Saturday In Baton Rouge

Saturday was our 28th Anniversary.  Benjamin and my nephew had tickets to the LSU vs. Mississippi State game and so Tricia wanted to drive them to Baton Rouge and have a picnic on campus near the lakes.  We arrived in Baton Rouge, dropped off Benjamin and Brooks, got a parking spot and began to walk around. 

Since it was Homecoming, we walked to Sorority/Fraternity Row and watched the Homecoming Parade.  The theme of Homecoming was Purple Reign.  The decorations were elaborate and pomping has really evolved from when we did it 30 years ago.  Pomping is when you take sheets of different colored tissue paper and poke into chicken wire.  The detail of pomping in 2018 is leaps and bounds ahead of what we did in the 80's.  Just check this out:

It is really amazing to look at. 

Here is another impressive one.  I wish I had walked over and taken some close-ups.

While there we saw a bunch of white pelicans flying.  The State bird of Louisiana is the Brown Pelican.  These white ones are different.  They come by the thousands each year to the lakes.  They are huge birds and quite a spectacle to see.

They weren't the only "birds" flying on Saturday.  We watched as US Navy F-18's practiced for the flyover a little later prior to the National Anthem in Tiger Stadium.  The fighter jets were really, really loud and they thundered over-head.

It started raining and so Tricia and I took shelter under the Lod Cook Hotel and Conference Center canopy.  Cole Tracy, LSU's kicker, came walking right by.  He ended up being 4 for 4 in field goals and 1/1 in extra points.  He was the leading scorer for the evening and led the Tigers to victory over 22 ranked Mississippi State.

The team buses arrived to pick up the players while we were having our picnic.  Tricia bought a "little red-riding hood picnic basket" and we filled it with cheese and crackers, bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon and capers, olives and chocolate.  We relaxed by the side of the lake and exchanged anniversary cards (and a kiss or two)! 

We walked across and got a chance to talk to Coach O and told him we were proud of him and "Geaux Tigers!"

We also saw LSU QB Joe Burrow (AKA Jeaux Burreaux) as he was getting his "game face" on.

All in all it was a relaxing day.  We drove home later that night.  Tricia and I have been married for 28 years and it was a nice day to celebrate a very happy marriage.