Kabul chicken soup

So, Jeremy is sick again (or maybe still sick from the nasty cold/congestion/bronchial cough thing that knocked him down right before we departed DC).

So, I did what any good wife would do - I went to the dining hall and asked if I could buy a chicken off them to make some chicken soup. I also got onions, carrots and garlic (there is no celery here, apparently), and tried to get noodles but all they had to offer was penne and fettucine, which I guess would have worked, but I don't like such big noodles in my chicken soup.

So I came home, sauteed some onions in my stock pot, and was slightly suspicious when that took 20 minutes to do. After the onions were done, I put the chicken in the pot and covered with water, put the lid on, and left it to boil. It took nearly an HOUR to reach boiling. Yes, the stove was on. My stockpot is a relatively small one, and I have made all manner of things in it, including soup, over the years, and it has never taken so long to boil. Jeremy blames our teeny tiny European ceramic/electric range. I think I do too. I guess maybe altitude also could have something to do with it (we are at 5800 feet). In any case, cooking looks to be a frustrating exercise here.