It started off as black bean soup but ended up being more like Italian wedding soup with veggie meatballs. Yet another improv cooking success.

Italian wedding soup is one of my favorites, and I would love a veg-friendly recipe. What did you do? Did you use tiny veggie meatballs, or big ones?

Though I'm still a little more proud of the crystalized ginger I used in the stir fry last month.

Ginger makes so many things so much better.

Ginger makes so many things so much better.

Not if you ask MaryAnn!

Ginger makes so many things so much better.

Not if you ask MaryAnn!

Hey, we don't know what shenanigans they got up to in that hut....

I am doing my part for my cholesterol by having smoked salmon hash at a swanky restaurant on my way home from the con.

Hey, we don't know what shenanigans they got up to in that hut....

You make an excellent point.

Mmm, ginger. Not that Ginger isn't nice, too.

I have just killed an hour reading some Temeraire. Now I must move some laundry about, then venture into the rain to make a Good Will run and see houses.

What are my chances of unloading a small flat-screen monitor on Craigslist? Should I just Goodwill it instead?

A computer monitor, 'Suela? It's worth putting it up on Craigslist. There are people out there who still have CRTs.

You could likely get some $ for it on Craigslist, but probably not more than a tax write off would be.

I was supposed to spend my mid-day with Kelly, but thanks to flight snafus, I won't see her until tonight. So then I was like "COOL, I will get to see the SF Giants game and pre-game ceremonies" but that's on rain delay.

So I may take myself out to a late breakfast and read the Sunday paper. I cancelled my subscription for the Chron, but today is exactly the kind of rainy day that calls out for leisurely paper reading.

And then, depending on whether the game is postponed or not, I will go see "Ghost Writer".

I love Sundays.

Dinner last night (and tonight since I cooked for the weekend) Lebanese lamb curry. I was suspicious of the combination of lamb and celery (also of celery in curry) but it turned out delicious, and my neighbor swears this is a traditional Lebanese dish, albeit with a few labor saving changes. Onions, celery, tomatos rice, curry power, garlic, allspice, cinnamon, honey, salt, pepper, wine, olive oil, water, ground lamb. Cover and bring liquids to a boil (enough for rice). Add spices and vegetables, continue to boil until about half cooked. Add rice and continue to cook into rice is about five minutes from done. Stir in ground lamb mixing well. Continue to mix every three minutes as lamb cooks so it is well distributed among other ingredients. When the lamb is done, turn off heat and let sit for 15 minutes. (If using instant rice then cook vegatable until they are five minutes from done before adding rice. The traditional version I gather use lean lamb cuts rather than ground lamb, browns the lamb, removes it, adds more oil, sautes rice and veggies with some of spices while bringing rest of liquid to boil with reset of the spices, then adds boiling liquid and browned lamb back to rice. Like all traditional dishes, many variations. The variation I tried is not traditional but it is good, very similar in flavor to the traditional versions [according to neighbor], and very low labor.)

If both kids weren't asleep, I was going to offer to take them to a movie before we take Kelly back to the airport. Yet the napping is strong in here. It is threatening to take me under.