Oh, agreed! I eat soup year-round, too. In hot weather especially, reheating a bowl of soup is ideal because it doesn't hot the kitchen. And yep, it tastes even better the next day.

Hmmmm, if my bean cooking water had grey scummy stuff floating on it, I'd throw it out too! Mine's a light amber color with no scum. I wonder why we get such different results? And as for the farts - I have read, and experience confirms, that if your digestive system is accustomed to dried beans - that is, if you eat them frequently - it adjusts accordingly and the farts stop. *g*