Sgt. Sadie arms herself with pistolets (11/06/08)
Over the last several years, I have been able to visit my traveling husband in many different areas of the United States. Because he does environmental work, including emergency response and hazardous waste removal work, I never know where he's going to end up -- sometimes for months at a time -- working...

Sgt. Sadie accomplishes two big goals (10/30/08)
It has been a busy, gratifying and exciting week for me, Sgt. Sadie, as I accomplished two big goals since last week's column. On Saturday, I ran in United Way's Spooktacular 5K run. It had been more than a year since I had run in a 5K race, and an injured ankle followed up by a bad sinus infection weeks before the race put me in a bit of a crunch in terms of my training...

Sgt. Sadie studies serious statistics (10/23/08)
We didn't shoot any guns, make any drug stops or solve any murder mysteries Tuesday night, but -- even without the dramatized excitement -- we covered some very important topics at Citizen's Police Academy Tuesday night. Chief Austin Swing opened class with some interesting facts and figures about policemen that had just reached his hands prior to class. ...

Lt. Lizzie might not make best drug dog (10/16/08)
If the last several weeks of Citizen's Police Academy are any indication of my potential as a real patrol officer or a detective, I'm pretty sure I'd be fired after my first week on the job. As a brief recap, Citizen's Police Academy participants examined traffic stops a few weeks ago, and I was the one who dropped the gun -- and mistakenly shot an officer in role play. ...

Cold doesn't stop dedicated 'detective' (10/09/08)
If you had asked me Tuesday morning, during the Times-Gazette's annual community coffee, I would have told you there was no way I would make it to Citizen's Police Academy Tuesday night. I didn't want to miss the coffee, so I managed to come to work, despite the powers above sending me messages over the last few days that I needed to slow down -- signs which I ignored...

'Sgt. Sadie' shoots officer in role play (10/02/08)
I'm not sure if it was more funny watching my partner almost back up into an unmarked police car, or witnessing Shelbyville Police Chief Austin Swing play the role of a drunk driver, but we had lots of laughs Tuesday night at Citizen's Police Academy...

'Flowery' Fowler soon to be 'Sgt. Sadie' (09/29/08)
In six weeks, if you see me out and about, you will be able to call me "Sergeant Sadie." Not really, but by then I will have graduated from Citizen's Police Academy, which is currently being taught by Lt. Trey Clanton of the Shelbyville Police Department to a group of 12 or so each Tuesday night...

Two heartwarming rides to remember (09/25/08)
A few weeks ago, I wrote my weekly column about the irony in the fact that I've never ridden a walking horse. I grew up riding performance horses -- Morgans and Saddlebreds -- in the Northeast and fondly remember showing horses. Horses are what brought me to the walking horse capital of the world, from New York, almost seven years ago...

Expecting the worst pays off at cage fight (09/18/08)
My husband always says it is best to prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. I usually don't agree with this pessimistic attitude; I tend to hope for the best -- and expect it -- but last weekend, I became a pessimist. After not seeing Jack for weeks, I drove to the airport Saturday afternoon to pick up my long-distance husband, who had just finished a three-week work rotation near Buffalo, N.Y. ...

Fall is in the air...or is it? (09/11/08)
Late September and October are my two favorite months ... or at least they were when I was living in the Northeast. It's a little different down South, because summer extends into the fall and we often feel the heat even in October. I don't look forward to fall like I used to, but last Saturday, I actually did have that feeling come over me. ...

Saddle beckons to rekindle lost love (09/04/08)
Like many people around this area, I was drawn to Bedford County by the horse industry. Unlike many people in this area, however, it was not specifically the walking horse industry that brought me here. As a child, I was fortunate enough to own horses. Having grown up on a large farm in upstate New York, it all started out with Quarter horses, which my mother and I would show locally and ride around the farm...

