Died and gone to heaven?

Have you ever had something so unexpected happen, that turned out to be so great, that when you realized what you had been missing, you felt like kicking your butt all the way to the moon for not having tried it sooner? (I'm not talking about sex here folks.) I'm talking about football -- or more specifically, watching a football game. Okay, you may think I'm exaggerating a bit (and, of course I am -- a wee bit), but......after you read this (if you're a football fan), I'm thinking you'll be green with envy. ;)

It all started in early October when J informed me that we had tickets to the Alabama/LSU football game being played Nov. 11. That in itself was exciting because, as we all know, I love BAMA and LSU with all my heart. But....these were no ordinary tickets. Ah, non! These seats were in a suite! Mais, oui! (....I realize the French may not be entirely correct, blame Babel Fish -- not me.) Back to the game......

The day of the game arrives, finding me with no idea what to wear. I figure I should dress up a smidgen, but......how much. I mean, suite or no suite, it's still just a football game. So I did what any woman finding herself in my position would do. I asked everyone I knew for their opinion. No one knew for sure. (This made me realize what an un-privileged group we run with. I'm telling you I couldn't find one single person I knew who had been in one of the Tiger Dens -- aka suites.) Yes, I was on my own. J just asked me not to wear my usual shorts, t-shirt, and flip flops.... Duh! Did he really think I'd do that? I mean it was going to be cold -- too cold for shorts ( I do have flip flop socks tho.)

I managed to put together an outfit in various shades of purple (thinking how much I love this place. I mean it's hard to wear purple many places in the U.S. But down here purple is just fine -- Mardi Gras and one of my school's colors. ) So off we went, J in his crimson with the recognizable script 'A' (he decided to be true to BAMA) and me in my purple. We got some stares, laughs, and comments as we walked to the stadium. It was a night game and some of the fans we passed were so far gone after imbibing all day that they couldn't quite figure out what was amiss. They were the funny ones.

The first pleasure came as we arrived at Tiger Stadium and realized we didn't have to walk a step to get to our seats. There was a high-speed elevator at the ready to zoom us up to the tiger dens/suites. Ohhh! Ahhh!

In a matter of seconds we step out of the elevator -- 15 floors above ground into a sort of lobby with windows offering a fantastic view. Ohhh! Ahhh!

People are all around waiting to help you. I am directed to the ladies room (which I thought kind of smelled, but....) which had an attendant and baskets containing hair spray, lotion, etc. Okay, maybe not that unusual, except......remember......this was in a football stadium! It was for sure unlike any bathroom I'd ever stepped foot in during the oodles of football games I've attended over the years. But, there was still the obligatory line you find in any ladies room you visit. But not nearly as bad as the masses (as I now call those who aren't invited to a suite) have to maneuver. *muted* Ohhh! Ahhh!

Out of bathroom to find J waiting wondering, as usual, what the hell takes so long! As we head to our suite we notice lots of activity -- many people hustling by balancing trays containing all sorts of colorful, fizzy adult beverages. Ohhh! Ahhh!

We find our suite and it is filled with high-spirited, friendly people and good food and drink that keeps coming all through the game. Ohhh! Ahhh!

It was a fun evening. The suite was like a living room with sofas and chairs, a bar, closed circut tv showing the game, regular tv showing other games being played. You could choose to sit in that area or at the glassed in area where there was a bar and bar stools overlooking the field. Plenty of game day programs were laying about. You could also step outside into the actual stadium where there were seats just for each suite. It was a perfect night for football -- clear and cold (and windy!). Nothing like carrying a drink, a bowl of gumbo, a plate of food, a cup of coffee, out in the cold to sit and watch the game. All the conveniences of home.

As far as I'm concerned, that's the only way to watch a football game. Life was good that night. Sitting under the starry sky with the Mississippi River Bridge lit up in the distance, in a stadium I love, with both my teams on the field. OHHH! AHHH!

I wonder if I'll ever have an experience like that again? ......Once is not enough!