Dear Saints,

Thank you for the greatest season in my lifetime. It was a long wait, but it was a worthy time. You’ve been part of my life for a solid 3 decades; longer than my husband or children.

Thank you because you care for a city that I love. You don’t just play there. Many of you have made New Orleans your permanent residence. Your varied charities give something to the city, really meaningful giving.

Thank you for the ups and many, many downs. Thank you for teaching me never to give up. Thank you for not letting me be a cantankerous old woman still waiting for something really special to happen to my team.

Thank you for playing with emotion.

Win or lose, no matter what, I’ll be there to welcome you home.

Who dat.

Well, we had to get our voodoo on because this game is a big one.

According to the news, Peyton Manning is a Machine that no one can possibly beat, he’s smart, he runs his offense like clock-work, nobody else even comes close.

Looks like somebody else does come close to that same level of greatness.

In order to simulate game-day at the dome, we will:

• watch the game from the nosebleed section (the upstairs bonus room)
• wear our black & gold gear (exactly the same ones as the last game, unwashed of the sweat and tears) including, but not limited to, buttons, chef hats, sparkly caps and boas
• bang on the walls
• play “When The Saints Go Marching In” at the beginning and end of each half
• play  “Stand Up and Get Crunk,”  after every touchdown followed by “Second Line”
• do the wave, never when the offense is on the field, only for the defense
• bitch about Reggie screwing up, right before he busts one open
• send my brother-in-law to the concession stand once per half
• ensure that this Seester goes to the bathroom at a pivotal moment and misses the score that changes the game
• curse under our breaths as we climb the stairs to our seats
• lose our voices
• take preventive tylenol to ward-off headache prior to kickoff
• dance on the sofas
• cry if they win, eat cookies if they lose
• have faith