Questions which should never be asked (08/28/08)
I wrote a column last week about an acquaintance of mine assuming I was pregnant because of a shirt I was wearing. I did not write the column to make her feel bad about the awkward situation, but rather, because I thought many women would be able to relate to the column...

The question I could have been spared (08/21/08)
For all you women out there reading this column, I ask you this: What is the worst question you've ever been asked? I would bet it concerns your age, your weight, or maybe something from your past about which you're not comfortable talking. I'm sure many things come to your minds, depending on who you are, how old you are and what your life experiences are...

Morning singing is not for me (08/14/08)
Morning at my house is always crazy, since my husband and I have completely different views on the best way to face the day ahead. My husband wakes up each morning, jumps quickly out of bed and begins his time-tested wake-up routine of silliness. He sings and dances, which, according to him, helps him get pumped up for the day. He says his routine wakes both the mind and body and typically sets the stage for his day...

Moving the candy jar is not an option (08/07/08)
My alarm clock rings each morning at 5:15 a.m., which is about one hour earlier than it had up until about two months ago. Back in early July, I decided that it was about time I rejoined the gym. I'm not sure if it's because the big 3-0 is creeping up on me, because the newsroom's candy jar sits next to my desk, or because I love milkshakes -- or a combination of all three -- but my jeans were beginning to fit a little tighter than I like, and I knew it was time to get moving...

Camping trip proves I'm not much for roughing it (07/31/08)
I knew I was in trouble as soon as I walked through the door Friday afternoon and saw MREs on the kitchen table. Marking our third consecutive weekend getaway this month, my husband and I decided we would give camping a try last weekend. As tired of traveling as I was, I rarely get an opportunity to camp -- and he and I have never been together -- so I figured why not give it a go...

Why we do what we do (07/24/08)
Last weekend, I had my first opportunity to attend the Associated Press awards banquet with some of my fellow Times-Gazette co-workers. Even though I had not submitted any of my work for the 2007 AP contest -- for one reason or another -- I enjoyed supporting my fellow reporters who had won several awards...

Square's becoming the place to be (07/17/08)
I was very much looking forward to working last Saturday. Yes, on a Saturday. The reason being, Saturday was also the day of the Uptown City Fair, and I was assigned to cover it. John Philleo, my editor, and I set out around 10 a.m. to cover the fair and I was delighted to see the vendors setting up and old fashioned cars parked on the square ... people were beginning to roll in and it seemed like it would be a great day for the city...

Trip to Gatlinburg stimulates economy (07/14/08)
Two important dates were quickly approaching and my husband and I -- being the poor planners that we are -- knew that time was running out. Around mid-June, we decided we had better make plans for our anniversary, which falls the day after Independence Day. Because we'd waited so long to make plans and didn't have much time off from work, we knew we'd have to go somewhere fairly close...

If Liz could talk... (06/27/08)
It's the same thing every morning, or every time I leave the house for that matter. As I head to the door I have to block her from escaping. After I tell her 'no, get back' I turn, one last time, and say 'goodbye, be a good girl. See you later.' I wish my baby girl could talk. If she could, I would ask, "Lizzie, would you like a friend, someone to keep you company while I'm at work all day? Or do you prefer your status as the Queen B?"...

Koreans work hard, play hard (06/07/08)
It was about 10 p.m. when my Rotary-sponsored Group Study Exchange team arrived in South Korea April 23 and it didn't take long for the Koreans to earn our respect. We were greeted by true gentlemen and their kindness flowed into the next morning when we began our first day of touring....

Korean food odd; education system shines (06/05/08)
My month-long journey to South Korea concluded May 20. The Rotary Foundation, which sponsored this group study exchange trip, promised it would be life-changing, and it fell nothing short of being just that. There would not be enough pages in this newspaper for me to disclose all of the highs and lows we encountered on our journey; nor would there be enough room for me to explain how much I learned from my experiences on this trip.....

