from the internet that Rosh Hashanah, which is known as the Jewish new year celebration was earl...

  I cannot think of a single thing to write about this week.  I've had this problem before. Many times I get lucky and something happens or I see something that inspires me to write. I'm dry this week. I literally have nothing.   The challenge is that I also don't have the option of saying "I think I'll skip this week." I made a commitment a long time ago to write something every week and I've kept it. Sometimes it means I have to take a laptop with me on vacation so I can write while I'm travelling. Once it meant writing the column ahead of time and sending it to a friend to send for me.   There have been a few ideas that have floated in and out over the past few days. One of the was the debate that happened last week. I tried hard not to watch it. I really didn't see the point in doing so. It wasn't going to be a debate as much as an insult fest. Who can get in the best sound bite. I wound up listening to a little of it as C had it turned ...