The W&L senior football players and their parents being introduced behind us.

A Fall Weekend to Remember (Football, Opera and Thailand)

The Princess and I had quite the weekend, one of firsts and bests.

The first was the opera "Bluebeard's Castle" at the Jefferson Center in Roanoke, my initial venture into an opera that wasn't spelled "Opry," as in Grand Ole Opry.

Opera Roanoke staged it and I promised Linda I'd go if she'd swap me a football game for it. She agreed, but she's seen football before (twice, reluctantly both times). Fair deal, I thought.

As it turned out, each of us enjoyed ourselves immensely. The opera was dark, bloody, suspenseful and surprising to me because it only had two singers involved. My impression of opera was that of Banana Republic palace guards ganging up on a fat lady. This one was contemporary, thoughtful, damn well written and a heck of a lot more entertaining than I expected.

The football game (Washington and Lee vs. Ferrum, played in Lexington) had some of those aspects since W&L was playing for its conference championship and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs. It won, narrowly. In fact the Generals have won four games by four points or fewer and lost its opener by four. Edge-of-the-seat team, kinda like an opera.

Linda and I celebrated our weekend with a lunch break at a delightful restaurant on Main Street, Dhan Napa Thai. We both ate pad Thai (our favorite Thai dish) and I said bluntly that it was the best I've ever eaten. It was prepared slightly differently than I am accustomed to (with veggies chopped into the noodles), though that was just fine.

The Princess and I came away smiling. We do have a good time. Her

This is Napa Thai, our new favorite Thai restaurant. 

The Princess was drop-dead gorgeous at the Opera.

I got gussied-up, too.

The football attire was more functional and comfy.

This bridge leads to the W&L football stadium, of which I am so fond.

Not a big crowd, but huge fun and very competitive.

Pampa and the Princess chowing down.

This was a week or so ago at Mill Mountain Theatre for "The Crooners."

My best girl, looking pretty. 

Here's what good pad Thai looks like.

No, I didn't eat two lunches.

Linda liked the artwork ...

... especially my buddy, Buddah.

The Ferrum football team exits the stadium after a disappointing loss.