T-G staffer leaves for Korea trip (04/16/08)
I would like to take this opportunity to say goodbye ... for now. I will be leaving Monday for a month-long trip to South Korea as part of a group study exchange GSE team. Sponsored by the Rotary Foundation, this trip is geared toward Rotary's mission to spread peace, understanding and awareness among different cultures in countries throughout the world...

Of Valentines and puppies (02/20/08)
It was business as usual Thursday morning as I woke up, crawled out of bed and made my way to the kitchen to flip the coffee switch to on, being careful with each step I took not to step on my dog, Lizzie, and the burly gang of six (her puppies). I proceeded to get ready for work, thinking about what I wanted to wear that day, what I was going to eat for breakfast, what assignments I had scheduled for the day, etc. It was just another day...

Dining choices in Shelbyville (02/13/08)
Last week, I wrote a blog entry on the Times-Gazette web site about the recent closing of Shelbyville's short-lived Chick-Fil-A restaurant on Main Street, which followed the closing of Lucille's Chicken & Waffles a couple months prior. A tough location, a somewhat odd concept -- chicken and waffles, together -- and other factors had the odds working against Lucille's from day one, but I was very surprised to see Chick-Fil-A close...

Yelping about whelping (01/26/08)
I'm going to be a grandmother! I took my daughter, Lizzie, to the doctor's office earlier this week and he expressed his belief that my daughter will indeed be giving birth -- in the next couple of weeks. My 2-year-old Shih Tzu will likely have her puppies on Feb. 1 or 2, and I am filled with feelings of nervousness and excitement as I prepare to be a birthing coach/OB-GYN for the very first time...

Mother and daughter find the spirit of Christmas (12/19/07)
A close relative of mine, Marjie, has had a tough year. She's a single mom who's also a real estate agent working in the Northeast. A few years ago, the market was booming and Marjie, the hardworking sales person that she is, was selling houses left and right. Things change, though, and that's what happened to the housing market and consequently Marjie's income...

No more Wal-Mart ... at least this week (12/08/07)
Last weekend was busy as most weekends are this time of year. My husband and I had many items on our "to do" list, some of which included painting the living room, breeding our dog, and shopping for our Child Development Center adopted son, to whom we chose to give a Christmas this year in place of exchanging gifts with each other...

Reporter believes in exercise (12/04/07)
I have always been a lover of all things exercise. I'd call myself an "avid" exerciser, but that wouldn't be entirely true because over the last 10 years I have had a few relapses from a steady exercise routine, mostly related to things that have altered my daily routine. For the most part, however, exercise has been a very important part of my life -- and my sanity...

Banning cell phones would lead to something worse (11/07/07)
My colleague, David Melson, recently wrote a piece in which he touched upon the dangers of drivers talking on cell phones, a topic that has been alluded to on numerous blogs posted on the T-G web site. He wrote, "Communication is good. And having constant contact with others is everywhere you go is great. ...

Halloween's end is a treat to me (11/03/07)
I probably would have been better off if I just stayed in bed Monday morning. It has been one of those weeks where nothing has seemed to work out in my favor. It all began when I got a flat tire on my new Jeep driving home from Nashville. I didn't get too upset about that; getting upset wasn't going to put a new tire on my vehicle...

Forget the horses -- I want a plane! (10/17/07)
I hate everything about flying. Anyone who knows me will quickly agree that no amount of security, frequent maintenance checks on the best planes in the world, or even medications like Dramamine or Xanax will ever change how I feel about flying. Couple my fear of planes with the stress of airports, such as waiting in long lines or getting delayed, and air travel is often pure misery for me...

Nice matters, says columnist (10/03/07)
Last February I decided to return to my home state for an undetermined amount of time. I had spent about five years in Shelbyville, so I was really excited about returning to upstate New York. The town I grew up in, South Glens Falls, N.Y., is bigger than Shelbyville, but still small enough so that you usually run into someone you know when grocery shopping or dining out...