Defrostness is Unnecessary

Here are a few pictures for you: detail of a bag of edamame, and David at work on the new Royal.

Things That Are Awesome VII

• I got summer funding after all! This year my department only gave two of these fellowships, instead of the three they're usually able to fund, and I wasn't one of the recipients... until one of the recipients couldn't accept the money and the department offered it to me.
  
• The department had promised me a bit of money earlier, but it was only going to cover the plane ticket (if that). This way, I can afford to do the project justice--as well as to eat. I'm going to Europe in August!
  
• David is coming for part of the time, too. It is so much more fun to travel with someone than alone.
• I signed up to take a six-week letterpress class!
• Speaking of cutting-edge technology, I bought a typewriter! It's for dissertation research and writing purposes. Sort of. Mostly it's just something I've wanted for a long time.
• Better yet, I got a deal. If this site is to be believed, I saved myself about $820, plus shipping.*
• I had to drive to South Saint Paul to retrieve my 40 pounds of Awesome, but the ladies at the "rummage sale" pointed me to Barb's brother-in-law's shop, five blocks away, where I was able not only to pick up a brand new ribbon, but have it installed, have the holding bracket tightened, and have a brief history lesson, all for free.
• My Royal is in fantastic condition, and types beautifully! I need to do some more cleaning on it, find it a better home than the kitchen table, and post pictures that better demonstrate its beauty, but as you can probably tell, I'm rather smitten.
• How have I been a vegetarian for so long and never learned this technique for preparing tofu? Dry-frying + marinading appears to be the way to go (although Ter always achieved impressive results with baking, this is faster). Tonight I did a marinade of Bragg's, ginger, garlic, lime juice, rice vinegar, Sriracha, and onion before stir-frying it it up with veggies. (Can you believe I'd also never made a stir-fry sauce from scratch? And YES: the marinade IS the sauce. Total awesome sauce.
  

*I don't really think that site is to be believed.