Time once again for Mama Kat’s Writer’s Challenge. This week the prompts are:

1.) Who made you red hot this week?

2.) A day in your life…recap.
(inspired by Jennifer from Toddler Tirade)

3.) What decision are you having a hard time making?
(inspired by Evansmom from Just Sayin’)

4.) How will you enjoy your last days of freedom (aka summer)?
(inspired by Heather from A Day In The Life)

5.)List your 7 most favorite summer items!
(inspired by Summer from Le Musings of Moi)

To which I respond:

#1 – No one. I tend not to get red hot. I always figure that it is not worth the wear and tear on me and my glucose control to get really mad. Besides, getting even is so much more rewarding. {*grin*} The few times in my life I have gotten really mad have resulted in people getting hurt, usually the ones I am mad at. So I am happy it happens so rarely that i do get mad.

#2 – I give you Tuesday:

5:45 – get up
6:00 – shave and shower and get ready
7:00 – do some e-mail
7:30 – grab a ride with the city manager and director of public works to Denver CDPHE (Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment) office
9:30 – arrive at the CDPHE offices in Denver
9:35 – have a cup of coffee
10:00 – begin meeting
12:00 – end meeting
12:15 – go to eat at Chili’s with our water engineering firm (from meeting)
1:30 – start the drive back here
3:45 – arrive back here
4:00 – prepare notes for city council meeting tonight
4:45 – read paper and have supper
6:30 – head for city council meeting
7:00 – convene city council meeting
9:30 – adjourn city council meeting
9:35 – discuss misc. things in the parking lot
10:00 – call L in return of her call during the meeting (on the way home)
10:30 – get home and give the dog her chewie
11:00 – do some housework (like dishes, etc.)
11:30 – decide to wuss out on blog post for tonight
11:45 – make a few notes for the radio show in the morning
12:00 – go to bed
12:05 – realize I didn’t check the mailbox, get up and go get the mail
12:10 – go to bed for real
…
6:00 – start all over again

#3 – The answer could be any of several things. One of the more interesting is whether to enter partisan politics. I am term limited out of being mayor come November. One of the things I have enjoyed about being mayor is that it is a non-partisan office (no political parties involved). But I have been approached by several people about running as a party candidate for a partisan office next November. If I am going to do it, I need to answer in the next few months. I believe I could and would win, so the question in my mind is do I want to badly enough to put up with partisan politics and party lines. So I continue to wage the internal debate with myself.  (And am I deluding myself in the belief I could win?)

#4 – About the same way I have enjoyed most of the summer. (I’m really more of a spring/fall kind of guy.) So that will include mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, harvesting the garden, and walking in the bright sunshine. This year I haven’t been golfing at all for a combination of reasons. In a normal year I’d say I’d look forward to those hot days on the golf course where nothing hurts. Just not this year.

#5 – My favorite summer items are all versions of fresh grown produce. In no particular order, I give you

Melons – cantaloupe, honey dew, watermelon
Beans – fresh picked green  beans
Onions – fresh onions straight from the garden
Peppers – both red and green bell peppers
Cucumbers
Squash – zucchini, acorn, butternut, etc.
Tomatoes – fresh picked.

I’m not a big tomato fan in general since I react badly to the acid in them. But a bit of tomato in a salad or on a sandwich cannot be beat. I like to stir fry chopped peppers, onions, zucchini, and sometimes even beans and potatoes. The rest are self explanatory.