Leaving San Antonio

Its early.  I have a flight at 6:55 that goes back through Charlotte and then to Chicago.  I think I get in noonish which is nice because it leaves the rest of the day for me to get some work done.

As I left the hotel early this morning, I could smell smoke in the air.  The wildfires are about 2 hours outside of San Antonio but there are warnings all over that there is a danger of fires.  The blinking highway signs warn of the danger and of smoke that may obstruct your view.  I've not really experienced any signs until this morning.  The smell was pretty strong.  Everything is dry and brown down here - I must admit that I feel bad leaving Chance since he had been running around in our lush green grass of Chicago....  No lush here!

Another oddity that I saw at the airport.  This is a huge airport for military.  Some places you go you see the occasional solider, but then other places, its swarming with military because of a base or a hub for transport or something.  There are military all over here - in their dress uniforms and in their camouflage and then there are ones who are just in their shorts going somewhere but they're marked by their big camouflage duffle bags.  This morning, waiting to get into the security line - I've never seen this before - it was a military guy in his camouflage, a Muslim.  He was very definitely Muslim as he had headgear on, but he also had his wife and kids with him and you can never mistake them.  They weren't Seik or anything else, they were very definitely Muslim.  I don't have a problem with it - I'm just saying it because its so so odd.  I've never seen it before, at least someone who was just out there and wore his usual religious garb with the uniform.  I wonder if he is given a really hard time places or in the service.  I mean I know that can't technically give him a hard time, but it doesn't stop fellow soliders from giving him a hard time.

I had another blonde moment this morning when I strutted down to "my" gate and put my ticket at the counter and demanded to be moved to an aisle seat due to my gold status, only to be informed "um, this is United, you're flying US Air".  Oh - hahahaha.... excuse - turn and walk away quickly....  I did get my aisle seat down at US Air - something in their system never allows me to move myself on-line so I have to do it in person.  And, just so I don't look TOTALLY stupid (shut up Karl, and Pat...) US Air is affiliated with United so my status will apply.  I was in the right area, just the wrong counter:)

Stay tuned later today when I finish catching up by posting my updated BOOK REVIEW(S).  Its been a while and I actually do read so I have a few books to catch everyone up on!  Some good ones too!  One of them I just finished reading in about 3 days!