Squanto Update

Hi, Efurryone. Raja here. We have a new fanily member. His name is Squanto. and he's a fluffy tabby kitten. He came to us last Tuesday. Two kids knocked on Mommy's door, They'd found him and couldn't keep him. Would she take him? It took Mommy all of ten seconds to say yes. He's now sleeping next to me on the electric blanket.

Squanto's only about eight weeks old and a little emaciated. He's eating a lot, though, and is getting stronger. After about a week of ignoring the little guy the others are warming up to him. He's getting more active and hopefully will play with the fosters soon.

He loves to cuddle. Mommy's been keeping him near her. Everyone else is now begging for more cuddles too. Mommy doesn' t mind. She brushed me for half an hour last night, then held me and told me how beautiful I was. Who doesn't like that? If Squanto gets us all more attention, then good for him.

That's all for now.

Raja

Thanksgiving

I'm fascinated by the history of Colonial New England. I genuinely like the Pilgrims.They were people of great courage and faith. Unfortunately they had zero survival skills. Half of them died that first winter. If it hadn't been for Squanto and Massasoit the whole colony would have perished. Massasoit had  diplomatic skills the equal of any educated Englishman. Had he not decided to make the Pilgrims allies instead of enemies the fate of this entire country may have been different. Although they never fully trusted each other, the English and Native Americans were able to form a bridge between cultures, which set a precedent for today.

The Pilgrims also avoided the religious feuding, witchcraft trials, hypocritical behavior amd Christianity-based nastiness that plagued the Puritan colony of Massachusetts Bay. (BTW: The settlement of Connecticut was helped along by Puritans fleeing the stringent theocracy of Massachusetts and Roger Williams brought religious freedom to New England, allowing Catholics and Jews to settle in his colony of Providence.) Plymouth Colony also treated the Natives more fairly than the other English settlements in New England did.
One great place to learn about the Mayflower settlers is at Plimoth Plantation, in Plymouth, Massachusett, It's a re-creation of  the Pilgrim settlement of 1627 that functions as a living history museum. The village, a Wampanoag homesite and a replica of the Mayflower are open to visitors from March to November. . The rest of the time Plimoth Plantation's website, http://http://www.plimoth.org/  provides basic information about the the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag. Check it out.  

Snowbirding on Medicare

They're called snowbirds- northerners who spend at least part of the winter in warmer climes. It's an ancient and honorable practice, dating to shortly after the Civil War. But the advent of managed care has made receiving medical care while snowbirding a little more complicated.

 For starters,snowbirds need to make sure their Medicare HMO (also known as a  Medicare Advantage or Medicare Complete plan) is valid in the state they'll be wintering in.  The easiest way to do this is by calling the plan's customer service number (found on your mrembership card) . Or check  the company's website..If  a plan isn't valid in your winter area, you need to make other arrangements, possibly changing HMOs....

 Medicare recipients have until December 7, 2011 to change plans, UNLESS they are switching to a five-star rated plan. Then they have all year. . A five-star Medicare Advantage plan is one of a select few rated excellent by consumers. Or, between January 1, 2012 and February 14, Medicare recipients can switch back to original Medicare A & B. They won't get many of the extras (hearing,dental, etc), but more doctors wiill accept it. To find a new plan valid in both residential areas, go to ww.medicare.gov/find-a-plan. Consumers who switch back to straight Medicare A & B also need to pick a prescription drug plan  (Medicare Part D).

If a plan is accepted in your winter area, the next step is to find a primary care physician.. Most of the major Medicare HMOs have categories on their websites to help members locate participating doctors. Just type in your new zip code and the site will come up with a list of physicians accepting new patients.

Once settled  Tenna C. Wiles, CEO of the Palm Beach County (FL) Medical Society, recommends visiting your new doctor.. "The fastest way to establish a relationship is to make an appointment before you're sick. Go in with a summary of your medical records and a list of all  your medications. Discuss your concerns and get any prescriptionsor specialist referrals that you need.."

With a little planning snowbirds on Medicare can secure their health care while enjoying their winter nests.#

Cleaning for the New Year

Hi Efurryone. Raja here. We're slowly getting over the loss of Ivory. Mommy relaxed the curfew rules a bit. We're still stuck in the house more, but with the time change she lets us out earlier. Afterall, I have rounds to make and territory to protect.

Since it's a new year Mommy decided to do some cleaning. She finally opened some of the boxes of her parents' stuff. So far she's filled up a box for Goodwill and condensed three more boxes into one. It's hard for her, and there have been tears, but we're proud of her. She just keeps telling herself that she can't drag this stuff around forever. Midi tells us a lot  about misses Granny and Grampa. I know Mommy misses them very much.

On the positive side, Mommy finally got permission from our landlord to put up a clothesline. Now that is intriguing. She hangs it up, then takes it down when the clothes are dry. It's so much fun when the clothes are out. We run through the sheets and play hide and seek. Mommy only complains when we knock something down and get paw prints on it.

That's all for now.

-Raja

Killer Dog Update

We just got the official word from Animal Care & Control: the pit bull was euthanized..The owners were also fined for having unlicensed dogs and allowing them to roam. I'm glad that actions were taken, but they won't bring Ivory back. And I do feel sorry for the dog. But he'd killed twice and wasn't going to stop. No small mammal in the neighborhood was safe.
The kids still got to keep one of their pets, though. Hopefully the parents have learned something from the experience. Leash laws exist for a reason. Plenty of other people in the neighborhood have pit bulls. They keep their dogs in the house, tied up outside, or inside of fenced yards. When they walk them, it's on a leash. I never will forgive the kids for deliberately setting their dogs loose in my side yard, where they were sure to encounter cats. And I'm still keeping my babies indoors during the danger hours. Raja is not happy about this.
So, at least the situation is settled. Here's hoping that November is a less stressful month.

-Tracy