Preparations

Dear Gentle Reader,

It has been a busy day of getting clothes ready for the trip next week to snowy Milwaukee and putting away summer clothes for the season. I don’t even own a pair of boots, so finding suitable ones is a big item on my "To Do" list.

Making a batch of soup for Dick was another priority today, so he’ll have his familiar staples while I’m gone. Here is a great soup recipe that came from the San Diego paper a dozen years ago, and it’s become one of his favorites.

Garbanzo Bean Soup
1 chopped onion (about 1 c.)
1 celery rib (grated or chopped)
2 carrots (quartered, lengthwise)
2 C. diced ham
pinch crushed red pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf.
1 cup crushed tomatoes or ½ can tomato paste

Brown onion, celery, and carrots all together in skillet. Add ham, red pepper, thyme, and bayleaf and cook 3 minutes. Pour into mixture 1 quart chicken or turkey broth, 1 C. crushed tomatoes or tomato paste , and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
If you freeze it in four equal portions, then you can defrost a container later and just add a can of beans (garbanzo or another kind of beans) with liquid. Simmer 15 minutes and serve to an appreciative companion.
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My friend Connie and I walked along the bay this afternoon. The sunshine is warm, but a brisk wind from the north heralds a change of weather. We returned the ineffective AirBorne cold medication and exchanged it for two containers of hummus, another easy food for Dick to fix while I’m away.

I’m now quite pleased with GSE for cold relief. It was effective in combating a germ (virus?) that seemed unstoppable to other efforts. Look at your local health food store.

Tomorrow is church. When I wake up on Sunday morning, I always think, "Oh goody, today we worship the Lord." May you be blessed on the Lord's Day.
Grace and peace...