My so-called vacation last month was less than restful. We spent a lot of time sitting in an action to buy the occasional quilt we liked. Waiting for items to come up at auction is excruciating. I'm not cut out for that sort of waiting game because I have to pay close enough attention not to miss things. The auctioneer's chants drone on and on. The "Hup! Hup!" of the crowd watchers becomes about as soothing as the sound of waves crashing on the shore. Before long, someone next to you pokes you and tells you your item is coming up and you realize that you've been way too obvious about what you plan to bid on. The mixture of boredom, anxiety and desire does not make for a quiet, satisfied mood.
The other reason our trip lacked in restful was that we spent a lot of time working on our relatives' technology (computers, cameras, printers, and so on), installing DSL here, setting up a Kodak EasyShare printer there. Interesting, but not calming.
Mostly, the "vacation" was not restful because I wanted to broach the subject of driving cessation with my close female relative. She really, really shouldn't be driving. (I've mentioned her before in my blog.) I even did my homework by reading a book called The Driving Dilemma: The Complete Resource Guide for Older Drivers and Their Families by Elizabeth Dugan. On our drive to my close female relative's house, I practiced the interview techniques with W.
Finally, on day four or five, I overcame my trepidation and broached the subject. Close female relative, it seems, has realized that her driving talents are not optimal. Given her propensity to lose consciousness, she knows she should not get behind the wheel any more. Yet, she hasn't quite come to grips with the local transit situation.
The good news is, there are people near her who could help her come to grips with her new situation. The good news also is we contact each other more regularly to use Microsoft's Remote Assistance feature (I can take over her computer from 2,000 miles away to help her fix issues). The bad news is that I'm 2,000 away and cannot do as much as I would if I lived closer.
As for the book, it's a light-weight read (most of it describes the laws in each state.) It's been helpful and so far, I've bought three copies. I consider it a small price to pay for a family member's dignity and possibly some stranger's life.
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