Stylish blogger award, you got to be kidding

Well I just checked my blog comments, and I was overwhelmed.  I had 6 comments, all of them positive.  That's far better than when I go to work.  Being a police officer for 34 years, once in awhile I hear a negative comment, so it's good to read positive ones.  A special thanks to Shannon from "a work in progress" for nominating me for the "stylish blogger award".  I really appreciate that and will be motivated to write more.

Now for 7 things about myself:
1) I'm a semi-retired police officer, 62 years old, who is relatively new to the equine world.
2) I am married to a wonderful woman, Annette, who is the only person who can put up with me other than my mother who passed away 10 years ago.  My mother warned Annette about me before we got married, and she went thru with the vows anyway.  Crazy.
3) I live in the coastal mountains of Southern California, about 60 miles north of San Diego.
4) I couldn't even spell dressage when Annette explained it to me, but being the dutiful husband, I attempted to learn, (slow process for a 62 year old male).  I enjoy dressage and think the communication and connection it provides with my horse is better than any other discipline.  However, Flash, (my horse), and I really enjoy mounted patrol work also.
5) I have three adult children and 6 grandchildren.
6) I enjoy good food, and boy can Annette cook, but now I am being told to watch my cholesterol, so bye    bye good stuff.  Flash is happy though, less weight for him to carry around.
7) I'm enjoying life now more than ever.  Entering the equine world with my own place and barn, meshing that with post career police work and a wonderful wife and a great horse and family, it couldn't be better.


At this point in my "blogging" career, I'm new to it and only follow a couple of other blogs, all of which have already been nominated for awards.

I have to say this about dressage shows though.  When I compete, mostly at schooling shows, I get to wear my "class A" police uniform.  Some of the comments are really funny.  One very young rider, (about 9 or 10), turned to her Mom when I rode by and whispered, "Mom, why are the police here?"  At another show, I was almost attacked by a female stalker who wouldn't leave me alone.  Even with Annette standing there, she wouldn't leave.  I finally had to hide in the bathroom until she left.  The last time I competed was about three months after a full knee replacement.  I get a little tense tacking up even though Flash tells me to chill.  Well this time I got on the mounting block in full uniform, swung my leg over Flash, and immediately my breeches got hung up on the cantle.  At the same time I heard a loud rippppppp.  Annette heard it too and told me to just sit down.  I couldn't, the breeches were really hung up on the cantle, and I was suspended about three inches above the saddle.  Now I'm really embarrassed and so is Flash, so he decides to walk away to get  away from all the stares.  I must have been some sight.  My whip is dangling from my left hand, I don't have the reins, my butt is on top of the cantle, (talk about a weggie), my wife is walking after Flash to get him to stop, and onlookers are offering assistance.  It turned out alright though.  I placed first in the developmentally challenged police officer category, ( the only entry).  I cherish that blue ribbon.

Shannon, thanks again for the award. I'll try and write more often, it's just in the past week I have been working on writing search warrants, (not nearly as much fun as blogging); but filled with just as much compost.