I never really thought I would be back in Baton Rouge.

I lived here as a child, I matriculated here as a teenager and young “adult”. I have attended football games here for the past fifty years. But it never really occurred to me that I would live here again.

Last August, when we had just moved into the house, Peggy asked me, “Is this a dream come true for you?”

Honest answer — I never dreamed it because it was never even a possibility. And to live less than three miles from Tiger Stadium? Unimaginable.

Last football season was the first season I have lived in Baton Rouge since I left LSU in 1983. We have come to over a hundred games since then, but always from a distance. Being able to sleep in my own bed on game night is a luxury I never expected to enjoy again. And let’s be honest — two of those years I lived in the football stadium itself, so there wasn’t a whole lot of “luxury” about sleeping in my own bed…

These were the thoughts that occurred to me while waiting for the 2015 season opener tonight against the mighty McNeese Cowboys. Speaking of luxury, Peggy and I were uptowning it tonight, too — sitting in the Athletic Director’s box for the game, chatting up Les Miles’ wife in the suite next to us — big time. Then the rain and lightning started. And continued. And continued. At least being in the AD’s box we were the first to know the game was being cancelled. More uptowning got us out of the stadium ahead of the traffic. We were at home and watching the games on TV before 9:00.

I absolutely love living here. I love running into people I went to elementary school with. I love when the veterinarian asks my wife if she is related to me because he remembers playing by the “culvert” in the creek that was next to my house. I love seeing college friends unexpectedly at the grocery store. I love being able to hop in the car and be on campus in ten minutes just to see what’s going on. I love visiting my old friend Mike the Tiger.

Mostly, I love that my Dallas wife loves it here. Really, that’s about as good as it gets…