That's so...neighborly of you!

Yesterday afternoon I was chillin outside while the girls rode their bikes around the cul-de-sac and the boys were napping. Ahhh, it was beautiful outside and I was basking in the sun. Fast forward 20 minutes to when our firefighter neighbor across from us zooms up in his truck, jumps out with a quick, "Hi! How you all doin?" and rushes over with a a big container and asks if we like fresh trout. ummmm, yes, occasionally, if someone catches, cleans and cooks it for me. He quickly explains that the fire chief has just called him and he has to drive to Yerington right that second and doesn't even have time to do anything with the fish and we'd actually be doing him a favor if we took it. Sure. So he pulls 5 trout out, all attached to a rope and throws them at me. Yes, you read that right, FIVE trout. So I take them into the house and put them on ice and return to the driveway in time to see him drive away. I did not return, however, without first grabbing my macbook (btw, "portable" computers and wireless internet are AMAZING). I googled "how to clean a trout" and got some pretty graphic pictures and descriptions. Yuck. This was definitely husband work. Unfortunately, the husband didn't end up getting home until 6:30pm...but I was willing to wait! I had the rest of dinner ready for when the fish was done. My less-than-thrilled hubby did a fantastic job, and didn't even need the graphics I have pulled up on the computer. He's such a boyscout. :)

Anyway, enough babbling. The bottom line is this: Erik cleaned it, I made a sauce for it, he grilled it, we ate it (even the kids thought it was a delight!) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have not eaten fresh trout in YEARS (rewind to camping trips up in the Sierras with my dad when we were young). It was delicious. I regret not getting a shot of the fish hanging on the rope, but they were dripping blood and I had to take care of them FAST. But here is what I did get.





In addition to the fish, I received a belated birthday present from my brother, Dehn. These are going to be gone WAY too soon, thanks Dehn! YUM!