Interesting variation of the stupid health tricks yesterday afternoon

Instead of stupid gastrointestinal tricks?

Cold feet, progressing to cold ankles and calves and back again, plus cold upper arms, requiring cocooning in heavy blankets for several hours until surface body temperature resumed normal. That's pretty much par for the course with the gastro issues, but this time? No digestive issues at all. Just congestion from right side of nose to right sinuses to right ear, plus raw painful back of throat, and lots of fatigue.

I am beyond glad that this morning was the last of Tom's early-morning-duty for the week, and hopefully for MANY weeks to come.

Going to retrieve a finally-awake Jack from his room, and then gulp down sweet sweet Dr. Pepper.

Getting back on the caffeine wagon and working on my pitiful exercise regimen can wait til next week.

Plotting adventure...

or at least partial recon for a reduced adventure at a future date.

An old friend of mine and Tom's, from back when he was stationed at Offut AFB, is flying to Denver tomorrow with her husband and baby daughter. She invited me and my boys to come up and maybe attend the Denver Children's Museum with them, sometime Monday through Thursday. (Tom was included in the invitation, but has to work.)

The idea sounds awesome - I haven't seen Vanessa in years, and would love to meet little Caroline and introduce them to my boys.

Unfortunately there's the not so little matter of my panic attacks on freeways and finding some sort of route to the museum that avoids them.

Tom is guardedly against the concept, as he will not be able to come along and provide assistance. Understandable, and very loving of him. But I am very very tired of not being able to get as far as *Denver* without the aid of a man who only regards the place worth visiting for Bass Pro Shop, and even then hates driving the Denver freeways sufficiently we've only gone there twice since we came to Colorado. I also want to figure out some semblence of a route up there in case I have to take the boys to a medical specialist while Tom is on a deployment.

So. Potential route. Sans freeways. Sans roads that are overly busy, in case I find myself needing to make lane changes. And a nearby Burger King to feed my allergic Zodling Prime would be nice. (There's only one Culver's in all of Denver Metro, and it's not easy for even Tom to get to.)

The printer's being a pain in the neck again, so I wrote down the reference points for the turns so I can recreate the route after restarting both computer and printer. (On the upside, I discovered google maps has an option button for avoiding freeways and tool roads.)

Peterson AFB. Castlewood Canyon State Park. Bar Triple C Park. Skyridge Medical Center. Park Meadows Mall. Oak Brook Shopping Center. Brookridge Shopping Center. Columbine Shopping Center. Children's Museum. Burger King near Denver. (Which Google Maps kindly interpreted as a BK mere blocks from the museum, and which is accessible by regular roads, not the nearby freeway, huzzah!)

When I get a chance later, I will recreate this on google maps, and show it to Tom. Anybody with local experience (thenakedcat, perhaps?) who would chime in with advice would be greatly appreciated.