Today the high temperature has supposedly already occurred--at midnight.  Since it is going to get a little chilly and wet outside, I decided yesterday to buy one of those bags of 15 bean soup. 

The beans soaked for about eleven hours, up to about 4 AM.  Then I started the cooking, and in less than half an hour, I will have a big pot of 15 Bean Soup with Ham Hocks.

Everytime I go into the kitchen to check the soup, I have Friends.  As in, four cats and two little dogs. They are being so Friendly, I keep falling over them on the way to the stove.  Gee, they almost make me feel special....