Thanksgiving 2013

Poached fish and shrimp. On top went the sauce,
sliced eggs, wilted spinach, and then potatoes.

Cheese and cream went into the potatoes,
bread crumbs and parmesan on top.
It was good.

On our last trip to the UK, we were in a hotel in London and happened to watch a cooking show.  It was two guys who called themselves the "Hairy Bikers."  They made a couple of traditional dishes on that show, one of which was fish pie.  The word "pie" has a different connotation in the UK than it does here, where "pies" are thought of strictly as desserts. Over there, a "pie" is any thing baked under a crust, basically.  It's really more of a food delivery system than a particular food.  Anyway, the best way I can describe fish pie is to think of shepherd's pie, except made with seafood. It consists of two types of fish, and shrimp, in a cream-based sauce with a mashed potato topping.



Trooper and Maya, Bremo in front

The cooking show made it look easy and delicious. Fish pie is often on the menu in pubs and after seeing the show I ordered it every time I saw it on the menu to see how they were made. We found the Hairy Bikers' recipe online and bought the ingredients yesterday and made it this morning. It was good and we were done with eating and even cleanup by 11:00 a.m.  I took a few of the dogs out to the pasture for a romp, which is where these pics were taken. The indoor shots were done as we were cooking.  

The camera-shy Cabell Dog, before he woke up

Thursday afternoon we went to Charlottesville and saw Judi Dench in Philomena. Good movie, great story, beautifully told even if it wasn't always easy to watch. It strikes blows at two of my favorite targets of scorn, the catholic church and the republican party, but I still find it very difficult to watch a movie with an HIV theme even nearly twenty years later. Fortunately, that wasn't the major theme of the movie or I wouldn't have made it through it. Still, beautiful movie, worth seeing, an Oscar-worthy performance by Judi Dench, of course.  

Rotten girl Maya in back
Good girl Gigi in front

Max, acting like a real dog

Thursday evening we took Maya and went to James River Brewery. We delivered our Toys for Tots purchases from yesterday's shopping and stayed for a couple beers.  A very nice Thanksgiving day.



Ochie

 








My beautiful Gigi



Ochie, Gigi, and Anna



Anna and Vince



Anna



Anna





Our entire pack except for Vince.
Maya, Bremo, Trooper, Cabell, and Gigi

Anna is getting too attached to me. I need to get her adopted soon.