Welcome to another Friday!
As you can see by Itzl's concerned look, this group is for us to check in at to let people know we are alive, doing OK, and not affected by such things as heat, blizzards, floods, wild fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages, or other such things that could keep us off DKos. It's also so we can find other Kossacks nearby for in-person checks when other methods of communication fail - a buddy system. Members come here to check in. If you're not here, or anywhere else on DKos, and there are adverse conditions in your area (floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, etc.), we and your buddy are going to check up on you. If you are going to be away from your computer for a day or a week, let us know here. We care!
We have split up the publishing duties, but we welcome everyone in IAN to do daily diaries for the group! Every member is an editor, so anyone can take a turn when they have something to say, photos and music to share, a cause to promote or news!
Ok, we have a (mostly) finished diary schedule. If you would like to fill in, either post in thread or send FloridaSNMom a Kosmail with the date. If you need someone to fill in, ditto. FSNMom is here on and off through the day usually from around 9:30 or 10 am eastern to around 11 pm eastern.
Monday: BadKitties
Tuesday: bigjacbigjacbigjac
Wednesday: Caedy
Thursday: weck
Friday: FloridaSNMOM
Saturday:broths
Sunday: loggersbrat
If you'd like to be part of the Itzl Alert Network, please leave a comment asking to join, or send us a message asking to join. We'd love to have you. The bigger our network, the less likely someone will be stranded all alone.
So, I don't have any brilliant new insight to pass on to you this week. Nor do I have any funny quotes or historical news. So I thought I'd tell you all a story instead. This story demonstrates one of the reasons we really like this r/l community we've moved into.
Thursday we went for groceries, as we do every week on either Wednesday or Thursday. Winn Dixie is the closest grocery store, and we get some really good deals there (they have some great buy one get one deals on meats and other goods!). Those good deals are what drew us to the store. What happened on Thursday is a good part of the reason we keep going back.
Caedy, Bit and I walked down to Winn Dixie. Sophie as usual, went along riding in my lap and watching out for seizures and breathing triggers. She always gets very excited about going, she loves to work, and she loves to be out and about in the neighborhood.
Picture of Sophie at work; you can't see the tag because it's flipped around to the other side of the harness. This is crossing the street by Hardees on the way to the grocery store. I'd been twitching on and off all day that day (not the same day) and she's sniffing my hand to see how I'm doing.
So we're minding our own business and shopping. We mostly stuck to our list other than one or two items (they had apples on sale and I couldn't resist Bit's asking for some since I so often have to say no). We pass and are greeted by several employees who recognize us, from stock people to managers to people in the meat department. Several of them know us, and Sophie by name.
And then it happened.
A woman was SHOCKED! SHOCKED I TELL YOU! That there was gasp a DOG IN THE STORE! Now she also claimed to be legally blind, and she knew, because she was disabled herself, that dogs are NOT allowed in stores that sell food, even assistance dogs, because.. CONTAMINATION or something. Now this was just another customer, and not one I'd seen around before. And judging by the staff's reaction, they hadn't seen her around before either.
So first she ranted at us. And I informed her of what the law states. She of course wanted to argue and didn't believe me. "I'm legally blind! I know the law! You're not allowed to bring a dog where they sell FOOD!" I have a copy of the Assistance Dog portion of the ADA law in my purse, but it's not a large print copy and she couldn't see it well enough to read it. And of course she wouldn't believe me if I read it. So instead she went on ranting to herself. We just moved away from her and went about our shopping.
These are the applicable portions of the law per ADA.gov:
Under the ADA, State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go. For example, in a hospital it would be inappropriate to exclude a service animal from areas such as patient rooms, clinics, cafeterias, or examination rooms. However, it may be appropriate to exclude a service animal from operating rooms or burn units where the animal’s presence may compromise a sterile environment.
Establishments that sell or prepare food must allow service animals in public areas even if state or local health codes prohibit animals on the premises.
One of the people stocking the store paused to ask us if "that woman is still over there grumbling to herself". We said yes. He shook his head, gave Sophie a smile and went back to work. This Winn Dixie does a good job with ADA training for their employees.
When we went up to check out, guess who was in line in front of us? You guessed it, the lady with the issue with assistance dogs in grocery stores. She glared at us, made some snide comment to the cashier about people thinking they're privileged, paid for her purchase then headed for the customer service counter. We shook our heads and went about our business.
On our way out of the store the manager stopped us. I was already reaching for the copy of the ADA law again, until she started to speak. She said (and I'm quoting from memory here...)
"I guess you heard what that woman was going on about. I just wanted to let you know what I told her. I've seen you here many times. I know you have the service dog tags on your dog, I know she's a service animal, and I've seen what she does for you. I told her that service dogs are allowed in the store. I don't know if she's going to call corporate or not, but I wanted to reassure you, you and Sophie are always welcome here."
This is why, besides the prices and the good deals we get, that we keep going back to this store. We've had very few issues in this town concerning Sophie, and usually those are with patrons and not store owners themselves. There is some confusion of what the law actually says at the bread store, the manager keeps making things up about 'paperwork' being required because they sell food. But we haven't been denied service, just asked.. repeatedly. I'm thinking about printing them out a copy of the law.
Oh, and when we went outside, Bit pointed out that they had a big sign on the door, which included a picture of a wheelchair with a service dog and states quite clearly that service dogs are permitted. But if she is legally blind, maybe she can't see it. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt on that.