from wns to friday fiesta... what a day!

"So, you're going back to Wednesday, are you?"

What gave you that idea? The post title? Nah, I was referring to what I had for breakfast.

"I thought you were going to Denny's for the free Veterans Day meal."

So did I. The thing is, here's the thing: that Denny's on Abercorn that I recall so well wasn't there when I went looking for it this morning. Oops! I even spent an hour in search of it. So, I ate part of my To-Go box that I made after WNS. I do so like that Spaghetti Bolognaise! 

"Sure looks like penne to me..."

It was supposed to be made with ziti. Hey, pasta is pasta, right? It all tastes the same, but some is more fun to eat, that's all.

"You do you, g'friend."

Don't mind if I do, thanks! (smile!)

After that, I was off to the Big-D "The Marvels" with Boo. Good movie, but sure made me glad I'd watched three episodes of "Ms. Marvel" during the free Disney+ reward a couple of weeks ago. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had an appreciation for the teen Pakistani lass from Jersey Shore with the girl crush on Captain Marvel. Remember the bro-mance between the teen Spider-man and Iron Man? Same thing, just from the female side.

"That sounds like it was fun!"

It was, but the script was just short of being too girly for me. Hardly a surprise as it was written by three women. I'll see it again, but not for a couple of weeks. There are others I want to see first before I start with a repeat of this one.

"Heard. Did you go out for free "Veterans Day" breakfast at Huddle House after?"

I did not. I somehow couldn't make sense of the clock in my car, so I figured I better get back to my side of town. I wanted to shop at Walgreen's, which was giving me a 20% discount for the next four days. Here's the thing, though: I thought for sure there was a store at Tibet and Abercorn, so I went there. Oops! That was a dollar store of some type. So, I went to the one I usually go to on DeRenne. That worked out very well, very well indeed! I bought all of this, which would have normally cost me $97.25... but not today! I had $15.80 off for the Veterans Day discount, plus the almonds were BOGO. I only paid $13.66 for the lot.

"Sorry, say what? You forget how to do math?"

Oh, wait, I forgot to mention the credit I had on my UHC Medicare card. Remember last week when I finally had that HouseCalls visit?

"Yeah, I remember that, especially as the first appointment had been such a bust. Sure, there had been Idalia in the wings, but that first nurse had just vanished and never come by."

That's right. So I had specified that Signify Health was getting a second chance - you know I'm a firm believer in those - and they made sure to get it right. Olivia was the nurse and I do hope she will be the one to come for the 2024 home visit.

"Didn't you get paid for completing the visit last week?"

I did! They gave me a fifty-dollar credit for my UHC Medicare card, with that being reward money to spend on groceries or gifts or utilities. All told, I had $58.81 credit, so I burned through it for this buy at Walgreen's. Hooray!

"I agree! Hooray for you! What a great use of that credit! Well, except maybe those socks."

Hey, that'll be part of my Christmas treat. It's been years since I bought new socks, and some of the ones I have would be better used as dusters. Such big holes in the heels!

"I hear you! At least they don't have holes in the toes. That's the worst."

Absolutely! And I made it home in time to get the goodies put away before heading out to the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta.

"Muy bien! Was that still at Jalapenos of Sandfly?"

It was! Juan was the waiter tonight and he's come a long way in a month. Smitty keeps talking about us trying some other place, but Mary likes their salsa and she likes their margaritas and she likes that it's so close to Dutch Island. 

"Speaking of Smitty, did he take those PVC boards back to Home Depot for you?"

He did! That got me a credit of $159.46... money I won't have to repay on that credit plan. Hooray! That leaves a balance of $439.37, but Home Depot is giving me 12 months at no interest, so I can do that. Just forty bucks a month to pay it off.

"That's a good break for you. And just what was supper?"

Tacos de Carne Asada. Tony had the same thing! it was really good!

"I'm so glad you're getting this time with your brothers!"

Me, too. They always talk about people from the neighborhood that they think I would know, but of course I don't know them. I left at the end of 1976 for boot camp, while Smitty was a junior in high school, Ronnie was in 9th grade, and Tony was in third grade. Right at the end of that first year in the Navy, I was engaged, then got married and went off to Panama in March of Smitty's senior year. I was gone for two years - two years! - during which Hurricane David hit Savannah, Smitty graduated, and Ronnie dropped out of high school. That meant both of them were working, and Smitty was even living on his own. And even though I was back in the States, I wasn't back in Savannah. No, I was going to another "C" school in Pensacola for almost a year... and got divorced while there... and then went to Okinawa for two years... and finished up with my last 15 months in San Diego. While I was gone all those years, my brothers became young men and made friends and connections that were totally new to me when I returned to stay.

"I know. One reason I like these Friday evenings is the chance to catch up on some history of theirs that you missed. Another reason I like this new groove is the opportunity to make more memories that include the three of y'all together. Plus, it's good to get to spend more time with Mary and Laura."

Yeah, I like all that, too, I really do. Second chances are the best.