This is another post about my mom. She is so fun for me to be around. She tells great stories on herself.

The latest one is that she was feeling really brave after she realized she could drive again, since the pain in her knees from a recent fall no longer kept her from driving her vehicle. She decided she would attempt to take the car through the drive-thru carwash. This would be only her second time ever!

She did great! She lined up just right and pulled forward as directed by the carwash attendant. At the perfect spot, the attendant gave the direction for her to stop driving forward, then did his best “Vanna White” arm movement along the vertical sign directing Mom to put the car in Neutral, take her foot of the brake, and do not touch the steering wheel.

Mom was so proud of herself for doing such a good job so far. Until… the car would not move. She got nervous. The attendant was making his best motion for Mom to roll down her window. She could not understand immediately what he was wanting her to do. She finally realized, and rolled her window down. The attendant ask if Mom’s car was in neutral. She looked down at the gear shifter and motioned for him to see that it definitely was in neutral. She was so perplexed! Then, the attendant asked if her foot was on the brake. She exclaimed, “Oh dear!” And sheepishly grinned up at him as she removed her foot from the brake.

That is all it took and she was on her way through the suds and water. She thought to herself, “Maybe next time I will get it right… Maybe next time….”

It is not easy to become independent and responsible for everything at age 82 when, for over 60 years, Dad was right there to do it all for her.