Dull soup and interesting Misfits

The Misfits box arrived two days late, but in good condition.  Holiday delay.  Meanwhile, I had made a soup that looked quite dull, but tasted excellent.  Red onion, pink bean, leek white, celery, garlic, chicken stock.  The little sprig of Thai basil I put on top because it's handy, grows right in the window next to the stove, and because just resting on the surface like that for a few minutes, gives a nice licoricy, subtle, flavor. 

This is the kind of soup that's better on Day Two, lovely deep flavor.  With a hot biscuit.

And finally, a thump at the front door, visiting Handsome Son went to retrieve two boxes, one containing my new phone, one the Misfits wanderers. Both arrived in the same van.

All present and in nice condition, the delay not having hurt anything, it seems. So now I can have carrot and cashew soup soon, and immediately a lovely salad. My onion supply is topped up again, and I even broke out and ordered a butternut squash, thinking it will probably go well with the pumpkin I have in the freezer, one way or another.  The lettuce is lovely, huge and very crisp.

I also added in two Meyer lemons, as well as the other lemons,but I don't know which they are, not being familiar with them, so I'll have to to a bit of spot testing I guess. They are unknown in our stores, as far as I've ever observed, but I hear such good things about them, that I thought I'd try them.  Tons of apples this time, several varieties. Various potatoes.

And here's the salad I've been waiting for, red cabbage, lettuce, cilantro, dressed with the walnut vinaigrette I was talking about.  And it went down very well.

The new phone is up and running with everything except the phone function, which I will get activated tomorrow at the Tracfone site. It looks very much like my old phone, except the case is smaller, but the screen is the same size.  Right now everything seems to be working fine, and it's doing okay.  I was able easily to transfer my contact list and virus protection, and passwords, no problem at all. These were the items I wondered about since in the past I've had to hand carry the contacts and deal again with the virus people.  Very handy that HS was here, since it shortened considerably the time needed to set up the new phone with two people, one at the new phone, one at the old, sending stuff back and forth.  He also picked out the most vital bits of print information that came in the box, ready for me to activate. 

So tomorrow I'll have the carrier transfer my old number to the new phone, activate the phone, and carry over the minutes I already have on the old one. All on line. This phone has an intact rocker switch, what a treat, I'll be able to adjust the volume.

And tomorrow if the ice storm doesn't materialize, I'll be picking up some interesting items at the library:  the Crown, Series Three! which they bought at my request.  This should be interesting, since the second series ended at the point where I left England, so it will be a new view of what's fictionally been happening there since then. I'm years behind on this one.

And there's the Half Baked Harvest cookbook for the next Bite Club selection. That might incorporate some of the produce from this week.  And Sand County Almanac, which was recommended by various naturalists, and I thought I'd like to see what they're all excited about.

I think Tartine has pretty much had its turn.  The shortbread was lovely, and I can't see much else calling to me. Even if it does have a ribbon bookmark. So it can return to its friends in the cookbook section.