The Wild Blue Yonder

   Quarters were still a bit cramped in the hanger at the Hall (due to some unpacking procrastination on the part of Mrs. Hall) but since Winston had been spending so little time in there anyway, it mattered very little.  Serendipitous random dialing on the car radio provided them with news of a huge airshow at Nellis Air Force Base over the weekend and the Halls were off again.
     If Mrs. Hall ever manages to bottle the pungent aroma of diesel fuel and black smoke, there won't be a pilot around that could resist her.  Mr. Hall strained at the bit like an old fire horse, and it was all Mrs. H. could do to keep up with him as he sprinted from the shuttle.  The program was well padded; from the national anthem onward, the day never lagged or wore on.  For nearly five hours, the sky was alive with aerobatics and song and despite the unseasonably chilly temperatures, there seemed to be nothing but smiles and exuberant faces in the crowd.
  Several stationary displays enlivened the show, and at one point, Mr. Hall looked over and spied a

small child, having mastered the intricacies of working a mortar, zeroing in on the MIG parked just across the way.  "Just a minute," replied Mrs. Hall. "I'll handle this-" and she picked up a rocket launcher.  The usual hilarity ensued until Mr. Hall intervened and soon they were back on their way.

Thrilling displays, patriotic zeal and lots of fresh air can really build an appetite, and as the Halls sped home, Mr. Hall announced that the only thing that would cut the chill in his bones was a strong infusion of that tonic known as tequila.  They laid in a course for Tivoli Village to check out the opening of the new Cantina Laredo.   Syracuse's revamping of the old Carousel Mall into Destiny USA included a Cantina Laredo, and they had attended that opening in September; so it was truly surprizing for them to meet the very fellow that had served them there, in Tivoli.   Handshakes and well wishes were given all around, and after a complimentary round of drinks, the Halls strolled, happily sated, back out into the cool night air.