For my 60th - I guess I have to own up to it - my sisters planned a whirlwind weekend combining road trips to Baton Rouge on Thursday and Saturday and road trips to Mandeville and Houma in between. LSU loomed large in their plans and did not let us down. First, we met up with Claude Jr. before Molly’s LSU soccer team played hard toward victory against Ole Miss, getting them on track to win the SEC championship. Then, against huge odds, LSU’s football team beat Georgia. It was mayhem at the end of the game when the entire LSU crowd of fans stormed the field. (And you can count these La ladies, including pal Ellen, among the guilty party.) While we were in Louisiana, Bonnie and Amy knew I would want to see all our family, so they fit in a visit to Mike and Nancy’s. To my brother’s credit, he stayed up late into the night with us despite an early morning the next day. We dropped in at Reese and Kaley’s to see the girls before heading to Houma. Mila entertained, and Ellie wondered what to make of us. What a cute pair of sisters. When we got to Amy’s, it was great to see Claude again, and under the cover of a happy hour at Milano’s, my sisters surprised me with a gathering of high school friends. What is it about old friends that hits you with a flood of memories? It’s not just that they’re part of an earlier life; it’s that they’re part of an earlier you. I left those friends with gratitude, for those unforgettable times in my early life and especially for my sisters who thought of bringing us together. It was on to Vandebilt from there to see Hayes play in his Friday night football game, and though they didn’t win, it was so good to see him. The whole weekend, with every bit of celebration, was so special. I will always feel deep thanks to my sisters for this time. It’s Mike’s turn next!