No plans for today-----sounds good to me.

I only work part-time now, just 2 or 3 days a week, and usually it's real easy, (just drive a golf cart around and unlock a few doors at the college), not much "police work" at all.  However, things have changed over the past two months.  Our Chief wants to make us a real police department, doing our own investigations etc..  We have three full time officers and about 7 part-time officers, (one of which is me).  All of us have about 30+ years each of real police experience.  The problem is, we don't have the money or resources to be a real "city type" police department.  Instead of working in "real time", we are working basically circa 1960.  We get by with what we have to do, and rely on Irvine PD for anything major -- until a few months ago, when I was asked to write a search warrant for death threats via. email.  They chose, (picked on me), because I was the only one with search warrant experience.  It was 15 years ago when I wrote my last search warrant, and that was for sex crimes, not some computer type compost which I know nothing about, (my wife will confirm that).  That was also LA County, not Orange County with a different set of procedures.

Anyway, I set forth and wrote the search warrant, (took me about 5 hours with my typing skills).  Then I had to go to court and file it with the DA, then a judge.  I was nervous as hell, but now I am good friends with several judges and feel a lot more at ease.  I think they feel sorry for me because I am easily 30 years older than other police officers they deal with.  Since that day, I have probably written 5 more search warrants and the Chief has now made me his part-time, unofficial department investigator.  Same pay, but that is ok because I really love doing investigations.  I did forget though about the stress involved dealing with victims, suspects, and administrators, some of which are the same.

I worked the past two days and the lieutenant has me assigned to a satellite campus about 8 miles away.  It's nice because nobody bothers me and I can get reports, memos, and search warrants done in peace.  That's what I did Monday and Tuesday along with dealing with victims, suspects and both AT&T and Yahoo legal departments.  Finish at three and rush home to feed by five, thinking the whole time that tomorrow will be a day to do whatever I want, especially ride Flash who has had three days off.  Sounds good to me.

On the way home the "change oil" light on my car came on.  When I get home a package from UPS had arrived containing new wheels for the muck cart which has two flat tires.  I've tried telling Annette to push it anyway, but she says it is too hard with flat tires.  I said the ground is frozen with ice, it should roll easy.  She says, well never mind what she says.  I do the evening chores, thinking tomorrow still won't be too bad.  Annette gets home, I give her a hug and a kiss by the fire which I have started for her, and hand her a glass of wine.  "Honey" she says, my "maintenance" light on my car came on three weeks ago, so can you take it in and take care of it?  Tomorrow?  Sure dear, but I wanted to ride Flash some time tomorrow.  Well, she says, I need to use your saddle and I want to ride Jackson, so why don't you ride in the morning when it's 38 degrees and the wind is gusting at 50 mph, and I'll ride Jackson in the afternoon when it gets warm and the wind has died down.  Sounds good to me.  But then I say, "I have to change the wheels on the muck cart".  Maybe you can do that before we feed when it's 25 degrees out is her response.  Sounds good to me I say.  I'll make us waffles while you do that.  Sounds good to me.

After breakfast, which was really good, I head down to the barn to tack up Flash.  I go to put his halter on and he looks at me and says "you got to be kidding, feel that wind and cold, I'll get crazy if you put that on me".  Sounds good to me.  We get in the arena and I do as my trainer tells me, which is walk on a loose rein.  Flash is a little wound up, (I think he wanted waffles too), but as soon as I pick up the reins, he bends his head and begins to work.  Blew me away.  He could have been a little more bent, but is was really good for him.  We worked for about 40 minutes and he was a good boy.  Even got the correct lead on the right, or maybe I just asked the correct way.  Probably the latter.

I drove down the hill and took care of Annette's car while she rode Jackson.  When I got home, I put new tires on "her" muck cart.  I came back to the house and Annette gave me a hug and a kiss by the fire she had built, it was too early for wine.  "How about I make a nice dinner then we go to yoga together?".  SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.