A Novel Creation www.WatersWords.com

  Walking on Sunshine   Back in the eighties there was a song called  Walking on Sunshine . The chorus said “I’m walking on sunshine, wo-oh, And don’t it feel good?”   Despite the poor English, I agree.  Walking on sunshine indeed feels good.    I can’t help but sing these words as I stroll through my neighborhood. I feel good in part, because with the changing of seasons, the leaves are turning from a somewhat monotone green to glorious colors of red, orange, and gold. I feel good because the sun warms my face and touches my soul.    October is one of my favorite months for many reasons. Yes, it is soothing to sit outside and soak in the autumn sun. But there is more.   In October, the apples are ready to be picked. When I was a little girl, we worked together at my grandparent’s farm cleaning the apples, cutting them, and feeding them into the cider press. To tell the truth, I probably did little to help with the making of cider…but gi...

  S.W.A.T.  Not Sweat. Not Sweet. Not even S.W. A. K., for those of you old enough to remember that phrase on the back of an envelope.   S.W.A.T. ... Special Weapons And Tactics. For those of you following my Citizen Police Academy journey, I’m happy to report I survived the S.W.A.T. team adventure this week.    This is a police tactical unit trained to use, as the name indicates, special equipment and employ maneuvers necessary for unique situations. For example, someone may be armed and barricaded in a building. He or she may have hostages to be rescued. We’ve all seen the scenarios on television.    In fact, we watch television and we get a fairly accurate picture of the makeup of a S.W.A.T. team. We understand the team consists of a commander and negotiators. We see armed police officers including those with rifles. And there are members of the team identified as “entry personnel.” Those are those heavily protected guys we watch carry shi...

  Family, Food, and Firewood   It is always good to get together with family. I often think of a family reunion as a houseful of people all talking at the same time, lots of food, and tons of laughter. This year was a bit different.   I chose the date for the reunion at my house because my sweet cousin, Crystal would be in town. She lives in Naples, Florida. Crystal was in Ohio for her niece’s wedding…and before you ask, yes, her home in Naples was untouched by Hurricane Ian. That’s a praise.   As the week for the gathering at my house neared, I heard from various cousins about conflicts with the date or received those “try to get there” messages. In the end, of the dozen or so cousins I have on my father’s side of the family, four of us put our feet under my dining room table. Four cousins, Julie’s husband, Keith and my mom… Six of us all together. Then my daughter, Kendall and her two little girls showed up.   It was perfect.   Crystal, Julie, and my mom ...

  Fitted with a Body Camera     If you’ve followed my blog, you know I am currently enrolled in our local Citizens Police Academy.    Last week offered lessons learned about making decisions. Certainly, our police officers make thousands of split second decisions every shift. My own mistakes in the Firearms Simulator gave me a new appreciation for the power the influence of others can have on decisions we make daily. (If you missed that post you can go back and read it HERE .)   This week, three teams presented information to our class: Force Science, the Body Worn Camera Unit, and the Integrity and Development Unit (think “internal affairs”). These areas offer critical, independent data to assess those decisions officers make in the field on a daily basis.    The underlying theme for each?   ACT: Accountability, Credibility, and Transparency.   I could certainly create a post for each. But not today. For this post, I want to explore the...